The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-09
DATTTT'S CHALLENGE
To the Government to Prove its
Charge Against PaneII.
THROWS DOWN A GAUNTLET
And Dares the Attorney General to
Take it up-A Powerful Speech =
Calls for cheers-Arrangc.
ments for the Campaign.

LONDON, June SIN the speech at the
Irish demonstration at Glasgow yes
terday, Mr.. Michael Dayitt, re-
ferring to the O'Donnell libel suit
against the Times, said it had been
hintedthat there was collusion between
O'Donnell and the Times. This charge,
he said, was entirely unjust and untrue.
On the contrary, 0'Donnell had pur-
sued the course taken by him against
his own judgment and will, and on his
(Davitt's) advice along with some other
Nationalist who believed that the case
would receive an impartial hearing be-
fore British judges. They had been griev-
iously disappointed. Surely, Chief JUS
tice Coleridge, when he discovered that
there was no case on which to go to the
jury, ought to have prevented Attorney
General Webster from trying to make
out charge against men who were not
in court and who had no method Of de-
Tending themselves.
The excuse of the Times that the
lives OF their informants would not be
safe il they were brought forward was
absurd and an insult to common sense.
The real danger was that the informants
themselves would be placed in the dock
on the charge OF forgery. The Attorney
Generals assertion that he could prove
the charges contained in the Times ar
tiCles on "Parnellism and Crime" make
the taking OF further action inevitable.
But by whom was such action to be
taken? II the letters alleged to have
been written by Mr.. Parnell were gem
uine, il the Attorney General, as u law
officer OF the Crown, really held proofs
sufficient to convict Parnell, the speaker
and others Of conspiracy to murder, it
was his duty TO place them in the dock.
[Cheers.
IHe challenged the Attorney. General
to adopt such course. II the latter did
not take up the challenge us given from
a public platform, he tDavitt) would put
it in later, giving the Attorney,G General
the alternative either OF admitting that
there was no proof with which to sub
the charge or of forcing the
government to place on trial Mr.. Par
nell and himself. II the govern
ment did not put them in the
dock, it would be because they
knew that allegiants were but the
weapons Of cowardiy moral assassina-
ton. This was the only way in which
the charges could be sifted to the bot
tom and the truth be madeiknown to the
people OF Great Britain and Ireland.
I fCheers.] There could be no shirking
the issue.
The Sunday Observer says: The dis
Claimer made on behalf OF Mr.. Parnell
OF any approval OF O'Donnell's action
against the Times is correct, SO far rs
Mr.. Parnell personally is concerned, but
the Parnellites admit that at the in
stance Of Mr.. Davitt, Mr.. Bigger, as
treasurer OF the party, was in constant
and friendly communication with
0'Donnell during the preparation for the
trial. 1t is learned that Mr.. Herbert Glad
stone was subpGnaed TO give evidence
regarding the conference between him
self and 0'Donnell on the subject OF
Mr.. Parnell's release from Kilmainham
Jail, the letters forming the basis OF the
Kilmainham treaty. Arrangements are
being made to hold public meetings at
which there will be presented for sigma
ture petition asking Parliament to take
decisive measures to bring the charge
against the Parnellites to definite con-
clusion.
Mr.. O,Donnell writes TO news agency
that his counsel adopted the mode Of
procedure taken in his suit against the
Times at the instigation and on the un-
asked advice Of two eminent Gladston-
ian members Of the House OF Commons.
These gentlemen, both OF whom are
lawyers, urged that the Times would be
completely exposed if that paper were
compelled to show its whole hand,
they reserving all material evidence.
including that OF 0'Donnell, for rebut-
ting the case. 0'Donnell's solicitor also
writes to contradict the Parnellite denial
OF knowledge Of the case. He states
that Davitt wrote in February offering
on behalf OF Mr.. Parnell every assistance
in his power Since then they were ac-
quainted with every thing that trans
pired. Mr.. Parnell requested that
O'Donnell should return from Italy for
the purpose OF having private inter
view,