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242] the Limerick resolution, expressing sympathy with the Boer farmers in their fight against England; but the Cork District Council agreed (Oct. 7) that this declaration was not strong enough; and adopted in place of it a resolution imputing to the English people as a nation, "rapine, murder, pillage, and all the crimes that it has fallen to humanity to perpetrate against fellow creatures." After the opening of the war the New Ross Urban District Council (Oct. 20) voted its sympathy with the Boers in their struggle against "the pirate empire of the world," while the Clonmel Corporation adopted the Limerick resolution. These utterances, though they could not be regarded as surprising, were instructive. They were promoted and accompanied by speeches by prominent Nationalist politicians of various sections couched in strong terms. Mr. Davitt, who announced his intention during the autumn session of resigning his seat, as a protest against the war, was conspicuous by the number and the virulence of his speeches on the subject in Ireland. Thus addressing a United Irish League meeting in Co. Cork (Sept. 10) he said: "The Boer cause is just; England's cause is cowardly and infamous, and the whole world — Ireland, I hope, included — will wish in such a contest, if war is waged, that the feat of David in his encounter with Goliath may be repeated by the brave little republic of the Transvaal." In November, at more than one meeting, he avowed his satisfaction at the Boer successes over the British. Mr. Dillon, speaking in Co. Kildare in December, invited the Boers to use the language of the Magnificat. In October Mr. John Redmond declared, on the eve of the outbreak of the conflict, that if war broke out the sympathies of Ireland would be with the gallant Boers "rightly struggling to be free," and his brother called for three cheers (which were enthusiastically given) for "gallant old Paul Kruger." This was on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of a Parnell monument in Dublin, when Lord Mayor Tallon attended in state, accompanied by several members of Parliament.

The only notice which the Government took of these treasonable manifestations was the removal from the Commission of the Peace of several chairmen of District Councils who had given expression to sympathy with the Queen's enemies. The withdrawal of the Deputy-Lieutenancy of Co. Limerick from Lord Emly was on account of a culpably violent labour speech. This evolution and exhibition of virulent anti-British feeling in connection with the war in South Africa, doubtless served to give fresh strength to the movements towards "Unity" among the various sections of the Nationalist party, and gave a certain air of reality to what otherwise seemed a remarkably fragile fabric of reconciliation. By the end of the year an amalgamation for parliamentary purposes appeared to have been effected between the Parnellites under Mr. J. Redmond and the smaller section of anti-