258 LIFE AND EXPERIENCES CHAP. 



there upon a totally different errand, that of supporting 

 the question of the invitation to be sent to my friend, 

 and without the slightest idea that my name would 

 be mentioned in the matter. " But," I added, "the 

 question is one for you, gentlemen, to determine. I 

 leave the matter in your hands. It would be 

 evidently impossible for me to give you an answer or 

 to say anything more now. You must be the judges 

 of your own action, and I therefore beg very respect- 

 fully to withdraw from the meeting." 



The position between my friend and myself might 

 have been a very unpleasant one. I at once in- 

 formed him of what had taken place, assuring him 

 that I had not the slightest idea when I went to 

 the meeting of what was about to occur, and he very 

 handsomely wrote to say that he could not allow 

 himself to be put in nomination in opposition to 

 myself, and that to be of any service in the further- 

 ance of my candidature he would be very happy. 



Some few days afterwards, on May 8th, an 

 adjourned meeting of the Liberal Association for 

 South Manchester was held in the Rusholme Public 

 Hall, at which it was unanimously resolved to invite 

 me officially to contest the division in the Liberal 

 interest at the next election. 



On May 1 3th I appeared at a meeting of the General 

 Council of the Liberal Association for the division in 

 the Chorlton Town Hall, when I said that after the 

 kind way in which they had received me, and the 

 extremely gratifying invitation they had given me, I 

 felt I could not do otherwise than accept. One great 

 reason which had determined me to take this step 

 was that I believed, if strength were given me and 

 my candidature was a success, I might do something 

 in the House of Commons which other people, per- 



