Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-11-10
THE IRISH IuBROGLIO.
A SITUATION FULL OF GRAVE
DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS.
REVIVAL or THE RIBBoNMEN IN SOME
LOCALITIEs-PA PARNELL's SPEECH.

PARNELL's SPEECH.
= LONDON, Oct. 3l,-The gravity 0
y the situation in Ireland occupies En-
. glish attention almost TO the exclusion
: of the foreign and colonial difficulties
The reports during the week from Dub
, lin conflict alike respecting the prose
cution Of the Land League leaders, and
the policy Of the Irish executive touch
ing the whole question. The latest
accountssay the government intends to
indict only six of the leading agitators
Mr.. Parnell included. 1t is needless
to remark that Mr.. Parnell and his
friends laugh at any legal proceedings
that may be instituted against them,
well knowing that no Irish jury will
ever be found to convict them, while
the English government could not ven
ture to remove the cases to London.
Growing impationcc is manifested by
the Irish landlords in regard to what
they consider 10 be hesitation on the
part OF tho government. The expec-
tation of an important statement by
Mr., Gladstone, on Tuesday a week,
however, at the Guildhal dinner, has
imposed silence on the most of his col.
leagues, and to some extent moderatos
the English impatience, which the pro.
posed prosecutions slightly assuage.
The Land League leaders continue
todeny their responsibility for violence,
alleging perhaps truly, that it is not
themselves but the Ribbon lodges which
commit murders. This sinister name
has uitesuddenly reappeared. Wheth-
er Rbbonmcn or not, the whole popu.
lation Of the disturbed counties are
armed to the teeth. The Land League
meetings are mostly peaccable, the
peasantry concealing their arms,
under advice from the leaders, and the
government cencealing its police from
fear Of precipitating a collision. A
very small part Of the intelligence
reaching the government at Dublin is
allowed to be made public still less is
known respecting tho intentions of the |
Executive, ifintentionsthey have. Mr.. |
Forster, though profoundly impressed |
with the danger Of the situation, is
hampored by his pledge not to propose |
measures Of coercion without submit.
ting measures Of concilliation for the
relief of tenants simultaneously. Mr.. |
Chamberlain, speaking at Birmingham
on Tuesday, reiterated the assurance
that the government would not be dc.
TERED from reforming the land laws by
the League outrages, Apologists for
the ministry have hitherto said, pri.
vately, that the League prosecutions
though not expected to result in con.
victions-would supply a basis for
future appeal to Parliament to suspend
the hdbedS corpus or renew the coer-
cion act. a recent conversation with
a cabinet minister, however, indicates
no such purpose on the part of the
government. The ministers exhausted
their uirnr in, resolving on these nrnse-
cutions, and beyond them they have
no ulterior purpose, no definite policy
for insuring protection to life or prop.
erty, 1t is impossible to say what they
may be driven to attempt but hitherto
individual ministers have manifested
an invincblo repugnance to any meas
ure of efficient repression, Hence no
cabinet meeting is held or summoned, /
and no heed is paid to the swiftly aug
menting anger of the English people,
Mr. Justin Mccarthy, NJ. p, has
been interviewed concerning the Irish
situation, His recent adhesion to the
Land League caused at the time con.
siderable surprise, and, therefore, a
distinct expression OF his views be-
comes q matter of no little interest and /
value. lie says: Idid not join them
before because they ntrather further
than thought polite One reason {
why | did not feel inclined to join the !
Land League was because they ap. |
pearod to 90 on one remedy and one q
is, the legalized expropra-
tion of landlords and the gradual con. o
versation and occupation of land in
Ireland by peasant proprietors. That ,
is Il great scheme, and might, think, !
be successful. But there is meantime
ample room for other measures. The 1
League did not seem to recognize the |
iesirability of other measures, and that v
Is the reason why up to that time | T
held aloof. But when the leaders of q
The League became objects of govern 5
ment prosecution | felt so strongly op. c
posed to that system of carrying on t
political affairs that | thought 1t the I
iuty of every Irshman, if his princi.
plies would allow il, to join the League 3
As n demonstration against the prose. |
and so ! considered it a mat a
Ter of duty to place myself on record |
against unjust attacks, not only on the i
part of the government, but of English |
public opinion as well. n
"Tho prosecutions will be total v
allure. The Government has nothing q
o bring up. | do not really believe g
hat Mr. Parnell would be convicted,
wen by Mddlesex jury, We do not 81
hink that Mr.. Parnell has done any. /
hing for which he may be prosecuted, |
" intended to convey any meaning for s
which he may be prosecuted. l think
10 has conducted his agitation hon.
,stly. If he intended TO take any
approaching to armed resist
Inco or rebellion no would say so S
rankly, and not think of concealng c.
MS purpose. should think there is r,
10 danger of aconfict Mr.. Parnell is a c,
,arrier between Ireland and possible o
.grarian insurrection. lie still be. b
ioves in constitutional and parliament b
.ry agitation and people still believe b
n him, and 30 long as he is powerful a
he agitation will be constitutional and q,
peaceful. If the government forces him tc
rom his present position | really could il
ot venture to say what might happen. d
"As far as the government is con Of
ernod there is only one thing that fc
ould be more unlikely than the failure ii
4 prosecution and that would bo its {
uccess. As any idea Of preventing al
he agitation by prosecuting Mr., Par Of
ell, think IL almost too ridiculous dI
or discussion. One immediate effect n,
viii be made Mr.. ParnclI's popular. n
iy will be even more complete than at bi
esent | should say that tho only m
cction Of Irish populations with whom st
is not popular, is a certain section tc
{ the Nationalists who dospise consti. m
utional agitation altogether" h,
DUBLIN, Oct. 81. l.-Messrs, Parncll 81
nd Dillonspokc at Land meeting, at al
'ipperary, today. MIR. Parnoll, in re- hi
errlng to the dispatch of police from in
'ipperary to Mayo, said that if every sa