In the winter of 1884, while Chamberlain was negotiating
with Manning and Parnell through the unfortunate medium
of O'Shea, a distinguished Irishman was discussing the Irish
problem with a leading Conservative. The Irishman was
Sir Charles Gavan Duffy who in his youth had suffered
imprisonment as an Irish patriot and had emigrated to
Australia in 1856, disgusted by the failure of his effort to
form and keep together an independent Irish Party in the
House of Commons. In Australia he had had a successful
career, being Prime Minister of Victoria from 1871 to 1877.
In 1880 he had returned to Europe and settled at Nice. He
had followed the new movements in Ireland with great
sympathy and had written in favour of Gladstone's Land
Act in 1882. The Conservative was Lord Carnarvon who
had been Colonial Secretary twice, first under Derby in
1867, and then under Disraeli in 1878. He was a man with
a mind of his own and he had left office on both occasions
over a disagreement on policy. He had resigned in 1867 in
protest against Disraeli's Reform Bill and in 1878 in protest
against Disraeli's decision to send the Fleet to Constantinople.

Carnarvon and Duffy had made friends in 1883 and from
that time the two had corresponded on the Irish question.
Gavan Duffy had urged Carnarvon to consider whether the
Conservative Party could not find a settlement. In October
1884, Duffy stayed with Carnarvon and put before him a
scheme for an Irish Parliament. He declared that if there
was the least chance of its being adopted by the Conservative
Party he would return to England and devote to it all that
he had of strength and life remaining. He would canvass
the Roman Catholic Bishops and all the moderate Party,

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