The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-01-15
PARNELL MARES NO Sign.

The agitation, pIotestation, vacilla-
tion. aud insuboTdinati0n on the
part of Englishmep of all political pro-
clivities during the short interval be-
tween the election and the meeting or
Parliament, are strikingly contrasted
with the imperturbability of Mr.. Par
nell and the perfect discipline with
which his example of reticence is tol-
lowed by his Nationalist colleagues.
So formidable is the tactical adVan-
tage secured by this reserve that every
device would naturally be essayed by
both Tories and Liberals to commit the
Home Rulers to definition of the min
imum concession they would accept.
But it is pretty certain that however
| modest might be the demand thus pre-
matureIy outlined British opinion would
| insist on Welding less. [: is lucky,
I therefore, that neither the sunshine OF
/ abandonment nor the blast of objurga-
| tion has moved the Irish leader to cast
/ off his wonted cloak of taciturnity.
1t requires extraordinary gifts to ex-
ercise at such juDcture vigilanG ana
iron self-represston, and to enforce
scrupulous adherence to the same poIlcy
of silence upon fourscore members OF
| Parliament, every one of whom may be
subjected TO probings, pumpings and
the great powers and services of O'Con-
/ nell, but is the simple truth to say that
with his feTvid temperament he could
not in a crisis like the present have
fixed a seal upon his lips. The conf
dence and exultation with which be
would survey the phalanx Of supporters
at his back and the Iipe occasion offered
by the equilibrium of parties would
almost certainly betray him into some
| grave error of strategy. But by con
sumate strategy alone can majority o.
80 hope to wresL home rule from an as
sembly of go. There has never, in
T. deed, been any lack among Irish patri
2 OTIS of daring soldiers or dashing cavalr'
I commanders what Ireland has lacked
has been a general. She has one at last
We are now beginning, also, to appre
ciate the imperative necessity Of tn
e measures taken at the Dublin confer
2 ! ence to insure unanimity and subordi
: nation among the Parliamentary promo
ters of home rule. We can see WI
every Nationalist was asked in advanc
:. not only 10 efface his private judgmen
o before the deliberate decision of hi
: party, but also resign his seat shoul
o he be pronounced leaky or refractory
II a majority or his colleagues. OF cours
u the eighty Parnellite membets hav
, their share of Tashness and ductility
. and who doubts but that, without th
stringent measures taken, some of then
d under pressure OF seduction, might baV
Is committed themselves, if not the
- leader, to positions and assertions the
>. might have to disavow 1t is the me
- who talk too much who are observed
70 do too little, and to British onlooke
= the present silence in the Irish ranks
s. fact Of grim significance.
le II will be nottetd, also, that the ret
cence maintained by Mr.. Parnell appli
- only to details, TO the mere macbinel
ID by which his cnpital aim shall be e
- fecJed. There Is no mystery whatev
le about tue fundamental object for whi(
20 he is contending. The central, indi
peBsable basis OF negotiation has alTeaC
AS been proclaimed. No proposition fro
m the Liberals or Tories viii be even e
D. terJalned, nuless it embOdies a conse
i to revive the Dublin Parliament.
- much has been published-but no MOI
Ii would have been folly, on the 9th
10 hand, tC formulate beforehand the pI
is else checks and balances by which t
be functions an Irish legislature can
IA adjusted to the workings of the Britt
+. Constitution. To devise such means
Z accommodation is the business of {
Sc British statesmen who essay TO solve t
Is. home Iule problem 1t will be for NJ
+ PdTDeIl to accept or repel them, accor
IN ing as it may seem congruous OF incoi
patIble with his answering pu
VI pose OF securing self government
e- Ireland. When Mr.. Gladstone or LO
of Salisbury shall have wrought out a.
o brought forward a scheme purporting
attain that object, will be the time
no him to speak. N. 7. Sun.