kers with
intemperate enthusiasm.

The whole endeavours of the Seceders were at this time devoted to the
organisation of clubs or reading rooms on an educational basis.
Connected with this object was the augmentation of the Repeal revenue,
which was anticipated from the extended action of these political and
social schools. The funds were greatly diminished, and the weekly
collections had fallen to an average of about L150. It became necessary,
as much as possible, to curtail the expenses, and a reduction of a very
serious amount was effected during Mr. O'Connell's absence at Derrynane.
The effort was continued after his arrival in town, which led to
differences of opinion with him, in committee. Sinecure situations,
created by him, were abolished, and inquiries were instituted which gave
him great annoyance. He particularly resented and resisted the removal
from one of those offices of Doctor Nagle. Doctor Nagle was appointed to
be "curator of manuscripts", the ostensible duty of which was to
superintend the reports (then daily issuing from the press, and written
for the most part by the Seceders) for the purpose of preventing the
publication of anything illegal or dangerous. In effect, he was
nominally, literary, legal and moral censor. But the unanimous and loud
indignation of the essayists rendered his task a light one. He was
content to accept the salary and leave those gentlemen the guardians of
their own safety, their character and literary fame. Doctor Nagle
continued to act as librarian and, weekly, delivered to the secretary
certain lists of contributions that had been previously furnished him by
that gentleman. His salary and certain fees given to other "patriots,"
came under the cognisance of a sub-committee consisting, as well as I
remember, of the present member for Dublin,[7] a Mr. O'Meara and someone
whose name I now forget. Their report adjudged the office useless, and
recommended its immediate abolition. A motion was accordingly made in
committee for Doctor Nagle's dismissal. Mr. O'Connell was in the chair.
All his sons were present, one of whom, I think, moved an amendment to
the effect that he be continued at his then salary. A division took
place, when the majority against the amendment was considerably over two
to one. Mr.

O'Connell expressed himself deeply mortified at this result. Another
amendment to the same effect was then proposed and negatived by a
majority numerically somewhat less, when