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Letter from WSC to Arthur Balfour [later Lord Balfour], Prime Minister, stating his opposition to Home Rule, and Protection in any form, confirming that his opposition to Joseph Chamberlain and his proposals may force him into actions "incidentally hostile to the existing Government", asking Balfour to judge for himself whether it was worthwhile for WSC to continue to accept the Government whip "I shall certainly not complain, whatever your decision may be" [typescript copy].

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Letter from WSC to Arthur Balfour [later Lord Balfour], Prime Minister, stating his opposition to Home Rule, and Protection in any form, confirming that his opposition to Joseph Chamberlain and his proposals may force him into actions "incidentally hostile to the existing Government", asking Balfour to judge for himself whether it was worthwhile for WSC to continue to accept the Government whip "I shall certainly not complain, whatever your decision may be" [manuscript copy].

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Letter from H Collins, Organiser, National Movement of Conservative Working Men to WSC, praising stand against the taxation of food.

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Letter from Robert White to WSC, on free trade.

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Letter from G Martin to WSC, thanks for signed photograph, expressing opposition to protective tariffs.

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Letter from Ralph Cobbold to WSC, support for stand over fiscal policy.

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Letter from W T Sanders to WSC, asking for advice on voting in the forthcoming General Election, as a Conservative Free Trader he could not support a Conservative who was in favour of Joseph Chamberlain's reforms, nor could he vote for a Liberal, as with the exception of free trade, he was opposed to their policies.

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House of Commons Voting List on John Morley's amendment to motion on the King's Speech opposing protective tariffs the free traders lost by 276 votes to 327.

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Letter from Alfred Emmott to WSC on free trade.

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Letter from T C Horsfall to WSC, praising stand over free trade, congratulations on speech at Free Trade Hall, Manchester.

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Letter from Lord Robert Cecil [later Lord Cecil of Chelwood] to WSC, sending articles from The Pilot, on free trade, a "well written and well edited" paper with sound views on the fiscal question, stating that he had invested as much as he could afford in the paper, and hoping that WSC would bring it to the attention of someone who was rich enough to help it.

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Letter from Tom Garnett to WSC, praising stand over free trade, congratulations on speeches in Manchester and Preston [Lancashire].

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Letter from Lord James of Hereford to WSC, congratulations on speech opposing the Sugar Convention Bill, praising his "magnificent work" for free trade.

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Letter from John A. Ferguson to WSC, on free trade, urging him not to turn against his party, and to remain a Tory Democrat.

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Letter from G.S. Pawle to WSC, asking about plans to form free trade organisation independent of existing political parties.

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Letter from Albert J Hobson to WSC, enclosing petition addressed to the 8th Duke of Devonshire, asking him to address meeting in Sheffield [Yorkshire] on the fiscal policy of the Government.

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Letter from WSC to James Kemp Welch, apologies for not able to attend meeting in Weybridge [Surrey] addressed by Lord Hugh Cecil [later Lord Quickswood, praising Cecil's efforts to preserve the free trade nature of the Conservative Party ms copy in WSC's hand.

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Letter from Reginald Lucas to WSC, on his position as a supporter of the Government, accusing WSC of wanting to break up the Conservative Party over fiscal policy.

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Letter from John Morley [later Lord Morley of Blackburn] to WSC on Ireland, commenting on WSC's pamphlet, Ireland and the Fiscal Problem.

Scope and Contents Letter from WSC to Samuel Lamb, on possible points of difference between himself and the Liberals, particularly the Licensing Question, Disestablishment and Disendowment, and the need for reform of the Education Act, giving his opinion that the election would be fought on four main issues, (1) Free Trade, (2) Retrenchment and the reorganisaton of finance on strict Gladstonian principles, (3) Reduction in size and cost of the Army and the Navy, (4) a copmplete re-organisation of the Army...

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Letter from Lord James of Hereford to WSC, on stupidity and "cowardly snobbishness" of the protectionists, whose actions would make WSC more popular than ever in the country.

Scope and Contents Letter from Ivor Guest [later Lord Ashby St Ledgers and Lord Wimborne (2nd baron, 1st viscount)] (Bedford House, Kings Road, Brighton, [Sussex]; notepaper: Ashby St Ledgers, Rugby, [Warwickshire]) to WSC mentioning that he has seen the ?South Wales Daily News reporter and that he is to go to Cardiff for an informal meeting with the Liberal executive. Condemns the Tories' treatment of WSC over the Protection issue and the "nauseating" personalisation of politics but praises Lord Hugh Cecil's...

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Letter from Sir Michael Hicks Beach [later Lord St Aldwyn] (House of Commons Library) to WSC explaining that he is retiring from the House of Commons because he believes that his party will be a Protectionist one after the next General Election. Advises that for parliamentary success it is essential to adhere exclusively either to Tory or to Radical ideas and not to mix the two.

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Letter from 4th Lord Salisbury (20 Arlington Street, [London]) to WSC affirming his approval of the government but criticising "the uncertainty of its arrangements" (as illustrated by the postponement of a forthcoming cabinet meeting) and explaining that as he is unable to vote against them in the Commons all he can do is "denounce Jack Sandars". Asks to postpone a meeting with WSC and humorously asserts his support for Free Trade.

Scope and Contents Letter from Professor Goldwin Smith (The Grange, Toronto, [Canada]) to WSC enclosing a cutting on Free Trade from the Winnipeg Tribune [not present] and stating that he has yet to see an expression of definite support for Joseph Chamberlain's policy in any major journal in Canada or in the Canadian parliament. Refutes Chamberlain's assertion that only preferential duties could prevent the colonies severing themselves from the mother country and attributes the agitation to Chamberlain's...