IN STORMY IRISH DAYS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 96, 27 April 1929, Page 21

IN STORMY IRISH DAYS

Bich in.memories of the stormy days of the Irish-question in the House of Commons-is-Mr. Tim Healy's "Letters and Leaders?' (London: Thornton, Butterworth and Co.). He- reproduces a letter .to. Joseph; Biggar,; the Belfast Nationalist' M.P., who became famous as.the. originator of systematised obstruction in the House of Commons. Mr. Biggar's sister had very strong temperance principles like many people iii. Ulster. She wrote: — •

Belfast,, 21st Juno, 1884.—Joseph, when you turned Homo Ruler I did not upbraid you. '.. '

When you became a Papist I was almost alone, in our family in not refusing to speak to you.,

Your fall was great in both respects. Yet .there was one cause which I thought you would never desert, the sacred Sause of ' temperance. From depth to depth, .however, you have sunk, lower and lower, as was to be expected..-, ' ' ; . ' .

I read in the "Freeman's Journal" to-day of .you, the son of a respected father, and member of a family of Presbyterian teetotallers, . that you shamelessly confessed to the House of Commons, that "in your opinion the third glass-of punch only warmed the bottom of the'tumbler."

Your descent into Popery and Homo Bule: never deceived me. Yet I reserved judgment, despite tho views of our family. Henceforth I renounce you.—Your Sister. ' ' ; '"I never knew if she forgave him," remarks Mr.. Healy. As a matter of fact, Biggar, who was speaking purely for purposes ob. obstruction, had fathered the.remark .of,"a man in Belfast.' . . He was making a speech ostensibly in support of Sunday closing, but by various means the support was c&ntinued lit such length that the Bill was talked out. Perhaps his offence against "the saere^ cause of temperance" was even graver than his sister suspected. • ■ '. .