[Illustration] JOHN REDMOND'S LAST YEARS BY STEPHEN GWYNN LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 1919 [All rights reserved] PREFACE In writing this book, I have had access to my late leader's papers for the period beginning with the war. These were placed at my disposal by his son, Major William Archer Redmond, D.S.O., M.P. I had also the consent of Mrs. Redmond to my undertaking the task. But for the book and for the opinions expressed in it I am solely responsible. No condition having been imposed upon me, it seemed best, for many reasons, that it should be written, as it has been written, without consultation. A writer in whom such a trust has been placed may well be at a loss how to express his gratitude, but can never convey the measure of his anxiety. From those who cherish Redmond's memory, and especially from those who were nearest to him in comradeship and affection, I must only crave the indulgence which should be accorded to sincere effort. Differences of interpretation there will be in any review of past events, and others can claim with justice that on many points they were better situated for full understanding than was I. Yet for the period which is specially studied, if there is failure in comprehension it cannot be excused by lack of opportunity to be thoroughly informed. To readers at large I would say this--that if any sentence in these pages be uncandid or ungenerous, it is most unworthy to be found in the record of such a man. S.G. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTORY 1 II. REDMOND AS CHAIRMAN 23 III. THE HOME RULE BILL OF 1912 62 IV. THE RIVAL VOLUNTEER FORCES 90 V. WAR IN EUROPE 126 VI. THE RAISING OF THE IRISH BRIGADES 152 VII. THE REBELLION AND ITS SEQUEL 218 VIII. THE CONVENTION AND THE END 259 INDEX 343 PORTRAIT OF JOHN REDMOND _Frontispiece_ JOHN REDMOND'S LAST YEARS CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY I The time has not yet come to write the biography of John Redmond. Not until the history of the pledge-bound Irish Parliamentary party can be treated freely, fully and impartially as a chapter closed and ended will it be possible to record in detail the life of a man who was associated with it almost from its beginning and who from the opening of this century guided it with almost growing authority to the statutory accomplishment of its desperate task; who knew, in it and for it, all vicissitudes of fortune and who gave to it without stint or reservation his whole life's energy from earliest manhood to the grave.