After this disruption, which occurred on the 28th of July, 1846, came the formation of the “Irish Confederation” by the seceders.  In the proceedings of the new Society Mr. Mitchel took a more prominent part than he had taken in the business of the Repeal Association.  And he continued to write in his own terse and forcible style in the Nation.  But his mind travelled too fast in the direction of war for either the journal or the society with which he was connected.  The desperate condition of the country, now a prey to all the horrors of famine, for the awfully fatal effects of which the government was clearly responsible—­the disorganization and decay of the Repeal party, consequent on the death of O’Connell—­the introduction of Arms’ Acts and other coercive measures by the government, and the growing ardour of the Confederate Clubs, were to him as signs and tokens unmistakable that there was no time to be lost in bringing matters to a crisis in which the people should hold their own by force of arms.  Most of his political associates viewed the situation with more patience; but Mr. Mitchel was resolved that even if he stood alone, he would speak out his opinions to the people.  In the latter part of December, 1847, he withdrew from the Nation.  On the 5th of February, 1848, at the close of a debate, which had lasted two days, on the merits of his policy of immediate resistance to the collection of rates, rents, and taxes, and the division on which was unfavourable to him, he, with a number of friends and sympathisers withdraw from the Confederation.  Seven days afterwards, he issued the first number of a newspaper, bearing the significant title of The United Irishman, and having for its motto the following aphorism, quoted from Theobald Wolfe Tone:  “Our independence must be had at all hazards.  If the men of property will not support us, they must fall; we can support ourselves by the aid of that numerous and respectable class of the community, the men of no property.”

The Nation had been regarded as rather an outspoken journal, and not particularly well affected to the rulers of the country.  But it was mildness, and gentleness, and loyalty itself compared to the new-comer in the field of journalism.  The sudden uprising of a most portentous comet sweeping close to this planet of ours could hardly create more unfeigned astonishment in the minds of people in general than did the appearance of this wonderful newspaper, brimful of open and avowed sedition, crammed with incitements to insurrection, and with diligently prepared instructions for the destruction of her Majesty’s troops, barracks, stores, and magazines.  Men rubbed their eyes, as they read its articles and correspondence, scarcely believing that any man in his sober senses would venture, in any part of the Queen’s dominions, to put such things in print.  But there were the articles and the letters, nevertheless, on fair paper and in good type, published in a duly registered newspaper