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O'Connell came with one Irish member
to support him. A large party of members (I think Buxton said
twenty-seven) whom we called the West India interest, the Bristol party,
the slave party, went to him, saying, 'O'Connell, at last you are in the
House, with one helper. If you never go down to Freemason's Hall with
Buxton and Brougham, here are twenty-seven votes for you on every Irish
question. If you work with those Abolitionists, count us always against
you.'
"It was a terrible temptation. How many a so-called statesman would have
yielded! O'Connell said, 'Gentlemen, God knows I speak for the saddest
people the sun sees; but may my right hand forget its cunning and my
tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if to help Ireland--even
Ireland--I forget the negro one single hour.' From that day," said
Buxton, "Lushington and I never went into the lobby that O'Connell did
not follow us."
And then, besides his irreproachable character he had what is half the
power of a popular orator, he had a majestic presence. A little
O'Connell would have been no O'Connell at all.


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