The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-13
DAVIT1vS REVELATIONS.


Interesting Sketch of the Part He Has Tag
en- In the irish Home.Rule Agitation.
LONDON, Sept. 12-Mr Davitt intends to ap-
ply to the Parnell commission for the permits
sion to give evidence before that body. He
has prepared for the press an abstract Of the
statement he proposes to make before the COM
mission, commencing with occurances of 1866.
when he joined the Irish Republican Brother
hood. He says that he became acquaint-
ed with Mr.. Parnell and Mr.. O'Donnell on
his release from Portland prison. During
his Imprisonment, after much thought he con-
cludes that the Irish were not adapted for agita-
ton by secret conspiracy, and formulated plan
Of open combination. He communicated his
views to the leaders of both the revolutionary
and constitutional parties Among the latter
he found disposition to resent Mr. Butts pol
icy of Cancellation. Among the Fenians he re-
ceived more encouragement than he expected.
After his tour in America he
started movement to make the land question
the basis OF agitation. He coptroverts the
Times's theory that this new departure had any
thing to do With the new departure originated
in New York. Although defending tho Ameri-
can proposal so far as it included bis scheme
for supplanting secret conspiracy, he says be
the Constitutionalists and Revolutionists
was impossible, and therefore took
an Independent line without consulting either
MIR. Parnell or the Fenian leaders In 1879 he
funds received from bis American lectures He
applied to John Boyle O'Reilly, Patrick Ford
and John Dewey for assistance. He received
f500 from the national or skirmishing fund.
but as the Fsnian press objected
to the use of the fund for
nft h. I'D No
amount Mr.. Parnell offered money from the
resources OF the League Mr.. Parneil's official
connection with the movement began with the
organization OF the League 10 October 1873
winter of 1879 forwarded to the League ESQ.,
600, TO be distributed for the relief of distress.
In 1850 Davitt. going TO America to form an
auxiliary League. was expelled from the Irish
Republican Brotherhood for advocacy Of
constitutional agitation. Since then
between the Leaguers and the Fenians. Early
in 1850 four men visited his lodgings in Dublin,
designing 10 murder him. at the same time Q.
Fenian gang, headed by Phoenix Park Carey,
this time, il he and other leaders in favor of
open agitation had not been removed from tbs
control OF the League by the governments i.n-
prisoning them. the Inyincible conspiracy
would never have been heard Of. On the morn.
murders he met Parnell. who, great.
ly excited, said he had resolved
to send his resignation to the Cork electors that
very day, retiring utterly from Irish politics.
Parnell declared that no man could be safe
where irresponsible conspirators organized deeds
OF that kind, aiming deadly blows at the consti-
tutional movement on the threshold of victory.
Davitt succeeded in persuading him to
reconsider. On the same day the
manifesto condsnnine the murderers was
sent 20 Ireland. Mr. Davitt although
taking 10 prominent part in the Nationa al
League. co-operated with Mr. Psrnells delegates
TO Chicago in 1885 in trying to influence the
convention in the direction OF o pacific policy.
He was afterward condemned to be shot BY .he
council Of dynamiters OF tho Rosa faction be
cause he had denounced the use of dynamite in
Chicago. Dir. Davitt concludes with q refer
encs TO the Plan Of Campaign, of which be dis
approves only proposing TO lower rents, thus
tending to prolong lsndlordism.