"God's help comes to those who help themselves," answered the
agitator.

Father Cahill made his last and strongest appeal:

"My poor children, the constabulary are coming to break up the
meetin' and to arrest HIM."

"Let them come," cried O'Connell. "Show them that the spirit of
Irish manhood is not dead. Show them that we still have the power
and the courage to defy them. Tell them we'll meet when and where we
think fit. That we'll not silence our voices while there's breath in
our bodies. That we'll resist their tyranny while we've strength to
shouldher a gun or handle a pike. I appeal to you, O Irishmen, in
the name of yer broken homes; in the name of all that makes life
glorious and death divine! In the name of yer maimed and yer dead!
Of yer brothers in prison and in exile! By the listenin' earth and
the watching sky I appeal to ye to make yer stand to-day. I implore
ye to join yer hearts and yer lives with mine. Lift yer voices with
me: stretch forth yer hands with mine and by yer hopes of happiness
here and peace hereafter give an oath to heaven never to cease
fightin' until freedom and light come to this unhappy land!"

"Swear by all ye hold most dear: by the God who gave ye life: by the
memory of all ye hold most sacred: by the sorrow for yer women and
children who have died of hunger and heart-break: stretch forth yer
hands and swear to give yer lives so that the generations to come
may know happiness and peace and freedom. Swear!"

He stopped at the end of the adjuration, his right hand held high