This constitutional movement had been going on for some six years previous to the rescue of the military Fenians, having been inaugurated at a meeting in the Bilton Hotel, Dublin, on the 19th May, 1870, five days after the arrest of Michael Davitt, and his disappearance for a season from the stage of Irish history.

In the pages which are to follow I shall have occasion to introduce some of those who took part in that first Home Rule gathering in Dublin.  It was a hopeful beginning, as there were assembled men who were of various creeds and politics—­Catholics, Protestants, Fenian sympathisers, Repealers, Liberals, and Tories—­but all of whom had in view the happiness and prosperity of their common country.  There they established the “Home Government Association of Ireland,” the first resolution passed being:—­

     This Association is formed for the purpose of attaining for Ireland
     the right of self-government by means of a National Parliament.

The fact was that the “intensity of Fenianism” had forced thinking men of every shade of opinion to realise that government of Ireland by outsiders was an abject failure.  Even Englishmen themselves began to realise that they were engaged in an impossible task, or, at all events, one in which they were quite at sea.  A humorous story is attributed to Mr. T.W.  Russell on this point.  It is that a certain Englishman, who was appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland, went to an English official of experience in Dublin, and said—­

“You know what I mean to do first of all, is to get at the facts—­the facts—­then I shall be on sure ground.”

“My dear sir,” said the official wearily, “there are no facts in Ireland.”

The conclusion was not a surprising one for a man who had for years been in touch with the “official sources” of information.

While all honour is due to the men who initiated the new movement, the names of those who carried on the constitutional struggle during the years that preceded this date should not be forgotten.  Of all the men I ever came into contact with in the course of my experience of constitutional agitation, I think the Sullivans—­especially T.D. and A.M.—­deserve the most credit, for they kept the flag flying in the columns of the “Nation” and in other ways during all the gloomy years that followed after Charles Gavan Duffy left the country in despair.  I am always proud to have reckoned these two men among my dearest and most trusted friends.

Another great admirer of the Sullivans was Alfred Crilly, brother to Daniel Crilly, and father of Frederick Lucas Crilly, the present respected and able General Secretary of the United Irish League of Great Britain.  Alfred was one of the most brilliant Irishmen we ever had in Liverpool, and no man did better service for the cause in that city during his lifetime.  It was always a pleasure to me to work in harness with him, as I did on many public occasions; for whatever