"What I should like--what I hope for with you--is a thorough offensive and defensive alliance, and in this case our position will be immensely strong. "I am prepared to refuse all offers until and unless both of us are satisfied. "Can you accept this position with perfect satisfaction? If you think I am asking more than I can give, I rely upon your saying so--and in this case you may depend on my loyalty and friendship--I shall support your claim cordially and just as warmly as if I were personally interested. "But my own feeling is that if you are stronger than I am in the House, my influence is greater than yours out of it, and therefore that, together, we are much more powerful than separated; and that in a short time, if not now, we may make our own terms. "To join a Government as subordinate members, to be silenced and to have no real influence on the policy, would be fatal to both of us. If we both remain outside, any Government will have to reckon with us, and, on the whole, this would be the position which on many grounds I should prefer. "I am ready to make all allowances for the difficulties in the way of giving to both of us the only kind of places which it would be worth our while to accept. If these are insuperable, I will give a hearty support to any Government which is thoroughly liberal in its measures; but I am not going to play the part of a Radical Minnow among Whig Tritons. "The victory which has just been won is the victory of the Radicals. Gladstone and the Caucus have triumphed all along the line, and it is the strong, definite, decided policy which has commended itself, and not the halting, half-hearted, armchair business.... The country feels it, and we should be mad to efface ourselves and disappoint the expectations of all our strongest supporters. [Illustration: THE RT. HON. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P. From the painting by F. Holl, R.A., in the National Portrait Gallery.] "You see that my proposed condition is--both of us to be satisfied. "As to what ought to satisfy us, if you agree to the principle, we will consult when the time comes, but my present impression is all or nothing." 'In other words, Chamberlain's view was that we should insist on both being in the Cabinet. My own view was that we should insist on one being in the Cabinet, and the other having a place of influence, giving him the opportunity of frequent speech in the House of Commons, pleasant to himself; and my view prevailed. 'On April 19th, Chamberlain wrote again that he had heard from Mr. Bright that "Mr. Gladstone will take the Premiership if pressed."'