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Full text of "The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell Vol - I"

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36]                       NEGOTIATIONS                              339
shall rejoice whenever the time comes that a more hopeful spirit is manifested on both sides.
' Truly yours,
1J. CHAMBERLAIN.'
Mr. Gladstone at once put Mr. Forster in possession of 0'Shea's communications. The Irish Secretary seems to have been quite sympathetic on the question of arrears; but he did not see his way to the release of Parnell. He would not bargain with the Irish leader. He would not allow himself to be undermined by Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Morley. He looked upon the whole business as an underhand proceeding, quite in keeping with the attempts which had been constantly made to thwart him in his Irish administration, and he resolved to take no part in negotiations which had been begun over his head.
* Forster himself/ says Lord Cowper, 'thought ultimately that Parnell would have to be let out on certain conditions. It was the way the thing was done rather than the thing itself to which he objected.'
On April 18 Parnell wrote a characteristic letter, making an appointment with Mr. McCarthy, but saying nothing of the business in hand.
Parnell to Justin McCarthy
' 8 Rue Presbourg, Paris: Tuesday, April 18.
'MY DEAR MCCARTHY,—I hope to pass through London next Sunday, and will try to look you up at your house in Jermyn Street. Have had a bad cold since I have been here, but am nearly all right again. With best regards to all friends,
' Yours very truly,
1 CHARLES S. PARNELL'