John Ferguson was, I think, the first man publicly to indicate Parnell as the probable successor of Butt.  But so great is the dread in our people of even the semblance of disunion, that many, myself among the number, expostulated with him for this.  Events, however, showed he was right, and Mr. Butt himself plainly felt that it was inevitable.  But at the Convention, when Butt had distinctly refused to hold the office of President any longer, nothing could be finer than the tribute paid to our retiring leader by Mr. John Ferguson in proposing the election of Mr. Parnell as his successor.  As I was asked to take the official account of that Convention, and have kept a record of it, I here give a few words of his and some of the other speeches.  He said:—­

It is my intention to propose Mr. Parnell as the head of the Confederation.  At the same time I feel the greatest possible regret that our grand old chieftain who, in trying times, raised the Irish banner, who has so long guided us, and who has been with us in so many hard fights, is to retire from amongst us.  We are grateful to Issac Butt for leading us so far, but we are going to try a more determined policy, and Mr. Butt holds views different from those we are determined to carry out.  I hope, though, he will take counsel with the true and earnest men of the Party, and that, after a time, he will return to lead us at this side of the water.

Mr. John Barry, Mr. Biggar and others spoke in the same strain.

So also did Mr. Parnell, who, concluding his speech seconding the vote of thanks to Mr. Butt, said:—­

I must confess to not having Mr. Butt’s confidence in English justice and sense of right.  It is not too late for him to see a way to deal with England that will obtain freedom for our country—­a way that will show England that, if she will dare to trifle with Irish demands, it will be at the risk of endangering those institutions she feels so proud of, but which Irishmen have no reason to respect.  To Mr. Butt is due a debt of gratitude by the Irish people which they can never repay, for he has taught them self-reliance and knowledge of their power.  If I have felt it my duty to put myself in antagonism with Mr. Butt I hope he will forgive me.  If I have said or written harsh things I have never said more nor less than was due to the gravity of the occasion.

Mr. O’Donnell, who expressed a wish that the next session might find Mr. Butt at the head of a United Irish Party, supported the vote of thanks to Mr. Butt, which was carried unanimously, and with all sincerity and depth of feeling.

Mr. Butt replied, saying he would be ashamed of himself if he were unmoved by that vote, and the manner in which it had been passed.  He hoped that the wish expressed by Mr. O’Donnell might be realized, and it would not be his fault if they had not a United Irish Party in the House of Commons.  After expressing his good wishes for the Home Rule Confederation of Great Britain, which he hoped might long continue to assert the power of the Irish people in this country, he took his farewell.