New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-14
THE PARNELL COMMISSION.
,rS REPORT PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE
OF COMMONS.


OF COMMONS.
AWNING WHICH DOES NOT RELIEVE THE MEM
RERs OF THE IRISH PARTY FROM THE GEN
rrAL CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY, BUT
CLEARS MIR. PARNELL AND OTHERS
oFANY COMPLETELY IN CRIME
-MEAGRE ALLUsloN TO
THE FORGED LETTERS
USED IN THE
CASE.
Ion6on. Feb. 13-The report OF 'uuHo'
Hannen. Day and Smith, the Speclh OoiHI'i'"
sppointed to investigate the charS's n'"o ~
THE Times" against the ParneAl'e u'lnO'i' ~
the House of Commons. was lald upon Iio ''i'
in the House to-day by Mr.. Matthew's oecItV"S
of State for Home Affairs. Inc report Is u''e"
rebruorv 1,, and is signed by all three OF the
iaaos II evtends 10 l2l closely printed pages,
oud oives details of the mode of procedure
o1on,ed The court rectes the charges dividing
,ho, into nine cateqOries. In the opening OF the
ronort The iudges refer TO the unprecedented
character of the inquiry, and say that they hSu
M evample to follow upon the mode ot pro-
cedure As the act empowered all persons I'M
nlicated 10 appear by counsel, 1t was declded
that the inquiry should he conducted as though
tho issue was directed to determine whether the
norsons charged were guilty of the acts alleged
The inquiry. therefore. was based upon the laws
of evidence and procedure prevailing IN the
ordinary courts
The history of the actions Of the leaders oil
the Irish party from 1877 is recitcd the relations
are traced that existed between the founders OF the
Land League and the FenianS and Irish Amerl-
II. ic bpl 9S
originated by Davitt and adopted by Mr.. Parnell,
with the support of the extreme party po'n III
Ireland and in America.
Referring to boycotting the report declares
that the instances adduced before the Commission
nroved that il constituted a system of intlmlda-
non of the most severe and cruel character, and
that il was directed not only against those VINO
tool, land when another had been cvictcd bat
AGAINST every one who directly or indirectly offered
any obstacles 10 the reign Of the unwuttcn
law Of the League in place OF
the law of the land 1t was directed against
those paying rent when others refused to pay-a
class whom Mr.. Parncll designated as weak ana
cowardly. and against whom public opinion must
he brought to bear. even though ii should mani
fest itself in unpleasant ways. This boycott
combination was illegal, both in lis objects ard
in the means adopted to carry it out 1t was an
elaborate. all-peryadng tyranny, aiming TO H.
lure the landlords as a class and 10 drlNe them
ont OF The country This action Of the League
far exceeded the limits OF tie Just force oil puoh'
opinion and created n wellGrOupded terror III
the minds Of those suffering under It, ne Oolh-
mission comes 10 the conclusion that 'hl' ""S
the intention Of those dcvising and carrying o"'
the system. The report says:
In our Judgment the leaders Of the League thus com
hnng TO carry out the boycott were guilty o ef'n"u
Me,sr, Parne. Dillon, Bcgar, sexton, T. 7. CohHor'
Matthew Harris W. O'Brcn. +. D. sullivan 1. NJ
Heav T. Harrington. +. Harrington A. OOonno >. - -
Kenny W Redmond. 7 =. Hoa"""a Just" N ''
7 o,rtnnor T. j. Condor. J. J. O Kelly, tumm!nN' No%'
Patrick 0'Hea J. D. shecnan. j. Leahy' j.. LaHY' d.
Barry X Tanner Maurice Hcaly. T. Quinn. Dani'i
Cr9lv Hen!y campbell. p. J. Foley j. j. Clancy j. j h.
oBren r. I.aor. r. Manne. J. D'a-y j. G. Flynn j.
Jordan W j. Lane. 7. Sheehy. j. sullivan .. y.
Buras and Michael Davitt
Under the charge of disseminating newspapers
tending TO iucte 10 crime, the report lays stress
unon the fact that Mr Parnen did not produce
tie report of any speech wherein he denounced
the use of dynamite. though he called attention
to a speech in the House of Commons in which ne
declared that Fords aims and objects and pro-
rramme were not his; also, that no dcnuncation
hy Mr.. Parren Of the action Of the physical force
Marty in Ireland or America has been given III
evidence. The report continues;
Parne admitted that he wa- unable TO say mat ~ Aao
bv spee,h or action found any fault with tn t'han
organi1ation The statistics oi crime for 1850 1881 and
1ss2 strongly couoboat,d the statement that olse''
,olowed the establishment Of the Land league AgA"au
crime ragged Ireland when te League agitation "S' az
it, height. instance cited from the county h'iiF.
where the League was Organized ia Octpu' 4''' Ni-
I.oiatolv increased from thccn ia lN3 U -
in 1850 Tho concident decrease Of crime with the in'
activity of the League equally conspicuous When
TIE League suppressed IN io-l crimes uiopi"u H""
1439 ,sses in ISL 20 so cases IN lo93
IL was contcudcd before the Commission that "a"
Causes Of crime were the League. but To the
chronic state Of ireland under distress az
cr,ya,cd by eviction. There j. 10
doubt that cyic,.ons contributed to Grim"
but the comparative stati-cs showed uat he dominant
cause was the League agitation. The first wear " "A'h
statistic, Of eviction and crime, respectively were cone
red wa 1s,o and comparison showed that duig severe
d,.,ra ~ tho wear, from 1879 10 1s52 inclusive when
o. f28 families were c,cted tho total a2aian crime wa
4245 whereas for from 1873 TO l07- WIN
il a6i families cyc,ed the total record o. crimes was
11923 n, fact va, that with 3415 familip, cyctrd
in 1881 crime reached total 4433 greater than during
all four years from 1-i9 20 1e12 when 7f-3 were
eycted
As to the suggestion that crime was caused by
,ocetc, acting IN antagon,m 20 The League MI
Psrnen stated the House Of Commons in January Issl
that secret societies had ceased 70 exist In our udemn
Nr Parnell spoke accurately when he mad that statement
Matthew harrs also stated in his evidence that no secret
societies except tho terian-, then existed We ind no
trace IA the evidence Of Of leaders OF The LcagHo
showing that Of any such societies. II
appears 70 tnat the suggestion during
this inquiry. A. 20 another suggestion that rejection
Compensation for Disturbance bin in August 1--O
the origin oi an Increase u criue We are Of tho
opinion that not the elective caus. Of that increase
that the increase from agitation of which
the rejection Of thc bill was made the occasion IL has
been further suggested that the " crime after
july lss2 due 20 thf concatory effect Of the Ar.
Tesrs Of Rent Act We must remark answer that this
act. which h@- been described by Nh. Russell as tie
great charter FOR Irish tenants had no such effect
IL judgment The suggestion not wei founded
The action of .etdcr, Of the Land League did un
douhtcdy contribute produce increase crime from