The Portland daily press., 1881-02-22
EUROPE.
Parnen Addresses His Constituents
at Clara.
HE PREDICTS THE FAILURE OF THE
COERCION BILL
And COunsels Patience and Passive Re-
sistance.

L
immense crowd. The horses were taken from
his brougham and the vehicle drawn by men,
Several priests were on the platform and
Father Geoghegan presided. Mr.. Parnen
made the following speech:
People of King county, am glad on the
eve of change in the condition of the land
movement to come among you, and to see with
what spirit you contemplate it. suppose that
seldom has minister asked from Parliament
greater means for the intimidation of nation,
but confidently believe that never, as the re-
suit will prove, will there have been greater
failure. The tenants will be true to our teach
ings (Cries of "We will forever.") Mr.
Forster says he is going to put all my police
into prison in order to put down our unwritten
law. (Cries of HE can't do it.'') My police
are four-ifths of the Irish people at home and
abroad. If he is going to put them all into
prison he will have to lind prison big enough
TO hold 100000 people, and the unwritten
law he has got to put down is tie public opin-
ion of the whole civilized world. 1t is not as
easy as it used to be to tyranniZe over and
trample upon people and put down their
public opinion. We have every nation in Eu-
rope, we have America and Australia looking
intently at the struggle. between the Irish peo-
pie and landlordism. Already we havesthree-
fourths of the French press on our side, which
only month ago was against u.s. We have
many State Legislatures in America passing
resolutionssof sympathy with the Irish nation.
From every part all eyes are directed to you to
are now face to face. Voices, "Stand fast to-
gether.") The tenant farmers are the men to
whom we look to-day to display their courage.
They can show their devotion by refusing to
pay unjust rents. (Cries of "Pay no rents.')
That is not very hard thing to ask you to do,
and that is all we ask. (Cries of "We will do
it'o If you promise to do this we are willing
to go to prison or anywhere else for your sake.
Regarding the land bill my belief is that the
present Parliamentary government will fall to
coff 10 fho ando Vofi fhou frix In
tenant legal defence against ejectment it is
something not to be refused. But no measure
which does uot reduce the rental to about the
governmental valuation will be acceptable to
the Irish tenant. The last time the habeas
corpus was suspended in Ireland, fifteen years
ago, before you had any independent Irish
party, it took them "a hours to pass bill
through the Commons and Lords, but this
time it has already taken seven weeks. That
is my answer to the man who says we are not
doing our duty in opposing this bill. say
that in all my political life I shall look back
with no greater satisfaction to any portion of
it than to my opposition to the suspension of
the hGbeas corpus.
Fellow Countrymen-I leave you with the
utmost confidence tnat you will do your duty
during the coming crisis, and will meet the
government policy with a policy of passive
resistance. Patiently suffer anything they put
upon you. Avoid retaliation attempt
ing to meet force with force Stand by and en-
to take farms from which neighbors have been
evicted. Refuse to pay unjust rents that this
measure of coercion will fall harmless upon
you. entreat you, finally, to be worthy of
the occasion. The eyes of the world are fixed
upon you. Don't let it be said that you fall
tered in this, perhaps last and greatest strug-
gle Ireland will ever have to make for the
freedom of Ireland. The sacrifices you are
asked to make are not much. Your forefathers
spilled their blood on many field of battle
Step by step, inch by inch, they contested the
possession of this land of Ireland with the
myrmidons of Henry and Elizabeth and the
troopers of Cromwell. They then fought
grandly and were willing to make far more
bitter sacrifices than you are called upon to
make. Will you be worse than they? (Cries
of "Never.'o Will you show yourselves un-
worthy and degenerate sons of noble ancestors?
(Cries of "Never.") Todaysthe struggle which
began so many centuries ago is continued by
different means and with other weapons.
Victory is almost shining on your banners.
Will you, for want of little courage and de-
termination to suffer and bear in silence, will
you fail now? l am sure you will not, and in
a short time, at the end of the battle, we shall
look around us and see the fair plains of Green
Erin once more made free land.
Loud cheers followed the speech. Resolu-
tions were passed demanding peasant pro-
prietary and denouncing coercion and the ar
rest of Davitt.
The Coercion Bill.
LONDON, F6D. Il -hOuS6 IN COmm1JCeo re-
sumed consideration of the protection bill and
at midnight the chairman interrupted the de-
bate.
After division upon the amendment before
the House, which was rejected, the chairman
ruled the remaining four amendments were
out of order, but the Home Rulers insisted on
dividing upon the motion to report the bill and
upon the motion that the chairman leave the
chair.
NJ. Labouchere's amendment incorporating
the compensation for disturbance bill was rul-
ed out of order.
The third clause was adopted by vote of
1899 to AZ. The committee stage of the bill is
now finished.
The Greek Question.
PARIS, Feb. 21.-In the Deputies today De-
yes (Republican) requested explanation from
the ministry relative to the Greek affair and
asked whether the arms which the Minister of
War promised Greece, were delivered or were
about to be, and if it were true arms had been
sent to Marseilles and Havre Tor shipment to
Greece.
Premier Ferry said neither the war minis
tiers nor the Government had ever promised
$4,000 muskets to Greece. The Greek Govern
ment asked for them but were refused.
ATHENS Feb. 21.-A decree has been issued
at Athens calling out the reserves. The troops
of the Morea are being gradually ordered to
march northward. The largest college in
Athens has been converted into a military hos
pital.