Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/180

made a capital defence of his action in preparing his people to defend their splendid homes in the new country. I was very glad to get back here to rest, and endeavour to make some progress with the arranging of my correspondence during the 30 years. I am having the letters bound in volumes of fair size. The best letter writer was Dean Lefroy. Sir William Harcourt's letters, in a few of which he lets himself go, are strikingly good. Lord Salisbury's letter denouncing the meddling Methodist and Nonconformist Ministers will create arow. He was guilty of "blazing indiscretions," although it was not his fault when he mistook you for Lord Roberts and told you State secrets. It was a mistake to call a nation "Hottentots." It is a wonder that no one has written the life of Lord Salisbury or given a selection of his letters. I shall never forget his frankness and manly attitude when we discussed Home Rule for Ireland with Sir Charles Gavan Duffy, and I had the first interview with Lord Carnarvon in Dublin. We had another historic interview. The Postmaster-General and his officials were wavering when we were urging the purchase of the Cables between England, France, and Belgium. We won through Lord Salisbury taking a part. It was on a parallel with the interview between Whitelaw Reid, my old friend Lord Blyth of Blythwood, and myself. In 25 letters from Lord Salisbury, including the one when Raikes had a rebellion in the Post Office and Salisbury told me that either Raikes or Stevenson Blackwood would have to go (he meant Raikes). The new trouble that oppresses me, and it is a great one, is the propriety of letting the public see these letters although all the men are dead. I hope I am incapable of doing a wrong to anyone on thus earth. Never once have I been disloyal to my party, never once voted against my party. Of course I never was a keen politician, never attacked the Opposition, but worked for Empire.