§ MR. J. E. REDMOND (for Mr WILLIAM REDMOND) (Fermanagh N.)asked the Under Secretary of State for War whether he is correctly reported, when speaking at Blackburn in April, 1887, as having used the following words: "There was one subject on which their opponents were exceedingly blind. He meant the letter of Mr. Parnell, which appeared in the Times. He was not going to mince language about that letter, and he paid it was Mr. Parnell's letter," and, if to, whether he is now prepared to withdraw this statement?
§ * THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordThe hon. Member is aware that I answered a similar question on April 25, 1887, three days after the speech was made. I then explained that the expression I used was, "I call it Mr. Parnell's letter," and I gave my reasons for so calling it in the absence of any action to disprove it in a Court of law. As the allegation put forward by the Times has not been substantiated, I have no hesitation in withdrawing the expression which, as it was not well-founded, I regret to have used.