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            <title type="main">Letter from Charles F Down to Edward Carson, 8 June 1916</title>
            <title type="sub">Letters 1916-1923</title>
            <author>Charles F Down</author>
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            <date>2026</date>
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               <p>Letter from Charles F Down 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.</p>
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             PAGE 2 OF 2   STATION, CULTRA. <lb/>TELEGRAMS. CRAIGDAVID. <lb/>TELEPHONE, CRAIGDAVID, 18.   CULLODEN, <lb/>CRAIGAVAD, <lb/>CO. DOWN.   <hi rend="underline">July 8. 1916</hi>   My Dear Sir Edward   I ought to have answered <lb/>your letter sooner, but I have <lb/>been from home &amp; intensely busy   My conviction is that the <lb/>line you have taken is perfectly <lb/>right. If Home Rule is <lb/>coming, as seems certain, <lb/>the only possible way of <lb/>securing any peace or security <lb/>in Ireland is to exclude <lb/>the six counties. The <lb/>Ulstermen cannot be forced <lb/>in. Now, more than ever, <lb/>this has become impossible.   The Southern Unionists &amp;
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            others who are trying to wreck <lb/>the settlement are either <lb/>clinging to a hope of wrecking <lb/>Home Rule altogether, or are <lb/>bitterly vexed at what seems to <lb/>them the privileged position of <lb/>Ulster. All this talk about <lb/>the partition of Ireland is <lb/>nonsense. Ireland is partitioned <lb/>already. The only way to <lb/>preserve unity in Ireland is to <lb/>preserve the Union with England. <lb/>But if a real unity is ever to <lb/>come by internal co-operation <lb/>it will come much more <lb/>speedily through a frank <lb/>recognition of the real facts <lb/>than by any effort to force <lb/>the warring elements into an <lb/>artificial combination. I <lb/>feel ashamed of some of the
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            efforts that are being made <lb/>to create trouble &amp; to prevent <lb/>a settlement. The <hi rend="underline">Church of</hi> <lb/><hi rend="underline">Ireland Gazette</hi> Is specially <lb/>mischievous &amp; is showing a <lb/>very bad spirit. It <lb/>was largely responsible <lb/>for the trouble at the <lb/>Synod.   As to the Bishop's re- <lb/>solution, I am sorry I <lb/>was not at the meeting: <lb/>but, as you know, I did <lb/>not receive the summons <lb/>&amp; knew nothing of its <lb/>doings until afterwards.
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            There was no use in my <lb/>trying to secure any <lb/>modification afterwards. It <lb/>would have been impossible <lb/>&amp; I felt that it was wiser <lb/>to say nothing. The <lb/>resolution was really a <lb/>most ambiguous statement <lb/>&amp; I have not met anyone <lb/>who knows exactly what <lb/> it means. Here <lb/>we all feel that it is <lb/>better to hold our tongues. <lb/>We follow your lead &amp; <lb/>that of the  Ulster Unionist Council.   Yours very faithfully.   <hi rend="underline">Charles F. Down.</hi> 
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               <persName>Edward Carson</persName>
            <noteGrp><note target="item__0527.xml" type="mentions">Letter from David Lloyd George to Edward Carson, 29 May 1916</note><note target="item__1130.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Sir Dawson Bates to Edward Carson, 2 December 1915</note><note target="item__1135.xml" type="mentions">Letter from William Robert Young to Edward Carson, 9 July 1916</note><note target="item__1137.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Alexander McDowell to Edward Carson, 20 July 1916</note><note target="item__2224.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Hugh de Fellenerg Montgomery to Edward Carson, 31 May 1916</note><note target="item__2229.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Hugh de Fellenberg Montgomery to Edward Carson, 9 June 1916</note><note target="item__2232.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Hugh de Fellenberg Montgomery to Edward Carson, 9 June 1916</note><note target="item__2313.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Frederick Hugh Crawford to Edward Carson, 8 March 1916</note><note target="item__3996.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Edward Carson to Thomas McGregor Greer, 12 July 1916</note><note target="item__4136.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Sir Edward Carson to Sir Robert Ponsonby Staples, 10 December 1915</note><note target="item__4285.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Edward Carson, 19 November 1915</note><note target="item__4287.xml" type="mentions">Letter from William R. Young to Edward Carson, 2 November 1915</note><note target="item__4288.xml" type="mentions">Letter from J.M. Wilson to Edward Carson, 3 November 1915</note><note target="item__4289.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Turner Oliver Read to Edward Carson, 12 November 1915</note><note target="item__4290.xml" type="mentions">Letter from William R. Young to Edward Carson, 12 November 1915</note><note target="item__4292.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Harold Tennant to  Edward Carson, 17 November 1915</note><note target="item__4294.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Henry Mulholland to Pembroke Wicks, circa November 1915</note><note target="item__4295.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Edward Carson,  25 November 1915</note><note target="item__4296.xml" type="mentions">Letter Wilfrid Spender to Edward Carson, 3 December 1915</note><note target="item__4298.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Edward Carson, 4 December 1915</note><note target="item__4299.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Robert Thompson to Edward Carson, 18 December 1915</note><note target="item__4300.xml" type="mentions">Letter from W.T. Bailey to Edward Carson, 22 December 1915</note><note target="item__4301.xml" type="mentions">Letter from General Nevil Macready to Edward Carson, 1 May 1916</note><note target="item__4302.