Holograph letter from journalist and unionist Robert John Lynn, The Northern Whig Office, Belfast to Maxwell. Marked 'Very confidential'. Writes that he has heard a rumour 'that the Guards intends to seize the arms of the Ulster Volunteer Force', an act he regards as 'fraught with grave danger to the public peace. Our people have behaved splendidly during the past critical week and it would be a grave pity if anything was done now that would influence public opinion'. It is his opinion that 'the seizure of the arms ... would be looked upon as an act of treachery'.
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Typescript despatches between Major General Sir F. Shaw, General Staff, General Headquarters, Home Forces, Horse Guards, and Brigadier General Sir Bryan T. Mahon [newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in Ireland and General Maxwell's successor], on arrangements for contingency plans to deal with any possible future rebellion in Ireland.
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Handwritten paraphrase copies of cipher messages from Maxwell to Kitchener, War Office, London marked 'Secret' concerning the North King Street massacre. Includes Kitchener's cipher 16970 questioning the reports of what occurred and outlining the scenario he considers more likely. Maxwell agrees but has 'sworn affidavits to deal with for the most part from women who have made them under the influence of solicitors and other people. In King Street the fighting was from house to house and exceptionally fierce the streets being barricaded.' Includes message from Maxwell to Asquith reporting that members of the press were shown the conditions in Richmond Barracks.
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Edited typescript copy of a letter marked 'Private and Confidential' from Major General R. Hutchinson to the Chief Secretary for Ireland, the Right Honourable H.E. Duke, containing Hutchinson's 'views on the situation in Ireland' in which he distinguishes and comments on the differences between extreme and moderate members of Sinn Féin; discusses police and military action with respect to drilling and/or assembly by members of Sinn Féin; the trial of 'Sinn Feiners' before courts martial and the proclaiming of Sinn Féin meetings. Includes handwritten annotations and corrections.
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Holograph letter to General Maxwell from John Dillon M.P., 2 North Georges St., Dublin protesting about the executions. 'The feeling is becoming widespread and intensely bitter.– It really would be difficult to exaggerate the amount of mischief that the executions are doing'. Also advises against the arming of 'Special Constables', '…it is a unwise measure…they are not required…And…are very apt in my opinion to create disturbance'. Also advises against 'instituting searching and arrests on a large scale in districts in which there has been no disturbance'.
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Letter from Maxwell to French attaching dictated dispatch from Robertson (8 May) concerning Maxwell's suggestion that he be appointed 'Temporary General'. Maxwell states that 'I do not intent to recede from the position I took up in my former letter to you. If it is inconvenient to the War Office to do what I ask, I do not complain, but will retire into the obscurity from which I was taken'.
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Copy of typescript initial report by General Maxwell to [former Secretary of State for War] Lord Kitchener, on the current military action following the surrender of the rebels. Blames the Irish Executive for 'not dealing effectively with the Sinn Fein rebellion before it came to a head'; reports on the rounding up and deportation of Sinn Féin and Irish Citizen Army members and suggests that they could 'expiate their crime by serving the Empire as soldiers…They can fight but are happily not very good shots'; refers to the courts martial and a way of dealing with the bitter feelings between the north and the south of the country.
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Holograph letter to General Maxwell from Lord French in which he refers to the execution on that day of Pearse, Clarke and MacDonagh, "The P.M. expressed himself as 'surprised' at the rapidity of the trial & sentences. I pointed out that you were carrying out your instructions exactly & correctly and in strict accordance with Military and Martial Law. He quite understands but asked me to warn you not to give the impression that all the Sinn Feiners would suffer death. I told him that the fact of 3 of them having been awarded a much less severe sentence was evidence enough of the attitude you were adopting towards them and that I thought it much better to [leave] you [alone] to your own discretion. He agreed to this…".
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Typescript letter from Major General Shaw, GHQ, Home Forces, Horse Guards, London S.W., to General Maxwell informing Maxwell that the King has approved his appointments as GOC the Forces in Ireland 'from 27 April 1916 inclusive' and that Maxwell may 'take such measures as may in your opinion be necessary for the prompt suppression of the insurrection in Ireland'. On 'matters unconnected with operations and on questions of Military and Martial Law' Maxwell will communicate directly with the War Office.
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Typescript copy of 'Memorandum Concerning Present and Future Relations of Great Britain and Ireland in the Empire' containing information under the following headings: 'The Nature of the Irish Claim'; 'The Foundation for Settlement'; 'Ireland's Economic Objections'; 'Concurrent Legislation'; 'The Ulster Difficulty'; 'Naval and Military Situation'; 'Money Contribution'; 'Federation of the Empire'. 'The…memorandum expresses, it is believed, the general conclusions arrived at by a very large number of Irishmen who are not party politicians but representatives of manufactures (sic), commerce, agriculture, journalism, the learned professions and men of leisure and letters who have been thinking more earnestly than before upon the political problem of Ireland and its solution…The demand of the most powerful and enlightened intelligence in Ireland is for Dominion self-government; and between complete union and the status of a dominion there is no half way state which would satisfy Ireland' (p.1). Memo is signed by Colonel Maurice Moore, C.B., Mayo, on behalf of a committee of fourteen members – George Russell [A.E.]; J[ames] Douglas, Dublin; Alec Wilson, Belfast; E.E. Lysaght [MacLysaght], Clare; Dermot Coffey, Dublin; John Mackie, Dublin; Sir Algernon Coote, Bt., H.M. Lt. Co. Laois; Colonel Sir Nugent Everard, Bt. H.M. Lt. Co. Meath; Sir John O'Connell, Kt. Dublin; James MacNeill, Antrim; Joseph Johnson and Prof. E. Curtis, Trinity College Dublin and Major J. Crean, Dublin (17 p.). Also includes an 'Appendix on The virtual coercion of a minority by the grant of responsible Government to Canada' (3 p.).
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Typescript report: 'Secret: Notes on Conference Held at Headquarters, Irish Command, Parkgate, on November, 6th, 1917'. Conference was held 'with a view to a discussion on the situation in the Country generally and especially with regard to the latest instructions…from the Government'. Attended by General Mahon, Major General R. Hutchinson [now Director of Organization, War Office] and Commanding Officers of different districts.
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