t time, nor can the stress of their conflict be traced to an
English source. It was hatred of local traders, and, particularly,
hatred of the local police, and the local powers and tribunals, which
were arrayed against them.

One can without trouble discover reasons why they should go on strike
again, but by no reasoning can I understand why they should go into
rebellion against England, unless it was that they were patriots first
and trade unionists a very long way afterwards.

I do not believe that this combination of the ideal and the practical
was consummated in the Dublin insurrection, but I do believe that the
first step towards the formation of such a party has now been taken,
and that if, years hence, there should be further trouble in Ireland
such trouble will not be so easily dealt with as this one has been.

It may be that further trouble will not arise, for the co-operative
movement, which is growing slowly but steadily in Ireland, may arrange
our economic question, and, incidentally, our national question
also--that is if the English people do not decide that the latter ought
to be settled at once.

James Connolly had his heart in both the national and the economic camp,
but he was a great-hearted man, and could afford to extend his
affections where others could only dissipate them.

There can be no doubt that his powers of orderly thinking were of great
service to the Volunteers, for while Mr. Larkin was the magnetic centre
of the Irish labour movement, Connolly was its brains. He has been
sentenced to death for his part in the insurrection, and for two days
now he has been dead.

He had been severely wounded in the fighting, and was tended, one does
not doubt with great care, until he regained enough strength to stand
up and be shot down again.

Others are dead also. I was not acquainted with them, and with Connolly
I was not more than acquainted. I had met him twice many months ago, but
other people were present each time, and he scarcely uttered a word on
either of these occasions. I was told that he was by nature silent. He
was a man who can be ill-spared in Ireland, but labour, throughout the
world, may mourn for him also.

A doctor who attended on him during his last hours says that Connolly
received the sentence of his death quietly. He was to be shot on the
morning following the sentence. This gentleman said to him:

"Connolly, when you stand up to be shot, will you say a prayer for me?"