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Edward Carson, 2 May 1916</note><note target="item__4303.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Horace Plunkett to Edward Carson, 4 May 1916</note><note target="item__4304.xml" type="mentions">Postcard to Edward Carson, 4 May 1916</note><note target="item__4305.xml" type="mentions">Letter from D.P. Barton to Edward Carson, 5 May 1916</note><note target="item__4307.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Edward Carson to Herbert Asquith, 9 May 1916</note><note target="item__4309.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Herbert Asquith to Edward Carson, 10 May 1916</note><note target="item__4311.xml" type="mentions">Copy of a letter from John Crozier to Edward Carson, 9 May 1916</note><note target="item__4312.xml" type="mentions">Letter from J.M. Wilson to Edward Carson, 11 May 1916</note><note target="item__4313.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Edward Carson, 15 May 1916</note><note target="item__4315.xml" type="mentions">Letter from David Lloyd George to Edward Carson, 3 June 1916</note><note target="item__4317.xml" type="mentions">Letter from G.L. Moore to Edward Carson, 6 June 1916</note><note target="item__4318.xml" type="mentions">Letter from sir William Robert Robertson to Edward Carson, 7 June 1916</note><note target="item__4320.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Nevil Macready to Edward Carson, 8 June 1916</note><note target="item__4321.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Arthur Warren Samuels to Edward Carson, 14 June 1916</note><note target="item__4322.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Frederick Stringer Wrench to Edward Carson, 15 June 1916</note><note target="item__4323.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Somerset Francis Saunderson to Edward Carson, 15 June 1916</note><note target="item__4326.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Edward Carson, 17 June 1916</note><note target="item__4327.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Somerset Francis Saunderson to Edward Carson, 17 June 1916</note><note target="item__4329.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Charles Clements to Edward Carson, 21 June 1916</note><note target="item__4331.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Ronald McNeill to Edward Carson, 22 June 1916</note><note target="item__4332.xml" type="mentions">Letter from John Crozier to Edward Carson, 26 June 1916</note><note target="item__4333.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Charles F. Down to Edward Carson, 28 June 1916</note><note target="item__4335.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Charles Clements to Edward Carson, 29 June 1916</note><note target="item__4336.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Archibald Salvidge to Edward Carson, 30 June 1916</note><note target="item__4338.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Charles Clements to Edward Carson, 1 July 1916</note><note target="item__4339.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Charles Clements to Edward Carson, 3 July 1916</note><note target="item__4343.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Edward Carson, 5 July 1916</note><note target="item__4346.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Horace Plunkett to Edward Carson, 5 July 1916</note><note target="item__4347.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Charles F Down to Edward Carson, 8 June 1916</note><note target="item__4350.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Herbert Samuel to Edward Carson, 13 July 1916</note><note target="item__4351.xml" type="mentions">Letter from William Martin to Edward Carson, 13 July 1916</note><note target="item__4352.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Travers R. Blackley to Edward Carson, 11 July 1916</note><note target="item__4354.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Travers R. Blackley to Edward Carson, 13 July 1916</note><note target="item__4356.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Pembroke Wicks to Edward Carson, 14 July 1916</note><note target="item__4358.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Somerset Francis Saunderson to Edward Carson, 15 July 1916</note><note target="item__4359.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Edward Carson to William Martin, 17 July 1916</note><note target="item__4362.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Herbert Samuel to Edward Carson, 21 July 1916</note><note target="item__4363.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Edward Carson, 21 July 1916</note><note target="item__4365.xml" type="mentions">Letter from John Strachey to Edward Carson, 27 July 1916</note><note target="item__4366.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Alexander McDowell to Edward Carson, 5 October 1916</note><note target="item__4367.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Edward Carson, 7 October 1916</note><note target="item__4368.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Sharman D Neill to Edward Carson, 7 October 1916</note><note target="item__4369.xml" type="mentions">Letter from John Strachey to Edward Carson, 7 October 1916</note><note target="item__4370.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Rosalind Hamilton to Edward Carson, 10 October 1916</note><note target="item__4371.xml" type="mentions">Letter to Edward Carson, 14 October 1916</note><note target="item__4373.xml" type="mentions">Letter from David Lloyd George to Edward Carson, 14 October 1916</note><note target="item__4374.xml" type="mentions">Letter from J. Beatty to Edward Carson, 16 October 1916</note><note target="item__4882.xml" type="mentions">Letter from Edward Carson to Richard Dawson Bates, 21 April 1919</note></noteGrp></person>
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