Mr. William O'Brien has a long letter in Monday's Daily
Telegraph on the Irish Parties. For himself, he disclaims any thoughts of leadership, .and does not even know what is meant by the term Independent Nationalist. Three weeks before the Dissolution be was at Florence, and had not opened an Irish paper for nine months, when he learned of the plot to expel Mr. Maurice Healy from Cork. " It was solely with a view of saving my friends in Cork from extermination that I returned tolreland." Mr. O'Brien then describes the methods and tactics of his opponents, and declares that they were all directed by a Standing Committee in Dublin who completely controlled the funds of the United Irish League, and are in the majority of cases " initiated members " of the schismatic "Board of Erin" wing of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a secret society whose rules exclude Irish Protestants. The result of the elections is that "the once rightly named" Irish Party "returns more completely discomfited than any other Parliamentary party." He adduces evidence to disprove the charge that his success was due to Protestant votes, while cordially acknowledging Protestant goodwill.
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