O'Brien?" He only answered by
a determined shake of his head, and moved on. For some time after the
departure of Smith O'Brien and his supporters silent depression reigned
in the Hall. John Augustus O'Neill, in an eloquent speech, endeavoured
to put the meeting in good spirits again, but with very limited success.
Every one seemed to feel that a great calamity had occurred. O'Brien and
Mitchel spoke with cool, collected determination--more especially the
latter. John O'Connell took his stand on the Rules of the Association,
as embodied in the Peace Resolutions. I was near him during his speech
on each day; and although evidently labouring under the gravity of the
occasion, he never ceased to be master of himself. His style was clear,
but his voice being neither powerful nor resonant, he failed to make
that impression upon his hearers which was warranted by his reasoning.
Meagher's delivery of the sword speech had more of ostentation than
grace in it. A common gesture of his (if it can be called such) was to
place his arms a-kimbo, and turn his head a little to one side,
suggesting the idea that this attitudinizing was meant to attract
admiration to himself rather than to his argument.
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