The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-26
a vERITABLE RAssExDYL.
Double" Who Personnted Him
Publicly,


From the London Daily Chronicle.
you want to know the true facts of the
case? Well, win tell you the story, and
ir is funny one. / was in 1873 in Her
Matesty's service, as am now, and hav-
ing some holidays in reserve decided on
visiting the North of Ireland The con-
test in County Down had commenced be-
tween Lord Castlereagh, as Lord Lon
donderry then was. and Mr.. Andrews, now
Judge Andrews, and l, being Conserva-
tive, was naturally anxious that Lord CAS-
tlereash should be returned, although /
had never seen his lordship / was only
q years OF age at the time, but had had
some experience of election organization,
and having offered my services to the
Conservative agent they were accepted.
ION the morning of the nomination,
which took place in Downpatrick, while
walking through the town accompanied by
some friends, / received many salutes, 10
which none of those VINO we're with me
responded Thinking this rather strange.
asked, Who are those saluting you, to
whom you don't respond?' and they jocu-
larry replied The salutes are intended for
you; they take you for CaStlereagh.' This
remark l took to be an attempt on tue
part of the Scotch Northerners to play
joke on me, coming as l did from Lon
uOf. ms same SdfulbS were subsequently
repeated, and while standing in the main
street three or four gentlemen came up to
me, and having raised their hats, one OF
them said, Ny lord, we don't like to vote
against your family, but we are Home
Rulers We don't expect you to vote for
home rule, but will you give us your
pledge, if returned, that you will vote for
an inquiry into the necessity of home rule
for Ireland?'
This was almost too much for me. /
felt that the joke was being carried to an
extreme, but 1 assured the gentleman that
if they elected me to Parliament l should
certainly vote in the way suggested after
which they thanked me and went away.
During the whole contest not a word
was spoken or published. to my knowledge
relating to this interview. Had it been
Otherwise l feel certain that the conduct
ing agent or Lord Castlereagh himself
would have publicly denied anything in
the shape of such conversation having
taken place with him. L have already stat
ed that up to this time had not seen his
lordship, who like myself-ahhough his
father owned vast properties in the coun-
Twas practically a stranger to the con-
stituency, but photographs, together with
electioneering literature, had been freely
distributed among the electors. When
saw Lord CastleFeagh at the time of NOM
ination / was certainly struck with the
remarkable resemblance and it then
dawned on me that the joke, as thought
it to be, was not intended as a joke at all
and that the salutes and interview were
really meant 10 be serious. Consequently
for the future was very careful to cor
rect any mistake as to my being the can
didate there and then.
after Lord Castlereagh went round the
county there was no repetition of The mis-
| take until the poll closed and the counting
of the votes had taken place. His lordship
was elected by a majority of 1875, and i'm
| mediately the result had been declared 1
rushed out of the Court House for the
| purpose of telegraphing but no sooner had
] got into the street than l was lifted on
| to the shoulders of the crowd, and among
| their cheers, and my protests that / was
! not Lord Castlereagh, borne to the County
Down Hunts Arms Hotel. preceded by a
| band playing See, the Conquering Hero
| Comes Along the route, which extended
| ebOut half a mile, the windows were
crowded with ladies' mostly supporters OF
| the new member, who enthusiastically
| waved handkerchiefs, and having been
| safely landed at the hotel, l appeared on
the balcony before a cheering crowd. l
| thanked them for their kindness 10 me,
and, having again given my assurance
that a mistake had been made, requests
| them TO go back 90 the Court House and
give his real lordship cheer. OCH sure,
it 'snot his lordship at air cried out an
| old fellow. and away they all went.
| Meanwhile, however Lord Castereagh
had been a perplexed spectator of what
| had been going on, but he had to wait
at the court house until the crowd had
| returned to escort him to the hotel
Now l come to a question in the House
| of Commons The Chronicle statement re-
garding that incident is substantially ae-
! curate, but l think reference to Hansard
viii show that Lord Castlereagh was not
in the House at the time when Lord Hart
ington referred 10 the pledge to the depu-
tation. He was informed of the remarks
made, and came down later in the even
ing to make a statement. When / read
Lord Hartington's remarks I secured a
seat in the Strangers gallery to hear Lord
| Castlereagh's speech or explanation on ar
incident of which he was perfectly inno-
cent In the meantime. however, the rea
story had become known to many mem.
bers. one of the first to learn of 1t being
the hate Mr.. Joe Biggar, who greatly en-
joyed the fun. Lord Castlereagh made his
| declaration i'm the most solemn form, bu
when he sat down 1t was amid roars oil
laughter in every part of the House, whicl
were again INDUCED in when it was stated
that the double was at that moment
! quietly sitting in the gallery.