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John Redmond and federalism in 1910

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2016

Michael Wheatley
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Extract

In early August 1910 readers of Reynolds’s Newspaper, a radical weekly journal noted as much for its detailed coverage of divorce court proceedings as for its political radicalism (and in 1911 one of the ‘immoral’ English Sunday papers targeted by Irish ‘vigilance committees’), may have perused the weekly political column written by T.P. O’Connor. ‘T.P.’, the M.P. for Liverpool Scotland, was anything but a disinterested columnist, and with John Redmond, John Dillon and Joseph Devlin formed the inner leadership of the Irish Parliamentary Party and Ireland’s nationalist movement.

Throughout the political crisis of early 1910 O’Connor had been the main London-based conduit for communications between the Irish Party and Asquith’s cabinet, and in particular Lloyd George and the Liberal chief whip, the Master of Elibank. The outcome of the January 1910 general election, which had given the balance of power in the House of Commons to the Irish nationalists, and John Redmond’s use of that power to force Asquith to act to end the veto powers of the House of Lords over parliamentary legislation, had enhanced both Redmond’s status in Ireland and the importance of home rule as an issue that had to be resolved.

Type
Research Article
Information
Irish Historical Studies , Volume 32 , Issue 127 , May 2001 , pp. 343 - 364
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 2001

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References

1 See Fanning, Ronan, ‘The Irish policy of Asquith’s government and the cabinet crisis of 1910’ in Cosgrove, Art and McCartney, Donal (eds), Studies in Irish history presented to R. Dudley Edwards (Dublin, 1979), pp 279–300Google Scholar.

2 Reynolds’s Newspaper, 7 Aug. 1910.

3 See Kendle, John, Ireland and the federal solution: the debate over the United Kingdom constitution, 1870-1921 (Montreal, 1989)Google Scholar; idem, ‘The Round Table movement and “home rule all round”’ in Hist. Jn., xi (1968), pp 332-53Google Scholar.

4 Bew, Paul, John Redmond (Dundalk, 1996), pp 30–31Google Scholar.

5 Kendle, Ireland & the federal solution, p. 116.

6 See Gwynn, Denis, The life of John Redmond (London, 1932), p. 184Google Scholar; Gwynn, Stephen, John Redmond’s last years (London, 1919), p. 48Google Scholar; Lyons, F.S.L., John Dillon: a biography (London, 1968), pp 319-20Google Scholar; Fyfe, Hamilton, T. P. O’Connor (London, 1934), p. 229Google Scholar; Brady, L.W., T. P. O’Connor and the Liverpool Irish (London, 1983), p. 203Google Scholar.

7 Maume, Patrick, The long gestation: Irish nationalist life, 1891-1918 (Dublin, 1999), p. 112Google Scholar.

8 See Fair, John D., British interparty conferences: a study of the procedure of conciliation in British politics. 1867-1921 (Oxford, 1980), pp 78–102Google Scholar.

9 Gilbert, Bentley B., David Lloyd George, a political life: the architect of change 1863-1912 (London, 1987), p. 412Google Scholar.

10 Reynolds’s Newspaper, 31 July 1910.

11 Daily Chronicle, 26 July 1910; Westminster Gazette, 26 July 1910.

12 Westminster Gazette, 26 July 1910.

13 Asquith to Birrell, 21 Feb. 1910 (Liverpool University, Birrell papers, MS 10.2).

14 Harold Harmsworth to Elibank, 29 July 1910 (National Library of Scotland (henceforth N.L.S), Elibank papers, MS 8802, f. 94).

15 Gollin, Alfred M., ‘The Observer’ and J. L. Garvin, 1908-14: a study in a great editorship (London, 1960), pp 200-1Google Scholar.

