The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell Vol - I

136 CHARLES STEWART PARNELL [1377
the scene, denounced the obstructives, and then disappeared. But the fight went on. At 7 A.M. the Chancellor of the Exchequer asked the minority to yield. ' They were suffering considerable physical inconvenience/ he said, and he recognised the gallantry with which the struggle had been carried on. But Parnell wTould not yield. ' The Government are bringing up their reserve forces;' he said,l but the first mail-boat will bring ours from Ireland ; and even in London the member for Cavan (Biggar), though now peacefully asleep, will soon return like a giant refreshed/ At 7.40 A.M. Biggar re-appeared and informed the House that he had had * a long sleep and a good breakfast/ and was ready to carry on the fight & outrance. Parnell retired at 8 A.M., but was back again at twelve noon, Mr. O'Donnell, Mr. Kirk, Captain Nolan, Mr. Gray, and Biggar, having meanwhile kept the obstructive flag flying. At twelve Pamell pressed the Government to allow progress to be reported; but the Government refused. The fight then went on for two hours longer, when at 2 P.M. the Bill was passed through committee and the House adjourned, having sat continuously for twenty-six hours. Through that long sitting there was one occupant of the Ladies' Gallery who never deserted her post—Miss Fanny Parnell.
Parnell was now one of the most universally detested men in England. In Ireland and among the Irish in Great Britain he was a hero. He had flouted the House of Commons, he had harassed the Government, he had defied English public opinion. These were his claims to Irish popularity. ' The Fenians/ said X., 'did not wish public attention to be fixed on Parliament. But Parnell fixed it on