A POLITICAL MISCHIEFMAKER.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1161, 28 September 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

A POLITICAL MISCHIEFMAKER.

The following extract from papers presented to Congress by Mr James Russell Lowell, American Minister at London, will give some idea of the spirits working among the Land Leaguers :—“ Sir, —- Dennis Hayes O'Connor called upon me the other day. He was naturalised in 1875 at Baltimore, and went over to Ireland immediately after on the plea that his health could not resist the American climate. He is now', at least, a remarkably robust and florid man. He told me that he was a draper in Charieville, County Cork, and that, hearing a warrant was out for his arrest, he had come over to London to claim my protection. He had been acting as treasurer to the Land League in that place. He professed not to know on what grounds the warrant had been issued, but I satisfied myself in the course of our conversation that he knew r perfectly well that it was for seditious language and incitement to violence. He favored me with a good deal of this sort of rhetoric with a manner that implied an earnestness of conviction, and as if repeating something he had learned by rote. He several times repeated that the ‘ best thing would be a war between England and the United States.’ After hearing this matt’s talk my belief was that be purposely exposed himself to the chances of arrest in the hope of adding to the difficulties of the Government. I asked him if he had considered the enormous interests at stake, quite apart from any moral consideration, and that England was our greatest customer for cattle, corn, and cotton. He merely repeated what he had said before as to the desirability of war. O’Connor declared that he meant to go to America when his health would permit, but admitted that it would take at least five years to wind up his business, and I think his intention may fairly be questioned. As he declared himself ready to be quiet for the future, if not arrested, 1 thought it prudent to mention his name unofficially to Lord Granville, and suggest that the warrant should not be put in force untess further offence was given.”