Letter from Crawford McCullagh to Herbert Asquith, 8 May 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Crawford McCullagh

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Letter from Crawford McCullagh (1868-1948) to Herbert Henry Asquith (1852-1928). Asquith was Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. Sir Crawford McCullagh, Unionist politician, was the Lord Mayor of Belfast from 1914 to 1917.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Carson Papers, D1507/A/16/8 https://letters1916.ie/item/4306 English Crawford McCullagh 1916-05-08 City Hall, Belfast, Co. Armagh, Ireland Herbert Asquith 10 Downing Street, London, S.W., England Male 1948 Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Politics World War I (1914-1918)

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 D1507/A/16/8 COPY Lord Major ofBelfast 1906 CITY HALL,Belfast. 8th May, 1916 Sir I have just learned that a suggestion has been madethat a Proclamation should be issued directing that all Armsin Ireland should forthwith be delivered up to the Crown andas I am satisfied an attempt to enforce such a Proclamationwould be fraught with great risk to the peace I have deemedit my duty as Lord Mayor of the City and responsible to a verylarge extent for its peace to intimate my views to you. I have occupied the position of Lord Mayor for over2 years. I have also occupied the position of Hon. Directorfor Recruiting in Ulster and in both capacities I have comeinto contact with not only Belfast but Ulster opinion. Since the beginning of the war Belfast and Ulsterhave practically ceased their political and religious wranglesand their energies have been devoted to the production ofMunitions and at the same time Belfast and the district havecontributed toward the fighting forces of the Empire in roundfigures about 60,000 men. There are undoubtedly Arms in this district butoutside the Arms which would be covered by the Proclamationalready in force with regard to the Sinn Feiners I amsatisfied there are no Arms held by anyone with any disloyalmotive. If an order is made now to have all Arms deliveredup, I fear an attempt to enforce it would very possibly leadto disturbance as it would be looked upon by the populationthat they were being punished for the offence of the Sinn Feiners with whom they have had no connection and which movement has had their strongest disapproval. Throughout the excitement of the past few weeks Ulster has retained its normal condition and has been able in many other ways to assist and relieve both Military and Police for the establishment of peace in the disaffected areas in other parts of the Country. Anything that would disturb the feeling of confidence and rest that now exists will be very dangerous not only so far as the peace of the district is concerned but also so far as the supply of munitions is concerned. To show the interest which the population here has taken in the latter work I may say that although the resent disturbances took place during the Easter holidays the return of labour after the holidays in the Belfast Shipyards and Engineering Works never was so good as at the present time. The people here are intensely loyal and I would deplore very much anything that would cause a revival of either religious or political animosity at the present time, as I am satisfied action such as suggested would do. So far as the safety and peace of the country are concerned, there is no necessity for anything of the kind and I sincerely trust that in the steps taken to put down the rebellion nothing will be done which would interfere with or reflect in any way upon the loyalty of those who stand for the King and Constitution. I have felt so uneasy since I heard the rumour referred to, as to what the effect of it would be, that I havedeemed it my duty to confer with the principal people in thisdistrict dealing with the working-class population and the viewswhich I have expressed above are their views also. They furtherexpress the view, in which I agree, that this is not a matterin which the poeple would be willing to follow the view of anypolitical leader. I am not, however, writing from the politicalaspect at all; I am only writing from the point of view of thepeace of the City and the district and I feel satisfied thatthat peace and willingness to serve the Empire which now existwill not be helped forward by any interference with the peaceableand law-abiding subjects such as is rumoured. I have the honour to remain,Your obedient servant (Signed) CRAWFORD M'CULLAGH,LORD MAYOR. The Rt. Hon. H. H. Asquith, M.P.,10, Downing Street,LONDON, S.W. 10 Downing Street, London, S.W., England Letter from Crawford McCullagh to Herbert Asquith, 8 May 1916 City Hall, Belfast, Co. Armagh, Ireland Letter from Crawford McCullagh to Herbert Asquith, 8 May 1916 Crawford McCullagh Letter from Crawford McCullagh to Herbert Asquith, 8 May 1916 Herbert Asquith Letter from Crawford McCullagh to Herbert Asquith, 8 May 1916Letter from Edward Carson to Herbert Asquith, 9 May 1916Letter from Herbert Asquith to Edward Carson, 10 May 1916