Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-02-17
PARNELL's MISSION.

IL prevents Him visiting America, but
Holds Him in England Where the Real
Struggle is to Occur-CheerfuI View of
the Situation.
New YORK, Feb. 16,-A cablegram says q
deputation from the land league submitted res.
olutions to Parnell asking him to 60 to
America They received the following reply, to
be read at a meeting of the land league:
DUBLIN, to-day, Paris Feb. Is, 1sS1.-To the
Irish National Land League-Gentlemen: /
have been honored by the receipt of resolu-
ton, adopted at your meeting of the Sth, re-
questing me oproceed at once to America,
with the object of securing the sympathy of
the American people and cooperation of the
Irish there After fuller and grave consider
alton OF your resolution, and the situtiou,
and after due consultation with
friends whose opinions are worthy Of oonsid-
Grafton, / have decided it my duty to remain In
Ireland and in parliament curing the present
crisis, for reasons which I will shortly detail
to you.
Our movement in America, although of
great importance and capable of immense de-
velopment, depends entirely on the stand made
in Ireland. If we are worthy the occasion here
the American people and the Irish nation in
America will give us proportionate sympathy
and practical help. If the spirit and courage
of our people at home be maintained, the re-
sources of the whole Irish race abroad will be
at our disposal. While if there is slight finch
ing or reaction in Ireland, it will produce dis
astrous results in America.
Iagree with you that for the remainder iof
the session very little is TO be hoped from par
liamentary action. The exiled Irish members
have almost unanimously decided to remain
in their places and offer every resistance which
the forms of the house OF commons shall per-
NIT, to the passage of the coercion and tenure
T. T fill
result of the renewed exertions of the party
since the coup d'etat, and the adoption OF the
gagging has been so far most encouraging.
Moreover, it would be scarcely fair to leave
my party to face the uphill work
entailed on them, and / think
can be of service during the passage of the
land bill in pointing out in what respects 1t
may fall short of the settlement of the land
question should it fail to offer an adequate
solution. The government of England having
adopted rules of coercion and intimidation
against our people at home, and their repre-
sentatives in parliament, and having practical.
ly attempted to drive both the one and the
other outside of the limits of constitutional
| and legal means both in parliament and in
| the country, two courses appeared open to usi
The first, that the Irish members should re-
| tire in body from the house of commons and
announce to their constituents that the con-
stitutiOnal weapon of parliamentary represent
alton had been snatched from their hands, and
| that nothing but acquiescence or appeal to
| force in opposition to the force which had
been used against us.
The second and only other alternative ap-
peared to be that we should steadfastly labor
on deepening the lines and widening the area
of our agitation, appealing to the great masses
of England and Scotland, who are
much less represented in the house of
commons than the masses in 1reland-appeal-
ing say against terry 'lism and shopocracy
! which dominate parl ament, to the working
men and agricultural laborers of Britain, who
surely have no interest in the misgovernment
and prosecution of ireland. l have dismissed
the first of these EcourSes from consideration,
but the second alternative presents to us
many elements OF hope in ultimate success.
AS have said, parliament is at present gov
erned by the landlords, manufacturers and
shop keepers of Great Britain. At election
times the springs are set in motion by the wire
pullers OF the two political parties and tbs
masses of electors are driven to the polling
booth to Register the DEGREES of some caucus.
with place and power, and not love of the peo-
pie as its objects. Public opinion in England
is also deliberately and Systematically per-
versed with regard to Ireland, but vigorous
agitation in England and Scotland would
change all this. b The ma" approach of house
hold suffrage in these countries are practical
certainty, and before the general election It
TEN and the starting of workingmen or Argyle
laborer candidates in every1British corst tuen-
cy would soon bring the house
of commons and radicalism to its senses.
A junction between the English democracy
and Irish nationalism upon the basis of Ire
lands right to make her own laws, the over
throw of terry 'lism in both countries and th .
! enfranchisement of labor from crushing taxes
for the maintenance of standing armies ard
navies, would prove irresistible. 1t would
terminate the strife Of the countries and secure
lasting friendship, and mutual interest and
confidence betwee the two nations.
I would say in conclusion there is moth
ing in the recent events or coming measures
of coercion to compel the Irish people to
modify in the slightest degree their action Of
open organization and passive resistance.
All coercion directed against the nation must
work rather by intimidation than by its en-
forcement. Since from the nature of the case
| it can only be applied to very limited number
of persons out of the vast mass intended to
terrorize, the government will rely very
much on the intimidation produced by the past
arrests, but if the gaps are at once filed up
and the ranks closed, in all probability no sec
ond attempt will be made to break them.
have noticed that proposition has been
made to supply the place of the present open
| organization by secret commissions. l could
| not approve of such q course and that for
many reasons, nor do / think it would have
the slightest chance of success. The land
league is not engaged in an illegal enterprise,
and it is matter of notoriety that special
jury of the city of Dublin, after careful in
vestigation extending over many days, by
majority of 10 to 2, declared the organization
to be perfectly legal and constitu-
| tional. I do not believe that
arrests will he numerous, although
probably widespread system of terrorism by
means of warnings to individuals through the
police, will be adopted. Let no man leave his
| post. Continue your organization just as
before, and have Others ready to take the place
of those who may be arrested. By this policy
of passive endurance the Irish people will
| command the respect of the world, and viii
prove themselves worthy of freedom.
| To the tenant farmers I would say there Is
| now position of great responsibility On their
action. During the next few months probably
| depends the future of Ireland for O generation.
| Great exertions have been made for them. The
| sympathes of America have been enlisted and
practical help is coming in from that country,
| Michael Davitt has manfully returned to face
| the horrors of penal servitude, and many 9th.
ers in the very heart of ireland are willing
| to face imprisonment for their sake.