XIX 



HOME RULE BILL 227 



quently he wrote to protest. He received a 

 letter of excuse from the Secretary, admitting 

 that, strictly speaking, both the President and 

 all the Vice-Presidents of the Association should 

 have been summoned to the meeting of the 

 General Committee when the resolution support- 

 ing Mr. Gladstone was passed ; but that it was so 

 seldom that they were able to have them present 

 that the summons had not been sent to them. 

 The business for which the meeting was called 

 was mostly routine, and the Chairman was the 

 responsible party for having the resolution put. 

 The secretary promised that in future due notice 

 should be given him of any important business 

 to come before either the Executive or the 

 General Committee. 



Some further apology and explanation were 

 offered, but the result was that the President, 

 Treasurer, several Vice-Presidents, and some 

 other members of the Committee withdrew from 

 the Association. 



Cardinal Manning, as has been seen, was an 

 old friend of Sir John, and always one of his 

 warmest supporters in the Early Closing Move- 

 ment. The following may be given as a sample 

 of several letters expressive of his views on this 

 subject : 



Archbishop's House, Westminster, 

 25th April 1886. 



My dear Sir John Lubbock — It was my fixed 

 intention to attend the meeting of to-night in support 

 of your Bill on behalf of our over-crowded people. But 

 I find it out of my power. 



My earnest support on behalf of your Bill has grown 

 day by day as I have seen the letters in opposition to it ; 

 and I am sorry not to be able to say this to-night ; but 



