This line of argument did us little harm in Great Britain; in Ireland it improved Redmond's position, for it was a useful answer to Mr.O'Brien's representation of him as the abject tool of Liberal politicians.

The election, on the whole, strengthened our party.

Mr.Healy was thrown out; and Mr.O'Brien, though he retained the seven seats held by his adherents in Cork, failed in two out of three personal candidatures.
In Great Britain the second election of the year 1910 had the surprising result of reproducing almost exactly the same division of parties: and this added greatly to the strength of the Government.

The Tory leaders now, instead of insisting on a maintenance of the old Constitution, went into alternative proposals--including the adoption of the Referendum.
This was their constructive line; the destructive resolved itself largely into an endeavour to focus resistance on the question of Ireland--the purpose for which alone, they said, abolition of the veto was demanded.

As has often happened, action taken by the Vatican gave the opponents of Home Rule a useful weapon.