WCP2636

[1]

RUSHALL HALL.

NEAR WALSALL.

Sept[embe]r. 1. 1882

My dear Sir

Thank you for your interesting note. Your views are founded on natural justice, and when it is a question of right between two parties you have no right to be generous to one at the expense of the other. I therefore take it that if your principles are well founded you are too lenient to landlords. How far it is politic to be so is quite another question, and it is certainly open to argument that your leniency may affect the reformation years before it could be otherwise attained.

Your observations about Mortgages are very sensible but I think so important a subject should have been dwelt upon in your work as your opponents will at once say seize upon the omission. I cannot attend the meeting on the 5th, otherwise it would have afforded [2] me pleasure to do so. I know M^r Henry George personally having corresponded with him in the States and made his acquaintance in Dublin. He is a very able and a very pleasant gentleman with a large stock of brains. Pray remember me very kindly to him and say that as he frequently passes within 10 miles of me I had hoped he would have honoured my roof before this.

As to myself, I believe your views and Mr George's are unan^swerable,swered but I am a Solicitor in large practice and you can imagine what my land-owning and land-buying clients would think of me if I were to advocate nationalisation of the land. Sometime I shall be glad to talk the matter over with you and see how I can quietly help. At present it seems to me that you will have to address yourself to the working-classes and you can only reach them through the press and by lectures but that as you will at once truly say is expensive. Is there any existing newspaper that dare make the subject one of its leading features?

[3] Kindly ask M^r. Swinton to let me know as far as he conveniently can the movement of your association so that I may avail myself of an early opportunity to meet you.

Meantime, I remain, my dear Sir,

Very truly yours | William Henry Duignan [signature]

A. R. Wallace Esq[ui]re