Chapter Sixteen
Mitchel's Third Term, 1872-1876
Mitchel's Third Term, 1872-1876
Not long into Mitchel's third term, a survey was done in the Netherlands. What the results were shocked many. In just one year, the population of Irish in Groiningen had gone from 0% to 49.2%. The opening of the factory, in addition to the shortage of work in Ireland proper contributed to this situation.
The population grew so much that Heineken announced it would be expanding it's distillery.
However, the events of June 1873 overshadowed the beer in Holland. For the first time ever, the African colonies revolted. In Freetown in Guinea, 10,000 Mande tribesmen arose and wreaked havoc on the province.
The Irish army was quickly sent to Guinea, but Freetown had fallen by that point, and it was up to the Irish to stop them at Conakry, which they did emphatically.
By October, all was back in Irish hands. Thinking they had been taught a lesson, the Irish headed home once more.
Shortly thereafter, the three nations of the BCEU met in Belfast for the second BCEU confrence, the first was in Leeds a few years back. At the meeting, the subject of Newfoundland came up, and the British were willing to have it partitioned between Ireland and Canada. Ireland and Canada willingly accepted it, and a treaty was signed to that effect on December 1, 1873. The Irish tried to get Nova Scotia set up as a neutral internation territory under BCEU domination, but Canada would give it up, and the British weren't willing to force Canada's hand. The confrence of Belfast was closed on December 10, 1873, and it left Mitchel with some of his lost prestige.
The factory was finished later in the year, and was nerly full immediately. As soon as funds are available, Heineken will be expanded again.
By July 1874, the tribesmen had risen in Guinea again, and were much more powerful and prepared this time.
So, the Irish went to Guinea, where they once again soundly beat the Mande in a pitched battle in Kankan.
The election for PM was perhaps the most anti-climactic in History. After the election of 1872, the Duffists never stopped campaigning and so for the past four years had been inundating the populace with campaign information and attacks on the Mitcehlites. So, when the election came around, the Duffists shocked everybody and won, winning 50 seats to 45 seats in Parliament.
The election was held on November 15, 1875. Unfortunately for the Mitchelites and the Nation, PM John Mitchel died on January 3, 1876, a mere month and a half later, of a massive cerebral hemmorage on the floor of Parliament. It was on the same spot that Doheny had had his stroke only 12 years ago. Thus, Charles Gavan Duffy came to power against a faction once on top, now struggling for guidance. It was much like the time when Michael Doheny came to power taking it away from the struggling conservatives.
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