§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEIn view of the great anxiety which prevails in the minds of the public, and of the sympathy which they feel with a friendly Power, I take this opportunity, before Questions are asked, of asking the Prime Minister, Whether the Government have any further intelligence to give us beyond what appears in the public prints as to the terrible and atrocious crime committed in the United States, and more especially with regard to the present condition of the President?
MR. GLADSTONESir, I cannot be surprised at the Question of the right hon. Gentleman with regard to an outrage which, in its own character, is such as to attract the attention of the whole world, and which affects both the feelings and the welfare of a nation which is not only friendly to us, but which I really believe is growing more friendly from year to year. The public has been supplied with extraordinary promptitude with information in regard to all the fluctuations of the terrible trial which the President has been called upon to go through. We have nothing whatever—nor, so far as I am aware, has the American Minister anything—to add to the intelligence that has already been published. I grieve to think that the latest of these communications is of a nature to damp a good deal the expectations which, late on Saturday night, and during a considerable part of yes- 1936 terday, might have been rather warmly and confidently entertained. We can yet trust in Providence for a favourable issue; but we have nothing to add to the intelligence that has already appeared in the public journals.
MR. GLADSTONE, afterwards, said: I wish to say, with reference to the Question that was put to me at an earlier portion of the evening, that I have had a letter from the American Minister stating that no later accounts had been received of the condition of President Garfield up to half-past 10 last night. But, at the same time, there came to me a Reuter's telegram stating that at a quarter-past 8 this morning there was no material change in his condition.