The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-25
The kilkenny Elect,oo.


Parnell's candidate was Overwhelmingly
defeated in the election in Kilkenny to fiil
the vacancy in the House Of Commons
caused by the death OF Mr.. Ma um, and his
enemies are rejoicing. PANEL says that
| the priests defeated his candidate, and there
is truth in what he says. The priests were
against him. and they worked enthusiastic
caliy and earnestly to elect Sir John p.
Henuessy. the anti Parnell candidate. And
they will work against him throughout
Irel nd With them against him it would
seem to be hopeless task for him to under
take TO recover the position he has lost.
Parnell seems to thilk that thu voters
were not well Informed respecting the issue.
They were just as well informed as they are
likely to lie in any future contest. Passion
rather than reason has the upper hand, and,
in all probability, will maintain it.
Parnell is not yet ready to yield, bow
ever. He is not the kind of man to give
up while be has fighting chance. He will
continue the contest until he has 70 longer
any power of resistance, if the tide Of pub
lie sentiment continues to run against him.
In the meantime the cause of Ireland
qualified to lead as Parnell, and If here were
another capable Of dire ting affairs with as
much skill as he has shown, it would require
time for him to gain the confidence OF the
Irish people in the same degree in which
Parnell had it. And if Parnell continues
the contest for the leadership it may be a
long time before the prospects of home rule
for Ireland viii be as bright as they were
before Parnell lost the confidence of the
majority Of his party.
But the election in Kilkenny should COZ
vince Parnell that there is no probability Of
the Irish being united again in his support
unless he can show that there is no founda-
ton for the charges brought against him in
the O'Shea divorce case. If he could dis
prove these charges he would have q
stronger hold upon the Irish people than
ever. There is lingering hope in the
minds OF some Of his admirers that
ali the facts in the O'Shea case
have not been made public. and that when
they are 1t will appear that he has been
greatly wronged- They recall tho Piggott
charges against him aud his triumphant
ecquittal, and they try to argus them elves
into the belief that he will be able eventually
to show that the charges against him in the
O'Shea case are untrue.
There does not seem to be any founda-
tion, however, upon which to res a belief
of this sort Parnell has admitted too
much to permit any such belief to be seri-
ously entertained, and, besides, if he couli
have shown that he was falsely accused he
would have done so rather than permit the
Irish cause TO be imperiled. 1t may be that
his political enemies in England induced
O'Shea to make the charges against him.
They would do anything to overthrow such
leader as Parnell. II they instigated
TIE charges, however, they must have been
satisfied that they were true. They would
not have taken any chances, because if II e
charges had been shown to be false Parne.l
would have been stronger than ever.
The wiser course for ParneIl to pursue is
to withdraw. The Kilkenny election shows
him beyond doubt that it is impossible for
him to retain the position of leader of the
Irish people. He only injuries the Irish
causes by keeping up the fight.