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Full text of "The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell - Ii"

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28                 CPIAKLES  STEWART PAENELL             [1883
The publication of this letter blew the bottom out of the Errington mission, and secured the appointment of Dr. Walsh.
In December 1883 the Parnell tribute was closed. It was decided to give the Irish leader a cheque, and to invite him to a banquet at the Eotunda.
On December 11 the banquet took place. There was, it is needless to say, an enthusiastic gathering. Parnell made a speech on the general situation, but said nothing about the cheque.
' I remember/ says Lord Spencer, c the incident of the Parnell tribute. I hear that when Parnell received the cheque he put it in his pocket and never thanked anybody. Then there was a public meeting. I remember he made a long speech, but never said a word about the cheque. That struck me as a very extraordinary thing and very characteristic. Here is this handsome sum of money collected for him. He does not make the least reference to it, and he gives offence to nobody. That little incident always made an impression on me, because it showed the immense power of the man.'
I have said that Parnell derived his political ascendency in no small degree from the fact that he walked all the time on the verge of treason-felony. He kept that path still. At no period since the begin-• ning of the agitation was English feeling more incensed against Irish-Americans than during the years 1883 and 1884. The policy of dynamite had been boldly proclaimed by the ' Irish "World/ Attempts were made to destroy the offices of the Local Government Board and to blow up London Bridge. Victoria, Paddington, Charing Cross, Ludgate Hill railway stations were marked out for destruction. Scotland5,102Z.   On December 11 it reached the grand total of 37,0112.175.