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23rd May, 1916. Dear Mr. Seeds, In reply to the letter sent by yourself and some
others of the 15th of May, I hope you will be satisfied for
the moment with a very short answer. I am fully
aware of the uneasiness that prevails with reference to
the present situation, and I can assure you that I am
watching everything with the fullest desire and intent—
tion to uphold the principle s to which we are bound by
our Covenant. It is never absent from my mind for a
moment. So far as I am concerned you may reply upon it
that I have not taken and will not take any action in
the matter without the fullest submission to our Execu—
tive Council and I shall never be a party to advising
anything which would be a breach of our Covenant. I
think for the moment it is better not to publish the
correspondence as I am anxious to hear what the Govern—
ment propose to do, having regard to the recent disgrace—
ful conduct of the rebels in the South and West,
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but you are quite at liberty to show my answer to any of
the Ulster Volunteer Force whom you think proper. Yours very truly,