THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 225 



mind at the time when the Fenian disturbance 

 was at its height is to be seen in the action of 

 the House of Representatives in relation to the 

 neutrality laws. In the summer of 1866 the 

 House passed by a unanimous vote a bill to 

 repeal the prohibition, in those laws, of fitting 

 out ships for belligerents. The bearing of this 

 is clearer when connected with the suggestion 

 made in debate that the &quot;Republic of Ireland&quot; 

 be recognized as a belligerent. When, a year or 

 two later, there was war between Great Britain 

 and Abyssinia, an Anglophobe senator intro 

 duced and sustained with great vigor a resolu 

 tion recognizing King Theodore as a belliger 

 ent, and authorizing him to fit out privateers 

 in the ports of the United States. 



In Ireland and England the Fenians man 

 ifested their existence through a long series of 

 plots and ineffective lawlessness. Very many 

 of those who were most active in these opera 

 tions had duly equipped themselves with the 

 rights of American citizenship. At no time 

 after the first weeks of 1866 were the British 

 authorities in the least danger from the Fenians. 

 The government had the situation well in hand, 

 and the arrests of offenders went on without 

 ceasing. Naturally, loud appeals for help came 



