n went with calm, proud confidence to the felon's cell
or the scaffold. And, even to-day, England--with all her secret service
facilities--does not know one-half of the danger from which she escaped;
nor can I repeat much of what I myself could say of Fenianism in
England.

There are men who have made large fortunes in business; there are
eminent men in many of the professions, whose former connection with
Fenianism is unsuspected, who, at the time, if the call had been made
upon them, would cheerfully have thrown aside their careers and taken
their places in the ranks.

Once again "a soul came into Ireland," and men were capable then of high
enterprises which to-day seem to belong to another age.

Even for myself, I have many times marvelled how light-heartedly in
those days I took the risks of conspiracy--how little it troubled me
that there were dozens of men who bore my liberty, and perhaps my life,
in their hands. But I never doubted them--and I was right!

CHAPTER XI.

THE HOME RULE MOVEMENT.

It now becomes my business to record the formation and progress of
another organisation--one which appealed to me precisely on the same
grounds as Fenianism, namely, first, that it was based on justice; and,
secondly, that it was practicable.

This was the constitutional movement for what was known as Home Rule. My
principles have never altered, and I can see nothing inconsistent in my
adapting myself to changed conditions. I and those who thought like me
were driven into Fenianism because it seemed likely to achieve success,
and what was call "constitutional agitation" seemed hopeless. Now the
position was reversed. On the one hand Fenianism had collapsed, and on
the other there seemed a prospect, partly owing to the change wrought by
Fenianism, that a constitutional movement might succeed.

This constitutional movement had been going on for some six years
previous to the rescue of the military Fenians, having been inaugurated
at a meeting in the Bilton Hotel, Dublin, on the 19th May, 1870, five
days after the arrest of Michael Davitt, and his disappearance for a
season from the stage of Irish history.

In the pages which are to follow I shall have occasion to introduce
some of those who took part in that first Home Rule gathering in Dublin.
It was a hopeful beginning, as there were assembled men who were of
various creeds and politics--Catholics, Protestants, Fenian
sympathisers, Repealers, Liberals, and