▁for ▁a ▁confident ial ▁discussion ▁to ▁see ▁how ▁far ▁each ▁could ▁meet ▁the ▁other ' s ▁policy . ▁Par nell ▁assumed ▁that ▁Car nar von ▁was ▁representing ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁and ▁would ▁agree ▁to ▁his ▁propos als ▁that ▁Car nar von ▁described ▁as ▁" sur pr ising ly ▁moder ate ". ▁ ▁Conserv ative ▁leader ▁Lord ▁Sal is bury ▁wanted ▁the ▁meeting ▁kept ▁secret , ▁now ▁that ▁he ▁knew ▁Par nell ' s ▁position , ▁and ▁hoped ▁also ▁that ▁Par nell ▁would ▁mention ▁the ▁discussion ▁to ▁Glad stone . ▁This ▁might ▁move ▁Glad stone ▁to ▁up ▁the ▁ante ▁and ▁formally ▁declare ▁his ▁support ▁for ▁Home ▁Rule , ▁offering ▁slightly ▁more ▁than ▁Par nell ▁had ▁indicated ▁to ▁Car nar von ; ▁Sal is bury ▁believed ▁that ▁such ▁a ▁declaration ▁would ▁split ▁the ▁Liber als . ▁ ▁The ▁k ite ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁December ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁Glad stone ' s ▁son , ▁Herbert , ▁had ▁a ▁letter ▁published ▁in ▁The ▁Times . ▁It ▁included : ▁" Nothing ▁could ▁indu ce ▁me ▁to ▁count en ance ▁separation , ▁but ▁if ▁five - six th s ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁people ▁wish ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁Parliament ▁in ▁Dublin , ▁for ▁the ▁management ▁of ▁their ▁own ▁local ▁affairs , ▁I ▁say , ▁in ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁justice , ▁and ▁wisdom , ▁let ▁them ▁have ▁it ." ▁ ▁This ▁promised ▁a ▁large ▁amount ▁of ▁local ▁control ▁within ▁Ireland , ▁but ▁Ireland ▁would ▁remain ▁linked ▁to ▁Britain , ▁with ▁Queen ▁Victoria ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁state , ▁and