Morning journal and courier., 1890-02-15

points by SonAtOfe PADDOCK ana LAWS, VINO
told him that such representations might
have been made by pension agents, but had
no foundation in fact.
The proceedings were interrupted to allow
Mr.. Dawes to report from the committee on
Indian affairs bill appropriating 5000
for the relief of the Sioux Indians at Devils
Lake agency, North Dakota. The bill was
read, explained and passed.
Among the bills on the calendar that were
passed were the following:
To continue the application of the supple
, ment of the revised statutes.
Providing for an assistant secretary of war
with a salary of s., 500.)
Altogether there were sixty bills pass ed.
After short executive session the senate,
at 5:16 adjourned till Monday. $50
oHEERED By THE OPPOSITION.
Mr.. Parnell Asks what Action the
Government Proposes to Take on
the Report OF the Special Conmls-
s10n-He Moved the Amendment
Asking tho Repeal OF tho Coercion
Act-Hls Address Before the House.
LONDON, February 14-Amid cheers of the
opposition in the house today, Mr.. Parnell
asked what action the government Mt proposed
to take upon the report of the special COM
mission appointed to investigate the charges
made by the London Ii mes against Par
nellite members of the house.
Right Hon. William Henry Smith, the
government leader, replied that the report
only came into possession of the ministry at
ten O'Clock last night and that they had not
yet had time to decide upon the course they
would adopt.
The debate on the address in reply to the
speech from the throne was then resumed.
Mr.. Parnell moved the amendment of
| which he had before given notice, asking the
repeal of the coersion act and addressed the
| house. He attacked the pettiness of the
prosecutions which the government was
| daily in2icting upon many persons In utter
gratuitousness and the coercive action under
Mr.. Balfour, chief secretary for Ireland. Al
most every act of Mr.. Balfour, Mr.. Parnell
said, appeared to be directed toward driving
the people of Ireland to crime. He compared
the coercive administration of Rarl Spencer
with that of Mr.. Balfour and said that though
many actions of Earl Spencer had been faulty,
tho law under him had been directed against
actual crime and secret conspiracy, while in
the case of Mr.. Balfour IL was directed against
the press and liberty of speech. The govern
ment's excuse for its action was the existence
in ireland of boycotting. He had never de:
| MED that there had been much unjust and
criminal boycotting during 1880, 1881 and
! 1882. The history of the Irish movement
l 6luCo tu0 ldSG uau0u year huOWeQ LQAG Inc
action of the nationalists had been constantly
modified and moderated in recognition Of
the efforts to secure the passage of
ameliorative measures for Ireland. The
league of today, Mr.. Parnell declared,
differed widely from the Land league of 1880,
and Mr.. Balfour could not plead as an excuse
for his course that crime was being revived.
On the contrary. the people were quiescent
in expectation of soon obtaining their rights.
Yet Mr.. Balfour's regime has been distin-
guished by petty prosecutions and frivolous
charges, often brought against children and
old women. His campaign against the press
commenced with the newsboys and was
winding up with fusilade against the ed
itors. The action ofsthe government tended
to it's own defeat and could not succeed in
turning the tide of the aspirations of the
Irish people. Despite the petty exaspera-
lions of the Balfour party the nationalists
had not swerved from pacific methods to at.
tain their aims.
Sir Richard Webster, the attorney general
charged Mr.. Parnell with making grave accu.
; sations against Mr.. Balfour without produc
ing any evidence in support of his allega-
tions. He could not adduce q single instance
| of unjust eviction. While calling the ad
ministration to account in the future, hi
would at least be limited by some facts. He
could not disprove the figures showing that
crime had decreased and that boycotting hat
been repressed.