1921 AD - 6 - August / September

                                                                                                                                         "Anglo - Irish Treaty Negotiations."" 

1921 AD August 6th: Eammon de Valera the Priomh Aire of the 2nd Dail Eireann redrafted his personal "External Association Theory," that now contained an even "less" offer of association with the British Commonwealth, which he then presented for perusal to Arthur Griffith, Eoin Mac Neill and Erskine Childers and it was "passed" by the 2nd Dail Eireann Cabinet as the idea for this was that the lesser offer would create a "longer" period of correspondence to carry out further discussions on the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" into the Winter in case the "Anglo - Irish War" should begin again.

    The British Coalition Government now decided to "free" all of the Dail Eireann "political" T.D. members except for Sean Mac Eoin who had been charged with "murder" under pressure from the British Military.

August 8th: Michael Collins stated once again that there would be no meeting of the 2nd Dail Eireann until Sean Mac Eoin was "free," and this finally bought about his "release" that evening after Eammon de Valera also was to release a statement that he "must be" released or there would be "no" further proceedings with the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" negotiations.

August 10th: Robert Barton and Eammon Duggan went to London with the reply from the 2nd Dail Eireann Cabinet to give it to David Lloyd - George the British Coalition Prime Minister, with two copies, one in English, and one in Irish.

     The 2nd Dail Eireann then met privately and Eamonn de Valera was once again "elected" Priomh Aire / Prime Minister and Arthur Griffith the "Minister for Foreign Affairs," Michael Collins the "Minister for Finance," Cathal Brugha the "Minister for Defence", William T. Cosgrave the "Minister for Local Government," Austin Stack the "Minster for Home Affairs" and Robert Barton the "Minister for Economic Affairs" together with Kevin O Higgins as the "Associate Minister for Local Government." (Arthur Griffith, William T. Cosgrave, Kevin O Higgins and Robert Barton were all strong supporters of Michael Collins at this time).

     Eamonn de Valera now took it upon "himself," without any consultation with the 2nd Dail Eireann Cabinet to advise David Lloyd - George the British Coalition Prime Minister personally that the 2nd Dail Eireann / 2nd Irish Assembly could not accept his previous proposals for an "Anglo - Irish Treaty," but the decision by the Irish Ministers to "reject" David Lloyd - George's proposals was "endorsed" and they then held a public meeting at the Mansion House in Dublin where a large crowd attended and Michael Collins especially was "received with great warmth," which upset certain of the Irish Ministers in the 2nd Dail Eireann Cabinet whose "egos" were effected by his "personal" popularity.

     The Irish Volunteers / I.R.A. / Irish Republican Army also met for the first time since 1920 under Eamonn de Valera at the Mansion House in Dublin, where Cathal Brugha and Austin Stack insinuated that Michael Collins had used I.R.A. funds for his "own" purposes, which had been channelled through the I.R.B. and Eamonn de Valera, for some reason known only to himself, made "no effort" to have the matter clarified.   

August 13th: Robert Barton and Eammon Duggan returned with the "reply" from David Lloyd - George the British Imperial Coalition Prime Minister, that there would be "no acceptance" of the Irish proposals for an "Anglo - Irish Treaty," especially as to their not giving "allegiance" to the British King, and that Ireland was bound to the British Imperial Empire under the "Immoral Union."

August 23rd: The 2nd Dail Eireann Cabinet held their meeting where Eammon de Valera advised them that it was his intention not to "personally" attend any "future meetings" with David Lloyd - George the British Imperial Prime Minister over the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" although he was the Priomh Aire of the 2nd Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly as he already knew "personally" what David - Lloyd - George was willing to consider and did not want to be personally involved although he was supposed to be the "leader" of Ireland and therefore of the delegation.

August 24th: Eamonn de Valera as the Priomh Aire of the 2nd Dail Eireann advised David Lloyd - George the British Imperial Coalition Prime Minister "officially" of the 2nd Dail Eireann's affirmation of the decision "not to" accept his proposals and that there had to be government in Ireland by "consent" of the Irish population if there ever was to be lasting "Peace." 

August 26th: The 2nd Dail Eireann's reply was unacceptable to David Lloyd - George the British Imperial Prime Minister who replied with the supposition that the former Irish leaders, Daniel O Connell the Liberator and Thomas Davis the Young Irelander who had stated  that, "You must educate to be free," had not claimed "separation" for Ireland from England, and he even dropped in a few quotes from Abraham Lincoln for good measure made by him during the "American Civil War. "

     The 2nd Dail Eireann met again over the "same issue," and as Eammon de Valera their "leader" was point blank "refusing" to attend any future meetings with David Lloyd - George, they all agreed that the Dail Eireann Irish delegates to any future "Conference" on an "Anglo - Irish Treaty" with the British Imperial Government should be given a "free hand" to discharge their duty to the best of their "ability" in the circumstances prevailing, (Eamonn de Valera was already well aware of what these "circumstances" would be.)

