sion short of complete legislative
independence. But, like the keen-eyed warrior of classic story, the
English minister detected a flaw in the armour of this bold, defiant
nation,--it was the old and fatal one of disunion. The men whose
influence, lofty patriotism, and burning eloquence, had marshalled the
whole people into one mighty phalanx, began to differ among themselves.
The Liberator, who had been long proclaiming himself the apostle of a
new doctrine, namely, that "no political amelioration was worth one drop
of blood," now began to insist upon it more frequently than ever;
probably on account of the warlike tone assumed by some of the young
fiery spirits who followed, but hardly obeyed him. Thomas Francis
Meagher, as their mouthpiece, proclaimed his conviction that there were
political ameliorations worth many drops of blood; and adhesion to one
or the other of these principles cleft in two the great Irish Repeal
party, namely, into Old and Young Ireland. Of the former O'Connell was
of course the leader, and William Smith O'Brien allowed himself to be
placed at the head of the latter.

No English Government could hope to win or seduce to its side the Young
Ireland party--the soul of that party being its opposition to every
Government that would not concede a Repeal of the Legislative Union; but
to the Old Ireland section of Repealers Lord John Russell's Cabinet
looked with hopefulness for support, both in the House of Commons and
with the country. It was only through O'Connell this party could be
reached; the Government, therefore, and the Government press, were not
slow in making advances to him. The _Times_, which can always see what
is right, and just, and true, when it is useful to English interests to
do so, commenced praising O'Connell; and that journal, which for years
had heaped upon him every epithet of insolence and contempt, now
condescends to call him "Liberator," and warns the Government to
coalesce with him: "Assisted by him," it says, "but not crouching to
him--it [the Government] may enlist the sympathies of the majority on
its side, and thus be able to do real good."[102] In its next issue it
follows up the subject, saying, "O'Connell is to be supported, if
possible, by the Government, but at least by the feeling and sympathies
of the English people, against agitation of the worst kind--convulsive
civil war." "Hitherto," it continues, "no Government had come into
immediate contact with the symp