I cannot disregard." He narrated several incidents which followed, to show that the Act was enforced against tenants with "paltry malignity and calculated brutality." The next day Mr. Morley said, "Mr. Ellis had brought forward a number of most serious instances of disregard of care and impartiality on the part of Resident Magistrates, and the Under Secretary got up and did not say a single word in disproof of any one of those charges."

In a letter to his mother from the House of Commons on April 13, John Ellis says: "I have been very busy since returning, mostly at this place. I had another set-to about Ireland on Wednesday as you would see probably. M. was in the ladies' gallery, and John under the gallery. An interesting incident occurred in connection with my speech. I was mentioning with admiration the name and conduct of Mr. Drummond,' who went to Ireland, governed wisely there, and died at the age of about 43, worn out with faithful service, about 1841 (author of the maxim property has its duties as well as its rights"). I was told soon after sitting down that two of his daughters were in the gallery, and would like to see me in connection with what I said of their father. So I went, was introduced to them, and found them very pleasant. One of them was the widow of Mr. Kay, who wrote Free Trade in Land. Thou may perhaps recollect that it was about the last book my father bought."

The following reminiscences are taken from the diary under date April 23 and 30: "Committee on Law and Legal Procedure. An interesting time to one as a learner. A wonderful speech from W. E. G. on the 1 Thomas Drummond (1797-1840). 2 Joseph Kay, Economist (1821-1878).

1888]

MR. GLADSTONE

relation between realty and personalty as respects duties. Saw him alone for a quarter of an hour after, alluded to Sir T. Gladstone sitting for Leicester. He recollected John Ellis (my grandfather) and said he regarded the "Policy of Midland railway as the most statesmanlike of any of the great railways."

2

April 30. To dinner at Mr. Armitstead's. 1 Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Parnell meeting for the first time at dinner! Conversation. 1. Health and disease. W. E. G. telling a story of a girl's remarkable recovery. Advance of surgery. 2. France and Boulangerism. J. Morley and Parnell thought Boulanger did not know what he was aiming at. 3. I asked Parnell's opinion about the news from Rome. Parnell thought the Plan of Campaign bad for two reasons-it stayed evictions in Ireland, Nov. 1886-Feb. 1888, and hindered the advance of the Irish cause in England. Effect of the Pope's declaration good. W. E. G. on the Pope and his power as an individual-the characters of Pius IX and Leo XIII. 4. The general political situation. C. S. P. on Mid-Lanark Mid-Lanark election, the drifting of the Unionists and their political morality. W. E. G. on Lord Hartington and "the 60 or 70 men with whom I have sat in the Cabinet." 5. Egypt. W. E. G. absent when decision taken to send out Gordon. Gordon's departure from promises and instructions. C. S. P. thinks there will be a descent

on Egypt yet. After going upstairs the sight of

W. E. G. and C. S. P. face to face in an alcove will always dwell on my mind as the incident of this historic interview. Walked back to house with C. S. P. and John Morley. Discussed W. E. G.'s marvellous vitality, when the former said "That old man will outlive us all yet."

1 Lord Armitstead.

2 The Pope's condemnation of the Plan of Campaign.

May 19 has this entry :

With J. Dillon and others to Dundalk for trial of former. 20th-A handful of landlords on bench. Carson,1 Crown Solicitor. The suppressed excitement, the Judge's apology for a sentence, Dillon driven away amidst a cortège of dragoons, baton charges on the quiet crowd in the streets, with many other incidents, make up a day long to be remembered.

Arising out of this, an illuminated address expressing pain and resentment at his "unmerited imprisonment" was signed by 150 British Members of Parliament and presented to Mr. Dillon by Mr. Whitbread.

In a speech on April 11, John Ellis fastened on the extraordinary statement of the Chief Secretary, that the Irish tenant was "the spoilt child of the English legislature," and urged against him in return, the reports of the many Royal, Parliamentary, and Land Commissions, concluding with likening them to Pitt's confession of the commercial treatment of Ireland, which had counteracted the kindness of Providence, and suspended the industry and enterprise of man.' Later on he specifically called attention to many instances of gross injustice.

The long struggle was renewed in the autumn session. There was a systematic evasion of the law by the owners of some estates who joined small tenancies together, and so made them collectively liable for rates, when individually and legally entitled to exemption. The facts were acknowledged in an official report, but the Chief Secretary knew nothing about it. Mr. Balfour admitted the practice to be most reprehensible, but disclaimed all responsibility.

On December 3, John Ellis moved to reduce the 1 Sir Edward Carson.