The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-02-17
PARNELL.
Re Writes a Letter 10 the Land
League.

BE Writes a Letter 10 the Land
League.
Paris, 16.-In response to a re-
quest from the Land League, that
he visit America, Parnell has sent
the following to be read at the
Dublin meeting, to-day:
PARIS, February 10, 1881.
To the Irish National Land League.
GentIemen-I have been honored
by the receipt of the resolution
adopted at your meeting of the Sth,
requesting me to proceed at once to
America with the object of securing
the sympathy of the American peo-
pie and the cooperation of the Irish
nation there. After full and grave
consideration of yOurreSolutiOn, and
the general situation, and after due
consultation with friends, whose
opinions are worthy of conSidera-
ton, [ have decided that it is my
duty to remain in Ireland and in
Parliament, during the present
crisis; and for reasons which | will
shortly detail to you. Our move
lment in America, although of great
importance and capable of immense
development, depends entirely ON
the stand made in Ireland. Ii we
are worthy the occasion here, the
American people and Irish nation
in America, will give us a proper
tiOnate sympathy and practical
help. If the spirit and courage of
our people at home be maintained,
the resources of the whole Irish race
abroad will be at our disposal; while
if there is the slightest tlinching in
Ireland. it will produce disastrous
results III America. Nor do | agree
with you that for the remainder of
the session very little is TO be eX-
pected from parliamentary action.
The expelled Irish members have
almost unanimously decided to re-
main in their places and offer every
resistance which the forms of the
House of Commons still permit, to
the passage of the coercion and
arms bills. In this resolution l
fully concur. The result of the re-
newed eXertiOns of the party since
the coup d' etdt, and the adoption of
the gagging resolution has been so
far most encouraging. Moreover, it
would be scarcely fair of me to leave
my party to face the uphill work
entailed upon them, and l think l
can be of some service during the
passage of the land bill, in pointing
out in what respects it may fall
short of the settlement of the land |
question, should it fail to offer an
solution. The govern |
ment of England, having adopted |
rules of coercion and intimida- |
ton against our people and
their representatives in Parliament, |
two courses appeared open to us.
The first is that the Irish members |
should retire in body from the |
House of Commons and announce to |
their constituents that the cOnStitu-
tional weapon of parliamentary rep
had been Snatched from |
their hands, and that there was
nothing but a Sullen acquieScence
or an appeal to force in opposition
to the force which had been used
against us. The second and only
other alternative appeared to be
that we should steadfastly labor on,
deepening the lines and widening
the area of our agitation, appealing
to the great masses of the pOpula-
ton Of England and Scotland, who
are much less represented in the
House of Commons than the masses
in Ireland; appealing, l say, against
.he terrorism and shOpOcracy
which dominated in Parliament. to
.he working men and agricultural !
of Britain, who surely have
10 interest in the miSgovern- !
nent and persecution Of Ireland.
have dismissed the first of
hese courses from consideration,
,ut the second alternative presents
o us many elements of hope in Ill
innate success. l have said that
'arliament is at present governed
" the landlords. manufacturers and
of Great Britain. At
lection time springs are set in mo- 4
ion by the wire-pullerS of the two /.
olitical parties, and the masses of J
lectors are driven to the polling
ooths to register the DEGREES of
ONE caucus, with place and power,
nd not the good of the people, as :
S object. Public opinion in Eng
md is also deliberately and syste-
latically perverted in regard to
reland; but vigorous agitation in
,ngland and Scotland would change
Il this. The near approach of
suffrage in counties is a Il
tactical certainty. Before the next p
sneral election it will sound the a
oum of the English land system, 81
nj the starting of .wOrkingmen or
,ricultural laborer candidates a
every British constituency Il
ould soon bring the House of Com a
IONS and radicalism to its sense.
he junction between the English
emocracy and Irish nationalism G.
pom the basis of Ireland's right to c
AXE her own laws, the overthrow il
terrorism in both countries bl
Id the enfranchisement of labor in
ON the crushing taxes for the m
of standard armies and &
lyieS, would prove irresistible. 1t B
ould terminate the strife of CEN a
.ries and secure lasting friendship OF
lSed on mutual interest and conf =
nee between the two nations. I n
ould say in conclusion, that there Y
nothing in the recent events, or u
e coming measure of coercion, to ?,
mpel the Irish people 10 modify, n
the slightest degree, their action d
open and passive resistance. All Gu
erciOp directed against the nation NJ
ust work, rather by intimidation spi