Immediately Mr. Lloyd George knew that this letter had been
published in Dublin he telegraphed a letter to Mr. De Valera cancelling the proposed conference at Inverness. In this letter he pointed out that he had informed the Sinn Fein emissaries
who had visited him in Scotland on Tuesday, September 13th, that the reiteration of the Irish claim of independence and sovereignty would make a conference impossible. Mr. Lloyd George describes how the letter from Mr. Do Valera which we have just summarized had been shown to him by the emissaries, and how he had warned them of the very serious results which would follow if such a claim were made. " I offered to regard the letter as undelivered to me in order that you might have time to reconsider it. Despite this intimation you have now pub- lished the letter in its original form. I must accordingly cancel the arrangements for conference next week at Inverness, and must consult my colleagues on the course of action which this new situation necessitates." Mr. Lloyd George concluded • by saying that the great concessions which the Government had made deserved a more generous response. " So far, every advance has been made by us. On your part you have not come to meet us by a single step."
