to promise permanency and to carry important measures. I conditioned that the land question should be settled on the basis of reserving all the agricultural land for actual settlement, that it should be capable of being selected in farms of 320 acres at £1 an acre, payable in instalments over ten years; and if this were done I agreed that the squattings not needed for selection should be occupied for a limited period by the existing licensees. But our operations were arrested by a communication from Mr. Haines to me that Mr. O'Shanassy had used language to him so rude and offensive that he would prefer standing aside to acting in the same Government with him. Mr. Haines could not be spared, and I attempted to restore unanimity. Among Mr. O'Shanassy's notable qualities a willingness to cheerfully admit that he had committed a bêtise, or a mistake, was not included, but I finally obtained the subjoined letter from him, which Mr. Haines accepted as an apology, and our affairs got into order again:—
"Hawthorn, Monday Morning."My dear Duffy,—I've your note, and hasten to acquaint you that the terms of it remove any disinclination I might have felt to attend any further meetings in relation to the late contemplated arrangements.
"You interpreted exactly what I said to Mr. Haines in reply to his observations, and I will cheerfully attend in the library to-day to confirm that statement, and remove thus far any misapprehension entertained by Mr. Haines as to the words used by me on the occasion in question.
"Having already fully stated to you, as I felt bound to do, the whole conversation as it occurred, considering that you were entitled to know at the earliest possible moment, I now feel that it is not necessary to dwell upon the alteration of sentiment announced by Mr. Haines.—I am, my dear Duffy, Yours truly,
"John O'Shanassy."
The stream of correspondence from Europe seldom slackened, and before taking up the engrossing Parliamentary business now at hand it may be pleasant to consider a few letters of this period which I recall with satisfaction.
