Adamstown, Knocklong, 21st September, 1905

JOHN DILLON, ESQ., MP

Dear Sir,

I have been instructed to send you the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted by the joint meeting of the United Irish League Executives for the County and City of Limerick, held in the Town Hall, Limerick, on Wednesday, the 20th instant, Rev John Power presiding.

Resolution:
“That we suggest that Messrs Redmond, Dillon, Davitt, and O’Brien meet on some day soon, before the holding of the next National Convention in Dublin, to arrange whatever difference of policy or misunderstanding that now exists between them with regard to the present political issue before the country; and that our secretary be directed to send copies of this resolution to the leaders named.”

I remain, yours faithfully,
Samuel P. Harris,
Hon. Sec.

Proposed by Mr John Coleman, Chairman of the Croom District Council, seconded by Mr John Moloney, Hon. Sec. Co. Limerick Evicted Tenants’ Association.

2 North Great George’s Street, Dublin, 23rd September, ’05

My Dear Mr Harris,

I have received your letter of the 21st instant, enclosing a copy of the resolution passed by the Executives of the County and City of Limerick, and, in reply, I beg to say that, so far as I am concerned, I should be glad to meet Mr William O’Brien, either alone or in company with Mr John Redmond and Mr Michael Davitt, at any time, to discuss any matters he desired to discuss with me. And I should have been well pleased to meet him at any time during the last two years for such a purpose.

But it appears to me that the simple plan would be for Mr O’Brien to take the Pledge and rejoin the councils of the Party, in which he would be most welcome, in spite of all that has occurred during the past two years. There he could discuss and advocate the views he holds, without raising a public scandal and giving joy to the enemies of the National Movement, by the hope of a new split in the National Party.

Amongst all the strange delusions under which Mr O’Brien at present labours, one of the strangest, as it seems to me, is the idea that by taking the Pledge and joining the Irish Party he would be precluded from advocating the views he holds as to the policy which the National Party should adopt. As I understand the obligation of the Pledge, the only restriction it puts on the liberty of the members who accept it is to compel them to sit and act with the Party, and to vote with the Party when the Party decides to vote as a Party—and to abstain in Ireland from any attempt to set up a rival Party or to break up the National Organisation. These are very slight restrictions on the liberty of a representative of the people. They are, in my judgment, the slightest, consistent with the maintenance in Ireland of a united and strong National Party.

Why, then, should Mr O’Brien refuse to return to the Party and submit himself to the same rules as have been accepted by all members of the Party since its formation? It is true I am personally strongly opposed to the policy which Mr O’Brien has recently been advocating, because I am deeply convinced that, if adopted, it would speedily disintegrate and destroy the pledge-bound Irish National Party in Parliament, and substitute in its place a Party on the lines of the All-Ireland Financial Relations Committee of unhappy memory. But, if I might make a suggestion to Mr O’Brien, without offence, I would ask him to consider that his chance of converting the members of the Irish Party to his views would be much greater if he joined the Party and worked from inside, than if he adheres to his present attitude, standing outside the Party and pelting it with unfounded charges of a most insulting and offensive character.

Yours sincerely,
John Dillon

P.S. — I have noticed with great satisfaction that the U.L.L. Executives for Limerick Co. and City have unanimously endorsed the resolutions of the Directory.

Limerick Echo – Tuesday 26 September 1905