Читать книгу John Redmond - Dermot Meleady - Страница 14
ОглавлениеCHAPTER 5
Reunification and Leadership, 1900–1902
THE LEAGUE AND THE PARTY
In early 1898 in Mayo, William O’Brien founded the United Irish League (UIL) with the dual purpose of reviving agitation for land redistribution in the congested West and of fostering a reunion of nationalists at grass-roots level that would bypass existing factional memberships. This initiative received support from Dillon and Davitt. Throughout 1899, the sentiment of these three men was hostile to the rapprochement between Redmond and Healy, mediated by Harrington, which they viewed as an attempt to rescue failed political careers. Against the expectations of O’Brien and his allies, the formal reunion of the Party took place on 30 January. In the vote for chairman on 6 February, Redmond’s election came when O’Brien, at Davitt’s urging, switched his support from Harrington, the only other candidate, based on his supposed alliance with Healy against the League. Dillon became deputy leader. From the moment of his election, Redmond was anxious to show his acceptance of the UIL as the future national organisation of the reunified Party. The contentious question of the exact relationship between the Party and the League remained to be decided at the summer Convention.
T.C. HARRINGTON MP CIRCULAR TO ALL NATIONALIST MPS
18 January 1900:
The Conference which assembled last evening in the Mansion House here to consider the steps which might be taken towards re-uniting the different sections of the Nationalist Party in Parliament was both harmonious and successful. I enclose a copy of the resolutions which were unanimously adopted and which … were founded upon the acceptance of the Resolutions adopted at the large conference held on 4 April [1899].
You will observe that the third Resolution authorizes me as Chairman to invite the Irish Nationalist members of all sections to a meeting at the opening of Parliament to take counsel together and make any other arrangements that may be necessary for the re-construction of a United Party on the old lines … I am full of hope that we are bringing the unhappy chapter to a close.1
WILLIAM O’BRIEN TO J.F.X. O’BRIEN MP
28 January 1900:
Confidential.
I am astonished to hear that some of our friends are thinking of giving some importance to Tuesday’s meeting by attending it. It passes my comprehension how any self-respecting Nationalist can believe any good can come of any bargain with those men …
If they are simply left to themselves, Healy will extinguish Redmond and R. will extinguish H., and the country will quite easily succeed in forming a new Party genuinely united …2
TO T.P. GILL
7 Belvidere Place, 6 February 1900:
… My unanimous election astonished me and especially when I heard William O’Brien had wired strongly to all his henchmen to support me! 3
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN
House of Commons, 11 March 1900:
My letter did not go to the full length you desired but as an unmistakeable expression of friendliness to the League I hope it will be satisfactory to your friends …4
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN
Irish Daily Independent Office, Trinity St., 19 April 1900:
… I return the Canon’s letter. I am not at all surprised at the tone and substance of the letter. It would be absurd to suppose that the priests can accept me without some heartburning. Every day that passes makes me more certain that for all our sakes a Convention is essential. No one will dare to attempt … to create dissension at it and after it has been held it will be impossible I believe to revive disunion …5
***
The first National Convention of the UIL was held on 19–20 June 1900; Redmond was elected its Chairman. All efforts now turned to the work of making the League a nationwide organisation. Meanwhile, the chief obstacle to the binding up of the wounds of the Split was the persisting mutual antipathy between O’Brien and Healy, the former insisting on a declaration of allegiance to the League, the latter accusing O’Brien of trying to degrade the Party and using the League to dictate to elected MPs.
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN
8 Leeson Park, 25 June 1900:
… I am strongly of opinion no time should be lost in organizing a number of big meetings … I would like to speak in Cork, Limerick and a number of other places and I think I might as well also go to Cahir with Dillon …
From all I hear the announcement of Harrington’s appointment will do great good especially amongst a class of the Parnellites who up to now have more or less held aloof …6
***
The General Election was held in early October 1900. The Conservatives, in Government since 1895, were returned to power. In Ireland, the 82 Party members returned included 49 members of the old factions; O’Brien’s envisaged wholesale purge did not materialise.
