Letter from Oscar Underwood to John Quinn, 14 August 1916

Foo, Bar; Bar, Foo

Letter from Oscar Underwood to John Quinn, 14 August 1916

1 United States Senate,
Committee on Cuban Relations August 14, 1916. L.N.G Mr. John Quinn,
31 Nassau St.,
New York City. My dear John: I write just a word to tell you that yesterday
I read with great interest your article in the New York
Times, in reference to the murder of Casement. It is a
splendid article, forecfully and clearly expressed, painting
a word picture that once conceived, will never be forgotten.
You gave me new light on the whole situation. I am glad you
have written the article for when this war is over and pre-
judice has died away, your paper will live to tell the truth
as to one of the great blunders of the British Government.
I say blunder to be charitable, crime would possibly be a
better word. Sincerely your friend,
OW Underwood

This letter was written by Oscar Underwood (1862-1929) to John Quinn (1870–1924), discussing Quinn’s article in the New York Times from the day previous. The article was about the execution of Sir Roger Casement in London. Underwood began his career as a lawyer, quickly moving into politics representing the state of Alabama in the United States Senate. He also sought the presidential nomination at the 1912 Democratic National Convention, but lost out to Woodrow Wilson. At the time of writing the letter Underwood was the chairmen of the Senate Committee on Cuban Relations. John Quinn was a lawyer in New York, the son of Irish immigrants who maintained close ties with Ireland during his life through his patronage of the arts. Quinn also campaigned for Underwood’s presidential nomination in 1912. In the letter, Underwood offers his sympathy to the Irish republican movement following the failed uprising. Underwood also condemned the policies of the British Government, referring to their actions as ‘crimes’.

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How to cite

Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__6728.html)