The Portland daily press., 1889-03-14
pARNELL ON THE IRISH QUESTION.
Greeted With Cheer and Song In
Crowded st. James Hall.
Eloquent Words In Behalf of the
Cause of Home Rule.
The Lesson Taught by the Times
Forgerles and Their Purpose.


Forgeries and Their Purpose.
LONDON, March 13.-St. James Hall was
crowded with people this evening. anxious
to hear Mr.. Parnelps speech. Mr.. Morley
presided The committee in charge were
compelled yesterday to suspend the issue Of
tickets for the meeting. The hall was hand
somely decorated with flags and notices. On
a shamrock entwined flagstaff was pictnre
representing Britannia with her left arm en-
circling Erin's waist. an angel overhead
bearing the motto peace and good will
towards all men," In opening the meeting,
Mr.. Morley said: 81 could not refuse when
asked to preside, because this meeting is CT
such a remarkable character. The resolu-
tions our committee have framed express the
deliberate judgment, deep feeling, stern res
olution and deliberate purpose of great
party which has not yet taken up a cause
without carrying 1t through. 1t may be the
Tories will carry home rule. do not want
to understand Mr.. Parnells presence tonight
as binding him, his friends and countrymen
than fusion. Mr.. ParnelPs first duty is to
Ireland, and he has no right to think OF our
parties except In relation TO Ireland. What
ever form home rule may take, It must rest.
IL 1t Is to rest upon rock and not upon
sand, upon foundation OF mutual respect,
good will, good understanding, good faitn
and good intentions between the English and
Irish.
sLord Derby said yesterday thatthe forged
letters were personal incident. Laughter.l
They did not call 1t personal incident when
they produced those shameless fSCsgeries
morning the coercion bill was in
troduced 1t was great po-
iitleai argument. [Laughterl. What
attitude would the ministry have adopted
when the charges were first made If they
had possessed any self respect or sense of
impartiality? II the Times made charges
on evidence already in its possession It did
not need the government 10 help 1t. 1t 1t
made charges without evidence II was not
the governments business TO save it from
the exposure it deserved. [Cheers.l IL the
ministry had possessed spark OF the austere
neutrality which ought to belong to the
government. II 1t had possessed anything
but the meanest, most virulent and yindic-
tive partisanship, 1t would have stood aloof,
and left the newspaper to prove the charges"
Mr.. Morley severely censured the conduct Of
Attorney General Webster. He said he
could not help protesting against the Times
bearing the whole fury Of the storm Of de-
nunciations. The Times was denounced not
because IL had published the most gigantic
and infamous lie of the century, but because
L had failed to prove the charges true.
customers and pampered it. The Home
Rule controversy turned upon the question
whether the wealthy classes, represented by
the Times's customers, so greedy and fe-
roeious for calumnies against Ireland, are
fitted to make laws for Ireland. 1t was
monstrous that the House Of Lords should
have decisive voice in such matter, and
Mr.. Parnell no voice at all.
Mr.. Parnell was unable to speak for sew
eral minutes owing to yolleys of cheers and
the singing of "He's jolly good fellow"
When quiet was restored he said: II can
not attempt to describe my qualification and
delight at the reception given me. Such an
evening will DO more for union than 20 CEN
turtles Of the firm government [laughterl of
Lord Salisbury and Mr.. Balfour. This great
meeting is assembled to protest against the
petty and malignant meannesses of Balf0ur's
government in ireland. 1t is legitimate to
inquire whether or not something Is rotten
In the system OF government which
compels the 0stracism from the affairs Of
your empire Of SO OF 103 Irish
members. That Is one Of the first results of
frmer than we are likely to see again,
[cheers] government under which 1t was
only necessary to get up forged letters
against man. and prove them to enable the
tunately they cannot do such things nova
days. If we Irish members violated the
pledges, upon which alone We obtained the
trust of our constituencies. namely that we
ers from an English government so long as
the just rights of ireland are not conceded,
we should fail to find single constituency to
re-elect us. Is it not a matter tor inquiry
why Mr.. Balfour cannot govern Ireland for
two years without imprisoning "a Irish men,
bers Of Parliament as common fel0ns for Of
fences unknown to the law in England-main-
ly for speaking and writing in newspapers.
[Cries OF "Shame."l want to know why, If
the charges and allegations made by the
Times had any foundation, the government
Of the country did not take them up
themselves and investigate them to
their source by the machinery at their COM
mand?
"When was the command first given to the
forger and perjurOr to obtain or invent the
evidence which would result in putting us on
trial on criminal charges, the punishment for
which was servitude for life? 1t was at the
very moment when Lord Carnaryon was in
viting us to confer with him ON the future
government Of Ireland, as to new constitu-
tion(these were his words in opening the con-
versation) which was TO be given Ireland, es-
tablishlng her Parliament. Why, again,
when Lord Carnaryon was driven from office
owing to the failure of his colleagues
to carry out the pledge they had given
US, did not the government undertake the
job? You must remember this was
no single matter sustained by the Times
which was unknown to Lord Carnarvon
and Lord Salisbury when they entered into
these negotiations with US, so they could not
plead ignorance. The government pretend
1t had established commission to enable
me to disprove the letters. But they so
carefully framed the terms Of the act that
the Times was enabled to compel US to APP
pear In court for 50 actual sitting days Of the
commission while every charge, every alle-
CATION Of the cupidity and the ingenuity Of
informers and jail birds against, every
body else but. ourselves was brought
forward and investigated. until
at length they approached the
letters most unwillingly, and gave us for the
| first time an opportunity. Why do our poll
| teal opponents go to all this trouble to at
| tatiyes of Ireland. and necessarily upon the
cause they represent? / think the plain
| answer is, that this country being remote
| from Ireland. the people Of England not be-
| ing In contact or communication with and
| not understanding the real wishes, thoughts
| and aspirations Of the people of Ireland, Ii Is
comparatively easy to lead them astray
| on any political question in Ireland:
| [Cheers. think we are entitled to ask oil
| thinking, reflective men and women In Eng
| land to consider this: Is II right that the
/, future liberties of Ireland should be de-
| pendent upon the casual publication Of
| forged letter by the Times on the morning
| Of great division? [Cries of mo- 1t
| was admitted on oath by the manager Of the
| Times that the publication was purposed to
affect the division.
,ha ,Ndngle every English government makes
in the .dIempt TO rule ireland from West
Minister. .,,d ,,,o,,or ,,,oht 90 20
Ir;sh wmon yo aaoinst -med forces that it is
no real resistance because 1t amounts 70
such resistance as fly might ma 20 Y az toe. o.,
ephant about to crush it under IA .vvv. wy.
[Cheers and laughter When you NJ.
these things, reflect that these people are be-
ing expelled from homes which they built
themselves and which are their own proper
ty, although the law has not yet efficiently
protected that property. You must see that
sometimes their manhood revolts and they
strike a blow in their own defence.
''Since the introduction of the great meas
ure of 1886, Ireland has definitely turned her
| back ON all these base. hopeless and desper-
ate courses. She is confident that In the
ways of the Constitution lies safety, under
| the genius and guidance OF that great and
| devoted Englishman, Gladstone. prolonged
| cheers. Ultimate. freedom for Ireland can
| not be long deferred. We are now on tne l,,
eve Of a great popular upheayal, when VIII
not subside till you have enabled .ne y srgas tbe