The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-18

tho Nationalist party. which had scarcely q
penny In its exchequcr. There were. how
ever, so Mr.. O'Connor tells US. not few doubts
and fears. and tho first Impression was that IL
n young landlord hitherto entirely unknown
in tho national struGeles-for the outer and
still more the inner history OF this shy. re-
served young man buried In his wicklow
estate was o closed book to every one
II such a man wished to represent q
constituency. It could be from no higher
motives than social ambition: and men
who had become members OF Parliament Tor
such reason had left an unpleasant record OF
half-hearted allegiance ending In violent hos
tility to the National cause. It was neverthe.
less agreed that tho young aspirant should
have the privilege OF n personal interview with
the Council OF the Home Rule League. John
Martin. then still living. and Mr.. A. NJ. sulli-
van were favorably impressed. and the latter
undertook to propose his candidacy at o meet-
ing in the Rotunda. Hero 10 his account Of what
followed and OF Parnell's debut In public life:
Tho resolution which had moved in his
favor having boon adopted with aoclama-
ton, he came forward to address tho assem-
bly,. To our dismay he utterly broke down. He
fatered. paused. staggered on. became con-
fused and pale with intense but subdued ner-
vous anxiety. causing every one to feel deep
sympathy for him. The audience saw 1t all.
and cheered him kindly and heartily: but
many on the platform shook their heads. sagely
prophesying that II ever he got to West
minister. no matter how long he stayed there.
he would either be . silent member or be
known as 'Singlo-Speech Parnell.' We are
told that nobody was surprised when. as the
result OF this by.clection in the county Dub
lin. Parnelrs opponent was returned by an
overwhelming majority. II anything were
needed to account for tho result 1t was
found in the universal feeling that tho
Nationa lists had been represented by an
extremely poor candidate. Mr.. O'Connor ex-
plains this unfavorable first impression by
pointing out that Mr.. Parnell had none Of the
qualities which had hitherto been associated
with tho popular conception OF a successful
Irish leader. II he afterward became one OF
the most powerful debaters in tho House OF
Commons through his capacity Of saying
exactly what he meant and his thorough grasp
OF his own ideas and purposes. he attained to
this prominence in spite OF himself lis in
teresting to hear that to the last he exhibited
an almost invincible repugnance to public
speaking. II he could through any excuse be
silent he remained so. and the want OF any ora
torical training before his entrance into politi-
cal life made him moro than ordinarily hating
and stumbling in his speech Then again his
manner was at all times cold and reserved: he
seemed entirely devoid Of enthusiasm. and he
spoke with strong English accent. which in
Ireland hos come to be inseparably connected
with the adheronts OF the English garrison
and tho enemies OF the national cause. Never
theless. Mr.. O'Connor is convinced that in en-
tcring upon the political career which he had
chosen Mr.. Parnell was in fact exhibiting tho
natural sequel OF his own descent and obeying
the strongest tendencies Of his own nature.
Not that Mr. O'Connor undertakes the task OF
laying bare tho mental life Of n man who
was neither expansive nor interpretive.
He notes. however, as ono OF the most
striking and curious Of Mr. Parnell's peculiar
tiles. not merely that he rarely II ever spoke OF
himself. but that he rarely II ever gave any in
dcation OF having studied himself. To Mr..
O'Connor his mind seems best described in
the German phrase as purely objective. No
man was ever made a conhdnnt by Mr.. Par
nell. Any ullusion to himself by another
either in the exuberance Of friendship or the
design OF fattery was passed by unheeded.
and it used to DO a joke among his intimates
that for Mr.. Panell the entity Parnell did not
exist.