Letter from John W. Dulanty to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(Secret and Confidential) (Copy)

At his request I saw Lord Wigram this morning.

He told me that he was rather disquieted to learn just before Lord Sysonby¹ died that the latter had practically agreed with Lord Powerscourt² upon a scheme of distributing the British Jubilee Medals in An Saorstát. Lord Wigram said that he felt sure his colleague Lord Sysonsby was under some misunderstanding, and Lord Sysonsby agreed to do nothing more in the matter until he returned to London when he, Lord Wigram, and myself were to have a conversation on the subject. Before this meeting could be arranged Lord Sysonsby died.³

I told Lord Wigram that it was fortunate that he had stopped the proposed distribution. Such a distribution could not fail to have the ill consequences of letting the King down. I had told Lord Sysonsby repeatedly what I had already told Lord Wigram that we could have no part or lot in any consideration about these medals, and we were as anxious as he was to save the King any embarrassment through any inexpedient distribution of medals in Ireland.

Lord Wigram said he was afraid that it was Lord and Lady Powerscourt who were chiefly responsible. They now ceased to trouble him because they knew that he, Lord Wigram, accepted our view of the matter. They were now writing to other people friendly with the King and also to Equerries - 'Really', Lord Wigram said, 'going behind my back, but the more they go behind my back the more I shall dig in my toes and refuse to budge'. He thought the whole business of the medals should be dropped and forgotten, and he would be no party to reviving that question.