Page:My Life in Two Hemispheres, volume 1.djvu/166

 solicitude and us from inconvenience and disappointment by sending us the money that we may provide ourselves with a paper.

"'If you do not choose to do this I fear I shall be placed under the necessity of demanding back the entire subscription.

"'Expecting to hear from you at your earliest convenience, I remain, &c.' "Of course if they disgorge the money I shall remit it to you for a parish copy, and remain perplexed but undespairing,—Yours faithfully,

Another message from O'Connell warned me that the war had only begun. Preparations for the defence of Father Davern against Lord Hawarden, undertaken by the Repeal Association, of which I have spoken earlier, went on steadily. O'Connell had entrusted the defence to Mr. Potter, a skilful attorney resident in an adjoining county, who, it was understood, had the case ready for trial, when the defendant died suddenly of a disease caught in attendance on the poor. One morning Mr. Potter was announced in the editor's room. His name was not unknown to me but I had never met him before, or held any correspondence with him. He came, he said, by the instructions of the Liberator, to present his bill of costs, which exceeded £800. Up to the time O'Connell interfered the case had been conducted by my ordinary attorney, and at my cost and responsibility, but I had been requested to transfer it to the Repeal Association, and I had done so. My first feeling was one of strong indignation, but after a little I was pleased to have to meet an attack in which no public interest was involved to disturb the judgment of the people. After glancing at the bill of costs, the question was disposed of in a brief conversation. "Who employed you, Mr, Potter?" I inquired. "I was retained by the Repeal Association," he answered frankly; "but the Liberator is of opinion that the responsibility is properly yours." "What do you think yourself, Mr. Potter, of my responsibility?" "Excuse me, that is not the question." "How were these heavy costs incurred in a case which never came to trial?" "Chiefly in obtaining affidavits from ejected tenants, who were scattered over the world and