ing, far-reaching cheer, that, bursting as it were from the inmost souls of his auditors, gave back at once an echo and an answer to the patriotic invocation.

Who that witnessed and shared in those high and transporting excitements, could have thought that the rashness and madness of a few was destined to blast the hopes, and render fruitless the labours and the deep and ardent devotion of the many; and that ere the lapse of four short years, he who spoke would have died a broken-hearted wanderer in a foreign land; and they who listened and responded to his words, would be perishing by thousands under the combined agencies of pestilence and famine!

CHAPTER VIII.

MR. WILLIAM CONNOR.-ENTRÉE OF MR. JAMES GORDON BENNETT.66 GREAT ROOM" OF THE CORN EXCHANGE.-MR. BENNETT'S EXIT.REV. TRESHAM GREGG. THE COAL PORTERS.-GREAT MEETING AT TARA HILL.-LEDRU ROLLIN.-RETURN HOME. - MR. O'CONNELL'S EXERTIONS AND ENCOURAGEMENTS.

DURING one of the meetings of the Repeal Association in this year-sometime about the month of May-we had a scene which, if the members of that body had indeed the evil designs so liberally imputed to them by their opponents, would have afforded a great opportunity for making a demonstration of them. And unquestionably the report of it would have made a conspicuous fgure in the "Monster Indictment" of the succeeding autumn; along with those of the meetings of the Association, or of country Repealers, actually noted in that formidable document.

The grievance of "insecurity of tenure," with all its disastrous consequences to the industry and

welfare of the country, and the profits of all connected with the land in Ireland, had been a constant theme of our discussions in the Repeal Association from its beginning; and a thousand different suggestions and propositions had been brought forward from time to time, for the equitable settlement of this most difficult subject. A Committee of the Association, specially appointed for the purpose, was holding its sittings to consider and report upon these various plans; and it was their published advertisement, inviting communications from all who conceived themselves competent to shape out a measure of relief or remedy, that brought upon us the visitation I am about to allude to.

My father was absent from town upon the day in question, having to attend one of the great country meetings many miles away. We had just entered upon the ordinary routine of our business, after reading and confirming the minutes, and some short speeches had been made, and remittances handed in, when it was announced to us that Mr. William Connor, who had become known by his public letters on the landlord and tenant question, in the Repeal newspapers, was

outside, and was desirous of being admitted, in order to have an opportunity of laying before the Association, and before the country, his particular nostrum for a full, final, and, to all parties, satisfactory arrangement.

He was of course admitted without delay" to the honours of the sitting," as our French neighbours phrase it; and got a few cheers on entering by way of an advance on the security of his grand promised plan to take us out of the difficulty in which we were, of satisfying the impatience of the rural districts, and their appeals to us at headquarters, for the shaping out of a measure that would remove the heavy grievance of which they complained.

He commenced his speech with a proposition. that no one was inclined to contest or deny. It was something as follows:

"Mr. Chairman: I am of opinion that the simpler the remedy can be that shall be applied to the distracted state of the relations between landlord and tenant in Ireland, the better for all parties."

So far there was general agreement; and Peel himself was never more vociferously cheered in

the House of Commons for the dignified enunciation of a truism, than was Mr. William Connor on proclaiming this not very contestable axiom in the Loyal National Repeal Asso

ciation.

But Mr. Connor was not a man to stop at theories and general propositions. He had a practical idea in his head, and was "short, sharp, and decisive" in unfolding it.

"For this end, Sir," continued he, "the best thing that can or ought to be done is, to recognise by law a right of ownership in his land, for each tenant or small landholder at present in possession. And until the legislature shall have passed a law for this purpose, it is my opinion that we should exhort and instruct the people of Ireland to pay neither rent, county cess, poor rate, nor taxes!!!"

We had quite enough of our volunteer instructor; and got rid of him with all possible despatch; and neither he, nor any of his plans, treatises, or pamphlets, were ever allowed afterwards to come within our doors.

A similar repulse was encountered by another worthy a few weeks earlier or later than that