Letter from James McNeill to Eamon de Valera (Dublin)

Dear Mr. President,

I received yesterday evening by your messenger your letter of the 8th instant¹ in which you state that communications between the President of the Executive Council and the Governor General are confidential.

I have objected in my letters to the acts of the President and his Ministers as unjustifiable and offensive.²

In the case of affronts, however outrageous, by the President and some members of the Executive Council to the Governor General there is in your Council's opinion no course open to me but silent acceptance.

It must surely be evident to you that you and your Council are the only people in Ireland who think that the course you suggest is honourable.

I think that only you and your Council will be surprised at my decision to have an apology made to me as an alternative to my removal from my office.

I note that you are silent about Mr. Aiken's misconduct in his interview with the Lord Mayor of Dublin.³ Having addressed you on the subject and received no answer I am still supposed to regard my statement as confidential.

The correspondence other than your letter marked 'personal' will be published.