CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE PRIME MINISTER
The following correspondence has taken place:—
10 Downing Street,
Whitehall, s.w.,
13th June, 1917.
Dear Mr. O'Brien—Pursuant to my statement in the House of Commons on the 11th instant, I now have the satisfaction of requesting you to nominate two representatives of the Party under your leadership who may be invited to serve as members of the Convention.
With the terms of reference you are familiar. I stated them in my letter to you of the 16th May in these words:—
"Would it be too much to hope that Irishmen of all creeds and parties might meet together in a Convention for the purpose of drafting a Constitution for their country which should secure a just balance of all the opposing interests, and finally compose the unhappy discords which have so long distracted Ireland and impeded its harmonious development."
I further referred to them in the House of Commons as follows:—
"The Government, therefore, propose to summon immediately, on behalf of the Crown, a Convention
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