chael Davitt was one of the secretaries. He has been justly called the
"Father" of the Land League.

One of the earliest acts of the Land League was to endeavour to stop the
tide of emigration from Ireland. In this connection, as certain
emigration schemes had been set on foot in England, a branch of the
League was founded in Liverpool at my request by Parnell and Davitt.

In consequence of the prevailing distress and impending famine, Mr.
Parnell was asked by the Irish National League to go to America to get
the assistance of our people there, and Mr. John Dillon was asked to
accompany him.

Though there was little done by the Government to relieve the distress,
the Irish people could always get coercion without stint, and Messrs.
Davitt, Daly and Killen were arrested for "seditious" speeches in
connection with the Land League agitation.

To protest against this, Mr. Parnell, previous to his departure for
America, attended a great open-air demonstration in Liverpool. The
gathering was held in the open space in front of St. George's Hall, and
it was computed that about 50,000 people were present. When the meeting
was publicly announced, there was a proclamation from the Orange
Society, calling upon the brethren to put down the "Seditious
gathering." Upon this our committee took the precaution of enrolling
stalwart "stewards" to preserve order. Among those who offered their
services were a large number of the Irish Volunteer Corps, under the
command of Sergeant James MacDonnell, a County Down man of fine
proportions and shrewd brain. To him was entrusted the direction of the
whole body of our men on the day of the meeting. The advanced party also
gave their services, and non-commissioned officers and men of the other
volunteer corps besides the Irish, skilled in military movements, gave
valuable help. Round the platform were a select body of nearly a
thousand men, many of them carrying revolvers in their pockets, ready
for action.

The Orange body must have heard of our elaborate preparations, and
finding "discretion the better part of valour," they countermanded their
proclamation to break up the meeting.

The authorities of the town made full preparations to cope with possible
disturbances, and inside St. George's Hall they had, carefully kept out
of view, a large body of the town police, armed with revolvers in
addition to their batons. In a window of the North Western Hotel,
overlooking the meeting, was the ch