Lives of Victorian Political Figures, Part II:

Daniel O'Connell, James Bronterre O'Brien, Charles Stewart Parnell and Michael Davitt by their Contemporaries

Irish independence remains high on the political agenda today. It has its roots in the democratic movements of the nineteenth century. This four-volume facsimile edition looks at the lives and politics of four of the key players in the independence and labour movements of the nineteenth century: Daniel O’Connell (1775-1847) a non-violent campaigner for Catholic emancipation; Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-91) Home Rule MP; Michael Davitt (1846-1906) member of the violent Irish Republican Brotherhood and founder of the Irish Land League; and James Bronterre O’Brien (1805-64) a Chartist leader and working-class reformer. The material collected here allows scholars to explore how they were viewed across the world during their lifetimes, and how their reputations developed after their deaths.

Wide-ranging political issues are addressed: Catholic Emancipation, self-governance, land-reform, universal suffrage and the labour movement, as well as the over-arching question of whether physical force should be used to achieve political ends if the democratic process collapses.

This edition will be useful to those studying nineteenth-century British and Irish history, Chartism, the history of the labour and abolitionist movements, and the rise of Irish Nationalism.

• Includes transcriptions of unpublished material from British and Irish archives
• Rare and difficult-to-access material includes international newspaper commentary, pamphlets, private letters, memoirs, obituaries and eulogies
• Full editorial apparatus includes a substantial general introduction, introductions to each volume, bibliographies, chronologies, headnotes, endnotes and a general index in the final volume
• Each facsimile page is digitally cleaned and enhanced, significantly improving on the quality and legibility of the original

Contents

Volume 1: Daniel O’Connell

[Richard Lalor Shiel], ‘Sketches of the Irish Bar Mr O’Connell’, Dublin Evening Mail (1823); [Anon], ‘Clare Election’, Constitution: Or Cork Advertiser (1828); [Anon], ‘Roman Catholic Association’, Constitution: Or Cork Advertiser (1828); ‘Perdu’, ‘An Irish Trial’, Comet (1832); [Anon], Sketch of the Political, Professional and Moral Character of Daniel O’Connell Esq (1825); Anthony Raftery, ‘Buapo UI Cónaill’ [O’Connell’s Victory], from Songs Ascribed to Raftery (1903); [Anon], ‘Roman Catholic Association’, Warder (1829); [Anon], ‘Mr O’Connell’s Eligibility to Sit in Parliament’, Warder (1829); [Anon], ‘The Petition of the Undersigned Members of the Orange Institution of Ireland’, Warder (1829); James W Doyle, [Letter to Daniel O’Connell], Warder (1829); Debate on Daniel O’Connell taking his parliamentary seat, Hansard (1829); [Anon], ‘A Portrait of a Public Character’, Belfast Protestant Journal (1846); Letter from William Smith O’Brien, on the increasing influence of Catholicism on O’Connell (1847); John Greenleaf Whittier, Sketch of Daniel O’Connell (1839); Daniel O’Connell, ‘Letter of Daniel O’Connell on American Slavery’, Liberty or Slavery? (1863); Hon S P Chase, ‘Letter of Hon S P Chase in Reply to Daniel O’Connell’, Liberty or Slavery? (1863); William Lloyd Garrison, Letter to Louis Kossuth, Concerning Freedom and Slavery in the United States (1852) (excerpts); Gregory XVI, The Pope’s Bull and the Words of Daniel O’Connell (1856); Daniel O’Connell et al, The Irish Patriot: Daniel O Connel’s [sic] Legacy to Irish Americans (1863) (excerpt); ‘Runneymede’ [Benjamin Disraeli], ‘To the Chancellor of the Exchequer’, The Times (1836); [Henry Cooke], The Repealer Repulsed! (1841) (excerpts) ; [Queen Victoria on O’Connell and Repeal, 1843 and 1844], Journals of Queen Victoria; Letter from Alexander Bannerman to Lord John Russell (1846); Letter from Lord Bessborough to Lord John Russell (1846); Letter from Thomas Verner, Magistrate in Belfast, with a Copy of Deposition by John Rea (1847); Walter Cox, The Cuckoo Calendar (1833); Feargus O’Connor, A Series of Letters from Feargus O’Connor to Daniel O’Connell (1836) (excerpts); John O’Connell, ‘Preface’ to The Life and Speeches of Daniel O’Connell, MP (1846); ‘Speranza’ [Jane Francesca Elgee], ‘A Lament’, Nation (1846); Letter from Thomas Carlyle to Margaret Carlyle (1847); William J O’Neill Daunt, Personal Recollections of the Late Daniel O’Connell MP (1848); [Anon], ‘O’Connell’s Mission No II’, Ireland and O’Connell (1835); Jacob Venedey, Ireland and the Irish during the Repeal Years (1844) (excerpt); [Anon], ‘Repeal in Boston’, Boston Post (1843); Charles Montalembert, De l’Avenir Politique de l’Angleterre (1856); [Anon], ‘Repeal Association – This Day’, The Times (1847); [Anon], ‘Death of the Liberator’, Weekly Freeman’s Journal (1847); [Anon], Editorial Comment on O’Connell’s Death, The Times (1847); [Anon], ‘Death of Mr O’Connell’, The Times (1847); [Anon], ‘Mr O’Connell’, The Times (1847); Father Kenyon, Letters on the Death of O’Connell [1847], Father Kenyon: A Patriot Priest of ’48 (1921); Gioacchino Ventura, ‘Padre Ventura’s Funeral Oration’ [1847], Popular Life of Daniel O’Connell (1875); William H Seward, An Oration on the Death of Daniel O’Connell (1847); Robert Young, ‘Stanzas on the Death of Daniel O’Connell, Esq, MP’, The Poetical Remembrancer (1854); [Anon], ‘Who will Succeed O’Connell?’, Boston Post (1847); Wendell Philips, ‘A Centenary Oration’ [1875], Popular Life of Daniel O’Connell (1875); W E Gladstone, ‘Daniel O’Connell’, Nineteenth Century (1889)

