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8 fled to the United States. Gradually a Fenian army numbering in all about twelve hundred was recruited from among the Irish immigrants and restless demobilized Irish-American Civil War veterans for the purpose of invading Canada. The invasion was checked by prompt action on the part of the American government but not before actual depredations had been committed or the agitation had stirred up much bad feeling both in the United States and Great Britain.

After 1867, Irish agitators in America devoted their energies persistently toward the prosecution of the Irish cause. New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and St. Louis fell under their domination and became centres of propaganda. Their offices were filled with Irish incumbents and their taxes became the prey of Trish graft. A number of other cities of lesser importance fell equally under their influence. So far as state elections were concerned, it is impossible to determine the extent of Irish influence. It is safe to say, however, that in a number of cases senators and congressmen, angling for Irish-American votes, were elected who used their offices very largely as a means of promoting Irish polities. Irish influence in national elections is even more difficult to estimate. But again it seems safe to say that while they may not have been directly responsible for controlling a considerable number of votes, Irish enthusiasm for political expression undoubtedly gave them an influence out of proportion with their actual number. Besides this, tens of