The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-16
Sketches Of the Men Who Worry
the House of Commons.
THEIR ALLIES AND RECRUITS.
Concessions Gained Through Their Policy
from the Tory Ministry.
HOW IRELAND REGARDS THEIR SYSTEM

"Alust we admit that Parliament Is becoming in
efficient as Legislative mschineY' was the question
that the London Times propounded to the English
people about month ago. This 10 . remarkabie
question. and it gains in significance from tho fact
that the entire press of the United Kingdom has for
some weeks been devoting much consideration to
the possible failure of the most cherished OF British
institutions. The whole nation at present contem-
plates with anger and dismay the shortcomings OF
the.House of Commons. for 1t is from the heart OF
that body that the trouble arises and the tory min
listers are at their wits end to find some means Of
overcoming perhaps the greatest domestic difficulty
that English Ministry has had to encounter since
the constitution took its present shape The truth
is that during the current session OF Parliament
public business has been almost at q standsill; all
private bills have had to be sacrificed to make time
Tor measures of political urgency. "and yet"
the Times, scarcely one in ten of the Ministerial
measures has even o chance Of life. and 1t seems
probable, from the Chancellor Of the Exchequer's
statement (made couple of weeks ago), that the
Army Discipline BILL If it passes in time. will be al
most the sole legislative fruit Of the session. This
aoes not arise from any weakness OF the Ministry.
Their party is strong in Parliament and the country
but the wheels Of the parliamentary machine are
deadlockel There is difficulty simply in effecting
the mere mechanical process of carrying the meas
ures through the House of Commons; and this diff
guilty. it is almost needless say, is entirely the
work of the little group of Irish members. who
have earned for themselves the title Of 'obstruc.
honsts"
When the flibustering policy was inaugurated.
couple of sessions ago, the public stood aghast to
see leaders of their Legislature bated and the work
of the House Of Commons delayed whole nights by
few comparatively unknown members. who seemed
to lack the confidence even Of the home rule body.
to which they claimed to belong. At that time the
obstructionist party proper numbered only four
men. But with that strength they occupied whole
hours in discussion and divided the House. night
after night, and often many tmos in night, whilo
hour alter hour spent in angry and futile dis
cussions. Last year the nuisance grew to such
pitch that the time honored rules of the House
altered and arrangements made to restrain the
highly priced liberty Of speech in manner never
before heard Of. The obstruction was. however. in
no way checked. and this year, says the Times, 1t
has reached climax The party now controls
almost thirty votes in the House Of Commons. and,
much to the disgust OF all rigid parliamentarians.
has more than once of late days found notable
English members lighting in its cause.
LEADER THE PARTY.
Notwithstanding the accession OF members and
power to the ranks of the Irish flibusterers the
same men who first conceived and carried out the
system which, to say the least has proved so
tous the two great parties and their leaders, have
succeeded in maintaining their position as the chief
opponents of the policy that they have invented.
Messrs. Parnell. Biggar. O'Donnell and OConnor
Power still the chief obstructioniss, and still
fake the leading part in the fracases which from time
to time convert the Lower House into a Of bear
garden. They all four remarkable men, gifted
with wonderful courage and resolution and have,
with their followers, gained at present as
much notoriety probably as any persons IN
The British Empire. Charles Stewart Par
nell. in respects the most prominent
Of the obstructionists. belongs to very
good Irish family, whose members have been for
several generations identified with the nationalist
cause. The line begins with Q patriotic and meri-
torious poet OF the seventeenth century His grand
nephew, Sir John Parnel. was the head of the
family. living about the end Of the last century, aud
be of the most bitter opponents of the "Act
Of Union which fused the Irish and English Par
iiaments into body. His son. Sir John Parnell,
also opposed this act. but afterward elected
member OF the imperial legislature. and there
always took most liberal stand In the discussion OF
Irish affairs. He strenuous advocate of Catho-
&c emancipation. and year after year presented the
Catholic Petition" to the House Of Commons after
the emancipation party quarrelled with the distin
guished Henry Gfattan. This Parnell was after
wards raised to the peeraae under the title
If Lord Congleton, and the present head
Of the line bears that title. Charles Stewart Parnel.
the obstructionist, is also grandson OF Admiral
Stewart. of the American navy. who died about ten
years ago. full of years and OF honors which he
gathered in the war of 1912. In fact. 1t was owing
to his efforts that all the naval successes OF that
were obtained by the United States. as he and Cap
tain cambridge chiefly Instrumental in getting
the squadron sent to sea- He was also the COM
mander of the Constitution and won in common
with that vessel the sobriquet of "Old Ironsides
Ills daughter, Mrs. Parnell, and the Misses Parnel
town. N. J. MIR. G. :. Parneil's residence is Avon
dale. county wicklow, Ireland. where he owns
handsome property. He also owns factories IN the
same county. He IL about thirty-two years old. and
Ia tall. slight and handsome with lair complexion.
He il remarkable for his wonderful GOODNESS in de-
bate, his perseverance,. courage and energy. 1t
owing TO his remarkable possession OF the last
named quality thar the election of Mr.. Finnegan
was secured in the recent Ennis election. Ho pos
excellent general education, which he OBJ
tanned at Magdaene College. Cambridge. lie sits in
Parliament for Meath county. remarkable feature
in his method opposition that never loses his
temper his presence oil mind, and is rude to
over trivial points, he will rise to speak some
side issue time and again: he will move an adjourn
ment ten times in an evening, but always with
SMILE aud will always preface his remarks with.A
lew words of apparent Cancellation aud depreciation.
PARNEiL's LrEUrENANTs.
second In importance to Mr.. parnell stands Mr..
Francis ODonnell, the vice president and honorary
secretary of the Home Rule Association. He is
University Of ireland. and member for Dunnaryan.
Ho In not man OF property end lives by his pen,
hnding q ready market tor his weli-inforned aud
pointedly written articles in the ngsh reviews aud
magazines. AS a literary man he has acquired an
unusual fund OF knowledge concerning the British
colonies aud foreign affairs. and by means of his In
formation these subjects has been able to give
much trouble TO the Ministry In the discussion OF
questions wherein the average member hardly trusts
Himself to speak. He has made himself many en-
emics In the House by the general contcmptuous In
science Of his demeanor lie wears glass ana when
hs rises to address the House sticks IL in his
eye and casts scornul glance over the tory
benches. which Is III itself an Insult 10
his opponents all the more bitter be-
cause u IN impossible for them to resent
OF even notice H. ile made himself very unpopular
with his own party for long time by taking the side
81 the ministers against Russia and the slavonic
principalities that struggling for liberty. but
laiteriy ho has recovered ground and now keeps
silence whenever he cannot agree with his col
leagues. He N an excellent speaker though. per-
inclined To be horid IN his language. aud IL
perfect master OF satire. so. indeed, MIR. Joseph
u. biggar. Mr.. Biegar has the misfortune of being
much defcrmed. dwarf In stature. hunchbacked