Extracts from a letter from Desmond FitzGerald to Mabel FitzGerald (Dublin)

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Sorry to be such a bad correspondent this week. But we have had an awful time. Yesterday was appalling. Massed British guns directed on us - I never had such a time. And poor Tody who has the heaviest burden will be a wreck, I should think. Faced with dishonesty, treachery and cowardice. Only satisfaction is that no one could have any doubt as to who won the arguments - or who had the right on their side. Scullin and Hertzog splendid (I am referring to Privy Council matter). British have consulted Tories and are told they will be opposed if they meet us on that point. Don't know what the outcome will be - they may make some proposition - but don't know what. They got some plain speaking from us. On another matter (inter se) we just broke.

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Yesterday has left me rather a wet rag. Had lunch with Ramsay. Old Passfield quite decent. He seems to have no illusions as to who was right and who was wrong. Said to me at lunch that we wouldn't get decision - only a form of words. The others here tell me that during the morning discussions his glasses fell off when I brought out caustic syllogisms showing their line of argument. He seems to have some sense of humour. Thomas completely dishonest and treacherous. Ramsay contemptible. Plainer speaking than ever yesterday. Tody told off old Sankey so much in the morning that he did not appear in the afternoon. Probably told that his presence might annoy us. Discussion might be said to be satisfactory from one point of view - that the other Dominions should at least be impressed by it by [two words indecipherable]. But wearing and depressing for us. Haven't seen Tody this morning yet - but imagine that he will be suffering from reaction. There was consternation among the British when he said it might be necessary to publish correspondence about case where British government undertook to square the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council - but we with foresight had told them that if things went wrong they would have to do with the paying. And when British government thought they had the Privy Council squared the Privy Council double-crossed them and they the British government have to pay.

But I am too fed up to go over the whole argument again.

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