Volume 2: Charles Stewart Parnell

Thomas Sherlock, The Life of Charles Stewart Parnell, with an Account of His Ancestry (1881) (excerpts); T P O’Connor and R M McWade, Gladstone–Parnell and the Great Irish Struggle (1886) (excerpts); ‘The Irish “Leader”’, Funny Folks (1880); [Anon], ‘Mr Parnell at Home’, The Derry Journal (1880); T Wemyss Reid, The Life of the Right Honourable William Edward Forster (1888) (excerpt); Emily Monroe Dickinson, A Patriot’s Mistake (1905) (excerpt); William O’Brien, Recollections (1905) (excerpt); ‘The Irish Sphinx’, Weekly Irish Times (29 September 1883); ‘St Dunstan and the — (Say, And Mephistopheles, for the Look of the Thing)’, Judy (1885); [Anon], ‘Grex Parnellii’, Saturday Review (1886); Lord Randolph Churchill, ‘The Proposed Abandonment of Ulster’ (1886); [Anon], ‘Mr Charles Stewart Parnell, MP The Irish Home Rule Leader’, Penny Illustrated Paper (1886); ‘Resurgam!’, Funny Folks (1886); ‘Good Health!’, Weekly Freeman (1889); [Anon], ‘Parnellism and Crime Mr Parnell and the Phœnix-Park Murders’, The Times (1887); [Anon], Parnellism and Crime (1887) (excerpts); ‘The Challenge’, Punch (1887); ‘Re-opening of the Special Commission Mr Parnell in the Witness Box’, Illustrated London News (1889); John MacDonald, Diary of the Parnell Commission (1890) (excerpts); A V Dicey, The Verdict (1890) (excerpt); ‘The Parnell Peep Show’, Fun (1890); T D Sullivan, Recollections of Troubled Times in Irish Politics (1905) (excerpt); [Michael Davitt], ‘Mr Parnell’s Position’, Labour World (1890); [Anon], ‘Mr Parnell and the Irish People’, The Nation (1890); ‘In Sight of Port’, Weekly Freeman, (1890); [Anon], ‘Mr Parnell’s Manifesto’, The Nation (1890); [Anon], ‘Mr Parnell’, Freeman’s Journal (1891); ‘Public Opinion’, United Ireland – ‘Suppressed’ Edition (1890); [Anon], The Parnellite Split (1891) (excerpts); Robert McWade, The Uncrowned King (1891) (excerpt); [Anon], ‘The Death of Mr Parnell’, Freeman’s Journal (1891); [Anon], ‘Chas S Parnell: A City of Mourning’, Dublin Evening Telegraph (1891); [Anon], ‘Mr Parnell’s Legacy – The Scene on Sunday’, Limerick Reporter and Tipperary Vindicator (1891); ‘Let There be Peace’, Weekly Freeman (1891); ‘No!’, United Ireland (1891); T M Healy, ‘A Great Man’s Fancies – I’, Westminster Budget (1893); T M Healy, ‘A Great Man’s Fancies– II’, Westminster Budget (1893); Lionel Johnson, ‘The Man Who Would be King’, Academy (1898); Louis Garvin, ‘Parnell and His Power’, Fortnightly Review (1898)

