The New York herald., 1879-08-09
THE ENNIS ELECTION.
Significance Of the Struggle
for Ireland.
CLERICALS AND HOME RULERS
Victory Of the Parnel
Candidate.
DUBLIN, July 20, 1877!


For the past ten days We have had the Ennis elec-
ton dinned into and staring Us in our
eyes, Men spoke about it. always coming round to
it, whatever was the subject of conversation. The
newspapers had leader about 1t conscientiously
every day, besides lots of news" Now it is all
over The candidate whom the Catholic bishop and
clergy supported defeated the man whom Mr.
Parnell recommended elected. But 1t is easy to
misunderstood this result. Some will have it that
the knel OF priestly influence has struck in Ireland
elsewhere. Others make little of the business
aud say it all personal matter. Some go so far
to shake their heads solemnly and declare that
this is Pyrrhc victory for the advanced home
rulers. who look to Parnen as their chief.
They have quarreled with the Church. we are
warned. and now they sure to come to grief. OF
there is some truth underlying all these crit
icisms. some color for the pessimist views each
would incucate. Irish politics always Of the
fervid kind. especially when former friends fall out
witness Old and Young Ireland little more than
thirty years ago.
THE CHARACTER OF THE ELECTION.
Where is Ennis? and what the election about?
1t is the chief town in Clare county, has about six
thousand inhabitants and only $50 electors Let not
your readers be astonshed. The voting power in
Ireland is confined to limited class. Our electors
are relatively fewer than in England. 1t Glare
county which, in 1928, returned Dan O'Con-
nell broke the landlord oligarchy which had
hitherto controlled Irish voters and so
frightened the Duke Of Wellington that
Catholic emancipation granted few months
later The Glare men have always prided themselves
their victory of that time. They have felt the
force of the motto nobesse obge and have considered
themselves bound to strain every nerve to return
representatives who should be in harmony with the
best political. aspirations of the country. 1t is un
necessary to say they have not always sent prodges
of political virtue to Parliament. Shams are to be
found pretty abundantly here elsewhere. But
usually the members for Clare have found it ex-
pedent to 'feign a virtue when they had it
not" Ennis conspicuous in the heroic days
of %. and has always required copious patriotic
pledges candidate who asp ired to have the
honor Of representing the little borough in Parlia-
ment. The late member died about fortnight ago.
thus making vacancy. He was Captain Stacpoole.
formerly officer i'll the British army. He was not
a very advanced very clear Drained politician
may be inferred the fact that his panacea for
irish grievances to purchase estate in Ireland
where some one ut did not matter who) of the
Queens sons should spend few months every year.
He was good-natured man, whom no one wished
to turn out of his post. When ''home rule" became
cry he joined the league. but his home rule
of the mildest and least aggressive style.
THE LAST STRUGGLE
As soon as the vacancy occurred Mr.. Parnell at
mis- e o s
wish. He actually wrote to some local leaders of
political opinion in Ennis, requesting them to keep
themselves free for few days until they heard from
him. Meantime, Mr.. William O'Brien. lawyer,
who holds the post of public prosecutor, appeared
| as candidate. He announced himself to be a homo
| ruler. Then Mr.. Parnelrs candidate appeared, a
Mr.. Lysaght Finigan. about whose profession OF po
tical principles there was an unnistakable ring of
genuine metal OBriens s address to the electors. de-
carng his political principles, was scarcely adver
tised III the newspapers when 1t was also announced
| that Bishop Ryan. Of Killaloe, within which dio-
cese Ennis Is situated. had held meeting with the
clergy of the deanery, and they had resolved to sup
port Mr.. o Brien. and strongly recommended him to
the electors, and thus contest became imminent
Both men were Catholics. Finigan had served
campaign of the Loire with the French army under
| General Chanzy. He is u young man of education
and culture, linguist and Journalist. He has had
considerable share in the organization OF the home
rule confederation in Great Britain, and has given
Mr. Parnel valuable assistance carrying out those
arrangements by which the votes OF Irish residents
in the English towns have been made to influence
the English elections Naturally the member tor
Meath wished to have with him in the House of
Commons one who could render immense because
intelligent. service. his political campaign against
the British government
| THE CLERICAL CANDIDATE
OBrien il really what is known in Ireland
whig. He too. is practical Catholic and religious
| man. But he seeks place on the judicial Bench.
and he only takes up politics as the stepping stone
to that elevation. year ago he would not hear Of
home rule, when candidate for Cork city: but he
has learned in the interval that man has chan e
with q popular Irish constituency who will not
cept a national shibboieth. Hence his adhesion in
his printed declaration to which he is generally
reported to laugh at In private life Besides. some
years ago. at semi-political trial.. Mr. O'Brien
made speeches denouncing the advanced sec
gave great irritation. His professions were
certainly not believed in by the people. Probably
NO one would be more dispieased than himself If he
wore to be taken pied de Ia feve and held bound
by the moderate profession Unpopular opinions
up by the Bishop and clergy? In the first place. the
Irish bishops are by no means unanimous on purely
nells views: others abhor them. and would like to
jog on in the old ways. Even on such questions us
willing to take almost anything, while others are
truly in accord with the popular wishes. The
at Ennis tss mver n0s cast in
true views. If he only dared speak them.
would be to let things alone. He shrank
from the undisgused and active nationaism of
Finigsn. He made two mistakes. The people of the
town did not relish the dictation or seeming dicta-
ton of the Bishop and priests. The laity of the
town were not consulted at all. The clergy acted
| IL the duty of the laymen was, not t. judge for
themselves. or even to deliberate. but simply to do
what they were told was right. No one likes to be
dictated TO in this fashion. Then, what right had
the neighborng clergy. who were not electors to in
huence the choice OF the people of EnnisS
PARSELL CANDIDATE
Mr.. Parnell most careful TO avoid any criti-
! cism upon the action of the Bishop and clergy. lie
went to Ennis himself and worked indcfstigably,
assisted energeticsliy by Mr.. Sullivan. OF the
Nation. who certainly exposes, all the short
There not shadow of doubt from
the hrst as TO the direction in which popular sym.
pathy set. And as time went on II was overwheiin-
ingy manifested in favor OF MIR. Finigan. Had every
aduit male had vote. the majority would have
| been hundred times what IL was. When the ballot
boxes were opened 1t found that Finigan had n
majority OF votes. The scene when the Sheriff an
nounced the voting. and declared John Lysaght
Finigan duly elected member Of Parliament Tor the
borough of Ennis" was one OF the Widest enthusi-
asm. Tho cheering and shouting were great that
for quarter of an hour IL impossible to call the
vast crowd to order At length the new member
of Parliament allowed 10 return thanks In
u short speech Then there were loud calls for
Mr.. Parneli who at last came forward looking very
fatigued and careworn. He spoke evidently under
strong emotion. He thanked the meeting and told
them they had sent messenger to England mt whom
she would tremble. Great cheerng.) ut not
that Ennis had beaten whig placchuntcr and tory
landlord but you have struck note which will bt
followed in of constituencies throughout Ire
land. The emotion which thrills my heart conquers
my utterance. I know you Will Forgive But
even II IL was my last breath will say, Well done
Glare; well done. Ennis +" ttireat applauso.)
FINfGAN ELECTED
Mr.. Parnell and Mr. Fingan were then escorted by
the crowd to- the railway depot. and packed wcr,
unnIle IL with the