The Irish standard., 1891-08-01


This may be conjugal love, but it Ger
tainlV is not politics.
If Parnell is made bankrupt he must
either settle with his creditors withio
six months OF resign his seat. That
would be not altogether unacceptable
ending to the Irish fight, b1t Parnel]
will probably evade this penalty, when
convinced there is no other option.
Anyway the contest will assume a new
phase when O'Brien and Dillon appear
in public.
A correspondent at Cork took pains
to invest igate the story about O'Brien
which became current gossip in the po-
litical circles of Dublin, and was also
discussed in the lobby of the House of
Commons, and which even got into
prominent newspapers without men
tioning any names.
| The substance Of this story is that
O'Brlen was married, when a young
Journalist in Cork, TO pretty actress,
and tnat, after trying in vain TO get a
priest to perform the ceremony, be-
cause the actress was too young, they
were finally married at the registry Of
fee; that they separated soon after
wards, O'Br1en making her monthly
allowance to live upon; that in due time
she disappeared; that he never heard Of
her again and that he supposed she had
died some years before he married Miss
Ratfalovitch. This woman, it was re-
ported, turned up in Dublin a few
weeks ago, and is talking about prose-
cution for bigamy that brings the mat
ter before the authorities of Dublin
Castle.
Naturally the report created a sensa-
tion. So far as the facts can be learned,
pending (pBrien's release, they are that
twenty three years ago he did have some
love affair with a young actress in Cork !;
that he wanted to marry her, but that
when the priests objected to perform
the ceremony she refused to go to the
registry Office; that thev separated; that
the woman is alive now, and is living in
London under the name OF Mrs. Har-
court, and that she never was married
to O'Br1en.
MR.. GLADsTONE's HEALTH.
MI. Gladstone writes to Sir William
Vernon Harcourt that the quiet and
braeing air of Corten had already bene-
fitted him greatly, and that if his phy-
sicians wouid permit he would at once
renew his activity IN public life.
Sir Andrew Clarke insists, however,
that the old statesman must have at
least two months Of positive rest and
freedom from all work. Meanwhile, ="
says Mr.. Gladstone, II shall endeavor
to bear the restraint with as much CON-
posure as can command, leaving to my
colleagues the work Of the coming par-
lia,nentary contests, and Of whose com.
plete success Z have not the slightest
Doubt
Despite all this, there is very grave
anxiety among his friends as to MI.
Gladstone's health. There is reason to
fear that the aged statesman is failing
in degree he does not himself realize
or suspect. His friends express hope
that after period of rest he may be
restored to health and be able once
again to address an audience, but they
allow that months of absolute quiet and
abstention from every kind of business
and excitement are an imperative neces-
sity to give the ex-Dremier some of that
astoni shing vigor he displayed even a
few months ago.
It is significant of the fears Of Mr.
Gladstone's followers for their great
leaders, strength tn the Liberal party
has not merely fixed ON successor to
him, but that the whispered word has
gone round within the pale calling for
an expression of homage and allegiance
to the new chief. 1t will come as sur
prise to all who have followed the po-
lit1cal convolutions of that very able
but tortuously eccentric rhetorician to
learn that this chosen leader is Sir Will
liam Vernon Harc0urt. IT, after this
any room will be left for surprise, it
will be adequately filed by the an
nOuncement that in the Harcourt
cabinet Mr.. Henry Labouchere will in
all probability hold the portfolio fol-
foreign affairs.
SALISBURY ON HOME RULE.
Lord Salisbury, speaking at the United
Club last Wednesday, said he believed
that the danger of church d1sestablish
ment was considerably removed, and if
it was 60 be On electoral reform the
Conservatives did not dread 1t. The
demand of a one man vote was un.
reasonable, but.tbe question of women
voting demanded consideration. The
abolition of the illiterate voter might be
necessary. He declared that Home
Rule had not effected any Judgement in
England; thaIit had been supported in
the past By American gold, and was
now backed by clerical conspiracy.