16 Kendle, Ireland & the federal solution, p. 116.

17 J. L. Garvin, ‘The mystery of the conference’ in The Observer, 31 July 1910.

18 Lloyd George to Elibank, 14 Feb. 1916 (N.L.S., Elibank papers, MS 8804, f. 8).

19 Spender, J.A., Life, journalism and politics (2 vols, London, 1927)Google Scholar, i, 235 (also quoted in Murray, Arthur C., Master and brother: Murrays of Elibank (London, 1945), p. 4Google Scholar).

20 Kendle, Ireland & the federal solution, pp 39-40,51-2.

21 Kendle, ‘Round Table movement’, pp 332-3; Fair, British interparty conferences, p. 93.

22 Reynolds’s Newspaper, 17 July 1910.

23 Ibid., 24 July 1910.

24 Kendle, Ireland & the federal solution, p. 112.

25 Memorandum by ‘R.B.H.’, n.d. (Bodl., Asquith MSS, VI/103/120-35).

26 Draft Parliament Reform Bill, printed 9 June 1910 (ibid., VI/103/103-19).

27 T. P. O’Connor in the Chicago Sunday Tribune, 17 July 1910.

28 Redmond to Dillon (telegram), 20 July 1910 (T.C.D., Dillon papers, MS 6748, f. 456).

29 Redmond to Lloyd George, n.d. (House of Lords Record Office, Lloyd George papers, C/20/2/2); Redmond to Birrell, 25 July 1910 (N.L.I., Redmond papers, MS 15252).

30 D. Gwynn, Redmond, p. 106.

31 Hepburn, A. C., ‘The Irish Council Bill and the fall of Sir Antony MacDonnell’ in I.H.S., xvii, no. 68 (Sept. 1971), pp 470-98Google Scholar.

32 Article by Harold Spender recollecting his earlier interview of Redmond, Morning Leader, 18 Oct. 1910.

33 Fair, British interparty conferences, pp 89-90.

34 Handwritten statement by Asquith, 29 July 1910 (N.L.S., Elibank papers, MS 8802, f. 96).

35 Asquith to Elibank, 5 Aug. 1910 (ibid., f. 100).

36 Lloyd George to Dillon, 5 Nov. 1910 (T.C.D., Dillon papers, MS 6796, f. 13).

37 Birrell to Dillon, 8 Nov. 1910 (ibid., MS 6798, f. 177).

38 Memorandum by Dillon, 6 Nov. 1910 (ibid., f. 176).

39 Stigo Champion, 3 Sept. 1910, on Redmond’s Kilkenny speech.

40 Ibid.

41 Ibid., 17 Sept. 1910, on Redmond’s Limerick speech.

42 Freeman’s Journal, 12 Sept. 1910, on Limerick.

43 Weekly Freeman, 3 Sept. 1910, on Redmond’s Kilkenny speech.

44 Freeman’s Journal, 29 Aug. 1910, on Kilkenny.

45 Ibid., 13 Oct. 1910, on Redmond’s Buffalo speech.

46 Weekly Irish Independent, 17 Sept. 1910, on Redmond’s Limerick speech.

47 Freeman’s Journal, 12 Sept. 1910, on Limerick.

48 O’Connor to Redmond, 1 June 1910 (N.L.I., Redmond papers, MS 15215).

49 McClure’s Magazine, Oct. 1910, p. 691.

50 Reported in Daily Express, 20 Oct. 1910.

51 Chicago Sunday Tribune, 4 Sept. 1910.

52 See Fair, British interparty conferences, p. 92; Gilbert, Bentley B., The evolution of national insurance in Great Britain: the origins of the welfare state (London, 1966), pp 327-8Google Scholar; idem, Lloyd George, pp 412-26; Jenkins, Roy, Asquith (London, 1964), pp 240-43Google Scholar; Grigg, John, Lloyd George: the people’s champion, 1902-11 (London, 1978), pp 263-8Google Scholar.

