Controversy with Archbishop Hughes about the temporal power- Injures the circulation of the paper-Eagerly watching the progress of the war in Europe-Interview with the Russian Minister-The Know-Nothing movement-Accepts a banquet at Richmond-Journey thither, and to Charlottesville and Monticello-Sees that "there are two nations in the United States "-The University of Virginia -Oration at Charlottesville-At a New England watering-place- Release of O'Brien and the other prisoners-Meeting in New York -Tired of editing, gives up the Citizen-Migration to the South- Knoxville, East Tennessee-Exploring the country-Tucaleechee Cove-A mountain farm-Letters-How we live "up in here ❞—A lecturing tour-The Jesuits in Tucaleechee-Decides on removing to Knoxville—Building a house, but feeling that he "shan't live long in it "—Society at Knoxville—Visit to Montvale—“ Escaping from the At Knoxville-Plans for the future-Second lecturing tour-Lecture at Washington-Shall he resume his profession?-Letter to Dillon-- Mr. Swan-The South needs an organ-The Southern Citizen— Surprise of many of his friends at the line taken by him on slavery— Letter to Father Kenyon-Apologia pro vita suâ-Letter to a lady ; why he prefers the South-His position with regard to slavery, on what he grounded it-Slavery versus free competition-Cash payment sole nexus-Social organization still a difficulty-Winter of '57 and '58, lecturing in the southern cities—Letters to Hon. A. H. Stephens ("Last Conquest ")—Visit of James Stephens-Autumn of 1858, Southern Citizen transplanted to Washington-Adieu to Knoxville Southern Citizen at Washington-Friends and society there-Visit of afford to stay in Paris, "looking out for squalls"-January, 1860: back to New York-A lecturing tour-Brings his family north-A holiday at the seaside-Returns to France, this time with his family -Paris, Rue de l'Est—As a newspaper correspondent-Letter to Mr. and Mrs. Dillon-An exile's Declaration of Rights-His eldest daughter a Catholic-Outbreak of war in America-His sons in the Confederate army-Choisy-le-roi-Visit of O'Brien, last meeting with him-Abortive projects in Ireland-George H. Moore, the O'Donoghue-French neighbours-A walking tour in Normandy- Another in the South-Correspondence with Charleston Mercury can- not get through-Anxiety about his sons-Determines to join them, Washington in war-time-Crossing the lines-All but captured-On Con- federate ground-Richmond-Editing the Enquirer—The Examiner, John M. Daniel-Visit to his sons in camp-On the Ambulance Committee-Death of his daughter-Gettysburg, death of Willy- Captain Mitchel at Charleston, earning honours-Mrs. Mitchel in Ireland—Summer of 1863, war going badly-Leaves the Enquirer for the Examiner-Mrs. Mitchel resolves to join her husband and sons-Running the blockade-Reaches Richmond with loss of every- thing-A weak spot in the harness of the Confederacy-Mitchel in Richmond society-A lady's idea of him-Keeping the people "up to the fighting point "—General Grant's "simple arithmetical problem" -His manner of fighting-Exhaustion of the South—General Lee— Ambulance duty-The enemy "making furious rushes to get in upon us "—"A people stripped for battle "-Captain Mitchel in command of Fort Sumter-His death-Richmond no longer tenable-Mitchel goes with the Government to Danville-Surrender of Lee-Richmond Mitchel in New York, editor of Daily News-Justifies the South, while viii Fethard-Effect of hard usage upon his health-Refuses to complain A scene in the Irish College-Death of John B. Dillon-Return to At Richmond-Broken by imprisonment―The "History of Ireland ”– Declines the headship of the Fenians-Letters on Fenianism-- Marriage of his daughter Minnie-Removal to New York-The Irish Citizen-Not equal to his earlier newspapers-A grandfather-Visit of the Martins-Letters-Answer to Mr. Froude-Fall of 1873, de- clining health-A testimonial to him-Lectures a little now and then-A severe illness-Spring of 1874, a longing for home-Visit to Ireland-Amidst old scenes, old friends-Return to Brooklyn in October-A vacancy in Tipperary-Offers himself, and sails February 6-Address-Speech on his election-Lecture in Cork; LIFE OF JOHN MITCHEL. 13 CHAPTER I. CONVICT LIFE (continued)—VAN DIEMEN'S LAND-ESCAPE -SAN FRANCISCO-NEW YORK. 1853. THE first entry made in the " Jail Journal," after the account of the visit to O'Brien, is dated January 1, 1853. There are passages in this entry to the same effect as in the letters quoted at the end of the last chapter. These passages allow us to see very clearly the direction in which Mitchel's thoughts were now tending, and the feelings with which he was coming to regard his Tasmanian life :—– It is long since I have made an entry in my log-book. Of literature I am almost sick, and prefer farming, and making market of my wool. There is somewhat stupefying to the brain, as well as invigorating to the frame in this genial clime and aromatic air. A phenomenon for which I strive to account in various modes. We, also, John Knox and I, have eaten narcotic lotos here; and if it has not removed, it has surely softened the sting, even of our nostalgia. We, too, have quaffed in these gardens the cup of lazy enchantment, mingled for us by the hands of Fata Morgana the Witch; and if we have not forgotten the outer busy world, at VOL. II. B least the sound of its loud, passionate working, comes to our ear from afar off, deadened, softened, almost harmonized, like the roar of ocean waves heard in a dream, or murmuring through the spiral chamber of a sea-shell. Surely it is not good for us to be here. The truth is, he was far from content with his life at Nant Cottage. Many people will perhaps think that he was hard to please, and that he was as well off at Nant Cottage as he was likely to be anywhere else. He was living in what he admits to have been a splendid climate; he had better health than he had known for years; his farm yielded enough to supply the wants of himself and his family, and he had plenty of time to devote to the education of his children. Well, I do not hesitate to admit that he was hard to please. Most men who have any innate nobility of character are hard to please with the conditions of life in this world; and especially in early life, the nobler kind of men, when they feel the taedium vitae, are apt to suppose that it is due in a great degree to the particular kind of life they are leading, and to long for a change. This kind of feeling had no doubt a good deal to say to Mitchel's discontent in Tasmania, as it had also a good deal to say to his discontent in after years, with other ways of life very different from that which he was then leading. But there was a special cause for his discontent at Nant Cottage which is hinted at in the passage last quoted from the "Journal," and which some men at least will find it easy to understand. Mitchel was a man by nature keen, eager, ardent, impetuous. He had been leading a life of constant and passionate activity. We have seen how, during the years preceding his transportation, his surroundings were such as to arouse his best passions and to call all his energies into play. From this state of excitement and keen human interest, he found himself |