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN, MP CORK CITY
8 Leeson Park, 15 October 1900:
I am reluctant to trouble you when, as I hope, you are enjoying a few days rest after your terrible work of the past couple of weeks, but the matter I want your advice upon is urgent.
I believe, taking the [general] elections as a whole and considering how much had to be left to chance and to a rough and tumble struggle, the result must be considered satisfactory and hopeful …7
TO EDWARD BLAKE MP
8 Leeson Park, 3 November 1900:
… The Elections, taking everything into account, have I think been satisfactory. While I did not personally approve of the policy of making peace with a hatchet, it is at least very satisfactory that the country has pronounced its opinion in such a decided way.
I think if things are allowed now to settle down, that we have a very fair chance of a strong movement, and a united Party, but if a policy of expulsion be adopted, I have very great fears of the consequences …8
***
As the second UIL Convention approached, the strife between O’Brien and Healy, often fought out in the editorial columns of the Freeman’s Journal and the Irish Daily Independent (see Chapter 12) reached new heights of bitterness. The Archbishop of Dublin was moved to intervene.
FROM WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
9 November 1900:
… The only thing on which I am quite clear and which for me will involve the question of my membership of the Party is that the Convention ought specifically to direct Healy’s exclusion from the Party …9
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
8 Leeson Park, 10 November 1900:
… Consider well whether it may not be quite possible to effect your object as to the Party by proposing some test for membership such as adoption of League and authority of Convention, which would have the same effect as exclusion of individuals practically by name …
I would be in favour of continuing the three Trustees for the new [Parliamentary] Fund, but I think the distribution of the Fund ought to be in the hands of the Party and its own Treasurers …10
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
8 Leeson Park, 5 December 1900:
[Regarding O’Brien’s proposed resolutions for UIL Convention]
… In my opinion this resolution should be followed by one dealing with the surplus of the General Election Fund (close upon £3,000) and allocating portion of it to form the beginning of the new Fund and portion to the League.
I don’t think it reasonable to expect an early response to the new appeal and therefore out of the surplus we will have to provide enough to send the Party to London in February – that is to say at £50 a head about £2,000 …11
TO ARCHBISHOP WALSH
8 Leeson Park, 10 December 1900:
I have read your letter with much concern … the intervention of Your Grace in the direction indicated is a very serious matter; at the same time if Your Grace feels it a public duty to make a pronouncement on the political situation that has arisen I cannot take the responsibility of asking you to refrain from doing so.
I sincerely hope that the Convention proceedings do not have the deplorable consequences you anticipate.12
***
The second Convention was held on 11–12 December 1900. With Redmond trying to keep order amid fierce uproar, the Convention voted by a large majority for O’Brien’s motion to exclude Healy from the Party, all former Parnellites voting against. The decision brought peace to the Party. Redmond set about organising it for Parliamentary work.
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
8 Leeson Park, (circular letter) 1 January 1901:
… the Committee of the Party appointed to ‘consider and report upon a plan for the distribution of Parliamentary work amongst members of the Party’ has reported in favour of the appointment of Sessional Standing Committees to deal with … (1) Land and Evicted Tenants, (2) Congested Districts, (3) Labour, (4) Town Tenants, (5) Education, (6) Financial Relations, (7) Administration, (8) Local Government, (9) British Affairs, (10) Foreign Affairs, (11) Private Bill legislation.
I am most anxious at the very commencement of the Session to put this system (if approved by the Party) into immediate operation.
… I would be very much obliged if you would let me know … if you are willing to serve on committees on [(1), (2) and (7)].13
***
THE LAND STRUGGLE
From the beginning of the 1901 session, Redmond and his colleagues, in line with Parnell’s policy of realizing peasant proprietorship, made the achievement of new land purchase legislation from the Tory Government the policy priority for the Party. An integral part of this strategy was a campaign of agitation in the countryside. While avoiding outright violence, this relied on traditional methods of intimidation and boycotting to enforce the will of the UIL, which by autumn 1901 had 100,000 members organised in 1,000 branches. Among those imprisoned under the coercion laws were some Party MPs.