September 1st:  The I.R.B. / Irish Republican Brotherhood also had a "meeting" to discuss the present situation in regard to the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" and Eamonn de Valera's "refusal" to attend ay further meetings with David Lloyd - George.

September 7th: David Lloyd - George the British Imperial Coalition Prime Minister wrote again to Eamonn de Valera wanting to have a further "meeting" at Inverness on the 20th of September to discuss an "association" of Ireland with the British Imperial Empire to see were it could be reconciled with the Irish National "aspirations," while in the meantime Eamonn Duggan the Irish Volunteers / I.R.A. / Irish Republican Army's "Chief Liaison Officer" in conjunction with Alfred Cope the British appointed Under - Secretary in Ireland was having "difficulties" maintaining the "Anglo - Irish Truce" due to the "longevity" of the on - going negotiations.    

September 9th: The 2nd Dail Eireann delegates who were to to attend the coming conference with David Lloyd - George were agreed upon, but they did not include Eammon de Valera the Priomh Aire who was totally "opposed" to the British Government "proposals" and who made this decision also by his own "casting vote," and Cathal Brugha and Austin Stack who were also totally opposed to the British proposals also "declined" to go and discuss it any further with David Lloyd - George and Eammon de Valera chose Arthur Griffith, who he knew was a "moderate" and well disposed to bringing about a "compromise," although he was previously a monarchist, and Robert Barton whom he considered was an "uncompromising" extremist Irish Republican.

September 12th: Eammon de Valera sent Joseph Mac Grath and Harry Boland to advise David Lloyd - George the British Coalition Prime Minister that the 2nd Dail Eireann delegates would "attend" the conference on the date suggested, but as the representatives of a "Sovereign State," which had already declared it's" independence" and David Lloyd - George said he would "not accept" the letter in it's original form that stated that "Ireland was a Sovereign State," and that this would be the "end" of negotiations if the letter was ever "published" stating these facts and despite this Eamonn de Valera ignored his advice and "published" it anyway.

September 14th: Eammon de Valera advised the meeting of the 2nd Dail Eireann / 2nd Irish Assembly of the results of these discussions with David Lloyd - George and that he had ignored his advice and published the letter anyway, which he now put before them for their approval as he had felt that a "strong" statement was necessary at this stage to make it more difficult for David Lloyd - George to break off negotiations and the 2nd Dail Eireann Cabinet "ratified" the appointment of the Irish delegates to meet with David Lloyd - George and William. T. Cosgrave moved that Eammon de Valera as the Priomh Aire of the 2nd Dail Eireann should be the one to "lead" the delegation himself, but the motion was "lost" for want of a seconder. Eamonn de Valera's personal explanation later on to Joseph Mac Garrity, as to why he did not attend this particular "crucial meeting," was that he did not want to "let down" the side, as he would be a "reserve" against David Lloyd - George's tricks, and that he would have "greater" influence over Cathal Brugha, Austin Slack and Mrs. Kathleen Clarke and others if he was "not" personally involved in the negotiations.      

September 15th: David Lloyd - George the British Coalition Prime Minister replied that he could "not negotiate" with Eammon de Valera as a representative of an "Independent or Sovereign State," as this would be "official" recognition by the British Imperial Government that Ireland was a "separate" Country from the British Imperial Empire and Eammon de Valera then replied that, "Negotiators must meet without prior prejudices and conditions, with only the facts."

September 19th: The "Anglo - Irish Conference" to be held at Inverness was then called off by David Lloyd - George the British Prime Minister, and correspondence then ensued between him and Eammon de Valera as he tried to convince him to change the Irish Cabinet's position and from now on altogether 15 letters and telegrams went back and forth until eventually the term of, "Chosen majority leader of the Southern Irish people," was introduced by David Lloyd - George and Eamonn de Valera then backed off from the permanent "Sovereign State" position.  

September: Due to the "Anglo - Irish Truce," Michael Collins was now physically able, but at great risk to himself, to "address" the voters in his other "elected" seat in  Co. Armagh, one of the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province, on all the matters related to the British Imperial Government's continuing "hold" over Ireland.

September 29th: David Lloyd - George the British Coalition Prime Minister gave up and "ended" his correspondence with Eamonn de Valera, which he felt had produced no basis for any further talks, which he could accept, to hold an "Anglo - Irish Conference" and there would certainly be "no" recognition of a "Sovereign State," but he stated that he was ready to make a "new" start and hold a "Conference" in London on 11th October, "To decide how Ireland and Britain may be reconciled with Irish National interests," and the 2nd Dail Eireann Cabinet then "accepted" his offer.

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