ty, in keeping them aloof from the repeal
agitation, and inducing them even to oppose it; nor was O'Connell
himself free from the effect of such a consideration. His professions of
the supreme value of repeal were based upon the conviction that it was
hopeless to overcome the religious hostility of the British people to
any increased influence of Romanism in the government; yet he lingered
on, hoping against this conviction, and feeling the difficulty, if not
desperation, of the task he imposed upon himself, declaring still that
he would only turn to repeal as the _dernier ressort_, and that his
first cry was "Justice to Ireland." Had everything been conceded which
was claimed, "Justice to Ireland" would still have been, the cry, on
the ground that, being an integral part of the United Kingdom, she was
entitled to see her religion established in a fair proportion of the
colonies, or placed on a par with the English Church in them all. With
O'Connell and with Ireland the grievances were religious; the social
evils of Ireland were abetted by many who were repealers: yet there was
a sense of political injustice, and a patriotic desire on the part of
O'Connell and the people for the glory of Ireland, so far as it was
not necessary to merge that in the glory of Rome. Civil and religious
liberty for Ireland and for the world were not desired by either the
Irish Roman Catholic party or their political champion. The spirit
of the speeches at Conciliation Hall, of the Irish press in that
interest,--even of the Irish press in the Whig service, which was
conducted by Romanists, and the tone of confidential conversation
among Irish Roman Catholics at that period, all proved this allegation.
Foreign despotisms, if Protestant, were abused and denounced; if Romish,
they were treated with respect, and sympathy in case of any disturbance
in their dominions; or if it were not for the moment politic to abet
their proceedings, their misdeeds were passed over in silence. All
the social wrongs and civil tyrannies practised at Rome were upheld as
warmly in Ireland, and especially in Conciliation Hall, as they could
have been in the conclave of cardinals. One of the favourite topics
of the day among the Roman Catholics of Ireland, even amidst their
sufferings, during 1847, (and subsequently still more so), was the
prospect of the Roman Catholic religion becoming the established
religion of the United States, through the instrumentality of the Ir