New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-17
FACE TO FACE WITH BALFOUR.
WILLIAM VBRIEN UP IN THE COMMONS.


SIR LIcmAGD wrBsTgr DrFFNDs Tnr GOVERNMENT
AMID INTEERUPTIoNs-rHE IRISH shCRfTAR'
TO SrrAK TO-DAY
Joxnov Feb l6-In the House OF Commons
to-day William O'Bren resumed the debate on the
address in reply 10 the Queens speech. lie said
that Mr.. Balfour had failed to smash the Irish
organization or to weaken the spirit of the Irish
people or TO degrade them in the eyes OF the world
Abicct discontinue and disgrace had attended the
Crimes Act, tie operation Of which proved II 10
be oun Of the most horrible measures ever directed
against human Liberties. Regarding his own I'M
prisonment, he seid he did not feel wounded nor
in the least degraded With all his jaunty bravery
Balfour's conscience was not as easy as his own
When ne was in prison he resented and felt kecnly
the letter which Mr.. Balfour wrote, conveying the
stoalthy, loathsome insinuation that he sheltered
himself whilst in prison under the plea OF illness.
Now they were face TO face. and he challenged
the Government to produce the prison doctors to
prove the truth Of the insnuation. uarnellite
chcers
1t had been asserted that imprisoned Lea9ucrs
had tried TO secure distinction between the
treatment given TO imprisoned Members OF Parila-
ment and that given to imprisoned peasants: but
there was not little of foundation for the asser-
ton What the imprisoned members complained
Hh ch rdirary criminals were cX mpt When
the Government asked them to voluntarily ac-
knowledge their kinship with criminals they an
swercd: We will die first. You will have TO
learn the difference between representatives. OF the
criminal classes and Irish political prisoners even
if il takes corOners' jures to announce the dis
tncton.'
Rcvcrting to the failure Of Coercion. he de-
clarcd that the Crimes Act had not stamped out
single village club. The Plan of Campaign was
uncrippled: every evictcd tenant had been re
stored and every shilling Of law costs incurred
had been repaid indemnity by the landlords.
Cheers.
THE ATTORNEY -GENEfAL INTERRUPT D.
Sir Richard Webster, Attorney General, said
that Mr. O'Bricns speech was doubtless animated
by some real passion but it was impossible to
doubt that there deal Of acting about it.
Interruptions from the Irish mcmbers) At any
rate if it was not acting it was neither more
nor less than incitement to violation OF the law.
! Renewed Interruptions. Nobody could listen to
/ his references to members of the Government
/ without seeing that they were unlikely TO promote
! peace and goodwill 1t was strange to hear Par;
nclltes profess approval of the Irish remedial
treated them last year. Iir. O'Brien had said
! that the Conservative majority in oSo was St.
| cured by foul means That must mean an alliance
! between Parncll and the Conservatives. But
| that had been denied by Lord Salisbury, Lord
Randolph Churchill and Baron st; Oswald Is snd
! 81, to the Attorney yGencral.
The Attorney General here read the letter to
/
BAD FAITH OF THE CONSERVATIVES.
MIR Parnell interposed that the letter in ques-
tion was correct so far he was concerned but
he did moi at that time know OF the negotiations
between Lord ST. Oswald and Mr. Mccarthy.
be latter. said Mr.. Parnell. had stated that Lord
81 Oswald had informed him that if the Con
servativcs came into power coercion would be
! dropped.
The Attorney General said he failed TO under.
| stand how Mr.. Parnc'l could imputc to Lord
Salisbury knowledge of the Earl Of CarnarVons
communications with Mr. Mccarthy. wh..n Mr..
| Mccarthy had distinctly stated that Lord Carnar-
Won only spoke for himself Cheers.
Is TUE LEAGUE sUPPRFssFpI
! Proceeding to defend the administration OF the
Crimes Act, Sir Richard said that the question was
not whether branches of the League were sup
pressed, but whether they ceased TO operate. 1t
was certain they did not now expose men TO popu-
lar odum as before and the fact that the meetings
were held secretly was itself great gain Tor law
and order, and his view of the matter was that
the government Of the Lea que was TO gr, at cA-
| tent crushed. daughter from the Parncllitesl.
A passage at arms here occurred, Mr. Dillon
accusing the Attorney General of limiting that the
l'rnellItcS had suggested the committing OF crime:
The Speaker appealed to- but he decided
| that be unable to interfere
In the course of his speech Sir Richard Was IN
! tCwuptcd many times by the PamcllltcS.
MR. BALFoUR's SILENCE.
Mr.. Morley commented on Mr. Balfours silence
| regarding Mr. O'Bricn's charges. though he had
risen once TO repe them. CheerS) Amid the loud
| cheers of the Parnellites Mr.. Morley deserted
Thomas Russell, member for Tyrone, the spokes-
man of the rump asccndancy party in Ireland,
which went about beating an Orange drum in one
| hand while it plucied at the sleeve Of M0nslgnor
| Persco with the other. Sir Richard Webster
| had said the question was whether the Goycrn-
mcnt right III enforcing an act which Parll-
! ament had passed, but the question: Oh the con-
trary, whether they administered the act
with tact and fairness. or rshly and harshly;.
The Government pro1esSed to be cohtendin
against the tyranny Of the League. In reality
! they were cOntending against the opinion OF the
! country, and by their coercion were driving nun
dreds and thousands of citizens OF the middle class
who had hitherto refrained from politics to rally
TO the Nationalist cause. 1rishmen would be loyal
| when they had institutions worth being loyal TO.
| How could they be expected to be loyal to Par
| lament that had never granted them u single boon
except as the result of successful agitation. In
congratulaling himself upon the success of coer-
cion, Mr. Balfour was in the same fools paradise
| that Mr. Forster ond Lord Spencer had been in.
On motion Of Mr.. Balfour, the debate was adj
journed.
RUMORS OF Mr.. BALfOURS REMOVAL
SIX HENRY HOLLAND, 1T Is SAID. WILL SUCCEED
HIM AS IRISH SECRETARY.
DUBLIN Feb. I6 -"1he Frcemfns' )ouruel' sag,
that rqimors are current to the effect that Sir Henry
Holland, at prcse;t Secretary for the Colonies, VIII
succeed Mr. Bafour Chief Secretary for Ireland
and that the latter Will become the Government
leader in the House of Commons.
NJ. TIRARD THREATENS TO RESIGN.
| BUr THE DEPUTIES MAY RECONSIDER MATTERS AND
| ApPEAsr HIN.
PARrs, Feb. 16--The Chamber Of Deputies TO day, de
spite NJ. Tirards protests, resolved TO consider NJ
soubeyran's amendment reducing the interest tn
floating debt by 100000 francs.
The Chamber also, despite tho appeal OF the Gov
ernment. vot cd TO take into consideration "A measur