The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-08

combined against the Irishmen The seven
Oosructionists were ParneN, Biggar, O'Connor
power, Francis Hugh 0'Donnell, Captain
Nolan. Harley Kirk end Edward Dwyer GRAY
Many of the English members left the House at
soclock to return at midnight a fresh relay
arrived at O'Clock. The Obs.ruetionists fonnd
the work telling ON them and adopted the tae-
ties OF their opponents, resting in turn. The
ooorkeepers, policemen and even the
chairman were relieved from time 10
Time The session continued twenty-six
hours, and Is without a parallel in modern
history. IL was full of exciting incidents, but
tne irlsnmen held their own, and ParnelPs fame
became as wide as the world. BY most OF the
Leading men OF the Irish party Parnell was then
greatly disllked He was never on any but bare
speaking terms with Mr.. Butt, and the relations
pe.ween him and Mr. Shaw, the subseq uent
leader of the Home Rule party, were very
similar. The breach between him and tho
party generally was wfdened by an incident i'm
1879 At meeting of the home rule committee
he urged that, unless the government granted a
substantial university bill to Ireland, the
whole of the votes for the Oueen'a
college should be opposed The proposal
was rejected, and Paruell, smartins
under defeat, hissed: "You are a cowardly
lot OF papist rats" An attempt made by Par.
nell in 1879 to call national convention. In
which he intended to reconstruct the Home
Rule party, failed through the opposition of the
party had sought for reform in the Irish land
laws which was summed up in the three Fs-
hxlty OF tenure fair rent and free SALE The
failure OF the potato crop in Ireland in IS79 for
the third successive time, and consequent evic.
tions OF poor tenants, led to Parnelrs partieips-
ton, through the solicitations OF Michael Davitt
In the formation of the National Land League
which aimed at peasant -proprietorship. The
iesgue was organized in October of
that year, with Parnell as president, and
branch leagues were formed in all parts Of ire
land In January, 1850, Parnell paid a visit n
the United states to collect contributions for
the poor in Ireland, and the House of Repre.
sentatiyes In Washington City allowed him the
use OF Its hall for holding meeting In the
same year the Liberal party, under Mr.. Glad
stone' returned to power with overwhelming
majority. The case of Ireland had not been
considered In the election campaign, and the
Parnellites, now thirty-fve in number. resolved
to remain IN opposition in parliament and con-
tlnue the policy of obstruction W. E Forster
secretary for Ireland. soon brought in coercion
bills which justified Parnelps forecast of tha
SITUATION. Under the pretense of the in.
crease OF outrages in Ireland the
government ordered the disarming of the
Irish and suspended habeas corpus. Then
Gladstone introduced his land BILL which in a
measure met the original demands of the
league. Parnell and his adherents resolved,
however, TO maintain their organization until
fully convinced that the courts under the new
acts would act fairly. The government, on the
other hand. prompted by Forster, determined to
crush all opposition, and in October, 1851, ar
rested Parnell and others under the coercion
act and imprisoned them in Kilmainham Jail,
Dublin The league was outlawed. 1t replied
with a ''No rent" manifesto The ensuing
struggle proved too Sc we're for the government
Forster was dismissed ParneIl was released on
parole in April, and in May, 1852, granted un-
conditional He
ment i'll triumph, but the victory of the Irish
cause was overthrown by the assassna-
ton in Phnnix Park, Dublin, of the
new chief secretary for Ireland, Lord
Frederick Cavendish, and of the under
secretary, Edmund Burke. The crimes act was
passed and home rule was lost sight Of The
policy OF obstruction had been neutralzed by
the cloture acts, which increased the power of
the speaker of the house of commons over the
members. The electorate of Ireland was in
creased from 250,0O0 to 10000, and a redstribu-
tion bill promoted fairer representation of the
people in parliament But the strength of the
Liberal party steadily declined, ana in June,
1885, ii was overthrowB. In the November elec-
tion the tories had the aid OF Irish votes but
when they refused guarantees OF their action in
parliament they were defeated on January Do,
1856, and Gladstone again became prime minis
ter. Parnell's party had secured nearly every
seat for Ireland, and they now demanded an
Irish parliament. Gladstone introduced a bill
for that purpose, with the result that 1t dis
rupted his party and drove him from
power The tories again came into control OF
government, and in 1887 they defeated all of
Parnelfs motions, made with view to securing
an Irish parliament. Then followed the.London
Times sensational exposures OF allcdged justif-
cation of the Phoenix Park murders. The paper
printed what purported to be fac simIle letter
written by Parnell, excusing the murder of
Burke aud expressing regret Tor that of Lord red
erick Cavendish. Parnell repudiated the letter.
but the government declined to make an in
vestigation. The Times then published pamph-
let entitled "Parnellism and Crime," charging
Parnell and his associates with being
accessories to the various outrages A
suit was brought against the lines by
Frank Hugh o 0Donnell in July, 1888, for defama-
tion of character. Attorney General Webster, as
counsel for defendants, proved that plaintiff
was not member of the league and the action
failed, though the trial resulted in affording
Webster an opportunity to reiterate the charges
of completely in murder and outrage Upon
Parnelrs urgent request. parliament at length
consented TO an investigation, and the "Parnell
Commission was appointed. II consisted of
Judges Harmon, Smith and Day. The bill con-
stituting the commission was framed by the
government in its interests, every motion for
amendment on the part of Gladstonians
and Parnellites being voted down. The COM
mission convened on September IL, lSSa Sir
Charles Russell and Henry Asquith appeared
for the Parnellites, and Mr.. Graham and Attor-
ney-general Webster for the Times. The COM
mission sat for thirty-three days in 1885, Tho
government used every means in its power, in
cluding Scotland Yard detectives, to gather all
damaging information for the purpose OF black
ening the characters of the defendants, and re-
sorted to the most despicable methods in six
ipgT the testimony. But it proved of no avail