ut his
opinions and his information are well worth recording. Mr. McGregor
said, "I thrust my opinions on none, but I have a right to my
opinions, and I do not affect concealment. The great defect of the
Irish Unionists is want of courage. They dare not for their lives come
forward and boldly state their convictions. If Lord Emly or some other
Irish Roman Catholic nobleman had come forward earlier, it might have
induced weak-kneed members of the party to do likewise. The Unionists
do not exercise the great influence they undoubtedly possess. They
allow themselves to be terrorised into silence. Let them have the
courage of their opinions and they have nothing to fear. The masses of
the industrial population are not in favour of Home Rule. The
corner-men, who want to spend what they never earned, and the farmers,
who hope to get the land for nothing, are the only hearty Home Rulers
in Ireland. I employ ten people, all Roman Catholics, some of them
with me for twenty-five years. None of these are Home Rulers. I became
a convert to Conservatism by my intimate knowledge and personal
acquaintance with many of the leaders of the Fenian movement. I saw
through the hollowness of the whole thing, and declined any connection
therewith. Poor Henry Rowles, who was to be told off by signal to
shoot Mr. Foster, was one of my workmen. He died in prison, some said
from sheer fright, but two or three of his friends were hanged. He was
mixed up by marriage with the Fenian party, and was drawn on and on
like many another. I would rather not name the Fenian leaders I knew,
and the reason is this. I knew them too well. Speaking of the Unionist
lack of courage, you must not be too much surprised. During the last
fourteen years Unionists have had to maintain a guerilla warfare for
existence. But the strangest feature of the present position is
this--the Home Rulers are kicking at the bill! A great Home Ruler of
my acquaintance (Mr. McGregor referred me to him) is getting quite
afraid. He is a farmer holding 300 acres under Lord Besborough, and
says that he trusts things will remain as they are. He has a good
landlord, borrows money by the subvention, and has a perfect horror
of the class of men who will obtain the upper hand in Ireland. A
Nationalist over the way was about to extend the buildings you see
there. Plans were drafted, and offices were to be built. Out comes the
bill and in goes the project. He has no confidence in the Irish
Nation