The MacDonell affair has haunted Parliament throughout the week. It
was debated in the House of Lords on Friday, February 17th, and on Monday and Tuesday Mr. Redmond made his Home-rule amendment the vehicle for raising a discussion on the incident. At question time on Wednesday the debate was in effect resumed, and Mr. Redmond elicited from the Premier that Sir Antony MacDonnell had not been asked to give up his post. Mr. Wyndham, in reply to further questions, explained that when he appointed Sir Antony he had only been a Cabinet Minister for a fortnight, but that he had now made it clear to his Under-Secretary, in view of the criticisms to which his Department had been subjected, that in future he (Mr. Wyndham) must see anything likely to be discussed in the House. To that extent, but no further, the terms of his appointment had been modified. The Opposition and several Ulster Unionists having risen in support of Mr. Redmond on his asking leave to move the adjournment of the House to discuss the matter, the Speaker granted leave, and at the evening sitting Mr. Wyndham read the letters between himself and Sir Antony MacDonnell before the latter accepted office.
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