Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-02-21
IN IRELAND'S CAUSE.
THE pARNIsLL COMMISSION MAKES
REPORT.

i'm. +ha, Leans Somewhat in Two Direc-
tions-Thc Chief Indictments Quashcd.
The report of Judges Harmon, Day and
Smith, the special commission appolntedto
investigate the charges made BY the 1tmss
against the Parnellite members OF the
commons, occupied 1872 pages. Each mem
Der against whom charges are made
is treated separately. The judges find
that speeches made by many of the Par
%nellites were intended to bring about a
separation of Ireland from England and
that speeches of others, in view OF the
state of the country, We're calculated to TO-
ment crime.
The greatest interest centers i'll the final
conclusions, which follow:
1. We find that the respondents, mem
bers of parliament, were not members OF
a conspiracy having for its object to estab-
lish absolute independence in Ireland, but
find that some of them, together with
Eavitt, established and joined a land league
with the intention by its means to bring
about the absolute independence of Ire
land as a separate nation.
9. The respondents did enter into a on
spiracv by a system of coercion and in
timidation to promote agrarian agitation
against the payment Of agricultural rents
for the purpose of impoverishing and ex-
polling from the country the Irish land
lords.
3. The charge that after denouncing GER
tain crimes in public they afterward led
their supporters to believe such denuncia-
ton was not sincere, is not established.
We entirely acquit Mr.. Parnell and the
other respondents of the charge of insin-
cerity in their denunciation of the Phanlx
park murders, and We find the fac smile
letter upon which this charge was chiefly
based against Parnell is a forgery.
Regarding the two special charges against
Davitt, that he was q Fenian and assisted
in the formation Of the land league with
money contributed for the purpose of out
rage and crime; that he was in close and
intimate association with the party Of vio-
lence in America, aud was mainly instru-
mental in bringing about an alliance Of
that party and the Parneliitc and home
rule party in America, we find it proved
that Davitt was a Fenian and received
money from the sk1rmlshing fund contrib
uted for the purpose of outrage. This was
not, however, for formation of the land
league itself, but for the promotion Of ag-
s%,k,o, - ls.,r ,,> - - No G-J o1~4 %1>,A
he, in such close and intimate association
with the party of violence in America. was
the man mainly instrumental in brin ging
about the alliance referred to.
In the opening of the report the Judges
refer to the unprece :ented character of the
inquiry. The history of the action of the
leaders of the Irish party from 1877 is re-
cited. The relations were traced that eN-
listed between the founders of the land
league and the Feniens and Irish Ameri-
cans. Referring to boycotting it declares
that instances adduced before the commits
sion proved that it consisted Of n system
of intimidation of a most severe and cruel
character. A boycott combination is llle-
gal both in its objects and the means
adopted TO carry it out. 1t was an elabor-
ate, all pervading tyranny, aiming to in
jure the landlords as a class and drive
them out of the country. This action of
the league far exceeds the limits of the
just force of public opinion and created
we'll grounded terror in those minds suf-
fering under it. The commission comes
to the conclusion that this was the inten-
ton of those devising and carry out the
system. In our judgment the leaders of the
league thus combining TO carry out the
boycott were guilty of criminal conspiracy.
We consider this charge established against
Parnell, Dillon. Biggar, Sexton, I. P.
O'Connor, Matthew Harris, w. O'Brien,
T. D. Sullivan, I. NJ. Healy. T. Harring-
ton, E. Harrington, A.. O'Connor, J. E.
Kenny, w. Redmond, j. L. Redmond,
Justin Mccarthy, j. O'Connor. T. j. Con-
don, J. j. O'Kelly, Cummins, Cox, Pat
rick Hea, j. d. Chehan, L. Lehy, E.
Lemy, j. Barry, c. X. Tanner, Maurice
Healy, T. Quinn, Daniel Crilly, Henry
Campbell, P. j. Foley, j. j. Clancy, j. F.
X. O'Brien, R. Labor, T. Name, j.
Deasy, j. G. Flynn, j. Jordan, w. B.
Lane, D. Sheehy, D. Sullivan, G. N. Burn
md Michael Davitt.
Under the charge Of disseminating news
papers tending to incite crime the report
lays stress upon the fact that Parnell did
not produce the report of any speech
wherein he denounced the use of dyna-
mite. also no denunciation by Parnell OF
the action of the physical force party in
Ireland or America had been given in evil
dence. Parneli admitted that he was un-
able to say he had. by speech or action.
found any fault with the Fenian organiza-
ton. The statistics of crime for 1880.
1881 and 1882 strongly c]orroborated the
statement that the outrages followed the
establishment Of the land league.
Agrarian crime ragged in Ireland when
the league agitation was at it's
height. The coincident decrease of crime
with the inactivity Of the league was
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