53 Lloyd George’s 17 Aug. 1910 memorandum is reprinted in SirPetrie, Charles, The life and letters of the Rt Hon. Sir Austen Chamberlain (London, 1939), app. 1, pp 381-8Google Scholar. It is also discussed in Gilbert, Lloyd George, p. 415.

54 Irish Times, 10 Oct. 1910;Tim Healy in Belfast Evening Telegraph, 8 Oct. 1910.

55 Grigg, Lloyd George, p. 267.

56 Daily News, 22 Sept. 1910.

57 Ibid.

58 Birrell to Elibank, 24 Sept. 1910 (N.L.S., Elibank papers, MS 8802, f. 109).

59 William O’Brien, letter to The Observer, 23 Oct. 1910.

60 Irish Independent, 15 Oct. 1910.

61 Freeman’s Journal, 4 Oct. 1910.

62 Cork Examinera,5 Oct. 1910.

63 Freeman’s Journal, 5 Oct. 1910.

64 New York Herald, 5 Oct. 1910, reported in Irish Times, 18 Oct. 1910.

65 Irish Independent,5 Oct. 1910.

66 Gaelic American, 8 Oct. 1910.

67 Irish Times, 24 Oct. 1910.

68 Freeman’s Journal,4 Oct. 1910.

69 Redmond to Dillon, 3 Oct. 1910 (T.C.D., Dillon papers, MS 6748, f. 459).

70 New York Sun, 4 Oct. 1910.

71 New York American, 4 Oct. 1910.

72 New York Sun, 4 Oct. 1910.

73 New York Press, 4 Oct. 1910.

74 New York Sun, 4 Oct. 1910.

75 Redmond to Dillon, 3 Oct. 1910 (T.C.D., Dillon papers, MS 6748, f. 459).

76 Mason’s account was in the Daily Express, 18 Oct. 1910; Redmond’s in a Reuters interview in Chicago on 18 Oct. 1910, reported in the Irish Times, 19 Oct. 1910.

77 Daily Express, 19 Oct. 1910.

78 Ibid., 5 Oct. 1910.

79 See Bew, Redmond, p. 30; D. Gwynn, Redmond, pp 52-5; S. Gwynn, Redmond’s last years, p. 15.

80 Daily Express, 5 Oct. 1910.

81 Belfast Evening Telegraph, 10 Oct. 1910.

82 Cork Free Press, 7 Oct. 1910; O’Brien’s speeches at Dunmanway, County Cork, on 9 Oct., and Rathowen, County Kerry, on 16 Oct. (reported in Freeman’s Journal, 10, 17 Oct. 1910).

83 Kendle, Ireland & the federal solution, p. 110.

84 Ibid.,p. 116.

85 Irish Independent, 7 Oct. 1910.

86 Ibid.,13 0ct. 1910.

87 Ibid.,14Oct.l910.

88 Ibid., 17 Oct. 1910.

89 Sinn Féin, 15 Oct. 1910.

90 Ibid., 8 Oct. 1910.

91 Roscommon Herald, 8 Oct. 1910.

92 Midland Reporter, 13 Oct. 1910.

93 Roscommon Herald, 15 Oct. 1910; Midland Reporter, 20 Oct. 1910.

94 The Kerryman, 8 Oct. 1910.

95 Enniscorthy Echo, 8 Oct. 1910.

96 Western News, 15 Oct. 1910.

97 Gaelic American, 22 Oct. 1910.

98 See Irish Times, Northern Whig, Belfast News-Letter and Belfast Evening Telegraph, 5-17 Oct. 1910.

99 Sinn Féin, 15 Oct. 1910.

100 Midland Tribune, 15 Oct. 1910; Sinn Féin, 15 Oct. 1910.

101 See Clare Champion, Connaught Telegraph, Connaught Tribune, Leinster Leader, Leitrim Observer, Roscommon Messenger, Sligo Champion, Western Nationalist, Westmeath Examiner and Westmeath Independent, 8, 15 Oct. 1910; Limerick Leader, 5-17 Oct. 1910.

