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No. 216 UCDA P150/1930

Cabinet Meeting of December 8, 1921, copy of notes taken by Erskine Childers1

Dublin, 8 December 1921

Dublin to await opinion.
Dec. 8 Cabinet Meeting.
President: 		(2) A. G. said he would not split country _ would not break but would leave it to Dail.
No. 3 Instruction to Delegates
(1) Draft should have been sent to A.G. said we submitted docs

(documents) here to Cabinet.
We had offered to stand out

Treaty gone through
Asked Dev to come over. A.G. On what basis
treaty signed?
Dev. said M.C. advised him not to go. M.C. Recommendation to Dail.
Did not matter. Undertaking not to break — Dail Dev. Signed by all.
But this not the point Before knowledge of how Cabinet stood
We did not get documents which are new. G.D. I signed: all must sign and recommend. Can I be here at adjourned meeting (yes)
M.C. We have only recommended it to Dail Eireann. Adjournment till 3
Dev. No _ Much more I have to oppose Treaty. 3 p.m.
A.G. It was war or not Plenipotentiaries only continuance of truce. O'H. Was there undertaking that All should sign
M.C. R.C.B. and G.D. didn't raise it. Dev 'Minute of Cab Meeting 3rd A.G. said document could not be signed but must go to Dail Otherwise I would probably have gone to L.
G.D. and R.C.B. Didn't occur to me. A.G. If I could have left it to Dáil, would have. No choice. Letters going we took decision and don't regret it.
A.G. (Defence clause altered to our recommendation) G.J.D. ditto
Dev. I can't work like this principle and co-ordination and team. Dev. but definite understanding You could have done with it
E.J.D. No choice _ we couldn't shift responsibility all speak?
A.G. definitely broke pledge A.G. I stand over doc
A.G. Personal to me (unkind?) R.C.B. I do so too
Dev. I would have gone and said 'go to the devil: I will not sign' I was intimidated
G.D. Don't say delegation. I had to declare war on my own behalf
M.C. ditto
recommend to Cab and Dail

1 A typed, undated note covering this document reads 'These notes were written in pencil in a small notebook. The copy follows original in all ways save by inserting punctuation where this was clearly needed, the next words beginning with a capital. But often the words stand two or three only on a line _ no capitals and no punctuation. These are separated into lines exactly as they stand in the original.' The copy printed here follows these guidelines except for separation into lines which page spacing has not always allowed.

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