1 June 22. 1916. D1507/A/17/25 97 18, CADOGAN PLACE,
S.W. My dear Chief I attended the meeting of Unionist
members today & send you the
following notes of it. Banbury in chair. About 70 present. Banbury explained reason of meeting.
No one trusted Carson more than he,
but, Ulster standpoint - not necessarily
identical with English. Proposed
that a deputation be sent to B.L.
to tell him the strong feeling of the
party against Home Rule during
the War. Called on W.Guinness.
Guinness spoke for 1/2 hour, entirely
on details showing growing power
of Sinn Fein & their danger. 2 Proposed deputation,
I followed for 20 minutes. Agreed
with Guinness's facts, but what
bearing had they on existing situation.
The fundamental fact — to which G
never alluded — was Act on Statute
Book. What was Asquith's promise
of Amending Bill worth? and
couldany amending Bill give
more than the proposed settlement?
Did G. imagine any fact he had
given was not familiar to Ulster
& to Carson? I read the Ulster
Resolutions. Did anyone present
think we could ever repeal the
Act? If not; what alternative
to settlement? The Govt, including
our own men, had called on us to
settle as a matter of war urgency.
Could we take the responsibility of
refusing? If we appointed a deputation,
it must become known, and the
Nationalists would jump at a way
out of their difficulties, by placing the
odium on English Unionists. Finlay, was strongly against the
proposed settlement on two grounds. (1) Whatever might be the alternative
after the war, we should not give
the Nationlists control of Ireland
during theWar. (2) The necessary Bill for giving
effect to settlement would divert
attention & time of Parliament
& the Country from theWar.
He thought a party meeting should
be called. Ashleyread a letter from Bridgman
saying on B.L's authority that
the leaders would not commit 3 the party without first consulting
them. :Hickmanagreed with every word
of Sir R.Finlay! Astorwas not prepared to join
in any step that even indirectly
might embarrass Carson, whom
he trusted not merely as the Ulster
Leader, but as a Unionist leader
from Imperial point of View. Mackinder agreed with Astor and
McNeill. He opposed a deputation
or any resolution Joynson Hicks tried to rush the
meeting. It was the evident &
general sense of the meeting
that we should let B.L. know
our views, he proposed certain
names as deputation. I objected. There was no general 4 D1507/A/M/25 94 2 18, CADOGAN PLACE,
S.W. Sense of the meeting. A deputation
would not represent myviews,
and before we could appoint
one we must have a vote on
the general question. I would
claim a vote even if I was alone,
which was not the case. Meux. Supported the proposed
Settlement on military
grounds. Finlay was wrong.
If Settlement were now turned
down by us, you would require
An army to hold down Ireland.
If the Settlement were carried,
Ireland would not be a danger
for some months anyhow: the 5 Nationalists would quarrel
among themselves, & we should
get on with theWar. Magnus, was against taking
a vote The meeting was clearly
divided, & there was therefore
no general sense to report
to Bonar Law. Finlay agreed that a vote
would be a mistake. We could
all lay our own views before
B.L. & we had his letter (read
by Ashley) & that was good enough. Meeting adjourned sine die
without passing anything. I don't think any harm
was done, but I suppose a
party meeting will be held
unless the Nationalists mean-
time reject the proposals.
If there is a party meeting
there will be a strong element
against the Settlement. I
should think that 50 out
of the 70 present were
that way. Yours ever
Ronald McNeill. P.S I went tosee B.L. after
the meeting, but found Finlay
there & Austen Chamberlain, 6 96

So I came away. RMcN.