FROM JOHN DILLON MP
Dublin, 29 January 1901:
… I am very strongly of the opinion that the amendment on Compulsory Sale ought to be the first Irish amendment [to the Address] and ought to be moved by you …14
TO JOHN DILLON MP
Aughavanagh, 30 January 1901:
I am very glad to find your view the same as my own about Land Purchase. I am rather doubtful about O’Brien’s view from a note I had from him some little time ago … but it would be utter madness to hand over this question which has been in one shape or another our chief plank on the land question since the Land League to Russell or anyone else …
P.S. It’s all snowed up here.15
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
52 Wynnstay Gardens, 5 February 1901:
I need not say how sorry I am to hear of your renewed illness.
We can have at least two good Irish debates on the Address. The Address will last fully a fortnight … My view is we shd. concentrate ourselves this year on two: [Land] Purchase and the League …
I also am laid up with a heavy cold … I have had a terrible trip to meetings in Yorkshire.16
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
52 Wynnstay Gardens, 4 April 1901:
I was glad to learn from your note that you are improving though slowly. I am sure when the spring weather comes and you are able to be in the open air more, that you will rapidly recover.
… We are to hold a meeting of the Directory on Tuesday the 16th. If you feel at all up to it, I would be very much obliged for a few lines giving me any suggestions that may occur to you as to resolutions.
I will be at the Gresham Hotel on Saturday the 13th …17
TO JOHN O’CALLAGHAN, SECRETARY, UNITED IRISH LEAGUE OF AMERICA, BOSTON
House of Commons, 26 April 1901:
Things are going exceedingly well. The League is now in practically every county, even in places, such as Wexford and Carlow, which were previously hostile. One does not now hear, either in public or in private, one word of disunion in Ireland … since Parliament opened Mr. Healy has carefully abstained from saying or doing anything of a hostile character.
The General Election Fund is going well – I am sure we will meet the needs of the Party for the current year. But this is not enough; it is not safe for the Party to be living merely from hand to mouth ...
Regarding the Party in the House, the new men are a great improvement on the old. We now have no drinking brigade. The Party is made up of steady, sober, thoroughly decent and capable men. We have no galaxy of genius, no men likely to turn out as brilliant as [Thomas] Sexton and a few others did in Parnell’s time, but I believe we have a better average of talent in the Party than ever we had. There is not a trace, as far as I can observe, of bitterness or ill-feeling arising out of the old Parnellite and anti-Parnellite split. Nothing could be better, or, indeed, more generous than the manner in which I have been treated by the entire Party – just as much by those who were anti-Parnellites as by those who were Parnellites. This includes every man in the Party, from Mr. Dillon downwards.
The Government is in a sorry plight. The prolongation of the [Boer] war is costing £1.5 million a week, and their own party is restive … the Liberals themselves are quite demoralized and helpless – they would be afraid to defeat the Government even if they could, and they shrink from the responsibility of the reins of office. Thus the only Opposition in the House of Commons is the Irish Opposition …
I enclose an article of mine from the current issue of the New Liberal Review.18
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
House of Commons, 17 May 1901:
I was exceedingly glad to receive your letter firstly because it contained the good news that your health is improving …
I showed your letter to Dillon. We are all, I need not say, of one mind that under no circumstances should you dream of resigning your seat and all hope that by keeping worry of all sorts at arms length you will be yourself again …
I intend at Whitsuntide to lie low for a week or ten days. Twelve hours a day here takes it out of me.19
FROM P.A. MCHUGH, MP NORTH LEITRIM, EDITOR OF SLIGO CHAMPION
Kilmainham Jail, 18 May 1901:
… It would be quite impossible to make me more comfortable than I am. Like Diogenes in his tent I want for nothing. It is a great satisfaction to see how splendidly you are all going on in Parliament, and have never known the country to be in better heart than it is at present …20
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Aughavanagh, 28 August 1901:
… I won’t write at any length as we can discuss everything when we meet.
