Autograph signed letter [signed 'The William of Orange], by the Rt Hon. Hugh Holmes, judge of the Irish High Court to Lieut-Col. George Lynedoch Carmichael, Chief Constable of Worcestershire, discussing a proposed visit by Lord Salisbury to Ulster
23 June 1916.
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| Summary: | Holmes acknowledges that he has received Carmichael's letter as well as Doull's and says that he is glad that he can come to Ireland. 'Circuit will end next Monday. Salisbury comes over I think on April 3rd or thereabouts you had better come across to me in Dublin a day or two beforehand; there will be special trains to Belfast on the day of Salisbury landing at Larne.' His 'fellow registrar' James Murphy (1826-1901; Irish judge) will probably come with them, and they may be able to join a 'big delegation' from Dublin. 'On the Friday Salisbury will enter Belfast, & proceed to Donegall Place where a big platform is to be erected. The Orangemen are then to march past with all the insignia, & rites of the order; there will be about 100,00 of them and probably it will be the finest sight, ever seen in this country. Sir Edward Harland (1831-1895) will get them 'seats on the platform', as my father is writing to him; or some one else will.' Ulster is in 'a state of excitement', but he can 'promise no gaieties, or attractions beyond politics, but you will see such politics, as never were seen here before'. He supposes 'there has never been so much excitement in any county since 1689, if it was as great then, which I doubt, the furious excitement is rising every day. [...] In the chapels last Sunday they were actually raffling for the protestant farms guinea tickets [...] it is believed by our mob that we are to be massacred at once [...] they are mad with terror & rage, & we are in daily fear of a frightful outbreak [...] In mid Tyrone people wandering among the hills come on big hordes of men drilling with shovel shafts, I think, they will die in the last ditch if need be'. He reports two examples which 'shew the way the wind blows' - 'a small farmer, who wrote to ask him to see that his wife & children were provided for by the party as he was going to London to shoot Gladstone [...] I wish the man hadn't written, for he meant to do it.' He ends saying 'I see Gladstone is ill, the people think he will die & God is answering their prayers'. Two postscripts further discuss arrangements. In the event illness prevented Lord Salisbury from paying the visit to Ulster discussed in this letter and A. J. Balfour stood in for him, arriving on April 4, while Gladstone's second Home Rule Bill was awaiting its second reading in the House of Commons. |
| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Citation: | National Library of Ireland. Department of Manuscripts. |
| Notes: | Physical description: 12 pp. 1 folder. |
| Arrangement: | Fonds |
| Call Number | View In | Collection |
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MS 49,395 |
Manuscripts Reading Room |
Manuscripts |
Reproduction rights owned by the National Library of Ireland.