HC Deb 19 October 1899 vol 77 cc248-50
MR. SETON-KARR (St. Helens)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been directed to the speeches made by and letters read from some honourable Members of this House at a meeting held in Dublin on 1st October last, and reported in the public press, in support of a resolution advocating the cause of the Boers in South Africa, now at war with Her Majesty; and in particular to a speech made at the said meeting by the honourable Member for Kilkenny, containing language apparently intended to seduce soldiers serving in Her Majesty's forces from their duty and allegiance to Her Majesty, and to a letter written by the honourable Member for East Clare, read at the said meeting, containing incitement to actively assist the enemies of the Queen; and what action, if any, Her Majesty's Government propose to take in reference to the same.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)

As serious reference is made to me in this question, perhaps before the right hon. Gentleman answers it I may be permitted to ask another question, whether it is not true that, in suggesting, as I undoubtedly did, that a message of sympathy should be sent to President Kruger, I was not strictly following the example set by Her Majesty's grandson, the German Emperor.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

I desire to know, inasmuch as I sent a letter to the meeting, which was published in the press, whether I am one of the Members referred to.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I am sure, if my hon. friend who puts this question had known how anxious the hon. Member was to appear in it, he would have taken care to gratify the wish. As regards the subsidiary question, I have to say that I was not aware the hon. Member for Clare founded himself on the august model he refers to. I may point out that, besides other points of difference between the hon. Gentleman and the German Emperor, his Majesty is not a British subject, or a Member of this House.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

He is a Colonel in your Army.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

As regards the substance of the question of my hon. friend, I have no reason to believe the statements in it are inaccurate. If my memory serves me right, support—I do not know whether I ought to call it moral support—of a similar character has invariably been forwarded from the same quarter to those engaged in hostility to Her Majesty's Government, irrespective of creed, race, theatre of operations, or cause of quarrel. I have, however, no ground for thinking that this support was ever regarded as of importance by the persons to whom it was offered, and I certainly advise the House of Commons to take a similar view of this incident.