1 1 Mitre Court Buildings.
Temple. E. C. 4th August 1916. Dear Mr Samuel, The day before yesterday I called at the House
of Commons to see you in order to support the request of
Miss Gertrude Bannister that the body Roger Casement might
be handed over to her for private burial. I did this because I
was deeply moved by the distress of a noble woman whose unflinching
devotion to her cousin through the long-drawn agony
of his trial was such as to provoke my profound admiration &
respect. I did not - indeed as Counsel I could not - support
the movement for a reprieve. But he has paid the full
penalty - he has not only died a felon's death on the scaffold
but before dying he was publicly degraded of all his honours,
a step for which I believe there is no precedent in any treason
case in the last 300 years. The law has therefore exacted its uttermost. Under these circumstances it is surely not asking
too much to ask that the pitiful request of his relatives be
granted. Roger Casement is now beyond the reach of human
vengeance; it cannot matter to him whether his body remains in
a felon's grave in Pentonville or not. But it matters a great
deal to this unhappy lady sorrowing under a sorrow almost too
grievous for any man or woman to bear. I cannot conceive 2 petition which it would be easier for the authorities to
grant & harder for any humane person to refuse. It is not
for me to urge any questions of policy though I can imagine
few things more likely to exasperate Irish opinion than an
implacable severity which wounds the living while it is quite
powerless to harm the dead. Moreover there is a very strong
feeling abroad - the "Times" gives expression to it this morning
that someone in authority "inspired" a campaign of malignant
& studied calumny against the prisoner which was not only
not necessary to the course of Justice but calculated to per-
vert it. It is surely highly undesirable that any impression
of ruthlessness should get abroad. But be that as it may, I do beg of you on grounds of
humanity to reconsider your decision. Miss Bannister is,
I understand, prepared to give every guarantee as to privacy. Yours sincerely, (Sgd) J.H.Morgan. The Rt.Hon. Herbert Samuel.M.P.
Secretary of State.
The Home Office.