The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-11-05 00:00:00

THE AGITATION IN IRELAND.

MR. BLUNT AND LORD R. CHURCHILL.
Mr. Wilfrid Blunt has addressed the following
letter to Lord Randolph Churchill in reply to the
latter's epeech at Stockton:
I "My dear Churchill,—l find people writing to me
boat your speech at Stockton, and suggesting that I
ould take some notice of it. To me it seemed
kindly meant, indeed it can hardly have been other-
Wise, and I was glad to recognise in your allusion to
on) old friendship something of the chivalry of a
more courteous age. I know that for my part I
cAnot read your name in debate in connection with
tllie great question of liberty at home and abroad
without a twinge of regret that our lines should have
drifted so far apart. There was a time, and not long
ago, I imagine, when you would not have been un-
willing to stand side by side with me on the Wood-
ford platform in defence of free speech and the
rights of the poor. Nor do I doubt that if you
bad been there so lately as I was, and known
what I know of Clanricarde's doings with
his tenants, and have bad to choose between
an ignominous retreat from their defence or a pitched
battle with the forces of the Crown, you would have
chosen as I chose. You mistake me, however, if you
think I did not count the cost. I knew very well
that after his comic defeat by Mr. O'Brien on the
Sunday before our friend Balfour, who does not like
to be ridiculous, would attempt something desperate.
With Ridgeway, the Indian "political," at his back,
he half expected a fusillade, and for that reason I
went to the meeting quite punctually to the hour,
knowing that my Irish audience would be late, and so
a serious encounter avoided for the crowd. To this it
is owing that so few heads were broken, and that the
attack was begun directly on the platform, instead of
on the outskirts of a densely packed mass, which
would have been tempted to defend its position. I
beg you_to believe that the strategy, such as it was,
was my own, and the result in no sense either of
Irish advice or accident. So, too, my bring-
ing my wife with me. You seem to have for-
gotten that Lady Anne is perhaps the most courageous
woman alive. She never speaks on platforms,but she has
been my companion in many an awkward encounter the
world over, and I knew that I could count on her to
stand by me that day. During the whole business
she never for an instant lost her head or her courage,
and the story of her fainting is of course fabulous.
She held her ground close to me throughout, and
when they got me at last on my back, was there to
shield me from their ill-usage, taking the blows
intended for myself. The ruffian Byrne, the divisional
magistrate (!) gripped her, I know, once by the throat,
and others tried to undo her hands but in vain, she
held on till they were ashamed or tired, and let her
go. During all this she uttered not a word but one,
'I call Heaven to witness,' she said, when they were
dragging me about,' that he is not strong, and you
will kill him.' I am sure that you will be glad to
learn this, for it is a fine instance of woman's heroism.
With regard to my sentence, I am, of course quite
ready to bear the hard labour or other penal treat-
ment that Arthur Balfour may decree. It is not what
I should choose, but I shall bear him per3onally no
ill-will, regarding it as a necessary move in his game,
a violent and foolish one, but not worth my bPirg
angry at. What, however, it is right you should
know is, that, as far as the law is conoerned, he plays
with loaded dice. The sentence pronounced last
Thursday was in defiance of all evidence, no attempt
having been made by the Crown from first to last to
show that Byrne or the police had the smallest legal
right to interfere. The new Crimes Act courts are
i"losely modelled on those hanging commissions that
you and I denounced in Egypt five years ago. But
the law of the case will be thrashed out on appeal in
Sanuary, and then if you can spare the time I hope
you will run over and attend the quarter sessions at
Portumna. This will be doing me a real service, and
will be far better than recommending me to Arthur
Balfour's mercy, which I do not want.—Hor ing you
will not mind my sending this to the papers, I remain
yours very truly, " WILLIA3I SCAWEN BLUNT."
MR. O'BRIEN PLACED IN PRISON.—GLEA.T