New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-18
THE IRISH PARTY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP
OF MIR. PARNELL.
HOUSE or COMMONS,

HOUSE or COMMONS, I
WEsTMINsTER May, 1882. p
The new Parliament assembled at the close OF
April 1880 Before the meeting of the Parlia-
ment however, the Irish members had held a con-
vention of their own in Dublin. Mr.. Parnell who
had been visiting America with Mr.. Dillon for tho
purpose of raising money to relieve the distress in
Ireland had Just returned to Europe and was
present at the convention. The party IN close alii
ance with him had become so much strengthened
By the results of the elections as to bo manlfestiy
the most powerful section of the Irish representa-.
tiyes The majority of Irish members at the con-
vention were already resolved that MI. Shaw
should not continue to be leader of the party. LIZ
Mr. Shaw was not to remain leader, it seemed clear
to some of US that only one man in the party could
possibly succeed hun. Mr.. Parne!l himself thought
otherwise, and suggested another name. but MS
colleagues pressed and indeed, insisted that II any
change was to be made, he must himself take the
leadership. The reason for this is obvious lie
had come to be unquestionably the leader OF tho
Irish people BY his influence and the magic OF nus
name the Irish constituencies had elected q largo
number of new and untried men to Parliament TO
serve on the Lines he had laid down. IL would havc
been absurd to think Of making change IN the
leadership of the Irish party except for the purpose
of uniting him at its head. There werc some men
personally allied with Mr.. Parnel who were OF
opinion that it would be better not TO make any
change to allow Mr. Shaw still to act as leader Oh
the party, but to compel him by pressure from
behind to take more energetic part thah he had
previously DONE and 50 to Keep the whole Oh the
Irish party together without distinction OF diHi-
sion But these men were perfectly satlsneo that IL
anv change were to be made, Mr.. Parnell must be-
come the leader, and this was the result OF the
convention. Mr. Shaw aud few of his friends
senarated themselves from the Irish party and
have not since returned to it, They sit on the MIN
sterial side of the House. while the men who follow
Mr.. Parnell sit with the Opposition.
On this question, too, difference ot opinion
arose In the House of Commons the Ministers sls
on the right Of the Speaker and the Opposition on
his left The Irish Home Rule party had come lnto
existence when the Conservatives were IN power
and therefore had up to this time been sitting on
the benches of Opposition. Now 1t Is natural that
irish members should as rule act III concert WIN
English Liberal members. But at the same tlmei IL
appeared to majority of the Home kule menuers
that it was essential for them to show themselves
,ndependent of all changes of Government in Ing
land representatives of Irish Home Rule claims
and Irish demands generally, but bound 10 iolo"
in the track of no English political party. For this
reason it was held that as they begaE their career
in opposition no mere change between Liberal and
Tory ought to affect them and that they must re-
main still in opposition until some party should
come into mower which had acknow leGgcd the JUS
tice of the demand for Home Rule and was pledged
to carry it out.
But although they sat in opposition, these Irish
members had still great faith in Mr. Gladstone ana
strong hope of the work he would do Tor Ireland In
the Parliament which had just expired they had had
much assistance from ome of the English Radical
members. especially from Mr. Chamberlain apd Sir
Charles Dixie. Mr.. Chamberlain was now Cabi-
net Minister. Sir Charles Dixie held the Important
post of Undcr-Secretary of Foreign Affairs. ITO
was one of those fortunate Under-Secrctares who
are described in Endymion" as "masters OF tho
situation" His chief was in the House of Lords,
and he was therefore the mouthpiece of the Foreign
Office in the Commons. But the expectations
which Irish members formed were not destined TO
be gratifed. The session, to be sure, was short.
Half the session had already passed through when
the Liberals came into power Still we bad hoped
that the Government would at least make somo
liberal promise on behalf of Ireland, aud we had
some expectation that measures would be adopted
10 check the terrible evlctions which were going on
all over Ireland. This was the year immediately
succeeding the deepest season Of distress in lroland
that season when the potato crop fell 10 little
than one-quarter of its annual value. The people
could not pay their rents. Mountains of arrears
were accumulated on their unfortunate heads.
The landlords in many places, sometimes them
selves perhaps pressed for money were making
ruthless use of their power of eviction. The Land
League was holding meetings all over the country.
getting together vast gatherings of people such as
had not been seen since the days when OConDell
addressed his multitudes at Tara aud Contarf.
The whole situation was full of peril, and il seemed
10 the Irish members of the uttern ost Importance that
the Government should do something to intervene
between the landlords and tho tenants. Unfortu-
nately the Government did not thep their way
TO take any measure The Irish party brought
forward bill for the purpose of staying cvictions,
and when they showed resolute determination 70
press this bill on tho attention OF Parliament, tho
Government then intimated their willingness to
bring in measure of their own having a somewhat
similar object. The famous Compensation for