.An interesting correspondence between Lord Rosebery and Mr. A. W.
Black, M.P. for Morayshire, was published in the Times of Monday. Mr. Black having been asked to support Lord Rosebery at his Edinburgh meeting, wrote to ask whether his Lordship still maintained his " definite " separation from Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, the "elected leader" of the Liberal party, or whether that separation had ceased with the circumstances which produced it. Lord Rosebery replied that it had not ceased, that Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman had "banned and condemned" the policy announced in the speech at Chesterfield, and that he himself still maintained that policy. Consequently until the ban was withdrawn the separation must continue. Mr. Black, much dissatisfied, en- deavoured to " draw " Lord Rosebery into a definite statement as to whether he would accept a position under Sir Henry, or whether he should, if he were leader, omit him from his Cabinet; but Lord Rosebery declined to be drawn into "an illusory discussion of probable or improbable contingencies." He and those in cordial agreement with him would vote with the Opposition, but beyond that he would say nothing except that his personal friendship for Sir Henry Campbell-Banner- man still continued. We have tried elsewhere to point out reasons for thinking this correspondence more important to the political future than the public has deemed, and will only remark here that the elected chief of the Liberals has not as yet withdrawn his ban. "We are all brethren," laughed Douglas Jerrold, "all Cams and Abels."
Previous page
