Stephen's was not the place, where patriotic Irish members
could best serve their country. Agreeably to this view, he remained in
Ireland for nearly two months after the meeting of Parliament, in
regular attendance at the Repeal Association, throwing out suggestions
for the formation of an Irish party, on a basis wide enough to admit
Liberals, Conservatives, and all others with national aspirations. He
also paid much attention to the measures brought forward by the
Government for the relief of his famishing countrymen; he prepared and
brought up reports in the Association on those measures, and reviewed
and criticised them in his speeches. At length, he entered an appearance
in the House of Commons on the 13th of March. There was a motion before
the House, brought forward by the Home Secretary, Sir James Graham, that
provision should be made to meet the impending fever and famine in
Ireland. Sir James, in his speech, boasted of the sums of money already
advanced, with such liberality, for the relief of Ireland. Smith O'Brien
made a brief reply, in which he said that the moneys advanced were badly
expended, having found their way into other channels than those
intended.
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