The Henson Journals

[165]

Wednesday, March 10th, 1926.

I went to Spedding at 11 a.m., accompanied (at his own suggestion) by Cecil McCullagh, and had the tooth extracted, which has caused me so much affliction, & was no doubt a potent factor in my collapse on Sunday. The wretched thing was adorned at the root with a considerable abscess.

During the last few days, a considerable number of letters had accumulated, partly about the division in the House of Lords, & partly, about my indisposition.

Lord Forester wrote to thank me for my assistance, & added: "Also, if I may venture to do so, to congratulate you on your magnificent speech, which I know turned many votes, & caused others who had already half–pledged themselves to vote against us to abstain from voting. It was indeed a triumph, & a triumph thanks to you".

Lord Bledisloe writes that he was himself convinced by my speech that he "could not conscientiously support the Measure", & adds: "I fancy that you must have converted several others besides myself, for the Lobbying in favour of the Measure was far more intensive & began much earlier than the canvassing on the other side".

Sir John Cotterill, the Lord–lieutenant of Herefordshire, wrote a letter of thanks for my "very excellent speech" to [166] which he also attributed great influence in the result. "The veiled (till this morning) hostility of the "Times" has been a considerable difficulty to us, & if it had not been for you & one or two others, our case would have been hopeless."

The Bishop of Norwich wrote warmly of my speech: "So far as is proper & seemly through the post I want to fall upon you & embrace you in view of yesterday's victory which you won. It involved issues even more important than itself: & no longer will it be the function of parliament to register the views of the C.A. & E. Committee. Yours happily & admiringly, B. Norwich."

I record these expressions of opinion as being strictly contemporary. They show clearly enough what the first impressions of the debate & division were. It will be curious to see what the later opinions will be. Old Bishop Knox sends me a "line of congratulation on your admirable speech" because he perceives in the rejection of the Shrewsbury Bishoprick Measure "an assertion of the right of Parlt to take its relation to the Church Assembly seriously", and adds, "the last point is most important". I expect that the Church Papers will contain some interesting extravagances on the whole subject.

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