nd for which
he alone acquired most respect. In the events which followed, the public
dinner was forgotten.

It is now time to recur to those events, some of which at least range
behind those already detailed--to which the following preliminary may be
necessary. Early in June, a meeting was held at Lord John Russell's,
when the minister-expectant explained the grounds on which he claimed
the support of the entire Liberal Party. The English Liberals, generally
and enthusiastically, acquiesced. The correspondent of the _Evening
Mail_, writing from London, stated that Mr. O'Connell added to his
adhesion, a voluntary promise to sink the cause of Repeal provided
measures of a truly liberal character were carried into effect. He,
moreover, said that he never meant more by Repeal than a thorough
identification of the two countries. The _Nation_ indignantly repelled
the insinuations of the correspondence, and pronounced it a lie. Mr.
O'Connell and his friends passed the _Mail_ by unnoticed, but bestowed
on the _Nation_ their measureless wrath. It was never afterwards
forgiven.

CHAPTER V

DEFEAT OF PEEL.--ACCESSION or THE WHIGS.--MR. O'CONNELL'S
COURSE.--DEBATES IN CONCILIATION HALL.--MR. O'CONNELL DENOUNCES THE
YOUNG IRELAND PARTY.--CONTINUED DEBATES.--QUESTIONS AT ISSUE.--PHYSICAL
FORCE.--THE SECESSION.--WHIG ALLIANCE.--DUBLIN REMONSTRANCE.--FORMATION
OF THE CONFEDERATION, ITS CAREER.--MR. O'CONNELL'S DEATH.--CLOSE OF THE
YEAR 1847.

On the 25th of June, Sir Robert Peel was defeated in the House of
Commons on a motion that the Irish Coercion Bill be read a second time.

The majority against him was seventy-three, and was composed of the Whig
party, the extreme Conservatives, the ultra-Radicals and Irish
Repealers. In ten days after, Lord John Russell assumed the seals of
office. During the preliminary arrangements that led to Peel's defeat,
there was much coquetting between the Whig and Irish leaders. Alarmed by
this startling aspect of affairs, and somewhat, perhaps, by the
uncontradicted correspondence of the _Mail_, heretofore alluded to, Mr.
Meagher, in the midst of vociferous cheering, announced from the tribune
of Conciliation Hall, "that Irish Repealers would teach an honest lesson
to the Whigs." This took place on the 15th of June. A short discussion
followed, in which Messrs. Mitchel, O'Gorman and Barry took part,
denouncing in the strongest language all idea of compromise with the
Whigs. On the next d