I am sorry to say I cannot go [to Westport] by the 9 train on Saturday – I will go by the 4:30. My wife regrets extremely she cannot have the pleasure of accepting your kind invitation. She is doing the housekeeping here for a party of shooters and cannot stir …21
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Aughavanagh, 4 October 1901:
I am uneasy about [the by-election in] Galway. I think our friends ought to try to make up their minds as to a candidate …
Two other possible candidates occur to me:
1. Douglas Hyde – he wd. be a strong candidate. He is no doubt a crank, but is a good fellow and his election might neutralize any dangerous tendencies of the Gaelic movement.
2. Patrick Boland – brother to the member for Kerry. He wd. make an admirable member of the Party …22
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Gresham Hotel, Dublin, 17 October 1901:
I am greatly concerned at the news that you find it necessary to go away. I had hoped you were nearly all right again, though I confess I feared the … increasing political worries … It is very unfortunate that we both will be away at the same time …23
***
Redmond was conferred with the Freedom of the City of Dublin on 3 April 1902, and with the Freedom of the City of Cork on 4 April. In March, the new Hibernophile Chief Secretary, George Wyndham, introduced a Land Bill. Redmond and his colleagues rejected it, judging its purchase provisions to be wholly inadequate. In June, in an atmosphere of mounting agitation and repression, and pro-Boer utterances from Party members, Wyndham withdrew the Bill.
FROM T.C. HARRINGTON MP, LORD MAYOR
Mansion House, Dublin, 9 March 1902:
Would Thursday in Easter Week suit you to receive the Freedom of the City? ... I think we could secure a good crowd on Thursday of that week …24
FROM JOHN DILLON MP
Dublin, 30 March 1902:
… I was so stultified by the influenza that it was only on Friday that I read anything about the Land Bill [George Wyndham’s first Land Purchase Bill]. But what you say expresses exactly my view on the Bill and the situation created by its introduction. I think it is mainly a landlord’s Bill, intended … to raise the price and give [?] to the landlords to sell …25
FROM MICHAEL DAVITT
Dalkey, 24 July 1902:
I cannot help dropping you a line of congratulation upon your fine speech last night [in the House of Commons, indicting Chief Secretary Wyndham]. It is, I think, the very best you ever made inside or outside the House … and I think it would be doing a capital piece of useful propaganda to have the speech printed and circulated in Great Britain …26
***
O’Brien had returned to political activity in April. In July he spelt out the details of a new ‘fighting policy’ manifesto from the UIL Directory that urged an escalation of boycotting. Redmond, Dillon and T.P. O’Connor took fright at the implications of O’Brien’s action and sought to restrain him.
FROM WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Mallow Cottage, 20 August 1902:
I must trouble you to read over enclosed letters from T.P. I would not have been surprised at the view that he and others take … But it would be of course quite a different matter if his views were shared by you, as from the first letter I rather inferred … I shall be glad to hear from you frankly as to whether you agree with him that I have gone too far, or that it would be better for the movement if I abstained from any further attempt to create serious difficulties for the Government in the country …27
TO JOHN DILLON MP
Aughavanagh, 22 August 1902:
… I would like very much to have a talk with you about … a three-cornered correspondence between T.P., O’Brien and myself. Would it be possible for you to come down to us here? If you don’t mind roughing it a bit we can put you up, or if you wanted to do so you could easily return the same night. I intend to remain here until we go to America as my house in Dublin is let until 1 October. Of course I would go to Dublin to meet you if you preferred it …28
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Aughavanagh, 21–4 August 1902:
… I entirely agree with what T.P. says about your position and influence in the movement, and any serious differences between us I wd. regard as fatal …
I do not believe the movement can be successful if it be allowed to drift into listlessness and apathy in Ireland and … I am therefore in complete agreement with you in thinking there is need at this moment for renewed activity, closer organisation and more determined action.
Where I differ from you is as to the means. I think if your [5 July] Limerick speech … is repeated all over the country and propounded as the policy of the League, that the consequence will be the suppression of the organisation and the imprisonment of its leaders and I frankly say that this would be followed, not by an uprising of the people but by confusion, chaos, renewed apathy …
I am in favour of a vigorous campaign this winter all through Ireland … but I am not in favour of openly preaching universal boycotting …
I have written with perfect candour to you … You will, however, I feel sure understand my view …29
FROM WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Mallow Cottage, 25 August 1902:
… I must content myself with saying that I find it utterly impossible to reconcile the Manifesto of the Directory, and your own and Dillon’s speeches in support of it, with the objection to the only effective means of giving any genuine effect to the Manifesto – in fact the only practical means of any kind that have been suggested for giving trouble to the landlords and the Government …30
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Aughavanagh, 27 August 1902:
… I cannot help feeling you greatly exaggerate the difference between us and you certainly misunderstand my view.
