Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-25
DAVITT'S SPEECH.
He Thinks He Converted Patrick Ford
to Constitutional Methods.

Mr.. Davitt addressed the Parnell commission
yesterday on its reassembling. He read his
speech. He said that in addressing the COM
mission he was running counter to the opinion
Of the people Of Ireland who Endorsed the
withdrawal from the case Of Mr.. Parnell and
his colleagues. He was impelled to the course
he had adopted by the two cardinal principles
of his life-religious adherence to truth and
justice and the defense of the character and
cause of the Irish peasantry.
Mr.. Davitt declared that. although he was no
longer fenian, il the condition of Ireland was
the same it was twenty-five years ago he
would be fenian again. Some of the aims of
the fenians, he said, had been fulfilled already.
The land league, based on the same patriotic
spirit, was fast removing the barricades which
prevented Great Britain from giving Justice to
Ireland. The day was fast approaching when
Dublin castle would quietly submit to the fate
of the Irish church. At the very time the
fenian outrages were being committed the Man.
chester trade commission was in session and
evidence was given before itshowing the worst
kind of outrages there, for which outrages no
one was ever brought to justice. He denied
the statement Of Patrick Delaney, the con-
victed dynamiter who was brought from Ire
land to London to testify for the Times, that
the amnesty movement was under fenian con-
troll and accused Delaney of wilful and deliber-
more to keep alive the national antipathy of
the Irish in America than the brutal language
made use of by the Times with regard to the
determination of the people Of Ireland result
ing from the great famine.
CONVERTED PATRICK FORD.
DR.. Davitt said he had not Endorsed Ford's
dynamite views, and he believed he had con-
verted Ford to constitutional methods. lie
CaroD's assertion that 100000 men would in
wade Canada was an understatement an the
fenians numbered nearly one million. He
denied the Times allegation that he had started
the league with money subscribed in America
for purposes Of crime and outrage. He quoted
from the Irish World to show that it had OBJ
tanned large sums by constitutionally advocat-
ing the policy Of the league. The funds that
had been received from all parts Of the world
had not come from members Of revolutionary
societies. He read letters from Germans,
Frenchmen, Americans and Englishmen, in
| closing funds and urging some one to continue
the fight on the land question,
The commission here adjourned. Only the
judges, counsel for the Times, Messrs. Blggar
and Davitt, lie Caron and o few spectators were
present LIE Caron attracted no notice.
The Parnell commission held its first meeting
on September II, 1888. Sir Charles Russell
and Henry Asquith appeared for the Parnellites
and Mr.. Ruegg watched the case for Mr.. O'Don-
nell. Mr.. Grahame and Attorney General
Webster appeared for the Times. An adjourn
ment was taken until October Is, and from that
until February &c of this year the commission
sat, when the astonishing news Of Piggot's per-
| Jury and flight was given out Having secured
ct last chance for his vindication before the
commission Mr.. Parnell ON August IL, 1883,
began . suit for libel against the Tines in the
Scottish courts, asking for ESQ, 900 damages.
This suit was based on the publication of the
letters in the ''Parnellism and Crime" articles
and on letters and statements introduced by
the defense In the trial Of O'Donnells case
against the Times. The commission was regu-
larly in session until July Is last, when It ad-
journed for the "long vacation" That period
Of rest having closed Il now resumes il laboss.