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The Life of the Rt. Hon. Sir Charles W. Dilke, Volume 2 by Stephen Lucius Gwynn
page 304 of 727 (41%)
Mr. Chamberlain wrote to the Press some phrases of biting comment
concerning the meeting of the 18th, and Sir Charles made protest in a
private letter.

'It is a great pity,' he wrote to Chamberlain, 'that you should not
have done justice to the efforts and speeches of your friends at
that meeting. Many were there (and the seven delegates from almost
every association attended, which made the meeting by far the most
complete representation of the party ever held) simply for the
purpose of preventing and replying to attacks on you. For every
attack on you there was a reply; the amendments attacking you were
both defeated, and a colourless resolution carried, and Claydon,
Osborn, Hardcastle and others, defended you with the utmost warmth
and vigour.'

'Chamberlain wrote to me (May 20th, 1886) about the attacks which
were being made on him:

'"I was disgusted at the brutality of some of the attacks. I am only
human, and I cannot stand the persistent malignity of interpretation
of all my actions and motives without lashing out occasionally. You
will see that I met your letter with an apology. I might complain of
its tone, but I don't. This strain and tension is bad for all of us.
I do not know where it will ultimately lead us, but I fear that the
mischief already done is irretrievable.

'"I shall fight this matter out to the bitter end, but I am getting
more and more doubtful whether, when it is out of the way, I shall
continue in politics. I am 'wounded in the house of my friends,' and
I have lost my interest in the business."
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