priest in disarming prejudice.

Before I met Father McGrath in Liverpool I had heard from my uncle of
his delightful and saintly character. He was a ministering angel among
our people in his district, which was one of the poorest in Liverpool.
His charity was unbounded. Going on a sick call and being at the end of
his monetary resources--for let his friends give him ever so much he
would never leave himself a penny--he had been known to give away his
own underclothing, and even to carry away his bed-clothes to relieve
some case of abject poverty.

He was a thorough Nationalist, and was delighted when we first raised
the banner of Home Rule in Scotland Ward and made honest Lawrence
Connolly our standard bearer. As part of the Ward was in his district,
he was by far the best canvasser we had. Day by day he used to call on
me to hear of the progress we were making. With the active personal
help and the prayers of a saintly man like Father McGrath how could we
lose?

The return of a Home Ruler at an English municipal election was the
forerunner of a still greater victory won in the same Scotland Ward,
which as a Division of the Parliamentary Borough of Liverpool returned
to Parliament some ten years afterwards the only Irish Home Ruler who,
_as such_, sits for a British constituency--Mr. T.P. O'Connor.

At the Annual Convention of the Home Rule Confederation, held in the
Rotunda, Dublin, August 21st, 1876, Dr. Commins in the chair, a vote of
confidence in Mr. Butt was passed. At the same time what was known as
the "Obstruction" policy was endorsed, though Mr. Butt had given its
chief exponents, Biggar and Parnell, no countenance. It was also
resolved to remove the headquarters of the Confederation from Liverpool
to London.

Although, out of respect for his distinguished services, Mr. Butt was
allowed to remain as the nominal leader up to the time of his death, it
is quite evident that our people favoured the more active policy of the
younger men.

At a banquet given on the night of this Convention in the Ancient
Concert Room, Mr. Butt, as chairman, gave the toast of "The Queen, Lords
and Commons of Ireland." It will be seen elsewhere that I have always
objected to join in this toast on the ground that it implies an
acceptance of the existing condition of government in Ireland. Finding
it on the list, I remained away, but I am afraid my friends, who knew my
views, were scandalized at seeing in the newspaper report my