1 6 Harcourt Street
Dublin This letter was
composed but not
sent MOF
for ? My dear Lord Bishop, I take the liberty of sending you a copy
of a letter which I have recently sent to the Archbishop of Tuam.
Resolutions about me have been sent up from a number of clubs, and
it will be difficult to prevent them from being made a subjet of
discussion by the Ard Fheis unless some sort of reconciliation
between Dr. Coyne and myself can be effected in the meantime. I
have received a reply from Dr Gilmartin in which he says that he
will do his best to bring this about and I have every hope that he
will be sucessful. My principal object in writing to you is about another
matter: The clear distinction made by President Wilson between
autonomy and self determination, especially in the case of the
Jugo-Slava-who are not recognised as belligerents, seems to me
to give Ireland a unique opportunity. If we could now show the
same united front that we did in opposing Conscription in asserting
publicly before the world that the people of Ireland deserve as
much consideration as the Jugo-Slavs it is difficult to see how
we could be frustrated. John Dillon is the great oracle. Once
before he made a great personal sacrifice in the cause of Ireland
united when he stood aside in favour of Redmond. The recent
tone of the Freeman, as well as some statements recently made 2 -2- by John Dollon himself in private conversation with people who
are in touch with us, give me to understand that he now feels
the dire straits into which his Party has fallen, and that he
might be willing to consider a reunion of all Ireland on the
basis of full and unconditional self determination. If this
could be done the difficulty of the Northern Bishops which you
spoke about in the Gresham Hotel would be obviated. Would there
be any possibioity of getting Dr. O'Donnell to bring pressure to
bear upon DIllon in this direction? Some of the other Northern
Bishops who are most favourably disposed towards Sinn Fein, such
as Dr. McKenna or the Bishop of Derry, might be able to influence
Dr O'Donnell. There are strong reasons which I cannot fully
explain in this letter that urge me to write to you and see if
you could do something to carry out what I have suggested. It may
be the first step in carrying out a plan for avoiding the
disedifying spectacle of a hotly contested General Election at a
time when all force ought to be concentrated upon one united
effort to get complete international recogntion for our Nation. Assuring you of my sincere sentiments of gratitude and
esteem I remain, My Lord Bishop, Your obedient servant,