New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-03-14
MR.. PARNELL,
FELLOw-PRIsONER's RECOLLECTIONs-
AN IRISH ACCOUNT OF THE MAN.


Parliamentary career has extended little over ten
years, yet he is spoken Of as frequently and there
Is much interest shown IN what he says as though
he aged and distin guished Commoner like
Mr. Gladstone or Mr.. Bright His sudden rise and
the supreme control he exercies thirty out
of the thirty-twO counties in Ireland Is the most
remarkable feature in his career. Another fact
which renders an explanation of this influence
more difficult still is that though an lrishman born.
he has none of those characteristics which the
people in Ireland believe a leader should have, and
which as 4 fact every leader who appeared in that
| country before him did have O'Connell, the
greatest of all Irish agtators before Mr.. Parnell
appeared had a rich Munster brogue, a porty
figure aud face capable of expressing all the
varying hum0rs which provoke laughter. Isaac
Butt, who organized the Home Rule movement, and
OH whose shoulder " the maLtle of OCOnnell y was
said to have fallen was a commanding figure too.
and had 4 genial face Mr. Parncll has neither
genial face nor imposing presence. He is tall
and Of very slight build, while his face is rs I'M
| emotional as a statues He never laughs and If
lie smiles. which i. very seldom, it is at something
which would convuse other people with merrlmeut
! or else not stir them at all
A London paper described Mr. P5rnell in the
early days of his Parliamentary career. and during
au exciting debate in the Commons, as having
cultivated the art of inward laughter with as
much success as Mr. Weller himself" saw him
laugh heartily upon two occasions, this merely
proving the exception 20 the rule. This was during
| his imprisonment in Kimainham jail happened
to be brought IN as a prisoner. In the exercise ward
! the next day John Dillon VINO was then member
! for Tpperary, shook me cordially by the hand and
! said: Hello, Mr.. - yor're we come to Kilmain-
! ham, sSee here. Dillon" Mr.. Parnell said;
don't you think this very inlI 1spitable Irlsn
| reception"
The other incident was when | related to him
| something about IA prisoner named Peter
! Wheau. who had just been brought in from Wex-
! ford. The old suspects who had become used to
prison diet took delight IN Disappointing for the
| first day at least-ncw arrivals hose anxiety was
! great concerning the quality of the food had led
! Whean 70 believe that tea and steak would be for
| the breakfast, aud not stirabout. Was the stir
! about good p he was asked atterward. " Good!
| WHY man. when tie warden shut the door the
wind o the door blow the half of 1t Oft the plate"
| This made Mr.. Parnell laugh.
| Although Mr.. Parnell is phleCmatiC and has the
English characteristic of stubbornness, to no other
man have the Irish ever rendered such united
allegiance principally account OF his great success
! and because he has never made any mistakes worth
talking about.
! Mr. Parneu first became known in Irish politics
! as n candidate represent County Dublin IN
! Parliament in 1874. There n similarity in his
speech then TO that of Mr.. Dsraes first attempt in
the House of Comm ons. Both speeches were con-
spicuous failures; but though Mr. Panell IS not an
orator by any means be is generally admitted
to be an easy aud agreeable talker, who uses
classical English whenever he turns to " Mr..
! Speaker" He was defeated for Dublin but returned
for County Meath the following year. He was only
a year in the House when he became famous in
company with Mr.. Bigger, member for Cavau, for
what is known as the policy of obstruction This
u what that meant: 4 rule of the House prevented
further discussion of a bill after half past II
at ght if notice Of opposition were given. 1t was
really directed against Irish bills. Mr.. Parnell
carried the war into Africa by putting down notices
/ of opposition to English bills Unfortunately.
Isaac Butt who was then leader Of the Irish Parla-
mentary party became dEgusted. Parliament
said he will put down obstruction or obstruction
will put down Parliament" As | look at It to-day,
the latter half of Mr. Butts promise seems to have
been ominou.ly prophetic.
Soon afterward Mr.. Butt had to give way to Mr.
| Parnru rs leader AMI obstruction continued to
thrive But there were not more than eight
! m mbers who would support Mr.. Parneu. 1t was
practically on this cry that siXty-two Homo Rulers
! were -Cturncd during the general election 81 $50
! but a large percentage OF these rebeLled and Ar.
! Parneu could never count upon more than thirty
] -
! have brought to his back eghty-hve men who viii
! do ANYTHING at all he tells them-even though 1t
! should be- 10 resign. 1t has been puzzle To many
| 10 understand why lie IS so un.tetly obcyed one
| reason is that the Irish have been over and over
again deceived by their representatives. who have
either taken olice-the direst tredsOn-Or else have
voted With the Government, which was as bad.
| Mr. Gladstone however laid the foundations for
| Dir. Parcels popularity when h. passed the
! Coercion Act of ISL and imprisoned !, 100 men
and even women-wthout trial Some of these
men were elected to Parliament while in prison.
aud others as soon they out The Irish people
nave never forgotten that Mr. Paruell passed six
months in Kimainham jail for the cause of Ireland
The fact that he was gentleman of social standing
| as well as a landlord while at the same time he
appended his Signature to the famous no-rent man
ifesto, accounts in large measure for his great
| popularity The utter contempt he showed for
| English opinion in the House Of Commons when he
WAS pleading for Ireland, and his expulsion upon
two occasions because the English members thought
he ia kcd too much appealed to people unused to
such treless persstency in their behalf. But after
| ALL his prolonged imprisonment was the coping
stone of his political authority.
The most significant fact in his career has been
his astonishing success in Ulster, where majority
of the seats have been carried by his followers Ii
is not easy for people outside of Ireland to under
stand how great was this victory. The Orangemen
were wont u claim this province us exclusively
their own and anti National to the core. The break
was trst made in County Monahan IN los8, =" here
a bye-clectIon was held, before the Franchise bill
was passed. He took down Mr.. Healy. already
member for Wexford. and had him elected over
both Wing and Tory Mr. Parnell was happy and
proud that day. | was by his side IN the Monaghan
court house when the poll was declared. The great
landlords and the aristocracy were around their
defeated cand idate, "a Dublin lawyer named
Mooroel be EIldered aud dismayed. For moment
the phlegmatic Mr.. Parnell forgot his habitual
calm. As he became excited his face grew paler
| and he started an ndscrlnlnate handshaking with
his Ieutenants " no pressed In upon him from every
side The people were simply i'd with JOY, aud
everybody felt 1t only needed an extension Of the
trlstar inLo line W th Ireland.