, 1890-12-25

tuct, uuu Huu tilt ltuuclS w lilt TWO
great English parties coquctting for
his support. He accepted the al
liance which Gladstone offered and
from that moment home rule was
assured. The mass of Engllshmen
mt first hesitateu and sent the tories
back to power, but consideration
and wisdom followed that one act of
folly and two months ago IL an ap-
peal had been made to the English
people Ireland would have received
that boon of self-government for
which 40 many generations Of her
sons have heroically died.
The revelations of tho divorce
court came like thuuderbot from
the clear sky. All hope of carrying
England was lost except Parnell
disappeared, for time at least from
the van OF the fight. After Glad
stones letter, prudence, patriotism
and outraged public decency de-
nlanded his Withdrawal, but char
acteristicnlly he defled the majority
Of his followers. Gladstone and
English liberalism, and the expecta-
tions of the peoples that from afar
are watching the movements Of this
political athlete.
Suddenly the sleeping lion Is
reused in this man or mystery. BY
sliillful Muchiaevelian tactics he put
the majority of his own party and
Gladstone and the English liberals
apparently In the wrong. BY dis
play of extraordinary audacity,
vlgor and of exuberance of passion
and fire he rallies around him the
enthusiasm ofhalf of young Ireland,
but even If he did not get that and
he had no follower but one or two
faithful iackals he would still fight
and would expect to- triumph like
Ajax even If the very gods were ar
rayed against him.
Despite the sore and lamentable
error that has blasted the grand
reputation of Parnell, | still esteem
II IA privilege to have known him
and to have enjoyed no small meas
ure of his friendship and confidence.
His career of usefulness Is over now.
Yet | fear that in the impending
fight he will remain the master and
bring ruin in his train.
The contest in Kilkenny will be
typical of what win happen all over
Ireland. On the one side Davitt,
Healy. Sexton and Mccarthy are
arrayed to support Sir John Pope
Hennessy and on the other Parnell
al one essays to elect Vincent Scully.
Davltt is one of the purest minded
and most unseltish man | have ever
known. He endured seven years of
torture in English prisons because
he loved Ireland too well. He is an
ideal man with heart big enough
to embrace the whole world, and
until this fateful quarrel 10 man
was so loyal to Parnell.
Justin Mccarthy Is the ilustrlous
historian and novelist, whose writ
ings have delighted the English
speaking world, and who until now
has been Parnelps chief lieutenant.
Sexton is next to- Gladstone the
orator of the house Of commons.
He is young man of less than 40,
OF extraordinary gifts and of mar
velous intellectual power.
Healy Is the nblest all-round
man in the Irish party, and has no
peer in the house of commons In in
tellectual vigor and subtility save 1t
be Gladstone himself He is n great
journalist, great lawyer, a great
lawyer, n great parliamentarian and
II great statesman, and for ten years
the acts of the house of commons
have been shaped by Healy more
than any other member, English,
Irish or Scotch. His mastery of
virile, torceful, Saxon English is
phenomenal, and he il IL young
man, but five and thirty years of
age. But Healy has not the quail
ties of leader. l do not think /
ever met IA man more intolerant of
cranks and bores. lie has no pa
tience with fools or knaves, and his
singing wit has made him hosts of
enemies.
Sir John Pope Hennessy is an
lrishman that sat In the house of
commons II quarter of u century ago
and won wonderful reputation by
his extraordinary wit, ability and
eloquence. Disracli took fancy to
him and made him governor of u
small British dependency. In sue
cession lie has been governor ofsome
of the most important possessions Of
England, including the islands of
Hong Kong and Mauritius. During
ten years he has been in receipt of
$25, 600 from his office, and he has
now retired on pension of Sl5, 600 a
year. His record us governor is
splendid, and now that he has re.
tired he wants to return to the scene
of his early triumph and to have a
hand in the shaping of home rule
for the country which he has IL
lustrated by his birth.
Vincent Scully, his opponent for
the seat, is an Irish landlord 81 ncere
i'm his ntt,cbmeut In parnnli and IN