Home Rule.”  Now, I do not believe that anything in the way of material improvement conferred by the Parliament at Westminster, or by Dublin Castle, could extinguish the national desire for Home Rule.  Still, I do not feel that I could possibly take part in any organisation which had for its object the seeking of a substitute for that which I believe to be Ireland’s greatest need—­Home Rule.

     Yours very truly,

     JUSTIN MCCARTHY.

     73, Eaton-terrace, S.W., October 22nd, 1895.

I had not much hope that I could influence Mr. McCarthy’s decision; but it was so serious an obstacle to further action that I made one more appeal.  I wrote to my respected and courteous correspondent, pointing out the misconception of my proposal, which had arisen from the use made of the six words quoted by him, which were hardly intelligible without the context.  I asked him to reconsider his refusal to join in the proposal for promoting the material improvement of our country, on account of a contingency which he confidently declared could not arise.  But in those days economic seed fell upon stony political ground.

The position was rendered still more difficult by the action of Colonel Saunderson, the leader of the Irish Unionist party, who wrote to the newspapers declaring that he would not sit on a Committee with Mr. John Redmond.  On the other hand, Mr. Redmond, speaking then for the “Independent” party, consisting of less than a dozen members, but containing some men who agreed with Mr. Field’s admission in the House of Commons that “man cannot live on politics alone,” joined the Committee and acted throughout in a manner which was broad, statesmanlike, conciliatory, and as generous as it was courageous.  His letter of acceptance ran as follows:—­

     DEAR MR. PLUNKETT,

I received your letter, in which you ask me to co-operate with you in bringing together a small Committee of Members of Parliament to discuss certain measures to be proposed next Session for the benefit of Ireland.  While I cannot take as sanguine a view as you do of the benefits likely to flow from such a proceeding, I am unwilling to take the responsibility of declining to aid in any effort to promote useful legislation for Ireland.

     I will, under the circumstances, co-operate with you in bringing
     such a Committee as you suggest together.  Very truly yours,

     J.E.  REDMOND.

     October 21st, 1895.

Before these decisions were officially announced the idea had “caught on.”  Public bodies throughout the country endorsed the scheme.  The parliamentarians, who formed the nucleus of the Committee, came together and invited prominent men from all quarters to join them.  A committee which, though informal and self-appointed, might fairly claim to be representative in every material respect, was thus constituted on the lines laid down.