HC Deb 22 May 1882 vol 269 cc1262-4
SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, considering the great interest ex- cited by a recent political incident, he will consider it possible to lay upon the Table the letter already cited in debate addressed by him to the late Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant on learning the contents of the letter addressed by the honourable Member for Cork to the honourable and gallant Member for Clare, and the result of the conversation held by those two honourable Members at Kilmainham? The hon. Member explained that the words "on learning," in his Question were erroneously printed in the Notice Paper "on leaving office."

MR. GLADSTONE

The hon. Member has kindly adverted to an important error in the printing of his Question which entirely alters its scope and bearing. On that account it might, perhaps, be more convenient if he would put it to me to-morrow at 2 o'clock. But I also wish him to do that on another ground. He will himself see that the production of one letter as between one Member of the Cabinet and another is not very usual, and I should like to have an opportunity of consulting my Colleagues before I give an answer.

SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF

said, that he should not have asked for the letter if it had not been cited in debate by the right hon. Gentleman.

LORD ELCHO

wished to know whether the attention of the Prime Minister had been directed to the following words used by Mr. Michael Davitt when presiding at a Land League meeting at the Manchester Free Trade Hall on Saturday:— The Prime Minister deceived himself egregiously if he believed that the Land League movement was about to efface itself all the world over because he had been converted to Mr. Parnell's views upon the Arrears Question, and had accepted the services of Mr. O'Shea in effecting the Treaty of Kilmainham. The Land League movement was organized to effect a complete abolition of Irish landlordism, and until that work was fully and completely accomplished there could be no alliance between the people of Ireland and the Whig Party of this country.… Had Mr. Gladstone been in the confidence of the secret societies, he could not have more completely played into their hands. He wished to ask whether, under those circumstances, the right hon. Gentleman thought there was any use in persevering with the singular measure which stood first in the Orders for that Day?

MR. GLADSTONE

The passage which has been read by my noble Friend has no bearing whatever, in my judgment, and, I believe, in the judgment of my Colleagues, upon the propriety of proceeding with the Arrears of Rent (Ireland) Bill to-night.