The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-01-08
Charles Stewart Parneu. NJ. P.

! The present great Irish agitator. now
| in the United States, was born during the
great famine in the ''Green Isle,' in 1916,
at Avondale, county wicklow, and is now
but SO years old. His parents are John
Henry Parnell and Della Tudor farnell. on
ly daughter of Admiral Charles Stewart,
better known as "Old Ironsides," of the
American navy, in which he served some
fifty years. His Grandfather, Sir John
Parnell, was Speaker Of the Irish House of
Commons, and his great-grandfather was
the poet Parnell, author of the celebrated
poem of 1.-THE Hermit" MIR. Parnell was
educated at Magdalene College. Cambridge,
England. His first appearance in public
was under government auspices as High
Sherffof county Wicklow, which position he
held the year before his entrance to Parlia-
ment. The latter event took place in 1875, he
being elected to the House of Commons to fill
the Meath vacancy made by the decease of the
late John Martin.
A pen picture thus describes Mr.. ParnelI S
personnel
Mr.. Parneil is the reverse, in appearance,
to ones idea of an Irish political demagogue.
Young, tall, slender-and self possessed in
bis manner-he looks, what indeed he is
acknowledged to be even by the most viru-
lent OF bis critics, perfect gentleman. He
is not by any means gifted with the elo-
quence OF Demosthenes, or the accom-
plishments offs Cicero. He lacks the brilliant
poetic fancy that lent such charm to the
magnificent orations of Richard Lalor Shell;
and, later on to the lofty and eloquent utter
ances OF Th3mas Francis Meagher. Still
less Is he possessed of the marvellous intel
lectual attainments of O'Connell. On the
contrary, he is at least to the superficial OBJ
server. cold and passi0uless. But mark him
we'll, and you will perceive that he is re-
soluteness personified. He is one who will
both dare and do. He does not, in language of
unemployment hyperbole, dwell on the past
misgovernment of Ireland. He has taken
to heart the lesson Of Longfellow, that it is
the duty Of man to act in the living present,
rather than indulge In useless and empty
denunciations OF the irrevocable past.
''From the time lie rises to speak until he
sits down he arrests your whole attention.
You see at glance that he is 40 mere trad
ing politician. lie is not one of those Shiny
creatures who would swim with the popular
tide for time, but sell their patriotism on
the first longed.for opportunity that present.
ed itself in the shape of situation as Jun or
Lord OF the Treasury or Admiralty, or any
other snug berth that would put money
in their purse. He is no political share
broker, anxious to purchase reputation in
JIG CuCdPost luoI Att, auU SUI IL III 5Qo Qear-
est. No snug colonial appointment would
tempt him to stray from what-he at least
considers it to be-the straight path of duty.
He is not one of your hungry politicians.
He Is none OF your emasculated political
or social roues, He. on the other hand, pre-
fers the welfare Of people to the aggran-
dizemenJ of a class. You may doubt his
wisdom-his worldly wisdom-but it is i'm
possible to doubt that he is inspired by pa
triotic, and even the most chivalous motives
Mr.. Parnell has spent several years in
America, where his mother and sisters at
present reside, and has been chosen unan-
mously President of the Irish National Land
League, the prime object of which is to edu-
cate the people in the idea that the land |
belongs to all, and organize and work for
the destruction of the system that maintains
it in the grasp of the few. While he is de.
scribed in political life as calm, cool,
bloodless man, unbending, resolute and |
immovable from anything which he has I'M
dertaken, yet in personal appearance he is said |
to have mildest and most gentle manners !
conceivable. Without doubt he is to- day |
the most popular man in Ireland.
The Republicans Of the Ohio Legislature
has nominated by reclamation, Gen. James
A Gorfio1d m cuoooo6 u<.D n Nbrr,,,r