The events which literally drove Irish constitutional Nationalists into following Ulster's example had still to occur.
There was, however, a wide extension of the cadres of the organization, and it was being spread by men some of whom--like Professor MacNeill--dissented from Redmond's attitude of quiescence, while some were general opponents of the whole constitutional policy.

They covered the country with committees, recruited, it is true, from all sections of Nationalist Ireland.

But it was inevitable that the element who distrusted Redmond, and whose distrust he reciprocated, should attain an influence out of all proportion to its following in the country.
Government's action--and this sentence will run like a refrain through the rest of this book--contributed largely to strengthen the extremists and to weaken Redmond's hold on the people.

During eleven months the Ulster Volunteers had been drilling, had been importing arms, and no step was taken to interfere.

Within ten days after the Irish Volunteer Force began to be enrolled, a proclamation (issued on December 4, 1913) prohibited the importation of military arms and ammunition into Ireland.
A system of search was instituted.