The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-14
ACQUITTAL OF PARNELL.
REPORT OF THE COMMISSION
FILED IN THE HOUSE.

clusionS the Most Interesting Part
of the Paper.
LONDON, Feb. 1S-The report of Judges
Hammer, Day and Smith of the special COM
mission appointed to investigate the charges
made by the Times against the Parnellite
members of the House of Commons, was
laid upon the table in the House to-day by
Henry Matthews, secretary of state for
home affairs.
The report of the commission is dated to
day and is signed by all three of the Judges
1t extends to 121 closely printed pages and
gives details of the mode of procedure
adopted. The court recites the charges,
dividing them into nine categories The
greatest interest ceuters in the final conclu-
slons, which are as follows:
/ We find that the respondents, members of
parliament, were not members of the conspi-
racy, having for its object to establish absolute
Independence of Ireland; but we find that some
of them, together with Mr.. Davitt, established
and joined in the land league organization with
the intention by its means to bring about abso-
lutte independence of Ireland as a separate ma
tion. The names of these respondents are:
Michael Davitt, Michael Harris, John Dillon,
William O'Brien, w. Redmond, John OCon-
nor, Joseph Condor, j. j. O'Kelly
3 We find that the respondents did enter
into conspiracy by a systemlof coercion and
intimidation to promote an agrarian agitation
against the payment of agricultural rents for
the purpose of impoyerlshlng and expelling
from the country Irish landlords, who were
styled an English garrison.
B. We find the charge that when, on certain
occasions, they thought it polite to denounce,
and did denounce, certain crimes in public,
they afterward led their supporters to believe
that such denuncation was not sincere, is not
established. We entirely acqut Mr.. Parnell
and the other respondents of the charge of in
sincerity in their denunciation of the Phenix
fNnrl Cad hat snrfV
letter upon which this charge is chiefly based as
against Mr.. Parnel is forgery.
L. We find that the respondents did dissent
nate the Irish World and other newspapers
tending to incite sedition and the commission
of other crimes.
5. We find that the respondents did not
dir city incite any persons to the commission
of crime other than intimidation, but that they
did incite to intimidation, and that the conse-
quence Of that incitement was that crimes and
outrages were committed by the persons so in
cited; but we find that it has not been proved
that respondents made payments for the pur-
pose of melting persons to commit crime.
6. We find as TO the allegation that the re-
spondents did nothing to prevent crime, and
that they expressed no bona fide disapproval Of
crime, that some of the resp )ndents--in partic-
ular, Michael Davitt-did express bona fide dis
approval of crime and outrage; but that the re-
spondents did not denounca the system Of in
tlmidation which led to the commission Of crime
and outrage, but persisted in this abstention OF
denunciation with knowledge of its effect.
z. We find that the respondents did defend
persons charged with agrarian crimes, and
supported the r families, but that it has not
been proved that they subscribed to testimo-
monials for, or were intimately associated with
notorious criminals, or that they made pay
ments to procure the escape of such criminals
from justice.
6 We find as to the allegation that the re-
spondents made payments 20 compensate per-
sons who had been injured in the commission
of crime, that they did make such paynent.
~ allApntfDm that the
invited the resistance and cooperation Of and
accepted subscriptions of money from, known
advocates OF crime and the use of dynamite, we
md That tho respondents did invite the assist
ance and cooperation of aud accept the sub
scriptions OF money from Patrick Ford, known
as an advocate of crime and the use Of dyna-
mite; but It has not been proved that
the respondents, or any of them
knew that the Clan-na-Gael controlled
the land league or was collecting money for the
parliamentary fund; but it has been proved that
the respondents invited and obtained the as
sistance and cooperation of the physical force
party in America. including the Clan-na Gael,
and In order to obtain that assistance obtained
from repudiating or condemning the action OF
that party.
SPECIFIC CHARGES AGAINST PARNELL.
Besides these there remains three specific
charges against Mr.. Parnell personally,
namely:
(q) That at the time Of the Kimainham
negotiations Mr.. Parnel knew that Sheridan
and Boynton had been organizing outrages, and
therefore. wished to use them to put down out
RACES. We find this charge not proved.
10y That Mr.. Parnell was intimate with lead
ing invincibles: that he probably learned from
them what they we're about when he was re-
leased on parole in April, 1882, and that he
handiwork. We find that there is no foundation
for this charge, and that the invinclbles were
not branch Of the land league.
(c) That Mr.. Parnell, on Jan. %, 1888 by an
FfrrsnA kx1ad Ia
escape from justice to France. We find that
Mr. Parnell did not make any remittance to
enable Byrne to escape from justice.
SPECIAL CHARGES AGAINST DAvIrT.
Regarding two special charges against Mr.
Davitt that he was fenian and assisted in the
formation of the land league with money con
tributed for the purpose Of outrage and crime;
that he was in close and intimate association
with the party of violence in America, and was
mainly instrumental in bringing about an alli-
ance between that party aDd the ParDellite and
home rule party in America we find 1t proved
that Mr. Davitt was fenian, and received
money from the skirmshing fund contributed
for the purpose Of outrage. This was not,
however, for the formation OF the land league
itself, but for the formation of the agitation
leading up to it. 1t has been shown that Mr..
Davitt returned the money from his own re-
sources. We find also that Ire In such close and
intimate association with the party Of violence
In America was the man mainlyfnstrumental
In bringing about the alliance referred to.
Here follow the signatures of the judges.
OPENING OF THE REPORT.
In the opening of the report the judges
refer to the unprecedented character of the
inquiry, and say they had no example to
follow upon the mode Of procedure AS the
act empowered all the persons implicated to
appear by counsel, il was decided that the
inquiry should be conducted as though the
issue was directed to determine whether
the persons charged were guilty of
the acts alleged. The inquiry, therefore.
was based upon the laws or evidence and
procedure prevailing in the ordinary courts
A history of the actions of the leaders Of
the Irish party from 1877 is recited; the re-
lations are traced that existed between the
founder Of the land league aud the fenians
and Irish Americans. The land league is
described as it was originated by Mr.. Gavitt
and adopted by Mr.. Parnel, With the sup
port of the extreme party, both in Ireland
and in America
BoYCoTTING CONDEMNED.
Referring to boycotting it declares that
instances adduced before the commission
proved that it constitutes system of ln-
limitation Of most severe and cruel char
acter, and that it was decided not only
against those who took lands whence an
other had been excited, but against every
one who directly or Indirectly offered any
obstacle to the reign of the unwritten law
OF the league in place Of the law Of the
land. 1t was directed against those paying
rent when Others refused to pay, class
whom MIR. Parnell designated as weak aud