§ 39. Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Prime Minister whether he has declined to receive a deputation appointed to convey to him the resolutions passed by the Irish Peace Conference, an assembly widely representative of moderate opinion in Ireland, which met in Dublin on 24th August, in response to his invitation?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, Sir. I have not declined to receive such a deputation.
§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKWill the right hon. Gentleman receive the deputation?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt might be desirable, but I should not like to pin myself to a date. I do not think much would be gained by receiving it at the moment.
§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKIs it not important at this juncture to give due weight to the expression of moderate opinion in Ireland?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, I quite agree with my Noble Friend, and I did ray best to encourage those gentlemen to find—
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYEspecially at Carnarvon.
§ The PRIME MINISTER—to find out whether there was such a thing as moderate opinion in Ireland at all. I am not sure that they discovered any.
§ Mr. DEVLINDid not the right hon. Gentleman tell the first deputation that they should gather further moderate opinion around them, and come and see him again?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is so.
§ Mr. DEVLINAnd having done so, is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to see these gentlemen?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is covered by the answer I have given to the Noble Lord. I thought it advisable to 2062 get down to moderate opinion in Ireland, and although I will see these gentlemen I do not think any advantage is to be gained by receiving them at the present moment.
§ Mr. DEVLINDoes the right hon. Gentleman think it is a statesmanlike policy to allow things in Ireland to get worse instead of better?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI think they are getting much better.
§ Mr. DEVLINNo, I think they are getting worse.
§ 40. Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the general desire both in Great Britain and Ireland for peace; and whether he will take into consideration the declaration of opinion by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Tuam that an immediate Truce of God is possible if the first move is made by the Government, and that if the Government will introduce a full measure of Home Rule, including full fiscal control forthwith, serious strife will cease?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am sure that there is a general desire for peace both in Great Britain and Ireland—which the Government fully share, but the first step towards peace must be the cessation of the attempt to overthrow the reign of law by the use of murder and assassination.
§ Mr. DEVLINDoes the right hon. Gentleman think the reign of law is established by a conspiracy to destroy property and the lives of innocent civilian citizens in Ireland? Is that what is meant by the reign of law or of Bonar-Law?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am not aware of any conspiracy of that kind, except the conspiracy of extreme people to form murder gangs for the purpose of attacking and killing the agents of the law in Ireland—
§ The PRIME MINISTER—a conspiracy which we are breaking up.
§ Mr. DEVLINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that no later than to-day a declaration signed by 20 Protestant bishops in this country was given to the 2063 Press expressing their horror and indignation at the manner in which the reign of law is carried out by servants of the Crown?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am not aware of that fact. If it is accurate, these gentlemen cannot possibly know the facts.