Colonel Saunderson, MP
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ar. 2. 1^. t\v UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES COLONEL THE RT, HONBLE. EDWARD SAUNDERSON M.P. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from Microsoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/colonelsaundersoOOIucaiala . 3{?$Girrid Sorowns &trw gmey'tt/aUer Zfaffc T*/«. fw<&u*u*6-*f7y^ COLONEL SAUNDERSON M.P. A MEMOIR BY REGINALD.VLUCAS SOMETIME M.P. FOR PORTSMOUTH AUTHOR OF "ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW" WITH PORTRAITS AND ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. 1908 PRINTED BY HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD. LONDON AND AYLESBURY. 1)A 5 bC PREFACE cm cm >. ' AM aware that the first duty of a biographer JL is to keep himself out of the story, and that j ^ in this respect I have deliberately broken rules. But it must be remembered that this does not aspire to be an historical work : it is a personal memoir, and therefore the personal element must of necessity be admitted. The book has been written with the authority and under the inspiration of Mrs. Saunderson ; conse- quently it would be superfluous to thank her for her assistance. I have to make my grateful acknowledgments to ' all those who have given me permission to print q the letters which appear ; also to the proprietors of 43 The Times for leave to publish the Primate's poem. I have received valuable assistance and advice from many of Colonel Saunderson's friends in private as well as in political life. They are too numerous to name, but I must particularly mention, amongst the former, the Earl of Erne, K.P., the Bishop of Down (Dr. Crozier), and Mr. H. Gartside Tipping j amongst the latter, the Right Hon. W. E. Macartney ^2 and Mr. J. B. Lonsdale, M.P., past and present secretaries of the Irish Unionist party in the House f of Commons. All these gentlemen have been good enough to read and criticise portions of my proofs. To Mr. John Saunderson, Royal Artillery, I am 39i'749 : ; vi PREFACE indebted for much information upon family matters. Mr. Burdett-Coutts, M.P., an intimate friend of Colonel Saunderson's, has made it a labour of love to promote the execution of the work. Little remains that is exclusively my own, except the faults. In order to indicate the spirit in which my subject should be approached, I cannot do better than borrow a sentence from the Bishop of Down's preface to the Colonel's little volume of sermons. After speaking of " the faith that fired his heart in life, and com- " forted his soul in death," the Bishop goes on : It was to this he owed that captivating and sunny gladness of almost child-like simplicity which made life so happy for all who came much in contact with him, coupled with a ceaseless desire to share with others the knowledge of the love of God." In introducing this book to the public I have much pleasure in adding the following words which Mrs. Saunderson has asked me to include in my preface : "As you know, I am anxious to have a record of the life of the bravest and truest man I have ever met. I am fortunate in finding in you one who knew Colonel Saunderson both in public and private life, and for whom he had a sincere regard ; and feel you can present to the world an unembellished picture of one whose simple faith and trust in the guidance of God enabled him to do what he con- sidered to be his duty to his country, notwithstanding failing health, from which he suffered for the last seventeen years of his life. Truly this was leaving footprints on the sands of time Footprints that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's solemn main A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again." PREFACE vii The task with which I had the honour to be entrusted I accepted gladly, but not without diffi- dence. I have endeavoured to avoid panegyric ; and, without ignoring the infirmities from which the Colonel was no more exempt than any other human being, to represent him as he will be remembered by those who knew him best. R. L. Albany, Piccadilly. April, 1908. —— — CONTENTS CHAPTER I 1837—1857 Outline—Ancestry—A black sheep—Birth— First impressions Foreign education—Tutors Enfant terrible— Family life . pp. 1-10 CHAPTER II 1857—1865 Religious influence—Horsemanship—Three brothers—Practical jokes—Marriage—Honeymoon—L.E.Y.C. — Yacht-building—Builds a steam-launch—Presence of mind—Personal appearance—Yachting experts pp. 11-23 CHAPTER III 1865— 1868 Mr. Gladstone—Ireland—Isaac Butt—Parnell—First session—Cave of Adullam—Reform Bill—Maiden speech—Change of Government Venice — Spurgeon — " Dizzy " — The " Instruction" — "Tea-room party "—Reform Bill passed Mai de Londres—Lord Mayo— Disraeli resigns pp. 24-42 CHAPTER IV 1869— 1874 Irish Church—"Tottering to its fall" —Church membership Yacht racing— 1870 Land Bill —Ireland uninhabitable—Success- ful speech — Compliments — "A bad habit " — Synod speech — A dinner party—Neglects Parliament—Paris