The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell - Ii

/Ex. 37] MONAGIIAN ELECTION 19
The result of the convention was the formation of a National League of America l to co-operate with the National League of Ireland.
Partisans at one side have said that the National League of America was nothing more nor less than a Clan-na-Gael association; partisans on the other, that it was independent of the Clan-na-Gael altogether. The truth lies between these extremes. There were hundreds of members of the League who did not belong to the Clan; nevertheless the Clan,,without absorbing, controlled the League.
It is idle to shirk the truth. The National League of America was run by the Revolutionists, who were only held in check, so far as they were held in chock at all, by the fact that they had Panic] 1 to count with. Ho much for the National League of America.2
It has been said in allusion to ParnolTs counsels of moderation at this period that he was 'submerged' during the years 1883 and 188-1. This statement is only true, if true at all, in a limited sense; for whenever his presence was necessary he came quickly enough to
proceedings of the convention liavo boon looked forward to with great interest hy everyone hero. It is 8ai<l that the plain Issue to he determined there, IB whether the use of physical force of all kinds—dynamite included—may not properly be employed by the Irish people in their struggle for the liberation of their country from British rule. To take the allirmativo side of the discussion would, putting all other considerations aside, hardly ho a safe thing for anyono who would contomplato returning to and living in any part of the so-called United Kingdom, least of all would it bo safe for a member of the .British Parliament. On the other hand, it would be no easy tank to argue before an Irish-American audience that the use of force by Ireland, or by any other oppressed nation, for the recovery of its liberties would bo immoral.'
1 In place of the American Land League.
- Towards the end of 1883 the Clan-na-Gael was divided into two branches, the one called * The United Brotherhood '; the other (under the presidency of Mr. Alexander Hullivan) 'The Triangle'--a name derived from the fact that the government consisted of a committee of three.
c *2