the Invincibles, it was proved that they had once thought of ridding themselves of him (Mr. Gray) by murder in order to avenge their chief. Unfortunately, just then the _Freeman’s_ was engaged in a particularly violent series of articles against the Government, and on the evening that preceded the tragedy, the paper contained an unlucky phrase:--“There are rats in the Castle, which must soon be dislodged!” In ordinary times no one would have noticed this; but political passions intervened, and this phrase was at once connected with the murders that followed it so closely, and the, at all events, moral responsibility of the author was carefully pointed out. Is it necessary to add that not one serious man ever attached the least importance to these insinuations? I had spent some time in the office of the _United Ireland_, but I only remained in the _Freeman’s_ a few minutes, for Mr. Gray, who was very busy during the day, kindly invited me to spend the evening with him. I had just seen the organs of what, in the secret government that Ireland now obeys, corresponds with the legislative power; for the only laws respected by the country are concocted in these two newspaper offices. I have now to become acquainted with the executive power, _i.e._, the ministers of the Land League; but I should first like to say a few words about them. CHAPTER II. THE LAND LEAGUE--AN IRISH CONFESSOR--CAPTAIN BOYCOTT--A CONSPIRATOR’S CAVE--MR. HARRINGTON--MR. BIGGAR--THE OBSTRUCTION CAMPAIGN--MR. SULLIVAN, LORD MAYOR, POET, PATRIOT, STATESMAN, AND DIVER--A ROUGH ELECTION MEETING--MR. SHACKLETON--A CANDIDATE’S PROFESSION OF FAITH--PEMBROKE HOUSE. We will first describe the origin of the Land League. To fully understand the subject, we must first trace back Irish history to the year 1847. At that time the population, which in 1845 numbered 8,175,124, had certainly attained, if not exceeded 9,000,000. Then as now, we may say that no manufactures existed in the country. The population lived on the direct produce of the land. The repeal of protection on corn had caused the almost entire disappearance of cereals, for which the soil, and above all the climate, were always unfavourable, and consequently, only two possible industries were left--stock raising (and this was chiefly pig raising), and the cultivation of potatoes. The sale of pigs sufficed to pay the taxes, the landlord, and the few necessaries bought by the people. The potatoes were reserved for food.