and Tara were still clung to and fostered; whilst the fierce indignation resulting from the sudden, and therefore treacherous suppression of the projected meeting at Clontarf; and above all, the prosecution and unjust imprisonment of O’Connell and his compatriots, caused the Irish people to turn a deaf ear to every promised concession short of complete legislative independence.  But, like the keen-eyed warrior of classic story, the English minister detected a flaw in the armour of this bold, defiant nation,—­it was the old and fatal one of disunion.  The men whose influence, lofty patriotism, and burning eloquence, had marshalled the whole people into one mighty phalanx, began to differ among themselves.  The Liberator, who had been long proclaiming himself the apostle of a new doctrine, namely, that “no political amelioration was worth one drop of blood,” now began to insist upon it more frequently than ever; probably on account of the warlike tone assumed by some of the young fiery spirits who followed, but hardly obeyed him.  Thomas Francis Meagher, as their mouthpiece, proclaimed his conviction that there were political ameliorations worth many drops of blood; and adhesion to one or the other of these principles cleft in two the great Irish Repeal party, namely, into Old and Young Ireland.  Of the former O’Connell was of course the leader, and William Smith O’Brien allowed himself to be placed at the head of the latter.

No English Government could hope to win or seduce to its side the Young Ireland party—­the soul of that party being its opposition to every Government that would not concede a Repeal of the Legislative Union; but to the Old Ireland section of Repealers Lord John Russell’s Cabinet looked with hopefulness for support, both in the House of Commons and with the country.  It was only through O’Connell this party could be reached; the Government, therefore, and the Government press, were not slow in making advances to him.  The Times, which can always see what is right, and just, and true, when it is useful to English interests to do so, commenced praising O’Connell; and that journal, which for years had heaped upon him every epithet of insolence and contempt, now condescends to call him “Liberator,” and warns the Government to coalesce with him:  “Assisted by him,” it says, “but not crouching to him—­it [the Government] may enlist the sympathies of the majority on its side, and thus be able to do real good."[102] In its next issue it follows up the subject, saying, “O’Connell is to be supported, if possible, by the Government, but at least by the feeling and sympathies of the English people, against agitation of the worst kind—­convulsive civil war.”  “Hitherto,” it continues, “no Government had come into immediate contact with the sympathies of the people. The power of the Executive has been felt in acts of harshness, seldom of beneficial or parental interference.[103] A Government which should employ itself in improving