“Old, unhappy, far-off things, and battles long ago”

as if they had occurred last week, and were a factor to be taken into account in the conduct of to-day.  The demonstration was in the open air, and the sunshine was gleaming on the grass of a hill close at hand.  “It ’ud be a quare thing,” said a peasant to his neighbour in the crowd, “if the rebels would come out and hould a meetin’ agin us on yon hill.”  “What matter if they would,” was the reply, “wouldn’t we let on that we won’t have it? an’ if that wouldn’t do them, isn’t there hundreds o’ King James’s men at the bottom o’ the lough, an’ there’s plenty o’ room yet.”  It was not spoken in jest, but in grim conviction that the issue of 1689 was the issue of 1912, and that another Newtown Butler might have to be fought.

This series of meetings in preparation for the Covenant brought Carson much more closely in touch with the Loyalists in outlying districts than he had been hitherto, and when it was over their wild devotion to him personally equalled what it was in Belfast itself.  The appeal made to the hearts of men as quick as any living to detect and resent humbug or boastfulness, by the simplicity, uncompromising directness, and courage of his character was irresistible.  He never spoke better than during this tour of the Province.  The Special Correspondent of The Times, who sent to his paper vivid descriptive articles on each meeting, said in his account of the meeting at Coleraine that “Sir Edward Carson was vigorous, fresh, and picturesque.  His command over the feelings of his Ulster audiences is unquestionable, and never a phrase passes his lips which does not tell.”  And when the proceedings of the meeting were over, the same observer “was at the station to witness the ‘send-off’ of the leaders, and for ten minutes before the train for Belfast came in the tumult of the cheers, the thanks, and the farewells never faltered for an instant."[33] Two days later another English commentator declared that “The Ulster campaign has been conducted up to the present with a combination of wisdom, ability, and restraint which has delighted all the Unionists of the province, and exasperated their Radical and Nationalist enemies.  From its opening at Enniskillen not a speech has been delivered unworthy of a great movement in defence of civil and religious liberty."[34]

It was characteristic of Sir Edward Carson that neither at these meetings nor at any time did he use his unmatched power of persuasion to induce his followers to come forward and sign the Covenant.  On the contrary, he rather warned them only to do so after mature reflection and with full comprehension of the responsibility which signature would entail.  He told the Unionist Council a few days before the memorable 28th of September:  “How often have I thought over this Covenant—­how many hours have I spent, before it was published that we would have one, in counting the cost that may result!