Belgravia Volume 25 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1875 Excerpt: ...the air as the popular favourite was borne slowly away, for the coachman was unable to move his horses faster than at a foot-pace. Observing this state of affairs, and that the angry mob was pressing close upon the carriage, Colonel Browne, who in his time had led more than one forlorn hope, told me that he felt the emergency of the situation. He took out a case of loaded pistols, cocked and laid them upon his knee. When O'Connell saw this, he smiled. 'A wise precaution, ' he said, 'but useless. If I were only to raise my hand you would be in eternity;' and these words which he uttered were full of significant meaning. When its passions are roused a Dublin mob is very terrible. It took a Chief-Justice out of his carriage once, and tore him to pieces on the spot. One word from O'Connell on that morning would have caused a revolution. Formidable military precautions had been taken--the troops were under arms, cannons were so placed as to command the thoroughfares--but I do believe that if the signal had been given, the whole country would have arisen; and to annihilate an entire nation by grape-shot would not have been an easy matter. The prisoner was conveyed in safety to Kilmainham, but for many days afterwards the prison was surrounded by an infuriated throng. There never, I believe, lived in the history of any country a man who had the same extraordinary hold over the affections of an entire nation as O'Connell had over the Irish. He was the greatest popular leader ever known. No one who reads these pages can, I apprehend, form any adequate idea of what those monster meetings were which this man called together and inflamed with his fiery vigorous eloquence. From the summit of some hill, where the tribune took up a commanding position, you could have seen-...