, 1890-12-04
PARNELL'S MANIFESTO
He Tells Of His Split With
Gladstone.
DARK DAYS FOR THE CAUSE
Press Comments on the situation
All Eyes Turned Toward
America.

h'S"', 10 WY iehBthy' ho peKinS ny
saying;
THE integrity and Independence of a
section of the Irish parliamentary party
having been apparently sapped and de-
stroyed by the wire-pullers of the liberal
party, 1t has become necessary for me,
rs leader of the Irish party, to take
counsel with you. and having given you
knowledge which is in. my possession.
ask your judgm- t upon matter which
now solely devolves upon you 10 decide.
The letter from Gladstone TO Morley,
written for the purpose OF influencing
the decision of the Irish parry In the
choice of leader and claiming for the
liberals and their leaders the right of
vote upon the choice, Is the immediate
cause OF this address, the purpose of
which Is to remind you and your par
liamentafy representatives that Ireland
considers the independence of her party
as her only safeguard within the consti-
tuition, and above and beyond oil other
considerations whatever. The threat in
that letter, repeated insolently on many
platforms and in numei Gus British news
papers, compels me to put before you
information which, until now, has been
solely in my possession, and which will
enable you to understand the measure
OF the loss with which you are threat
ened unless you consent 10 throw me to
the English wolves now bowling for my
destruction"
Parnell then tells them: At Harvard
en- last November he received from
Gladstone details of that gentleman's
and his colleagues proposal with regard
to home rule in the next general election.
With regard to the control of the Irish
oonstabuary, 1t was stated by Gladstone
in view of the necessity to conciliate
English public opinion. that It would be
necessary to leave this force to the ap-
pointmcnt Of its officers under control of
imperial authority for an indefinite
period, while the funds for its mainten-
ance would be continuously provided
out of the Irish revenue. A period of
ten or twelve years was suggcste, as the
limit of time during which the appoint
ment of judges and resident magistrates
should be retained in the hands of the
imperial authorities.
Passing to his own expressions on
these points, which Parncll says repre-
sent the views then and now of the sub
ject of the retention of Irish me m bers in
the imperial parliament, Gladstone told
him that in order to conciliate English
public opinion 1t would be necessary to
reduce the Irish representation from lJ3
to 32.
Upon the settlement of the land ques-
ton, Gladstone intimated that while he
would renew his attempt to settle the
matter by imperial legislation on the
lines Of the land purchase bill of 1856,
he would not undertake to put any
pressure upon his own side. In other
words, that the Irish legislature was not
to be given the power of solving agre-
grian difficulties.
He says with regard to the retention
of Irish members he holds that full
powers to an Irish legislature is equiva-
lent to those enjoyed by state OF
the American Union. The num-
ber and position of the mem
bers so detained would become
a question of imperial concern and not
of pressing or immediate importance for
the interests OF Ireland; but that with
the important and all-engrossing sui
Jects of agrarian reform, constabulary
control and judiciary appointments lett
either under imperial control or totally
unproyided for it would be the height of
madness for any Irish leader to initiate
Gratton's example and consent to dis
band an army which had cleared the
way to victory.
~ undertook" says Parnell ITO
use ever Legitimate influence to recon-
ciliate Irish public opinion to the
gradual coming into force Of new privi-
leges, and to postponements necessary
for English opinion with regard to con-
stabuIary control and judicial appoint
nent but | strongly dissented from the
proposed reduction of the number of
members during the interval of proba-
tion, and pointed to the absence OF any
suitable prospect of land settlement by
either parliament as constitutional
and overwhelming drag upon the pros
poets OF permanent peace and pro sperity
in Ireland"
At the conclusion of the interview
Parnell was informed that pending
general election Gladstone and his col
leagues were agreed that silence should
be preserved with regard to those points
oil difference.
The absence of any provision for the
settlement of agrarian questions, or OF
the policy on the part of the liberal
leaders, Parnel says, filed him with
concern and apprehension.
On the introduction OF the land pur-
chase bill by tho government at the
commencement of the lust session, Nor
ley conferred with him in regard to the
avowed absence OF any policy on the
part of tie liberals. ParneIl strongly
advised Morley against any direct chal.
lenge OF the principle OF IA state aided
land purchase, and that We should di-
rect our efforts ON the second reading
to a discussion of the principle
of local control. In this Morcly agreed
with him. but was at the same time
hampered by the extreme section OF his
party, led by Labouchere, and In sub
sequent interview impressed upon Par
neil the necessity of meeting the second
reading OF the bill with direc ctInega-
tive, and asked him to undertake the
motion. | agreed, ON condition that
was not to attack tho principle of the
measure, but conlinc myself to criti-
cism OF the details. II think" says
Parnell "this was false strategy, but
it was strategy adopted out OF regard to
English prejudice and radical peouliuri-
ties. ] did the best possible und the
circumstances, and several days debate
on the second reading contrasts favorably
with Labouchores recent abortive at
tempt TO interpose direct negative to
the first reading OF the similar bill yes
terday