Letter from Turner Oliver Read to Edward Carson, 12 November 1915

Foo, Bar; Bar, Foo

Letter from Turner Oliver Read to Edward Carson, 12 November 1915

1 Dungar, Roscrea
Ireland 12thNov 1915 Dear Sir Edward Carson I enclose a letter, which appeared in
the "Dublin Evening Mail" last night, copied from the
"Munster News", which speaks for itself. It will show
what we are up against, in recruiting in this Country & seems
increditible that any man in a responsible position could
write such a letter, in the present serious condition of our
country — It was given as an excuse, for Certain classes
not joining the Army some time ago, that they could not be
spared from the agricultural pursuits, and now they can be
spared in hundreds, to emigrate to America, where they
are told they are not wanted, and I am creditibly informed
that they are well supplied with money. — I fear German
gold is doing its devil work in Ireland as it has
done in other parts of the world. I see it has been
suggested that, what is called the "National Volunteers"
should be armed & drilled for "home" defence, which it
is feared could be a dangerous experiment, with the
extreme section of that party, they wish to be armed &
drilled, not for the defence of the Empire, but for interior purposes,
which it is not difficult to guess, by those living amongst
the people. I have only two Sons, they are both
fighting for their country, and it is hard to see ones neighbour
whole families perfectly indifferent to their responsibilities 2 in this great crisis of the Empire — I hope you will pardon
me for writing to you, being unknown to you, but my excuse
is that I appreciate what you have done for our Country,
and that I am deeply interested that we should succeed
in this terrible war & that everything that is possible should
be done to secure that end. Of course in this part of
the Country, those that are opposed to Nationalist ideas,
cannot publicly express their Views with Safety; as for
a long time, loyally to the Empire has been discouraged
by our late Government & the Country is now reaping
the reward of their actions. I have the honor to be
Your Obedient Servant T. O. Read Sir Edward Carson P.S. Please consider this Communication
private.

Letter from Turner Oliver Read (1853-1938) to Edward Carson (1854-1935). Carson was a prominent Unionist Politician. Originally a practicing solicitor from Dublin, Carson's opposition to the proposed third Home Rule bill made him the figure head of Unionism throughout the island. He was the centerpiece of the speaking tour that culminated in Ulster Day (28 September 1912), when just under half a million signed Ulster's solemn league and covenant pledging to use ‘all means which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a home rule parliament in Dublin’. Carson inaugurated the Larne gunrunning in 1914 which armed the UVF, many of whom Carson would encourage to join the British Army throughout the First World War. Turner Oliver Read served as the High Sheriff of King's County in 1899.

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How to cite

Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__4289.html)