Finally, Mr. Redmond declared himself unable to under- stand the
policy of Mr. William O'Brien, or his statement that Home-rule was now more impracticable than the establishment of an Irish Republic. On the contrary, he believed the chances of Home-rule were better than ever. Meantime Mr. O'Brien presided over an All-for-Ireland demonstration, at which he denounced his opponents for planning that day's "raid upon Cork with special trains full
of hired hooligans from Dublin and Belfast. Now that their opponents had thrown away the scabbard, so did he, and he told them that as long as God left him life and health their blackgnardism would never drive him from the field in defence of a cause in which alone he could see any hope for the salvation of Ireland, or for her deliverance from the secret ring of half-a-dozen politicians who were the ruin of her cause." The antagonism of the leaders spread to their followers, and found vent in frequent collisions, blackthorns and htudeys being used to such purpose that a hundred casualties were reported on Monday.
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