I had not seen Mr. GL-DST-NE for two days, nor had I heard from him
for three posts, neither knew I where he was. I knew he _had_ been at
Downing Street. That evening I found myself in an Inner Circle train,
and no sooner there than I made up my mind to ask Mr. GL-DST-NE if he
would mind my interviewing him. My hand at once wrote--on the margin
of my evening paper--that he was at Downing Street, and that I might
have the interview. It was quite an ordinary one, except that I
thought the questions and wrote the answers on my knee with my hand.
"Well, Mr. GL-DST-NE," I said, or, rather, thought, "what do you think
of Home Rule?" My hand (not the Old Parliamentary Hand) wrote:--
"W. E. G. I do not think that I shall be in any way departing from
what has long since become to be recognised as the practice applicable
to this present set of circumstances, a practice to which I am able
to speak from an experience of more than sixty years, when I say
speaking, not merely for myself, but for the whole of the Members of
the Cabinet, and, indeed, I may fairly say of the Government in its
entirety, that we are not indisposed to grant to Ireland that measure
of self-government for which she is asking in a constitutional way
through her duly elected representatives, and that we earnestly hope
that as a result of our efforts we may be enabled, with a reasonable
prospect of finality, to put an end to a condition of affairs which
for the whole of the present century has embittered our relations
with our sister country, and has exposed us to the censures of
every authority in the civilised world whose acknowledged competency
entitles him to an opinion."
Then I ventured a question as to the future. "What about Home Rule
next Session, Mr. GL-DST-NE?"
"The question as to what position the Home Rule controversy will
assume next Session is naturally one which can only be determined when
we have before us all the facts which are essential for the purpose
of enabling us to arrive at a definitive conclusion, and as soon as
it becomes reasonably plain what the exact position of parties will
be when it becomes necessary to decide on what lines the policy of
the Government will proceed. I may, however, say that, whilst not
forgetful in any way of the obligations of honour under which the
Liberal party lie to the Irish people, and whilst it will be our duty
at the earliest available moment to press forward measures which shall
carry out our pledges in that direction, we shall not forget that the
consideration of what are not unnaturally termed English reforms is an
imperative necessity, to which the attention of the Government will be
directed at the first opportunity."
By this time I had reached Charing Cross, and as I passed out the
ticket-examiner handed me a postcard. It was in Mr. GL-DST-NE'S
writing. Judge of my astonishment when I found that quite
spontaneously he had written to me just what I had written in the
interview. I at once wrote to him and informed him of what had
happened. His answer was: "It is most extraordinary. If I didn't
believe all you tell me, I should have come to the conclusion that
you faked (I think that is the word) the interview up out of my old
speeches." So there you have the whole story. Someone suggests I
should publish the postcard. Curiously enough, I have mislaid it. But
two and two make four, and you can go and ask the ticket-examiner.
* * * * *
Cause and Effect.
"I am occupied with my secretaries while I am dressing."--_Lord
Herschell to the deputation of Liberal Members, Nov. 16._
"Mr. K. MUIR MACKENZIE, Q.C., Permanent Sec. to the LORD CHANCELLOR,
has been made a Companion of the Bath."--_Daily Paper._
* * * * *