In moments of stress and difficulty he is the man always selected by his colleagues to state the Irish case.
Never in his chequered and stormy early career did that wonderful Parliamentarian have a task more difficult than that by which he was now confronted.

In front of him was the Government in the very panic of impending ruin.

He had only to look across the floor of the House, and he could see the pallid face of that mighty statesman who lives so high in the hearts and affections of the people whom Mr.Sexton represents, and who at that moment was in his hour of agony, if not of final and irretrievable ruin.

Behind the Prime Minister were other men--equally eager to hear what he had to say--that sturdy band of Radicals, mostly from Scotland, who only wanted the word to desert their own leader and follow the guidance of the Irish members.

And behind Mr.Sexton was the grimmest enemy of all--the men from his own country, who were resolved, on this occasion, to push the demand of Ireland to the extreme point, and who held that he would betray the Irish cause if he backed, not them, but Mr.Gladstone and the British Government.
[Sidenote: And takes the lead.] It required all the dexterity, all the coolness, all the splendid equanimity and courage of the man of genius at such a fateful hour to keep his head.