Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-10-28
PARNELL ON HIS ARREST.
Interview with the 1mprisOned
LEADER In KiImRinham
Jail.

JhAAe
DUBLIN, October 24.-Subsequent
TO the adoption Of the "No rent" man
| ifesto, a correspondent had an inter
view with Mr.. Parnell at Kilmainham.
This is the imprisoned leaders sole
published statement regarding the
extraordinary step. The correspond
emit asked:
what effect will your arrest have
on the policy Of the League2"
"Taken alone, my arrest" answered
Mr.. Parnell, would not have neces-
STATED any change in the policy laid
down by tho National Convention, as
l had been able to perfect the ma
chinery for carrying out the policy
but the subsequent arrests OF the
\ leading members of the executive and
of the leaders in the country practl-
cally deprives US Of the power OF car
rying out fhe resolutions Of the Con
vention, as the details necessarily
would have required the greatest care
and attention of the different heads OF
departments Of the Central Execu-
tive. These gentlemen being now i'm
prisoned, it is impossible to supply at
| short notice successors to them who
are capable and experienced enough
for the difficult and complicated task
of testing the Land Act. The Ex-
ecutive, therefore, felt obliged COM
~nIetelv Ia abandon that portion of the
resolutions Of the Convention which
directed them to make this test, and
instead of a more moderate policy the
Executive were constrained to adopt
the oft recommended and holder one
of a general strike against paying
rent.
Do you believe that the farmers
will take your advice and refuse to
II think that they will to a great
extent. We must recollect that fully
half OF the Irish farmers cannot hope
to obtain any benefit from the act,
even though it fulflls the expecta
tions of its most sanguine admirers.
First, all leaseholders who entered
into leases previous to 1870, number
ing over q hundred thousand, are not
benefited. Second, we have dairy
farmers and other tenants who have
entered into consulted holdings since
1S47, who, having made no improve
ments worth mentioning, would prac-
tically have little interest in their
holdings. Third, we have tenants on
great estates whose rents are not
higher than the standard which would
probably be adopted by the Court as
a fair rent. Lastly, there are small
tenants sunken in arrears to their
landlords and debts to shopkeepers.
This last class would, | think, obtain
a considerable reduction Of rent from
the court, but they should not reap
much benefit, since they would be
compelled to sell their new interests
in order to pay off their arrears Of
debts"
"You think, therefore, Mr.. Parnell,
that these tenants will hold out against
the landlords"
well" replied the agitator, ''the
training which the people have had in
the past two years in a modified form
Of strike against rent has, | hope, pre-
pared them for the greater exertion
now required. If the farmers stand
firm in this strike for one short yeal
they must inevitably bring the Gov.
eminent and the landlords to theil
knees. This fight is nothing more
than a question of money and courage
and as Mr.. Gladstone intended in any
case to dragon the country, it is JUS
as we'll that the country should gel
some adequate results in return in the
shape Of free land"
"You are accused of having melted
the people to acts Of intimidation. d.
you object to answering this charger
1.-The charge is false. l was always
very careful to avoid anything which
could be construed into an Indictment
to acts Of intimidation or violence. L
is somewhat remarkable that accord.
ing to the warrants these offences
, charged me must have been committed
in Dublin and must have been con.
tanned in the speeches delivered b.
me at the weekly meetings of thu
league. The speeches we're by far thu
most moderate Of any | have delivered
since the commencement OF the move
ment. The principle on which tht
government is proceeding seems to b.
this-that any advice or recommends.
ton given by me or other leaders o.
the movement to the tenant farmers Of
laborers is intimidation. In othei
? words, the way in which they are nov
putting the coercion act in force is
| most absolute abrcgation Of the RICH
? of freedom of speech, discussion anC
, meeting which ever obtained in any
t country, In taking this course, tn,
| government has practically rendered
/ it impossible for the farmers either tt
test, or with safety, to use the land act
| had always been one of those who
Q believed it possible to use the act il
] such a way IS 70 secure substantial
r benefits for the agricultural classes o
: ireland. | opposed the more extreme
] league party, who desired to reject til,
Y act entirely at the recent convention
! but / was firmly convinced that thl
e act could only be used safely in an or
e ganized and sytenlatic fashion, anC
{ that if the farmers without organiza.
ton or assistance in advance the re
suit would be-, as in the case Of thu
aof of 1970 a