Lady Russell to Lady Charlotte Portal

    PEMBROKE LODGE, November 26, 1890

Alas! alas! the last fortnight has indeed been one of darkness and sorrow over the country; railway and ocean horrors breaking many hundreds of hearts, disgrace to England in Africa, disgrace to a trusted leader dashing down the hopes of Ireland and bringing back disunion between the two nations.  We made ourselves miserable over last night’s news of the determination of his parliamentary followers to stand by him, and his acceptance of their re-election.  Poor old Gladstone!  I am sure you must admire his letter to Mr. Morley.  To-day we are told to have a little hope that it may have influence in the right direction, but we hardly feel any.  We heartily agree with every word you say on this most painful matter.  The one consolation is to see such an increase of opinion that a leader must be a man of high private, as well as public, character.  How often I have deplored the absence of any such opinion!

    Lady Russell to Mr. Justin McCarthy

    PEMBROKE LODGE, November 27, 1890

DEAR MR. MCCARTHY,—­Your most kind letter was a relief to me as regarded the spirit in which you had taken what I wrote, but also made us very, very sad, and nothing that we have heard or read in newspapers since has given more than a mere ray of hope.  And why should this be?  Surely the path of honour and duty is plain.  It cannot be taken without pain; but such moments as this are the test of greatness in men and nations.  Gratitude untold is due to Mr. Parnell.  Those who have been his friends will not withdraw their friendship; but surely that very friendship ought to resolve that the vast good he has done in the past should not be undone for the future, to his own eternal discredit, by encouragement to him to retain the leadership.  Surely the claims of your country stand first; and is not the impending breach between English and Irish Home Rulers a misfortune to both countries, too terrible to be calmly faced?  Already there is a tone in the Freeman’s Journal which I could not have believed would be adopted towards men like Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Morley, who have identified themselves heart and soul with Ireland.  Of course, they are far above being turned for a moment from their course by any such comments, but it must be a pain to them nevertheless.  It almost seems aberration of mind in Mr. Parnell to be deaf to Mr. Gladstone’s words of true patriotism, echoed as they are throughout England and Scotland, and I cannot but believe in thousands of Irish hearts besides.  Surely this must have gone far to convince his friends that they would be more than justified in convincing him that retirement for awhile is his duty, or, if they cannot convince him, in acting upon their own convictions, if these are such as I hope.  Indignation against the terrible revelations of his guilt has driven some English newspapers into