My object is precisely the same as yours … to create trouble both for the Government and the landlords …
Nor do I, in any sense, wish to discountenance boycotting. On the contrary I would like to see every grabber and other similar enemy vigorously boycotted – what I object to is simply the preaching of practically universal boycotting all over the country, on the authority and as the policy of the Directory and the League …
I wish very much you cd. come to Taghmon. It would be so much easier to talk matters over than to write …
I am grateful for the kindness of tone of your letter and I feel sure we will both find there is very little difference between us …31
TO JOHN DILLON MP
Aughavanagh, 1 September 1902:
I enclose … correspondence with O’Brien and T.P. I have not asked permission to send you this, but this was I consider unnecessary.
I need not say I feel very uneasy about this matter, as it is difficult to see where it may lead, but I felt I ought to say to O’Brien in writing what I have said verbally three or four times and indeed his letter to me forced me to do so …32
FROM JOHN DILLON MP
Dublin, 12 September 1902:
… I return O’Brien’s letter which I read with great relief. The proclamation of Dublin and the impending attack on the Irish People had a good effect on him. This is not the first time that the Government has extricated us from serious difficulties by timely action …33
***
As coercion reached its height in mid-1902, letters appeared in the papers from Irish landlords advocating a conference between representatives of landlords and tenants to seek agreement on land purchase. The third letter, from Capt. John Shawe-Taylor, suggested that Redmond, O’Brien and Harrington might act in the latter role. Wyndham voiced his approval of the initiative. Redmond’s and O’Brien’s replies were cautiously positive. The result was a radical change of direction, from confrontation to conciliation. By early December, a poll of landlords had chosen Lord Dunraven and three others to meet tenant representatives in conference.
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Aughavanagh, 19 September 1902:
… I enclose my reply to Shawe-Taylor. I wd. be glad if you showed it to Dillon and if he approves please post it for me …34
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Aughavanagh, 20 September 1902:
… Willy has been summoned to appear in Dublin on the 24th before a judge [for his speech at the Taghmon meeting] to show reason why he should not give bail to be of good behaviour … He wired me yesterday saying he wd. not appear but I don’t think that wise … I am sure, however, he will do anything we agree on when we meet on Tuesday.35
CIRCULAR LETTER TO ALL IRISH PARTY MEMBERS
UIL Offices, 39 Upr. O’Connell St., Dublin, 2 December 1902:
Private and Confidential
My dear Sir,
Lord Dunraven’s landlord committee have asked me to furnish them, on behalf of the Irish Party, with names of four gentlemen to act as representatives of the tenants in a Conference on the land question about to be held … The holding of a meeting of the Party for the selection of names might be inconvenient and it appears to me really unnecessary … The four names originally suggested were Mr. William O’Brien, Mr. T.C. Harrington, Mr. T.W. Russell (as specially speaking for the northern farmers) and myself.
I would hand these names to Lord Dunraven if I felt assured that the Party was satisfied with them, and I would be much obliged if you would send me a line by return of post saying whether or not you approve of this selection.
[Notes written on this copy by Dillon: (at top) ‘Copy of circular sent out by Redmond – no copy ever reached me’ – J.D. 7 Feb 1903 – ‘And the first I heard of this was Redmond’s speech last Sunday’ (at bottom); ‘Note members are not asked whether or not they approve of meeting Dunraven and Co. at all’.]36
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
18 Wynnstay Gardens, 7 December 1902:
I saw D[unraven] last evening. He will I think agree to everything
1. To take the chair
2. To have Conference about 20 Dec.
3. To publish no agenda
4. To confine Conference to the few principal points I mentioned viz.
(a) Tenants to get substantial reductions in 2nd term rents
(b) Landlords to get net 2nd term income
(c) Treasury to supply deficit
(d) Conference to recommend settlement of Evicted Tenants question
(e) and to say the West requires separate and exceptional treatment.37
***
The second longest Parliamentary Session on record ended on 19 December. The Land Conference met at the Mansion House, Dublin on Saturday 20 December and thereafter on five days over the Christmas recess.
