The strongest eulogies of Mr. Egan’s conduct of the Chilian legation were written by the ex-President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, who, in 1892, gave a dinner at his home in Washington, D.C., in his honour.  In a public letter Mr. Roosevelt said, “Minister Egan has acted as an American representative in a way that proves that he deserves well of all Americans, and I earnestly hope that his career in our diplomatic service may be long, and that in it he may rise to the highest positions.”

When I started a new series of my “Irish Library” in January, 1902, I received words of encouragement from John Redmond, from Michael Davitt, and from other distinguished Irishmen, but there was none I valued more highly than the letter of appreciation of my works from Pat Egan.  Of these he asked me to send him a set, including my “Irish in Britain.”

In a letter he sent me in the May following, I could see the yearning of the exile for news from the “old sod” when he said “Write me a line to say how you are, and how goes the good old cause.  I often think with much interest of the last time I had the pleasure of seeing you in Liverpool.”

I have made my references to Patrick Egan somewhat lengthy, perhaps, but it is because in no work that I have ever seen has an adequate tribute been paid to his services to Ireland.  Unlike other men who are better known, he was little seen and not much heard of in the Land League movement, but his influence in shaping the movement was second only to that of Davitt.  He was eminently the practical patriot, and his motto was “deeds not words.”  If she had had in the past many men like Egan, Ireland would be both free and prosperous to-day.

CHAPTER XIX.

GENERAL ELECTION OF 1885—­PARNELL A CANDIDATE FOR EXCHANGE DIVISION—­RETIRES IN FAVOUR OF O’SHEA—­T.P.  O’CONNOR ELECTED FOR SCOTLAND DIVISION OF LIVERPOOL.

The Franchise and Re-Distribution Acts of 1884 and 1885, besides placing, for the first time, the Parliamentary representation in the hands of the great bulk of the people of Ireland, added greatly to our political power in England, Scotland and Wales.  Many thousands of Irish householders obtained votes where formerly, under the restricted franchise, such a thing as an Irish county voter was extremely rare.

At the General Election of 1885, Mr. Parnell made Liverpool his headquarters.  The Re-Distribution Act had given Liverpool nine Parliamentary Divisions, in one of which (Scotland Division) we had sufficient votes to return a Nationalist.  As Mr. T.P.  O’Connor was the candidate chosen, and was, besides, the President of the organisation in Great Britain, he, also, was on the spot.

A central committee room was engaged in the North-Western Hotel, where Mr. Parnell and Mr. T.P.  O’Connor were staying.  I was detailed to act as secretary to them, and, as the electoral campaign all over the country was directed from this centre, I was kept busy from early morning until late in the night answering the letters which poured in from all parts of the country.  Mr. T.P.  O’Connor having recently been married, Mrs. O’Connor also was staying in the North-Western.  She presided at our luncheon every day, and made a charming hostess.