Volume 3: Michael Davitt

Sabina Davitt, account of Davitt’s youth, from Chief and Tribune (1919); Letters from Francis and Martin Haran to Mrs Mary Davitt (1907); John Denvir, The Life Story of an Old Rebel (1910) (excerpt); William O’Brien, Recollections (1905) (excerpt); [Anon], ‘Supposed Capture of Fenians’, The Times (1870); [Anon], ‘The Capture of Supposed Fenians’, The Times (1870); [Anon], ‘Central Criminal Court, July 18’, The Times (1870); [Anon], ‘Central Criminal Court, July 18’, The Times (1870); Account of John O’Connor Power’s Proposal to Amend the Prison Bill, Hansard, (1877); John Devoy, The Land of Eire (1882) (excerpt); Letter from Corporal Thomas Chambers to John Boyle O’Reilly, [1878], Letter from Doctor William Carroll to John Devoy [1878], Letter from Doctor William Carroll to John Devoy [1878], Letter from Doctor William Carroll to John Devoy [1878], Letter from Doctor William Carroll to John Devoy [1878], Letter from John O’Leary to John Devoy [1878], Letter from John Devoy to James Reynolds [1878], Letter from John Devoy to James Reynolds [1879], Letter from Richard Pigott to an unknown correspondent [1879], Letter from Michael Davitt to John Devoy [1880], Letter from Patrick Egan to John Devoy [1882], Letter from James O’Kelly to John Devoy [1882], Letter from John O’Leary to John Devoy [1882] Devoy’s Post Bag (1948); [Anon], ‘The Released Political Prisoners’, Freeman’s Journal (1878); John Devoy, ‘Davitt’s Relations with the Fenians’, Gaelic American (1906); John Devoy, The Land of Eire (1882) (excerpt); Evidence of Charles Stewart Parnell, Report of the Special Commission on Parnellism and Crime (1890) (excerpts); Richard Pigott, Personal Recollections of an Irish Nationalist Journalist (1883); D B Cashman, The Life of Michael Davitt, Founder of the National Land League (1882); William O’Brien, Recollections (1905) (excerpts); Letter from Governor Clifton to Sir William Harcourt (8 February 1881); Letter from Governor Clifton to Sir William Harcourt (6 May 1882) (excerpt); Henry George, ‘Davitt A Splendid Interview with the Released Chief’, Irish World (1882); Henry George, ‘The Phoenix Park Affair and its Effect in London’, Irish World (1882) (excerpt); Henry George, [Letter to the Irish World], Irish World (1882) (excerpt); Evidence of Matthew Harris, Report of the Special Commission on Parnellism and Crime (1890) (excerpt); [Anon], ‘Michael Davitt on the Rampage’, Connaught Telegraph (1882) ; William O’Brien, Evening Memories (1920) (excerpt); Lord and Lady Aberdeen, “We Twa”: Reminiscences of Lord and Lady Aberdeen (1926) (excerpt); [Anon], ‘Dublin of Today’, Daily Telegraph (1886) (excerpt); Jose Martí, [Account of Visit to Ireland], La Nación (1887); [Anon], ‘Arrival of Mr M Davitt’, Freeman’s Journal (1887); [Anon], ‘Presentations to Mrs Davitt’, Freeman’s Journal (1887); Sophie O’Brien, ‘Memoir of Mr and Mrs Michael Davitt’; Wilfred Scawen Blunt, The Land War in Ireland (1912); Wilfred Scawen Blunt, The Land War in Ireland (1912) (excerpts); [Anon], ‘Jubilee Eviction Campaign’, Freeman’s Journal (1887); Major-General Sir Alfred E Turner, Sixty Years of a Soldier’s Life (1912) (excerpts); John Macdonald, Diary of the Parnell Commission (1890) (excerpts); D D Sheehan, Ireland Since Parnell (1921) (excerpt); [Anon], ‘The Labour Question’, Freeman’s Journal (1890); [Anon], ‘The Liverpool Strike’, Freeman’s Journal (1890); [Anon], ‘The Labour Meeting in Phœnix Park’, Freeman’s Journal (1890); Edward Byrne, ‘Parnelliana’, Irish Weekly Independent (1898) (excerpt); Maud Gonne McBride, A Servant of the Queen (1938) (excerpt); J G Swift MacNeill, What I Have Seen and Heard (1924) (excerpt); Arthur Lynch, Ireland: Vital Hour (1915) (excerpt; Arthur Lynch, My Life Story (1924) (excerpt); ‘Pat’ [P D Kenny], ‘Michael Davitt and the Boers’, Saturday Review (1908); [Arthur Griffith], [‘Mr Davitt’s letters from South Africa’], United Irishman (1900); [Arthur Griffith], [‘Mr Davitt, as we surmised’], United Irishman (1900); William O’Brien, An Olive Branch in Ireland and its History (1910) (excerpts) ‘Nationalist’ [Arthur Griffith], ‘The Game of Humbug’, United Irishman (1901); H M Hyndman, Further Reminiscences (1912) (excerpt); [William Bulfin], ‘Interview with Mr M Davitt’, The Southern Cross (1904); Sir William Orpen, Stories of Old Ireland and Myself (1924) (excerpt); Alfred Webb, Alfred Webb: The Autobiography of a Quaker Nationalist (1999) (excerpt); [Anon], ‘Thos Brennan’s Tribute’, Gaelic American (1906); [James Connolly], ‘A Text for a Revolutionary Lecture’, Harp (1908); ‘Pat’ [P D Kenny], ‘Patriana’, Irish Peasant (1906); Wilfred Scawen Blunt, ‘Michael Davitt, A Personal Recollection’, Speaker (1906); F Sheehy-Skeffington, ‘Michael Davitt’s ideals’, National Democrat (1907); J Keir Hardie, ‘Michael Davitt I – The Democrat’, Socialist Review (1908); T M Kettle, ‘Michael Davitt II – the Nationalist’, Socialist Review (1908); F Sheehy Skeffington, ‘Frederick Ryan’, Irish Review (1913) (excerpt); J P Dunne, ‘Memoir of Michael Davitt’ (1941); [Anon], ‘A New Song on Michael Davitt’ (1881); [Anon], ‘Davitt: 1882’, Irish World (1882); [Anon], ‘Our Cartoon’, United Ireland (1887)

