The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell Vol - I

128 CHARLES STEWART PARNELL [1877
.cannot carry on the struggle alone. We must have encouragement outside/ X. organised the meetings. 'In a very short time/he said, 'I organised thirteen meetings. I came to the House of Commons and told Parnell. I expected to find him very" much pleased. But suddenly he looked quite melancholy. "Oh," said he, "that will never do." "What will never do ? " said I. " Thirteen meetings," said he, with a most lugubrious look; " you will have to knock one off or put oh one. Don't you kndw thirteen is a most unlucky number?"'
On May 29 Parnell addressed what was practically a Fenian gathering at Glasgow. Speaking on obstruction he said:
* I am satisfied to abide by the decision of the Irish people. Are they for peace, and conciliation, or for hostility and war? (Cries of "War.") Are you for inaking things convenient for England, and for advancing English interests ? If so I will bow to your decision, but my constituents will have to get someone else to represent them/
On July 2 he was in his place in Parliament, again carrying on the war with renewed vigour. The second of July was a famous night in the obstruction campaign. The House was in Committee of Supply. About midnight Mr. O'Connor Power moved to report progress. * He declined to vote away the public money at such a late hour/ This was not quite the mode of obstruction Parnell favoured. It was too transparent, and gave no opportunity of amending some particular measure so as to show useful results if the charge of obstruction were made. Nevertheless, he stood by his colleague. The motion was defeated by 128 votes to 8. But the fighfc was kept up. Mr. O'Donriell next moved 'that the