102 Kilkenny People, 8 Oct. 1910.

103 Tipperary Star, 8 Oct. 1910.

104 Wicklow People, 15 Oct. 1910.

105 Midland Tribune, 15 Oct. 1910.

106 See Freeman’s Journal, Cork Examiner and Irish News, 5-17 Oct. 1910.

107 Freeman’s Journal, 10 Oct. 1910; Irish News, 10 Oct. 1910.

108 Freeman’s Journal, 13 Oct. 1910.

109 Gaelic American, 15, 22 Oct. 1910.

110 Freeman’s Journal, 12 Oct. 1910.

111 Irish Independent, 14 Oct. 1910.

112 New York Tribune, 10 Oct. 1910.

113 Gaelic American, 15 Oct. 1910.

114 Freeman’s Journal, 17 Oct. 1910.

115 Irish Times, 19 Oct. 1910.

116 See Baylen, J. O.,‘“What Mr Redmond thought”: an unpublished interview with John Redmond, December 1906’ in I.H.S., xix,no. 74 (Sept. 1974), p. 170Google Scholar.

117 Freeman’s Journal, 18 Oct. 1910.

118 Irish News, 19 Oct. 1910.

119 Cork Examiner, 18 Oct. 1910.

120 Ibid.,19 Oct. 1910.

121 Weekly Irish Independent, 29 Oct. 1910.

122 The Leader, 22 Oct. 1910, p. 225.

123 Clare Champion, 29 Oct. 1910; Connaught Tribune, 22 Oct. 1910; Limerick Leader, 28 Oct. 1910; Roscommon Messenger, 22 Oct. 1910; Sligo Champion, 22 Oct. 1910; Western Nationalist, 22 Oct. 1910; Westmeath Examiner, 22 Oct. 1910; Westmeath Independent, 5 Nov. 1910.

124 Wicklow People, 22 Oct. 1910.

125 Tipperary Star, 22 Oct. 1910.

126 Kilkenny People, 22 Oct. 1910.

127 Midland Tribune, 22 Oct. 1910.

128 Enniscorthy Echo, 22 Oct. 1910; The Kerryman, 22 Oct. 1910; Gaelic American, 22 Oct. 1910; Midland Reporter, 27 Oct. 1910; Roscommon Herald, 22 Oct. 1910.

129 Belfast News-Letter, 18 Oct. 1910.

130 Sinn Féin, 22 Oct. 1910.

131 Redmond to Dillon, 23 Oct. 1910 (T.C.D., Dillon papers, MS 6748, f. 461).

132 Elibank was speaking in Belfast on 18 October, the day Redmond’s denial became public. That night on the Stranraer ferry he wrote to Lloyd George that he and Birrell had seen ‘our friend’ last night [i.e. 17 October], and said that ‘he does not feel that in the absence of his friends he could add anything useful to what you and he already understand’. Elibank told Lloyd George that there was therefore no need to press ‘him’ to come over (House of Lords Record Office, Lloyd George papers, C/6/5/3).The most likely candidate for the role of’our friend’ was Dillon.

133 Chicago Sunday Tribune, 23 Oct. 1910.

134 Ibid., 30 Oct. 1910.

135 Connaught Tribune, 5 Nov. 1910.

137 SirChamberlain, Austen, Politics from inside (London, 1936), pp 284-8Google Scholar.

138 Reported in a letter to Lord Cawdor, 21 Oct. 1910, quoted ibid., p. 287. Both Chamberlain and Cawdor were members of the Unionist ‘four’ in the veto conference.

138 Sinn Féin, 22 Oct.l910.

139 Quoted in Gollin, ‘The Observer’ & J. L. Garvin, p. 216.

140 Quoted in Bew, Redmond, p. 48.

I am grateful to Professor Paul Bew, of Queen’s University, Belfast, and Dr Jane Longmore, of Greenwich University, for their comments and support.