***
THE CHURCH AND EDUCATION
The procurement of a national university for Catholics was another early policy goal of the reunited Party. On this and other Irish education matters, Redmond was in constant touch with the Archbishop of Dublin.
FROM ARCHBISHOP WALSH
Dublin, 28 February 1901:
… Now it has to be recognized that what we have got is a thing that is working badly. This gives a new force to the demand for reform … If T.C.D. stands as a College and University, self-contained, we must have a similar College and University at the Catholic side …
I hope the splendid work now being done by the Party will stir up the country …38
TO ARCHBISHOP WALSH
House of Commons, 12 March 1901:
Mr. Balfour has intimated to me that it is exceedingly likely the opportunity for the debate on the University question which we have won in the ballot will arise on the 25th of this month …
I need not say we would be guided most largely by what you and the Hierarchy thought the best course to pursue. It would be very kind of you if you could give me the benefit of your advice and guidance in this matter …39
FROM ARCHBISHOP WALSH
Dublin, 14 May 1901:
… Irish can be taught as an ordinary school subject, within the ordinary school hours, in any national school in Ireland provided that the efficiency of the school … is not interfered with. At present there is hardly a school (under Catholic management) in Dublin in which it is not being taught …40
***
Redmond’s relationship with the Catholic hierarchy became strained in late 1902 when the Tory Government’s Education Bill was in Parliament. The Bill’s provisions for Catholic schools in England and Wales, many in Irish communities, were an important issue for the Irish Party. With Redmond and Dillon in the US in October, O’Brien withdrew the Party to Ireland because of coercion, incurring the wrath of the hierarchy, Healy and the Irish Independent.
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
18 Wynnstay Gardens, 26 November 1902:
… This storm will blow over, but it has some serious aspects. What has occurred will give a new lease to the Independent and we must now face a fresh campaign of abuse and blackguardism – and we cannot rely on the Freeman …
I wish you had possession of the Independent. It is not safe for the movement to have to rely solely on the Freeman …41
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
18 Wynnstay Gardens, 30 November 1902:
… As a choice of evils I wrote the letter which you will have seen in the Freeman before you receive this. Any appearance of backing down must of course injure the prestige of the Party ... On the other hand, I am convinced [Bishop] Dr. O’Donnell’s withdrawal wd. mean the immediate break up of the movement here and abroad – the end of our Funds – and a split in the Party at once …
P.S. I feel greatly disheartened. Our people are not able to stand up against the Church and the Church always, in every critical moment, has gone wrong. In ’52, in ’67, in Parnell’s crisis (may I say it?) and now! – not to go further back.42
PUBLISHED LETTER TO ALL IRISH PARTY MEMBERS
1 December 1902:
The action of the Irish Party has been misunderstood by many Nationalists and especially by the Irish Bishops who, of course, on a question of this kind, have a special right to have their views listened to with the deepest respect … The Irish Party did stay in London for the Second Reading and Committee stages for many weary weeks when the Bill was in genuine jeopardy, while those now clamouring about Catholic Education were absent; in the Autumn Session we would only have swelled huge Government majorities; we were never indifferent to the Bill but the interests of Ireland required us to be at home …
We always contemplated the possibility of a contingency arising when it would be our duty to return. Therefore, in deference to the strong views expressed by the Irish Hierarchy … I request you to be ready to come to London if you get a telegraphic whip, which will be sent to you should the contingency I have mentioned arise.43
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Aughavanagh, 12 December 1902:
… [It is] necessary to issue a whip for Tuesday to support the Lords amendment [to the Education Bill] putting the cost of repairs in Voluntary schools upon the rates. This is undoubtedly a vital question for the Catholic schools, very much more so than for the Anglican ones …44
