1 PAGE 2 OF 2 STATION, CULTRA.
TELEGRAMS. CRAIGDAVID.
TELEPHONE, CRAIGDAVID, 18. CULLODEN,
CRAIGAVAD,
CO. DOWN. July 8. 1916 My Dear Sir Edward I ought to have answered
your letter sooner, but I have
been from home & intensely busy My conviction is that the
line you have taken is perfectly
right. If Home Rule is
coming, as seems certain,
the only possible way of
securing any peace or security
in Ireland is to exclude
the six counties. The
Ulstermen cannot be forced
in. Now, more than ever,
this has become impossible. The Southern Unionists & 2 others who are trying to wreck
the settlement are either
clinging to a hope of wrecking
Home Rule altogether, or are
bitterly vexed at what seems to
them the privileged position of
Ulster. All this talk about
the partition of Ireland is
nonsense. Ireland is partitioned
already. The only way to
preserve unity in Ireland is to
preserve the Union with England.
But if a real unity is ever to
come by internal co-operation
it will come much more
speedily through a frank
recognition of the real facts
than by any effort to force
the warring elements into an
artificial combination. I
feel ashamed of some of the 3 efforts that are being made
to create trouble & to prevent
a settlement. The Church of
Ireland Gazette Is specially
mischievous & is showing a
very bad spirit. It
was largely responsible
for the trouble at the
Synod. As to the Bishop's re-
solution, I am sorry I
was not at the meeting:
but, as you know, I did
not receive the summons
& knew nothing of its
doings until afterwards. 4 There was no use in my
trying to secure any
modification afterwards. It
would have been impossible
& I felt that it was wiser
to say nothing. The
resolution was really a
most ambiguous statement
& I have not met anyone
who knows exactly what
it means. Here
we all feel that it is
better to hold our tongues.
We follow your lead &
that of the Ulster Unionist Council. Yours very faithfully. Charles F. Down.