Burke, moreover, was the only pensioner who had the commanding talent displayed in the writings of Junius. Now, when I lay all these considerations together, and especially when I reflect that a cogent reason exists for Burke's silence as to his own authorship, I confess I think I have got a presumptive proof of the very strongest nature that Burke was the writer."

*

O'Connell, who entertained the most unaffected reverence for the memory of the elder Earl of Charlemont, regarded with deep and anxious interest the political movements of his son. He felt pained and disappointed on reading that nobleman's reply to the address of the Repeal Association, in which his lordship expressed his disapproval of the Repeal Agitation. "Those Ulster Whigs have got about Lord Charlemont," said O'Connell. "I recognise their influence in this! His heart is with us if he were let alone."

*December, 1840.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Return to Dublin-The Duke of Leinster's Volunteer Musket -The Repeal Agitation-Historical Memoir of Ireland commenced and postponed- -Chartist and Orange ThreatsJudicial Reminiscences — Judge Boyd-Lord Norbury Judge Daly-Lord Clare-Seats on the Bench trucked for Union Votes.

ON the 21st of December O'Connell re-appeared at the Repeal Association, after a six weeks' vacation among the Darrynane mountains, from the pure air of which he had derived fresh vigour for the performance of his arduous task. He spoke for three hours, and presided in the evening at a charity dinner, where his voice was also heard at considerable length in energetic advocacy of Repeal.

During O'Connell's brief absence in the country, his son John, who had previously abstained from public agitation, came forward at the Corn Exchange. John soon became popular. He was laudably anxious to succeed. He brought with him, to

the agitation of Repeal, the qualities of unwearied industry, and an extraordinary facility in financial calculation. His writings and speeches on international finance are admirable.

Shortly after Mr. O'Connell's return to Dublin, a Committee of the Repeal Association was summoned, for the purpose of hearing a charge made by one of the members against Doctor Stephen Murphy. The accusation involved many paltry malpractices, utterly unworthy any person possessing the slightest claim to the character of a gentleman. O'Connell was chairman, and played off the accuser with amusing dexterity. Dr. Murphy was acquitted, amidst general acclamation; and O'Connell, in pronouncing the accuser exceedingly "incautious," significantly told him, he might consider himself extremely fortunate in escaping the application of any worse epithet; the charge having manifestly been got up to gratify personal malice.

In every numerous political society, the currents and counter-currents of conflicting jealousies will necessarily often obstruct the public business. There are persons who feel a painful sense of insignificance when following quietly in the wake of a leader; and whose utmost efforts in behalf of the general cause are too unimportant to acquire for them that notoriety so dear to human vanity. To

become remarkable they must become mischievous. Unnoticed whilst they act in harmony with the body at large, they attract at least a temporary observation by creating dissension. This wretched and vicious ambition is by no means uncommon. There never was a man better calculated to deal with factious obstruction than O'Connell; his position, as leader, gave him authority to control the mutineers; whilst his practised sagacity enabled him to discern and expose the paltry motive, in whatsoever corner it lay lurking.

"I am pretty well used to those fellows all my life," he has said to me; "I don't mind them now." O'Connell entertained a deep respect for the house of Leinster. But he could not conceive, how the head of a proud, ancient line—a line that boasted a distinction, in his view more illustrious than aught that monarchs could bestow, or heraldry emblazon, namely, the historical epithet, "Hibernicis ipsis Hiberniores;" he could not imagine how the head of such a line as this could continue a half-asleep adjunct of Whiggery, instead of taking the leading and prominent position in Irish politics—becoming the chief of the Geraldines. I had many opportunities of observing this feeling. One day Mr. Pierce Mahony told him that the Duke of Leinster had recently shown him, in the drawing-room of his

grace's house, in Dominick Street, Dublin, the original picture of the Volunteers parading round the Statue in College Green, in 1779;* and whilst he was looking at it, an old musket came in from the gunsmith's, which his grace told him was the identical one that his father, the old duke, had used on the occasion which the picture commemorated.

"Aye," said O'Connell, "but why doesn't the slobbering fellow take his honest father's musket, —eh, Mahony, why doesn't he?"

The Repeal Agitation now went briskly on. Besides the weekly meetings of the Repeal Association, and the numerous extempore meetings to advance Repeal, O'Connell was engaged to attend, within not quite a month, over a dozen meetings in widely distant parts of the empire. Of the multitude of his engagements, an idea may be formed from the following extract from a newspaper printed early in January, 1841. It is appropriately headed, "KEEP MOVING":

'Mr. O'Connell stands pledged to the following engagements:-To attend the Repeal Association on the 4th; to preside at an orphan charity dinner on the 5th; to agitate for Repeal in Mullingar on the 7th; in Cork on the 11th, and in Dungarvan

* Engravings have been made from this picture.