Talks
Following the agreement of the truce, Eamon de Valera travelled to London to start a series of negotiations with the British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George. After the negotiations, Eamon de Valera returned to Dublin where long and spirited talks continued.
Under the terms of the truce, British Forces couldn’t interfere with ordinary republican practices. This meant that Sinn Féin could resume their legal system, the Dáil courts could be reassembled, and they could consolidate their control over local government.
In October it was agreed that negotiations would begin at 10 Downing Street, London. Negotiations lasted for nearly two months, from the 11th October until 6th December. But de Valera did not attend the meetings. Instead, a delegation was sent to London with Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins leading the negotiations.
During the negotiations both sides clashed on the issue of Ulster. Following the Government of Ireland Act in 1920, Northern Ireland was already partitioned from Southern Ireland. Elections had taken place in Northern Ireland and the government there was operating a form of Home Rule. The Sinn Féin delegates wanted to ensure that the government in Northern Ireland was to be subordinate to the government in Dublin rather than the government in London.
Sinn Féin’s delegates also clashed with the British Government on the issue of the Crown. The British were insistent the Crown must be written into any agreement. Just as insistently, the Irish as republicans argued that they were not to be ruled in Ireland by a monarchy.