A  little  later,  T.  D.  McGee,  who  had  not  received  his
card  of  membership  since  the  payment  of  his  subscrip-
tion, demanded  it.  "  Of  physical  force,"  he  said,  "  I
will  say  nothing,  I  dislike  meddling  with  abstract
principles,  and  I  think  my  brother  members  should
avoid  them,  as  dangerous  to  the  public  cause,  and
ruinous  to  their  continuous  existence  as  a  corporation."
He  was  informed  that  in  consequence  of  this  letter
"  he  was  not,  and  could  not  be,  a  member  of  the
Association."

These  were  Young  Irelanders  fighting  their  own
battle  or  maintaining  their  personal  independence,  and
their  fortitude  gave  no  indication  of  the  general  state
of  opinion  in  the  country.*  Nor  did  they  make  any
attempt  to  elicit  it.  They  knew  it  was  determined  to
destroy  them  and  ruin  the  Nation^  but  they  hoped  that
forbearance  might  make  an  honourable  reconciliation
still  possible.  We  were  vehemently  appealed  to  by
impatient  friends  not  to  endure  so  much  wrong  without
reprisals ;  reminded  that  Mr.  John  O'Connell  and  a  few
paid  officials  were  not  the  Repeal  Association ;  that  some
of  our  assailants  were  as  defenceless  against  criticism  as
a  naked  body  against  a  sword  ;  that  on  the  Federal
question  we  had  saved  the  cause  by  compelling  O'Connell

♦  Some  Repeal  wardens  wrote  to  the  Kaiion  that  they  bad  thrown  up
their  office,  notably  Mr.  McNally  of  Newiy  and  Mr.  Murray  of  Athlone,
and  that  their  letters  were  neither  read  in  Conciliation  Hall  nor  published
in  tlie  newspapers ;  but  in  general  there  was  a  pause  of  consteniatioii.
