During the early part of his imprisonment, a motion was made questioning
the authority of the House. In the course of the discussion, Sir Thomas
Wilde, then Attorney-General, dared any constitutional lawyer to impugn
the jurisdiction assumed by the House. Every member felt that the
challenge was offered to Mr. O'Connell, who replied as follows:--

"I am sure that the House will give credit to my assurance that
I should not rise to advocate the cause of my honourable friend,
if I thought he had had the slightest intention of being
disrespectful towards the House. It has not been his intention
to be guilty of any contempt towards it: he thought he was
entitled to make the exception to which he adheres. He has acted
from a strong sense of duty, and I am sorry to see it is a sense
of duty he is not likely to give up."

I add to this an extract from his speech delivered at the Corn Exchange,
when, in spite of the most earnest remonstrance, the Association offered
its defiance in solemn form to the British Parliament.

"Mr. O'Connell rose amid loud cheers, and said:--Our usual
course of proceeding in this hall is to commence with handing in
money, and then to go on with business of inferior importance,
the business of making speeches (hear! hear! and laughter); but
among the passing events of the day, there is one of such signal
importance, that I am sure you will readily admit that I am
right when I claim for it, on the present occasion, a right of
precedence over any donation or subscription, no matter from
what quarter they may come. The matter I allude to is a menace
held out for the intimidation (as it is supposed) of the Irish
members who are given to understand that there is about to be a
call of the House, and that it is intended that the Speaker's
warrant shall issue to compel them to go over to London. Now,
sir, I think it right to apprise the Association and the country
that, having considered this question attentively, I have made
up my mind that the Speaker has no constitutional authority
whatever to issue any such warrant."

But what pained Mr. O'Brien the deepest was the apparent coldness,
apathy or cowardice of the Irish people. Among them, and them only, he
calculated an enthusiastic sustainment. But those who felt the deepest
in his regard were constrained by the responsibility of coming to an
open ruptu