The Irish standard., 1886-04-24

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CHARLES STEWART PARNEIL.
The public to-day is we'll acquaint'
ed with Charles Stewart Parnell's life
during the past two decades, but
considerable misapprehension prevails
regarding the ancestors of this noted
Irish patriot. We furnish the readers
of THE IRISH STANDARD with the follow
ing facts On this point, derived from the
most authentic sources. j, Mr.. j. S.
Mahony in his ssLife of Parnell' % says
the latter Was born IN Avondale, County
Wicklow, Ireland, in June, 1846. His
father was john Henry Parnel], an Irish
country gentleman Of fortune, and his
mother before marriage was & Miss
Della Tudor Stewart, daughter Of
Admiral Charles Stewart of the A1neri-
can navy, ara Of Qs.e;r great energy
and strength OF character, whom john
Henry Parnell met and married while
travelling in America, The Parnells
came originally of English stock, one of
them, Thomas Parnell OF Congleton, in
Cheshire, having settled in Ireland at
the time Of the Restoration. The family
is Protestant and aristocratic, but it has
always been distinguished for the liber-
ality of it's views both in religion and
politics. Thomas Parnell, of Dublin,
who came of a branch of tue family, at
tanned eminence. rs poet and divine in
the reign of Queen Anne, and later Oh
the name became a prominent, one
in the politics of Ireland. ! The
Right Hon. Sir John B&rnell,
"the incorruptible,' was chancel-
lor of the exchequer in Grattan's
Parliament, and WAS dismissed from that
position by Lord Castlereagh because
he refused to vote for the Union. His
son, Sir Henry Parnell, afterwards be-
came O member of the British Parlia-
ment, and was 80 high in the esteem and
confidence of O'Connell, that that gen
tleman. in 1914, took the Catholic
claims away from Grattan and entrusted
him with their championship. John
Henry Parnell, the father of Charles
Stewart Parneli. was nephew of this
last gentleman.
AS boy Mr. Parne]l was quiet,
thoughtful and studious, his schooldays
being spent mostly in England and
marked by no event worthy Of note. At
18 he entered Cambridge University and
remained there Two years, when he left,
without graduating, and made q tour to
America, i'll company with an older
brother, John Fl. Parnell, who is now
citizen Of and one of the richest peach
growers in Georgia.
On his return to ireland, Mr.. Parnell
settled down on his estate in Wicklow to
the quiet life OF an Irish country gentle
man, but he emerged from that seclu~
sion III 1874 to contest one of the seats
for Dublin county in the Home Rule in
terest. 1t is worthy of remark that in
his address to the voters Of this constit-
uency, which may be taken as his first
public utterance or enunciation of prin-
ciples, he emphatically pledged himself
to "by all means seek the restoration to
Ireland of our domestic Parliament" In
the election which followed Nh. Parnell
was badly beaten, and he retired from
the contest without having given any
signs Of the possession of more than
mediocre abilities.
His next appearance in public was i'll
the press in 1875. Early in that year
a vacancy occurred in Tipperary, and
John Mitchell, of t' 1872 fame, went over
from America to stand for the county
Mr.. Parnell applauded Mitchel's inten-
tion and wrote letter TO the newspapers
expressing appreciation Of his course
He also subscribed eos towards the ex-
pepses Of the contest. Mitchell was
elected by an immense majority, but he
died almost Immediately, and within a
week he was followed to the grave by
John Martin, his brother in-law and fell
low rebel, the member for Meath.
This left two vacancies in the Home
Rule party and Mr.. Butt inyited MI.
Parnell to stand for that in Meath. He
did so and was elected On the 10Th of
April, 1875. On the 22nd OF that month
he made his appearance in the House Of
Commons, and that night listened to
one Of Mr.. j. G. Biggar's four hour
speeches against coercion. Mr.. Par
nell's first speech in Parliament was also
made On that occasion and is said to
have been couched in most vehement
language, and delivered III a shrill,