As a final preliminary to this step, however, Mr.Frelinghuysen was induced to avail himself of the unusual and officious intervention of his most distinguished living predecessor in the State Department, Mr.Hamilton Fish.

After measuring the gravity of the situation, Mr.Fish at the end of March sent a despatch to an eminent public man, well known on both sides of the Atlantic, and now resident in London, with authority to show it personally to Mr.
Gladstone, to the effect that if any further delay occurred in complying with the moderate and reasonable demand of the American Government for the immediate release or the immediate trial of the American "suspects," the relations between Great Britain and the United States would be very seriously "strained." This despatch was at once communicated to Mr.Gladstone.Within the week, the liberation was announced of six American "suspects." Within a fortnight, Mr.Parnell, Mr.O'Kelly, and Mr.Dillon, it is understood, imprisoned members of Parliament, were offered their liberty if they would consent to a sham exile on the Continent for a few weeks, or even days; and within a month Mr.Forster, in his place in Parliament, was imputing to his late chief and Premier the negotiation of that celebrated "Treaty of Kilmainham," which was repudiated with equal warmth by the three Irish members already named, and by Mr.Gladstone.
NOTE D.
THE PARNELLITES AND THE ENGLISH PARTIES.
(Prologue, p.

1.) As I am not writing a history of English parties, I need not discuss here the truth or falsehood of this contention.

But I cannot let it pass without a word as to two cases which came under my own observation, and which aggravate the inherent improbability of the tale.

In November 1885 I went to America, and on my way passed through Stockport, where my friend, Mr.Jennings, long my correspondent in England, was then standing as a Conservative candidate.