XXIX.
While the ball was thus rolling in this way, Davitt completed his tour in America, and returned to Ireland to resume his work there. He did not return alone, however, for in his wake there travelled his new colleague, Devoy, who, journeying as one of the secret agents of the Clan-na-Gael, went to Ireland to inspect and report on the condition of the Revolutionary organisation there to the V.C. Convention, to be held in Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, in July 1879. Associated with Devoy in this work of inspection was General Millen, acting in the capacity of military envoy. Devoy, while in Ireland, made good use of his time. While he organised the Irish Republican Brotherhood in their secret meetings, he openly advocated the proposed alliance with all his might and main. In Ireland, however, as the report which he afterwards made to the Clan-na-Gael showed, the Fenians were not so ripe as his colleagues in America for giving up, even temporarily, their secret methods for constitutional agitation; and the work which he was to accomplish was not destined to bear too early fruit.
As the report which Devoy presented of the visit thus made gave an interesting account of how matters stood in Fenian circles there at this period, I give a few extracts. They are important as showing the condition of the Revolutionary forces, which gave Mr. Parnell so much trouble a year or two later, when, through me, he appealed to Devoy to come over and cripple the opposition he was receiving from this quarter:—
“Three of the best organised counties—Dublin, Louth, and Wexford—seceded from the S.C. (Supreme Council or Executive of the Irish Republican Brotherhood), and believing the statements, so often repeated, that the American organisation supported Mr. Stephens, transferred their allegiance to that gentleman. There still remained with the S.C. (Supreme Council), Ulster, Connaught, Munster, a portion of Leinster, Scotland, and South of England; but the work in these districts was almost paralysed, and the attention of the men distracted by repeated visits and communications of a conflicting nature from contending factions, who all claimed to be ‘working for Ireland.’ The numbers stood at this time (1878) as follows:—About 19,000 men stood by the S.C., some 3000 acted independently in the North of England, and not more than 1500, chiefly in Leinster, followed Mr. Stephens. No real work could be done; it was a struggle for existence, and ultimately the majority prevailed. When your former envoy arrived in Ireland, this was the state of things he found existing. As you have been informed, he succeeded, with the help of another member of the V.C. residing in Ireland, in first gaining over the Leinster men to the S.C., by telling them the real truth about the state of things in America.
“A reorganisation of the S.C. satisfactory to all parties concerned was then effected, and an efficient secretary elected, who has since then rendered invaluable service in repairing the damage done during the short period of turmoil and contention. Some years before the organisation had been a compact body of over 40,000 men, acting under its elected council, and making commendable efforts to arm its members in spite of the most discouraging difficulties. At the beginning of last year, after the S.C. had triumphed over the difficulties above mentioned, it was reduced to about 24,000 men, the confidence of many of its members greatly shaken, and much of the material accumulated during past years badly damaged through neglect or entirely lost.
“It was deemed better to endeavour to weld into a solid mass the united fragments than to increase its size by the addition of new members. Some mistakes were made, but, upon the whole, the action of the S.C. seemed to me judicious and safe. Some 17,000 dollars had been sent by the F.C. (10,000 dollars came from the National Fund for arms) for the purpose of introducing arms into the country; but it was left in the hands of the R.D. until my arrival, in the belief that the machinery of the movement had undergone too great a strain to be able to bear much pressure, and the hands of the S.C. were too full with the work of restoration to allow them to undertake any more. The organisation was just beginning to breathe a little freely, and to feel that it was again a solid living body, when I arrived to confer with the S.C. as to the best means to infuse new life and vigour into it.
“I began with Tipperary, Limerick, and Clare, and continued my tour till I had a fair idea of the condition of the organisation in all of the seven provinces.... Besides county and circle meetings, I attended provincial conventions in Munster, Ulster, Connaught, North of England, and South of England, and local district meetings in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Derry, Ennis, Glasgow, Dundalk, and other towns.