Memorandum from Eamon de Valera to Arthur Griffith (London)

I received your letters dated October 27th, 31st, November 1, 3, 5, and 8th.¹

As you know, I have been of opinion from the very beginning of the negotiations that, if the Conference had to break, the best issue to break on would be 'Ulster' provided we could so manage it that 'Ulster' could not go out with the cry of 'attachment to the Empire and loyalty to the Throne'. The difficulty, of course, was to secure this without jeopardising our own fundamental position.

There can be no doubt whatever that the Delegation has managed to do this admirably, and if a break occurs at this stage, 'Ulster' will be crushed between the public opinion of both countries, as well as the public opinion of the world - if it counts for anything. This view is shared by every one here, so that we shall be quite unanimous on it.

The danger now is that we should be tempted, in order to put them more hopelessly in the wrong, to make further advances on our side. I think, as far as the 'Crown and Empire connection' is concerned, we should not budge a single inch from the point where the negotiations have now led us.

P.S. Were it not that it might cut across our policy of placing the onus upon Ulster, I would have had a reply made to the statements of [Worthington-]Evans² appearing in this morning's press. You will, I suppose, haul them up on it in the Conference. They must not be allowed to get away with that sort of stuff. It is likely to do a great deal of harm.