Copy of a letter from Charles Murphy to Bishop Michael Francis Fallon, 29 March 1917 Letters 1916-1923 Charles Murphy

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In this letter Charles Murphy provides Bishop Michael Francis Fallon with an overview of the measures he has taken so far in order to support the Irish Parliamentary Party in its struggle for constitutional rights. The letter is a reply to a letter from Bishop Michael Francis Fallon to Charles Joseph Doherty, T. W. McGarry and Charles Murphy, 12 March 1917.

 New York Public Library Manuscripts and Archives Division Folder: Box 2. f.2 Joseph C. Walsh Papers https://letters1916.ie/item/6657 English Charles Murphy 1917-03-29 Michael Francis Fallon London, Ontario, Canada Male 1935 Politics The Rising Tide (1917-1919)

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 (COPY) March 29th, 1917. His Lordship, Bishop M. F. Fallon, London, O n t. Dear Bishop Fallon:- Dear Bishop Fallon:- A word of explanationis due you as to the delay in sending this replyto your letter of March 12th, addressed to Hon.C.J. Doherty, Hon. T.W. McGarry and myself. On March 15th and 16thI was engaged at the Sittings of the ParliamentaryCommittee on Returned Soldiers at Montreal. I cameup to Ottawa on the night of 15th to speak atan Irish Meeting in St. Patrick's Parish Hall, andafter the Meeting I received your letter of the12thinst. I returned to Montreal on the morning of the16th inst., and upon the conclusion of the Committee'ssittings I remained over in that City until March17th to fill an engagement at the Reform Club, whereI again discussed Home Rule. On Monday, the 19th, Iwent to Toronto, and was engaged at the Sittings ofthe Parliamentary Committee there until the 24thinst. Since my return to Ottawa this is the firstchance I have had to write to you. In a general way yourletter asks each of those to whom it is addressed whathas been done, and what is to be done by way of answerto the latest appeal of the Irish Parliamentary Party March 29th, 1917. His Lordship, Bishop M. F. Fallon - 2. for assistance in the struggle for their consti-tutional rights. Answering for myself, Imay say that in addition to the two speechesabove mentioned, I sent a cablegram to PrimeMinister Borden on March 8th, which was prior tothe publication in this Country of the Irish Par-liamentary Party's appeal and 4 days before yourletter was written. That cablegram was in theseterms:- Ottawa, March 8th, 1917 Sir Robert L. Borden, London. The advocacy of immediate Home Rule for Irelandby your fellow-Premier, Sir Edward Morris, closelyfollowed by Lloyd George's newest act of treachery,supply both contrast and lesson to the friends ofsmall nations in all parts of the world.How can the people or representatives of Canadatrust a Government headed by a man who has beenfalse to his leader and his principles, more par-ticulary when that Government is dominated by Car-son, the inciter of armed resistance to constitutedauthority and the avowed friend of the GermanEmporer?The action of Lloyd George and his Government intreating the Home Rule Act as another scrap of paperwill seriously damage the cause of the Allies andwill inevitably help the Germans to prolong the war. Charles Murphy. March 29th, 1917. His Lordship, Bishop M. F. Fallon -3. On March 9th, a copy of theforegoing message was cabled to Mr. John Redmond.On the evening of the same day I sent him a secondcable consisting of an extract of 175 wordsfrom the Montreal Star editorial of March 9th. On March 10th, I sent Mr.Remond a cablegram embodying 165 words from theToronto Globe editorial of March 9th. On March 12th, - the dayyour letter was written - I received a cable mes-sage of thanks from Mr. Remond. On March 13th, I receivedfrom Mr. Redmond the following cablegram:-Honourable Charles Murphy Ottawa. May we publish your cablegram to Borden. (Sd.) Redmond To the foregoing, I cabledYes on March 13th, and the publication in theBrtish press immediately followed. Further cablegrams relatingto additional action here were sent by me on March19th and March 24th to Mr. Renomd, and in due courseI received his replies. March 29th, 1917. His Lordship, Bishop M. F. Fallon - 4. On March 26th, I sent Mr.Redmond a cablegram of 70 words taken from thereport of Mr. N. W. Rowell's speech at a publicmeeting in Toronto on the night of March 23rd. There are other details asto further local action still receiving attention,but it is not necessary to enumerate them in thisletter. So much for my personal con-nection with what has been done. I need scarcelyadd that in matters of this kind there is alwaysthe danger of being accused of playing to thegallery, and, for that reason, I preferred totrust to our people's sense of doing what was rightrather than attempt to dictate to them in any way.The number meetings already held, and the resolu-tions adopted, not only justify this course, butpoint to local action over a wide area as the mosteffective way of influencing public opinion, both inthis country and in Great Britain. Now, as to what further maybe done. In my opinion, no more practical servicecould be rendered at the present time than to have arepresentation made by Mr. Lionel Curtis to his fellow-members of the Round Table, who are now the control-ling force in the British Government, as to theenormous benefit it would be to Empire unification ifthey would apply to Ireland the principle which theydesire to preserve for Belgium and other small nations.I am not personally acquainted with Mr. Lionel Curtis,but I have always heard him spoken of as a gentlemanof single purpose and unselfish ideals, and accepting March 29th, 1917. His Lordship,Bishop M. F. Fallon - 5. him as such, I assume he would be willing to helpon his life's work in the way I have suggested ifa strong representation were made to him form theproper quarter. Let me thank you for thecopy of the London Advertiser that you were goodenough to send me with the report of the Meeting ofSunday, March 18th. In conclusion, allow me toextend my congratulations upon your eloquent andwhole-hearted support of the cause in which all ourpeople are so deeply interested. Your sincerely, CM/LB.ENCL. London, Ontario, Canada Copy of a letter from Charles Murphy to Bishop Michael Francis Fallon, 29 March 1917Copy of a letter from Bishop Michael Francis Fallon to Charles Joseph Doherty, T. W. McGarry and Charles Murphy, 12 March 1917 Michael Francis Fallon Copy of a letter from Charles Murphy to Bishop Michael Francis Fallon, 29 March 1917Copy of a letter from Bishop Michael Francis Fallon to Charles Joseph Doherty, T. W. McGarry and Charles Murphy, 12 March 1917 Charles Murphy Letter from Charles Murphy, Manager of the "Nationality" to Gregory Ashe, 4 October 1917Copy of a letter from Charles Murphy to Bishop Michael Francis Fallon, 29 March 1917Copy of a letter from Bishop Michael Francis Fallon to Charles Joseph Doherty, T. W. McGarry and Charles Murphy, 12 March 1917