§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLsaid, he should be grateful if the House would allow him to say a few words of personal explanation. His attention had been called to a telegram from Mr. Egan, denying the statement he (Lord Randolph Churchill) made on Friday, that Mr. Fottrell was the confidential solicitor to the Land League. He found that he was mistaken in having quoted Mr. Pigott as his authority for that statement, the fact being that his authority for it was a letter from Mr. Egan himself, in a correspondence having reference to the negotiations for the purchase of United Ireland. The letter was written by Mr. Egan on the 27th of September, 1880, and published, with other letters by Mr. Pigott, in The Freeman's Journal of December the 10th, 1881. In the letter in question Mr. Egan said—
My Dear Sir—Owing to the absence from town of Mr. Parnell we could not do anything to-day, but I have arranged a meeting to-night, when, I am sure, the matter will be closed. I have, in anticipation of the decision, put the matter in the hands of the confidential solicitor of the Land League, and I advise you that there should be no time lost in putting yourself in communication with him, &c.It would thus be seen that his authority for the statement that Mr. Fottrell had been confidential solicitor of the Land League was Mr. Egan himself, who contradicted him in that morning's Times.