Volume 4: James Bronterre O’Brien

[Anon], ‘Spy Report’ (1830); [Anon], ‘Mr Hunt and the Electors of Preston’, A Penny Paper for the People by the Poor Man’s Guardian (1831); John & James Powell, Proceedings of the Second Co-operative Congress, Held in Birmingham, October 4, 5, and 6 1831 (1831) (excerpts); Thomas MacConnell, ‘To the Editor of Bronterre’s National Reformer’, Bronterre’s National Reformer (1837); John Ward, ‘To Bronterre’, Bronterre’s National Reformer (1837); [Anon], ‘The Anarchists and the “Weekly Chronicle”’, Weekly Chronicle (1838); [Anon], ‘“Treachery in the Camp,” or the Anarchists at a Discount’, Weekly Chronicle (1838); Richard Carlile, ‘Kings, Lords, Priests, &c &c’, Operative (1839); Richard Carlile, ‘Another Attack on Us by Mr Carlile’, Operative (1839); Richard Carlile, ‘To the Editor of “The Operative”’, Operative (1839); Richard Carlile, An Address to that Portion of the People of Great Britain and Ireland Calling Themselves Reformers (1839); Francis Place, ‘The Northern Star Newspaper O’Connor O’Brien Stephens and Oastler’; Francis Place, [O’Brien and the Operative newspaper] (excerpt); Francis Place, ‘Public meeting at Kilmarnock, 11 June 1839’; Richard Brookes, ‘Bronterre and his Constituents’, Operative (1839); John Warden, ‘Bronterre O’Brien and Physical Force’, Operative (1839); George Julian Harney, ‘To the Editor of “The Operative”’, Operative (1838); ‘SW’, ‘To the Editor of “The Operative”’, Operative (1838); William Morgan, ‘The “Operatives” in Bristol’, Operative (1838); James Devlin, ‘The Phoenix Pamphlet’, Cordwainers’ Companion (1844); James Bronterre O’Brien, ‘Bronterre’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1838); George Julian Harney, ‘John Bell and the Bradford Radicals’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1838); [Anon], ‘The Operative’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1838); [Anon], ‘Bronterre and the “Operative”’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1838); [Anon], ‘Direction of the Movement’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1839); [Anon], ‘The Southern Star’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1839); [Anon], ‘Bronterre O’Brien’s New Paper’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1839); [Anon], ‘The Stamp Office and the Southern Star’, Southern Star and London and Brighton Patriot (1840); George Julian Harney, ‘To James Bronterre O’Brien’, Southern Star and London and Brighton Patriot (1840); [Anon], ‘Chartist Meeting in Newcastle on Sunday Evening’, Tyne Mercury: Or, Northumberland, Durham, and Cumberland Gazette (1839); Letter from Lord John Russell to the Post Master General (1839); [Anon], ‘Bow-Street Arrest of A Delegate’, Charter (1839); [Anon], ‘Police’, The Times (1839) (excerpt); [Anon], ‘Police’, The Times (1839) (excerpt); [Anon], ‘Political Prosecutions’, Charter (1840); [Anon], ‘Chartist Trials’, Southern Star and London and Brighton Patriot (1840); [Anon], ‘Mr O’Brien’s Defence’, Southern Star and London and Brighton Patriot (1840); [Anon], ‘Defence of Bronterre O’Brien’, Southern Star and London and Brighton Patriot (1840); Sophia O’Brien, ‘To the Editor of The Times’, The Times (1840); Petition and Letters in Campaign to Secure O’Brien’s Release; John Ogden, ‘Bronterre O’Brien’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1841); [Anon], ‘The Imprisoned Chartists’, The Times (1840); William McDonald, ‘Visit to Kendal of Mr J Bronterre O’Brien’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1841); [Anon], ‘Bronterre O’Brien in London’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1841); [Anon], ‘The Leeds Times and Bronterre O’Brien’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1841); [Anon], ‘Public Meeting – Bronterre