ADAM'S - THE HISTORY SALE - APRIL 26TH 2017 (Click Lot title for more images and to Place Bid)

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Wednesday 26th April
‘NATIONALITY’ AND ITS MANAGEMENT DURING HIS IMPRISONMENT IN 1918, INCLUDING A FINE
SEQUENCE OF SIX A.L.S. TO GRIFFITH FROM CHARLES MURPHY, A 1916 VETERAN WHO MANAGED
THE PAPER IN HIS ENFORCED ABSENCE, AS FOLLOWS:
26.2.17. A Post Office telegram signed Griffith, to Murphy, 6 Harcourt Street, saying he‘will be at office at five’.
6.3.17. A.L.S. fromArthur Griffith, Editor, “Nationality”, evidently a fair copy, probably to the Official Censor, stating that‘I have received back from Lord Decies
certain proofs to which he attaches a note stating that they have not been censored and that if they appear, they appear on my own responsibility.These proofs have
been submitted in accordance with an order sent to this office. If they are prohibited from appearing they will not appear. If they are not prohibited after being
submitted, I take it that they are passed.’
9 March 1917. A.L.S. to Griffith from Patrick Mahon (printer), 1 pp, on his headed paper, giving details of paper supplies available, with prices.
3.4.18. An autograph letter from a Sligo address, to ‘My dear Griffith’, signed initials ‘J.J. O’C’, 1 pp, discussing election results etc.,‘our position seems to me ex-
ceptionally favourable’, also mentioning developments in the war in France. ‘I fancy nobody expected any such speedy result - least of all the English themselves’.
This is probably J.J.‘Ginger’ O’Connell, later a Free State General, then aVolunteer officer in Sligo.
20.4.18. Autograph pencilled note signed by Griffith with his initials AG, on a half-sheet of newsprint,‘Please give Mr. O’Byrne £1.1.-, an article of his was used
inYoung Ireland’.
(Undated) A sheet of newsprint with rough pencilled notes in Griffith’s hand concerning a newspaper transaction, of which the details are unclear. ‘I take the paper
over from Feb. 1 to become owner and proprietor. To acquire all the assets of the paper at that date and to bear responsibility for all the liabilities at that date. Mr.
Lennon to sign over the paper absolutely to me. I undertake to ask Mr. Lennon to act as Editor for the next six months.’ An intriguing item. It appears the transac-
tion did not proceed, but it would be interesting if‘Lennon’ could be identified as James Lennon of Carlow [1880-1958], who was active in Sinn Fein around 1917,
and who was known for his criticism of Jewish-led capitalism (see D.I.B.).
12.6.18. An autograph signed letter from E.A.Aston, evidently a solicitor, 2 pp (single sheet), addressed to‘Dear Joe’, concerning legal proceedings against
Griffith,‘Nationality’ and its printers taken by a Mr. Lyon, suggesting a legal conference with a view to resolving the issue before it comes to court.
6.7.18. An A.L.S. to Art [Ó Gríofa] from Chas. Murphy, 2 pp (single sheet), mentioning Griffith’s ‘thumping majority’ in the East Cavan election and Sinn
Fein’s success generally.‘The day of the result was the biggest yet in Hct. [Harcourt] St., from 11 o’c the St. was crowded & portion of the day traffic was greatly
interfered with. SeanT. [O’Kelly] and Phil Mac addressed the crowd.The paper is being carried on as usual – Seumas [O’Kelly, who replaced Griffith as temporary
editor] got in to harness on theTues. after your arrest & the issue was out in good time – Everything is running smoothily since. A copy has been sent to you each
wk. but from your communication it wd. appear you have not recd. any copies, it having been blacklisted – Are not interned prisoners allowed certain facilities
concerning their business? - You are denied a copy of yr. biz. & prevented from writing about certain associates who in the ord. course of yr. biz. require a lit[tle]
attention ..’, and so on, mentioning the Lyon case, various friends and associates, etc., a very good informative letter.
29.7.18. A.L.S. from CÓM [Murphy] to‘A Chara Dhil’ [Griffith], 2 pp (single sheet), enclosing back numbers, various other papers ordered for him, again men-
tioning the action by Malcolm Lyon etc.
5 Aug. 1918. A.L.S. from 6 H. St. [the Sinn Fein offices at 6 Harcourt Street), from Murphy to Griffith, 2 pp (single sheet), more details about the libel action by
Lyon against the printer, application for an injunction refused with costs, etc., queries about the voting register, etc.
6 Aug. 1918. A brief note from Murphy to Griffith, now in Gloucester Prison, describing him as ‘M.I.P.’, signed initials, 1 pp, enclosing for his attention the form of
Annual Return for the Companies Office.
15 Aug. 1918. A.L.S. from Murphy to Griffith, 1 pp, marked Regd. Post, listing letters and papers sent to him, the Lyon action ‘for the present is at a standstill the
Plf. [Plaintiff] having been defeated in both his applic. for an in junction against the Printer’, asking what books he has received, sorry to hear that McBride is not in
good health, etc.
7.9.1918. A.L.S. from Murphy to Griffith, 1 pp, preparations are going ahead for the [general election] fight, no stone will be left unturned, candidates are being
selected to contest the various seats, things are going well in the office & this year we were able to arrange that each member of the staff got a couple of weeks
holidays, Mrs Griffith taking the children down the country for a few days, the change will do them good, nothing further about the action .‘You will all require to
be in good form when you are released, and it is likely you will be out in time for the Election fight.’
July-Aug. 1918. Two certificates of posting of registered postal packets addressed to Griffith at Gloucester Prison, stamped.
Aug. 1906.A postcard addressed to Business Manager, Sinn Fein, asking for copies of the paper to be sent to the Public Library at St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A., from P.J.
Moroney; also a subscription card for ‘Nationality’, unfilled; and a deposit form (unfilled) for the Sinn Fein Co-Operative People’s Bank at 6 Harcourt St., with a
manuscript note to rear signed A. Griffith concerning £6 received from Mr. Kelly, 10.4.14.
Nov. 1919. A circular form with manuscript details fromWilliam Rochfort to Griffith, concerning rent due on 122 Lawrence Rd., Clontarf.
Also with photocopies of a letter from Griffith to Murphy, from Gloucester Prison, June 26 1918, and of a cheque payable to Griffith signed by Maud Gonne, June
1917 (supplied for information only, originals not present).
Arthur Griffith [1871-1922] spent most of his life as a struggling journalist, unknown to all but a few, always chronically short of money and resources. After a
life in the shadows, he emerged as a political leader and statesman only in the last few years before his untimely death. He took no part in the 1916 Rising, but his
writings and his organisational work over many years had prepared the way for what became known as the ‘Sinn Fein Rebellion’. Without Griffith, there would
have been no Sinn Fein, and probably no Rebellion.
Born in central Dublin, he worked as a printer, and joined the Gaelic League and the I.R.B., though he seems to have dropped out of the latter after a few years. In
1896 he went to South Africa, where he worked in the goldmines, and helped John MacBride to organise a 1798 commemoration. He came home in 1898 to edit a
new weekly paper, the United Irishman, in whose columns he developed the policy of national self-reliance summed up in his influential pamphletThe Resurrection
of Hungary (1904). After a libel action sank the United Irishman, Griffith started a new paper, Sinn Fein, the first in a series of publications which continued until