The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-11-09
Fan Extraordinary Speech Made by Him at
: Banquet in London to His
Defeated Troops
He Suggested to Gen. White at Ladysmith
: to ISurrender the Garrison
to the Farmers.

men and loses men now, SO long as he
kills one Boer, ought to be praised by
the press, and not abused. 1t is not
fair, and it is not decent, and it Is not
calculated to finish the war (cheers). I
have received hundreds of letters, all
in this strain, asking me if I can do
something to help to remove the funk
they are in Of being found fault with
if they lose a man. We cannot finish
this war without losing men. Guerilla
warfare requires fighting, and conse-
quently sacrifice. There are men out
there, gallant men, good Englishmen,
Irishmen, and Scotchmen, who will
fight if you will let them; but If when
they have fought and done their best
you find fault with them they become
discouraged Chear, hear). The father
of the lad, a gallant officer himself,
man who has gained the Victoria cross,
writes ITO the papers and says: "Don't
abuse my son till you know the TRUTH"
and what do some of the papers do?
They put in his letter, It is true, but
they also put in a footnote calling at
tention ito the paragraph objected to,
and thus spread the scandal. Now, is
that fair? 1 say it ds not fair. ask
you, gentlemen of. the press, to take
that message to the press, and / ask
you all to write out to your comrades
in Natal and say it ds not really the
wish Of the people of England to have
this sort of thing put in the papers
(cheers). So much for Natal. 1 have
been attacked myself. 1 do not care
what they say about me Gaughter). A
comrade wrote me the other day. He
said: II know you do not care about
it, but your army does, and they are
furious" I want to say few words
about myself (cheers). 1 know that
there is a correspondent of the Times
here, and want to send a message to
that journal. I came home in Novem-
ber last, and took over the Aldershot
command on the 10th Of January. In
February got letter from man.
| admit he was not respectable man.
had never seen him in my life.
had heard of him, and knew about him,
and he wrote to me to the effect that
l had let him out of prison. If SO it
was dome i'm my name. He particular
ly wished to see me, and asked wheth-
er would give him an appointment
should call an international detective,
OF possibly a spy. He is an old man,
and he has been at it all his life.
did mot want to give him an appoint
ment. was afraid of being put in a
hole, but I wrote asking him to meet
me at Aldershot. He came down and
told me n lot of interesting stories
about the secret service of the Trans
yaal, and how stupid we were, and
how we allowed ourselves to be de-
ceived and how he got his informa-
tion through. then said: "Well, am
! really very busy and very much inter
osted In your stories. but perhaps you
have come to tell me something else?"
He said: 81 have" and continued,
''Well, the other day you published n
paper about artillery. didn't you?"
said eyes, I did" "And you were told
TO withdraw it?" I said. eyes. I was"
Tie said. "You have got money to live
'lron: give up the Aldershot command'
flaughter). I said. "Thanll yon very
much. but do not know that need"
said. "Why?" He said. 81 will tell
| you. You have got enemies7not cx-
actly enemies. but men who mean to
get you out of the way. and they will
10 so. You had better get out quietly
and happily" said. "I do not know
what you think 1 am fighting man,
md what you have told me will make
ne much more likely to stay" "Well," "
he said. "as stand before you come
% tell you this as favor" OF course
lid not ask him for names. AS he
vas going away said, "Of course If
It is necessary for me to use this infor.
nation, I shall do So" And he said
You can" So 1 tell the story today
1t is a. curious thing. A fortnight age