To this astonishingly generous and statesmanlike offer, Mr. De Valera
returned on August 10th the reply of a narrow- minded fanatic. It began :- " On the occasion of our last interview I gave it as my judg- ment that Dail Eireann could not and that the. Irish people would not accept the proposals of your Government as set forth in the draft of July 20th which you had presented to me. Having consulted my colleagues and with them given thcso proposals the most earnest consideration, I now confirm that. judgment."
Mr. De Valera then went on to argue that Ireland's " right to self-determination " must be absolute. He could not admit the claim, expressed in the conditions, " to an interference with our affairs." The Irish people wanted " political detachment, free from Imperialistic entanglements." " Like the small States of Europe, they are prepared to hazard their independence on the basis of moral right." " True friendship with England . . . can be obtained most readily now through amicable but absolute separation." Ireland would, however, give " reasonable guarantees not inconsistent with Irish sovereignty " that Irish territory should not be used as a basis for an attack on Great Britain.
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