Letter and notes on Irish Home Rule and Gladstone's policies

Containers:

Folder 1

Scope and content:

Material comprises a letter Blackweel wrote to an unidentified gentleman, probably between 1880-1895, following her retirement from the medical profession. During this time, Blackwell was actively involved in many different reform movements, including women's rights, antivivisection, sanitation, and moral reform. This letter contains Elizabeth Blackwell's lengthy critique of William Ewart Gladstone's 1886 Irish Home Rule Bill. Blackwell's letter begins: 'Dear Sir, No one desires more strongly than I, that a just system of Irish government should be substituted for the unjust "Castle" system. I therefore profoundly regret that Mr. Gladstone has not been able to see that his present scheme destroys the Imperial Parliament, and insists upon treating the absence of Irish members as a "detail." I can only hope therefore that the Govt. Bill will be thrown out, and that no member supporting it, will be returned to Parliament." William Ewart Gladstone, served as Prime Minister four separate times: (1868–1874, 1880–1885, February–July 1886 and 1892–1894). In early 1886, Gladstone proposed Irish Home rule but this was defeated in the House of Commons in July. Four other pages of undated notes on the topic accompany the letter. Includes a transcript for the letter.

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