§ SIR FREDERICK MILNERasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he is correctly reported to have used these words—
There were Conservatives who would be glad to hear of General Gordon's death, and a Conservative Member had said to him that he was afraid that Gordon was safe?He wished to ask the hon. Gentleman whether he was prepared deliberately to repeat those statements in the House, and to substantiate so atrocious a charge against Conservative Members of this House?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYI have not seen a report of my speech at Scarborough; and, as the hon. Member's letter of this morning is the first communication which has drawn my attention to it, I have not had an opportunity of obtaining a copy of the report. But, 371 taking the words as set out in the hon. Member's letter, I have no hesitation in saying that I am absolutely certain that I never said that—
There were Conservatives who would be glad to hear of General Gordon's death;in fact, I never used the word "death" at all. The remainder of the passage set out in the hon. Member's letter—namely, that I said that a Member of Parliament remarked to me that he was afraid that General Gordon was safe—is, as far as those words are concerned, pretty accurately reported. I was speaking at the scene of the famous Scarborough telegram, and was alluding to it. But if the hon. Baronet had been present, he would have seen, by my tone and manner, that I conveyed to my audience that I understood my interlocutor to have spoken in a political, and not in a personal sense, and that it was not to be taken too literally; and my audience, by their laughter, showed that they quite understood the matter.
§ SIR FREDERICK MILNERAm I right in supposing that the hon. Gentleman does not impute to any hon. Member on the Opposition side of the House any wish for General Gordon's death?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYCertainly.
§ MR. SPEAKERI understood the hon. Gentleman to repudiate any such interpretation.