THE ASYLUM PARTY.
[To THE EDITOR 07 THE " SPECTATOR.")
Sta.—I think that many of your readers have a right to protest against your article "The Asylum Party" in your number of November 11th. Of course there is nothing to be said for the Nationalists. They are absolutely disloyal to England and the Empire, and there is no other country in the world which would sanction their remaining in its Parliament. But what right have you to accuse Sir E. Carson of alliance with them? He or Mr. Boner Law may be in the right about the terms of the sales in Nigeria. But surely there is room for two opinions. Even you will admit that the Coalition Government wants waking up, but according to your new rules no attempt, however honest, may be made to press any improvement on them, for fear that the Nationalist enemies of the Empire may vote against the Govern- ment. It is difficult to imagine a more ridiculous or shameful doctrine.—I am, Sir, &c., G. B. Run.
Fair Hill, Camberley, Surrey.
[We want to win the war. We believe that a united nation is absolutely essential to a successful termination of the war. We believe further that the unity of the nation can only be secured by means of a coalition between the two great parties of the State. The merits of the Nigeria land sales were not the real issue. The Opposition, headed, we deeply regret to say, by Sir Edward Carson, were out to wreck the Government and nothing else. If they had succeeded we should have had a period of political chaos and military and naval weakness which must have had a disastrous effect upon the war. The Nationalists and the Pacificists would have been able to boast, and boast truly, that they had wrecked this Government, and could and would wreck the next, unless it made peace. Not till he can secure a majority of patriotic men has Sir Edward Carson the right to put the Government out. In addition Sir Edward Carson by his action was imperilling, unconsciously, no doubt, but none the less surely, the cause of North-East Ulster. As long as the Coalition lasts North-East Ulster cannot be turned out of the United Kingdom against her will. We deeply regret having been obliged to write as we did of Sir Edward Carson's action, but, holding the views we hold in regard to the war and the protection of North-East Ulster, we had no option. He is, we are sure, in intention a true patriot, but in the Nigeria debate his judgment undoubtedly failed him. There is something in the atmosphere of the Lobbies which appears to deprave men's mental fibre.—En. Spectator.]
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