The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell Vol - I

196 CHARLES STEWART PARNELL [1879
lieving in the reality of the land movement, they had allowed it to grow; then, suddenly alarmed at the outlook, they struck at it in the moment of its strength, and finally recoiled from the impetus of their own blow. Davitt, Daly (a Mayo journalist), and Killen (a barrister) addressed a meeting at Gurteen, in the county of Sligo, on November 2. They made violent speeches, not, however, exceeding in ' lawlessness ' of tone the calm incitements to ' rebellion' which had characterised the unrhetorical utterances of Parnell at Westport, Limerick, and Tipperary. Yet the Government resolved to punish them while letting the wily Parliamentarian go free. On November 19 the three Land Leaguers were arrested. Parnell showed his appreciation of this move by attending a meeting at Balla, County Mayo, a few days later, summoned to protest against evictions and to denounce the Government. Brennan, one of the secretaries of the League, was the orator of the day. He delivered a furious oration, defying the authorities, and appealing to the Eoyal Irish Constabulary who were present to stand by 'their kith and kin/ and not to play the base part of the ' destroyers of their own people' by helping on the work of eviction. "While the meeting wildly cheered the fiery sentences of Brennan, Parnell sat unmoved. Then he rose, congratulated Brennan on the * magnificent speech' to which they had listened, and added, with imperturbable gravity: ' I fear very much that the result of the lead which Mr. Brennan has taken in the movement will be that he will be sent to share the fate of Mr. Davitt, Mr. Daly, and Mr. Killen.' This proved a true prediction. On December 5 Brennan was arrested. What happened? In a few days the Government flinched, dropped the prosecution, and discharged the prisoners. They had