The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell Vol - I

JEi. 36] ME,. FOB.STER AND MR. GLADSTONE 345
others; but what is obtained is "—and here he used most remarkable words—" that the conspiracy which has been used to get up boycotting and outrages will now be used to put them down, and that there will be a union with the Liberal party; " and as an illustration of how the first of these results was to be obtained, he said that Parnell hoped to make use of Sheridan and get him back from abroad, as he would be able to help him put down the conspiracy (or agitation, I am not sure which word was used), as he knew all its details in the west. (This last statement is quite true. Sheridan is a released suspect, against whom we have for some time had a fresh warrant, and who under disguises has hitherto eluded the police, coming backwards and forwards from Egan to the outragemongers in the west.) I did not feel myself sufficiently master of the situation to let him know what I thought of this confidence; but I again told him that I could not do more at present than tell others what he had told me. I may say that in the early part of the conversation he stated that he (O'Shea) hoped and advised—and in this case he was doubtless speaking for Parnell—that we should not to-morrow—I suppose meaning Tuesday— " pledge ourselves to any time for bringing on fresh repressive measures." He also said that he had persuaded Parnell to help to support a large emigration from the west, and that Parnell had told him that he had a good deal of conversation with Dillon, and had brought him round to be in full agreement with himself upon the general question.'
Mr. 3?orster immediately sent Parnell's letter and the above account of his own interview with Captain O'Shea to Mr. Gladstone. ' I expected little from these negotiations,' was the Irish Secretary's comment upon