ABSTRACT

The first time I met Dr Spence Watson and heard him speak was at a great meeting in the St James's Hall, London, held to congratulate the Irish leader, Parnell, on the collapse of the criminal charges made against him by The Times newspaper. Some of you will remember the occasion. The charges were based on certain letters which The Times published in facsimile and scattered broadcast over England. These were shown to be forgeries which The Times had bought at a very high price; the forger himself, a man called Pigott, was discovered and convicted; he confessed and fled and blew his brains out. The whole situation was intensely dramatic—as well as extremely instructive. The meeting, addressed by Parnell himself and by two famous Newcastle men, Dr Spence Watson and Mr John Morley, was one of the most thrilling I have ever attended. And I remember still how Dr Spence Watson's short speech ended in a ringing call of 'God save Ireland'.