after the War—Dissolution threatened—Preaching—Moody and Sankey—Loses his seat pp. 43-60 ——A x CONTENTS CHAPTER V 1874— 1884 Militia— 1 880—On the Passover—A stormy voyage—An Orange- man—Arms and discipline—Phcenix Park murders—Threatening letters—Case of Lord Rossmore—Attacks Mr. Gladstone—Signs of popularity—Mr. Bradlaugh— Invited to stand—A pamphlet—The Franchise Bill—Defends the House of Lords—Elected Deputy Grand Master pp. 61-78 CHAPTER VI 1884— 1885 Saunderson's politics — Redistribution carried — Lord Randolph Churchill—Overtures to Parnell —North Armagh—Rival candidates Elected—Importunate constituents pp. 79-87 CHAPTER VII 1885— 1886 Mr. Gladstone's conversion—Home Rule and Tariff Reform—The Parnellites—The Unionists—First speech in Parliament—Dealing with Government — " Randolph asleep '' — " Hob-nobbing with ministers "—Character examined—Self-reliance—Gladstone beaten Fighting speeches — Repartee — Bulls — General Election, 1886 — Belfast riots—Randolph S. C pp. 88-105 CHAPTER VIII 1886— 1887 "A shindy"—Provocative speech —"Throttle-valve of crime"— great impression—A "desperate speech''—Nailing Parnell—Proroga- tion—Unionist alliance—Lord Randolph—Reasons for resigning Political principles— Ulster sympathy—Sound Liberal principles " " Plan of campaign —Round Table Conference . pp 106-122 CHAPTER IX 1887 " Forgot Goschen "—Mr. Chamberlain's future—The Gargoyles- Lord John Manners—Egypt—A bye-election—" A piece of my mind"—"So far, good"—A cowardly liar—"No animosity"—Mr. Balfour — Parnellism and crime—Pigott—Commission Report Land Act, 1887—Lords' amendments—Contemporary gngsip—Urgent Whipping ,..,.,,., pp. 123-141 —A CONTENTS xi CHAPTER X 1887— 1888 In society — Grouse driving — A heated correspondence — Irish characteristics—Disunited Unionists —Party bitterness—Blatheration —"G.O.M quite mad"—Gibraltar—Saunderson and Pigott—Local interests—Comparative calm—" Foot-and-mouth disease "—Sick of jawing — Empire party pp. 142-157 CHAPTER XI 1889—1890 Hawarden evictions—" G.O.M.'s last craze "— Mr. Morley, Con- science-keeper— Parnell at Hawarden—Mr. Chamberlain a Home Ruler—Holly Lodge— A Roman Catholic University—Saunderson as Landlord—Commission Report received—A tea party, pp. 158-168 CHAPTER XII 1890— 1892 Parnell and divorce—Nationalist disruption— Death of Parnell Death of Mr. W. H. Smith—Struggle not over— "Drawing" Mr Gladstone—Duchesses—New Tipperary— Mr. Balfour criticised Letter to Sir W. Harcourt—Sir William's Reply—"We will reject it" —Weavers—General Election—Mr. Gladstone in office . pp. 169-184 CHAPTER XIII 1892— 1893 Rome Rule—At Cannes—Dr. Tanner—An altercation— " This murderous ruffian"—Home Rule again—A typical speech—Scene in the Lobby—Threatened— Civil war—The Yorkshire Corps—Robbery, jobbery, and beggary—Conditional amorousness—Storm brewing — The fight —Saunderson hits out " A broth of a boy" . pp. 185-202 CHAPTER XIV 1893— 1894 Petition to the Queen—"A tremendous shoot "—Will Home Rule come ?—Atrocious desperadoes—Roman Catholics again—An abnormal session—A stout Imperialist—Baroness Burdett-Coutts —Confusion and distress—The House of Lords—Mr. Gladstone's retirement—The "predominant partner"—Defeats the Government— Quits with Harcourt— Correspondence—The big drum—God with them— formidable personage—AtCowes—Royalty—Prorogation, pp, 2Q-J-224 —A xii CONTENTS CHAPTER XV 1894— 1895 Saunderson at home—" Bred his own crew "—" Castle S."— sermon—Mr. T. W. Russell—The coming Land Bill—A Home Rule dodge—Lord Salisbury's views—Counsel of moderation—Billiards The cordite vote—Influenza—A smart thing—Parliamentary changes —Sir Horace Plunkett — The proposal — The Recess Com- mittee pp. 225-243 CHAPTER XVI 1895— 1897 War scares—The dynamite prisoners—The Castle— Bicycling Another Land Bill—Dual ownership—" I never read it "— All-night sittings—Revolt of the Peers—The Bill passed— " This remarkable location "—Story-telling—Armenia—Financial relations—The Joint Committee—The result—Parliament demoralised—Roman Catholics again—The chief secretary's guest .... pp. 244-263 CHAPTER XVII 1897— 1898 A fatal accident— In South Africa— Mr. Kriiger—A wonderful people— Kriiger's slimness—An Irish welcome— " If war broke out " A fighting speech—Little Englanders—The speech criticised—The Colonel's style—Religious denominations—Unconventional traits Unrest abroad—A merciful escape—Corner-boys—Vitality of the Church—The Right Honourable .... pp. 264-282 CHAPTER XVIII 1899 Disarmament—Lord Cadogan—Bulls—House of Commons humour —Kiel—Storm-clouds—Public indifference—Military opinion—The reverses—The Volunteers—A searching inquisition —Parliament meets —Influenza again pp. 283-296 CHAPTER XIX 1900— 1901 Pro-Boer Nationalists—Prospects of a dissolution— •• Imperialism born in Ireland "—The Colonel's hat—His seat contested—An embittered contest—Mr. Wyndham—Cabinet changes—"Opponents, but no enemies "—Death of Queen Victoria—National mourning—The funeral pp. 297-309 —— CONTENTS xiii CHAPTER XX 1901 — 1902 '•Muffins and T.