“Viz., ‘Our delegate is instructed to favour an active secret policy, similar to recent operations;’ or, in the alternative of favouring a return to open insurrectionary operations, as follows:—
“Viz., ‘Our delegate is instructed to favour the planting of ploughs (distribution of arms) and an open insurrectionary movement.’
“There can then be no insinuations of misrepresentation, and whatever policy is adopted will have the overwhelming support of the organisation at its back. It will be well, also, to embody such changes as are desirable in the constitution in your instructions. It is to be hoped that, in the short time intervening between this and the Convention, you will fully, wisely, and carefully consider the policy of the future, and the character, intelligence, and experience of your delegates....
“The active operations of the U.S. (United Brotherhood) have brought about the probable granting of Home Rule. It is desirable that delegates to the National Convention shall be fully informed of your desire to follow up these operations on the same lines, or whether you desire to fall back on the old work of putting ploughs in. The latter course does not seem to us fruitful of results or practical. The former policy has been vindicated by great destruction with little loss to us. It is for the Convention to decide, however, what the future policy shall be.”
From the official report of the secret Convention which reached me subsequently, I learnt that the votes in favour of dynamite had been in the majority, for the policy of the late Executive had been endorsed, and the new Executive given a free hand for the future. What, however, was perhaps the most important proceeding of all at this Convention of the Revolutionists, was the passing of the following resolution:—
“Resolved:—That we maintain the same relations in the future to open societies, working for the same purpose as ourselves, that we have in the past.”
If further proof were wanted beyond that already given of the “understanding” which existed between the open and secret organisations, it could not be supplied in a more emphatic manner than this.
Although the Executive were given full power to act as they thought best, it was apparently considered undesirable to do anything during the latter part of 1886, and so nothing of importance came to pass up to the month of April 1887, when I made another trip to Europe, without, however, any letters or credentials on this occasion. My visit was, nevertheless, not of an uneventful character. I visited the House of Commons more than once, and in the social intercourse which took place between myself and some of the Irish M.P.’s, learnt many facts of an interesting character. It was during this visit that I set myself to find out some particulars regarding Dr. James G. Fox, M.P. I was rather curious about this gentleman, who now failed to recognise me in the House of Commons lobby, although we had met on more than one occasion at Land League Conventions in the States, where we had been brother delegates. His associations, his position as State Executive for the League in New York, and his well-known National proclivities as evinced during his fifteen years’ residence at Troy and elsewhere in the States, all made me anxious to know something of the man in his new position of M.P., and of how his thoughts now inclined.
I learnt casually that he was in the habit of frequenting Gatti’s Restaurant in the Adelaide Gallery, Strand, and there I determined to renew my acquaintance with him. The opportunity for doing so was not long wanting, for on an early day I found myself seated at the same table with him, where he was deeply engaged in perusing the Irish World. Making this fact an excuse for opening a conversation with him, I asked, in an interested way, if I could obtain copies of the paper he was reading at any place in London. I spoke with a marked American accent, and my appearance did not belie the suggestion I wished to convey as regards my nationality. He replied that he thought not, explaining that he received it regularly from the other side, asking me in conclusion if I was interested in the publication. I replied in the affirmative, and then followed his query as to whether I was not from the United States. To this I made answer by producing my card, whereupon he looked intently at me as he remarked, “Why, I ought to know you; I have met you in conventions. My name is Fox.” The information was rather unnecessary as far as I was concerned, but, maintaining a quiet face, I thought for a moment, and in the end confessed to a recollection of him. We were soon on familiar terms, and discussed American matters with great freedom.
There was one fact that I wanted particularly to discover, and that was whether or not Fox was a member of the Clan-na-Gael. I had had no opportunity of learning this at the open conventions at which we had previously met, but yet my view very strongly inclined to the belief that he was. In the course of our conversation, therefore, I took occasion to give him the “hailing sign,” but he did not return it, merely remarking significantly that he was not a member of any secret society, a remark which, taken in connection with my sign, tickled me not a little. I never ascertained the truth of the matter, but I remembered the circumstance when, in June 1888, at the Clan Convention in Chicago, a burly delegate near me mounted his chair, announced himself from Troy—where Fox had lived—and in a loud voice demanded recognition by the chair. On this being accorded him, he said, holding up the Times pamphlet, “Behind the Scenes in America,” that he held in his hand a little book which had been sent to him by a Member of Parliament who was a member of his camp. This book was being sold by the thousand at the price of one penny, and the information it contained could only have been supplied by a traitor high up in the ranks of the organisation. He moved for a committee to inquire into the matter. This committee was appointed, but their inquiry ended in smoke, the “traitor,” as I was termed, having another narrow escape.