MY DEAR CHAMBERLAIN,--Morley did not leave until one o'clock this morning, when I had a letter posted to you. I think that I put it perhaps too strongly about the "On Imperial matters," but I had been fighting for the exact words, and was cross {341} about their not being precisely as I understood they were to be. Morley vowed that they would be. I said that they were not. Practically they are. I really do believe that they have not got a definition of "imperial," and they only do not want to bind themselves to the Irish Parliament being obliged to _demand_ representation. I said "peace and war." Morley replied, "this belongs to the Crown, and is raised by supplies." I suggested "a commercial reciprocity treaty." He replied, "this too is in the hands of the Crown, and is raised by a change in taxation." I do not think that there is any _mala fides_, but a desire to avoid hostile criticism, on "what is Imperial." Morley vowed to me again and again that there was no intention to dodge, and that having given up the principle they asked for nothing better than to make it full. I suggested, "all questions not excluded by the Bill." He replied, "state what questions, not involved in taxation, you mean, and show where one does not overlap the other." As regards the Committee, they still hold to it, and this will cover most of the questions. Please think this over, and if you can suggest any definite line of demarcation, and will give it me in the House, I will let Mr. Gladstone have it before he speaks. My last words to Morley were: "Chamberlain is quite fair on his side: he has a natural distrust of the old Parliamentary hand, and will not be humbugged. He no doubt will not quarrel over mere words, but he must have the substance. Knock this well into Mr. Gladstone's head." I write you this, because, thinking it over, I may have exaggerated a thing in which there is nothing important.--Yours truly, H. LABOUCHERE. _Mr. Labouchere to Mr. Chamberlain_ HOUSE OF COMMONS, Monday, May 10, 1886. MY DEAR CHAMBERLAIN,--I gave Arnold Morley three questions to take to Mr. Gladstone. 1. Would he propose the retention of Irish Members for all questions of taxation? 2. Would they come here like English Members? {342} 3. Would taxation include everything which was involved in Imperial taxation affecting them? He answered "yes" to all, but said that in regard to taxation he had suddenly thought that the tea tax is renewed every year, and that he had not put this before the Cabinet, but he personally had no sort of objection to their voting on it, and did not suppose that the Cabinet had. I suggested that Herschell should see you. He writes to say that he will be engaged all Tuesday and suggests Wednesday.