ion, military
from sheer necessity. It might have been said to have been the only
ideal truly national, in that it endeavoured to unite, and in many cases
did unite, Nationalist and Orangeman, and did this to such an extent as
to threaten to drain both parties, and consequently incurred their
jealousy.

Not only were the distinctions of Catholic and Protestant abolished by
"Sinn Fein," but even those of Liberal and Conservative as well, and in
some cases landlord and tenant, master and man.

To bring about this fusion an intellectual group arose, which was
gradually, as we have said, drawing to itself some of the best brains
and hearts of the nation, and these, working hand in hand with the
social reformers, brought abstract theories into touch with concrete
realities.

So far so good: their only enemies were the official Parliamentarians,
but then, as their methods were diametrically opposed, this was only
what was to be expected.

Both stood forth as rival means to an immediate end--the peace, unity,
and prosperity of Ireland--and with the advent of the Liberals, which
apparently was to give the Parliamentarians victory within the span of a
couple of years at most, the organization became a negligible quantity.

Indeed, they voluntarily withdrew from opposition for fear it should be
said that in a moment of acute difficulty they had hampered any Irishman
in winning liberties for Ireland, and their daily newspaper was
withdrawn.

As year after year passed, however, and Home Rule seemed to hang upon a
snap division, and its hypothetical results possibly hung up for another
generation, Sinn Feiners grew stronger and stronger as English
opposition to the Parliamentarians grew in strength, and they once more
reiterated their old principle that, Home Rule or no Home Rule, much
could be done by individual effort, and that eventually, even under
self-government, they would have to depend upon themselves alone, and
they pointed to the Hungarian example of national regeneration outside
politics.

At the first they were not, strictly speaking, in opposition at all to,
but rather complementary of, the politicians; but the first moment that
Carson's followers began to arm, ostensibly against them both, there
arose a general cry from Nationalist Sinn Feiner and Gaelic Leaguer
alike, to take measures for self-defence, which gradually grew into a
volunteer organization on the lines already in force in Ulster.

From the fir