O’Brien’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1841); [Anon], ‘Bronterre O’Brien in London’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1841); ‘Original Correspondence’, British Statesman (1842); ‘A Shopkeeper’, ‘To James Bronterre O’Brien’, British Statesman (1842); Nathaniel Morling, ‘To the Chartists of Great Britain’, British Statesman (1842); James Dodd, ‘To B O’Brien’, British Statesman (1842); Enock Payne et al, ‘To the Chartists of the United Kingdom’, British Statesman (1842); ‘A Member’, Brief Sketches of the Birmingham Conference (1842); Feargus O’Connor, ‘To The Imperial Chartists’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1842); [Anon], ‘How to Convict Leach’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1842); [Anon], ‘The Last of the “Starved Viper”’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1842); Feargus O’Connor, ‘To Mr O’Brien’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (17 September 1842)152; [Feargus O’Connor], ‘The “Infernal Paper-Money” Scheme, and Its Hired Advocate’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1845); Feargus O’Connor, ‘To Mr James Bronterre O’Brien’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1845); [Anon], ‘To Readers & Correspondents’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser (1845); Thomas Fraser, ‘A Few Cheering Words from an Old friend and True Democrat’, National Reformer and Manx Weekly Review of Home and Foreign Affairs (1846); William King, ‘John-Street Meetings – O’Brienism versus Owenism’, National Reformer and Manx Weekly Review of Home and Foreign Affairs (1847); William Emmerson, ‘To the Editor of the National Reformer’, National Reformer and Manx Weekly Review of Home and Foreign Affairs (1847); [Anon], ‘Mr J Bronterre O’Brien’, Reynolds’s Political Instructor (1850); [Anon], ‘James Bronterre O’Brien’, People’s Paper (1853); [Anon], ‘The O’Brien Testimonial’, People’s Paper (1853); [Anon], ‘Grand Soiree in Honour of the “Star of Freedom”’, Star of Freedom (1852); Ernest Jones, ‘To the Supporters of “The People’s Paper”’, People’s Paper (1854); [Anon], ‘The People’s Paper’, People’s Paper (1854); [Anon], ‘The Secret Work’, People’s Paper (1854); [Anon], ‘Mr Gammage and Mr O’Brien’, People’s Paper (1854); [Anon], ‘The People’s Paper’, People’s Paper (1854); [Anon], Mr O’Brien and the Co-Editorship’, People’s Paper (1854); [Anon], [Review of James Bronterre O’Brien, Odes to Lord Palmerston and Louis Napoleon], Reynolds’s Newspaper (1856); [Anon], [Review of James Bronterre O’Brien, An Elegy on the Death of Robespierre], Reynolds’s Newspaper (1856); Letter from H E Neal to Joseph Cowen (1859) (excerpt); Alexander Somerville, Conservative Science of Nations (1860) (excerpt); G E Harris, ‘Death of Mr Bronterre O’Brien’, National Reformer (1865); [G E Harris], ‘The Funeral of Mr James Bronterre O’Brien, BA’, National Reformer (1865); Hugh Felton, ‘Lines on James Bronterre O’Brien’, National Reformer (1865); J Matthews, ‘Death of James Bronterre O’Brien’, National Reformer (1865); Letter from Victor Hugo to G E Harris (30 December 1864); W H Cockburn, ‘To the Editor of The Times’, The Times (1865); John Rogers et al, ‘The National Reform League’, Supplement to the Working Man (1867); John Rogers et al, ‘Bronterre O’Brien To the Editor of the Bee-hive’, The Bee-hive (1869); ‘Whyte Thorne’, The Democracy (1876) (excerpt); ‘Spartacus’ [W J Linton], ‘Dedication’ to James Bronterre O’Brien, The Rise, Progress, and Phases of Human Slavery (1885)

Related titles

• British Trade Unions, 1707–1918
• Chartist Literary Landmarks
• Chartist Movement in Britain, 1838–1850
• Daniel O'Connell and the Anti-Slavery Movement : 'The Saddest People the Sun Sees'
• English Catholicism, 1680–1830

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