New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-11

DY4
w.. .,,r.a that Mr. Psrnell should be whitewashed,
49,. AZ IL has since required that he should be
sS,..Hened Each operation performed |
-,h equal thoreughness and equal lack
:, scrupe The iniquities Of the Land |
I..rue were condoned or condemned, according 10 |
.oitical exisences So were the niquities OF the |
I,veroe Court Mr. Parnelps reputation in Eng !
Ind became the plaything of party, while history
81. inside history Of the proceedings before the
s..oisl Commission-will never be known, nor
N, full extent of the debt Of Mr.. Parnell to MI
p.erre Lewis. That debt was not Mr. ParneHs
AMY. for at that time he was identified Win tne
gadstonian party, and it Is not TOO mucn 10 say
that the fortunes Of that singular coatiuoh ue-
penaed on Mr.. Lewis's professional Skill iie
,ulled that case cut Of the fire. He IL was WIN
affected Pigott as the forger, be who put 'ogeOer
the most remarkable fabric Of proof whch on
Charles Russell handled in court with skill no'
less remarkable He it was who dealt Win inc
whole case, and who turned what seemed certain
disaster into something like triumph.
There is, believe, an explanation Oh the s'uo-
bornness with which " The Times refused TO make
the apology which most people thought MI "a
nell entitled to on the Pigott count. There Is
a, any rate n story which may now be told, com
.nr as IL does from very different quarter. Inc
pirott letters were beyond all question forged. IL
was. however, believed by some who had goou
means of knowing the facts, that MI farneii
was less innocent than he seemed. lie ana WrHe'
they say. a letter not unlike the forged letter III
,xtenuation of the Phoenix Park crime lh"V
letter was at the time in existence. flsoUe "e"s
TO America in search Of 1t. lie could hoe NM
It, or could not lay hold Of IL, but he learheu ''i
contents Of it in substance, and when ne CAM
hack fabricated q letter as nearly like IL - Il.
could. / am far from vouehing for the uu'n y,
this too plausible tale, but think there 49, we
time when it was deemed true IN Inc Ai-"''
Office.
The history Of the divorce court proceeuins'
must like that of the Special Coii'hi' -oirt
main to some extent mystery 0i ue
however. Mr. Parnelrs fame may oe oi0- on,,
never told Mr.. Davitt, or Mr.. GLADSTONE, 100
,oh.t,vaep who sought his confidence, that nc VOC
innocent What he did say was tha' nc .,'a,.oa
come out all right. And tnat nc -;,,s
There were Others who believed IT, loI -
-..Soae, GOOD or bad II is probable enough IhaV
ie'S1H' p go had left himself in Mr.. Lewis's
- bs would have been cleared But MIS-.
o,Sh.. interviewed. This lady preferred Una'
- sbou1d no a divorce. Her ascendancy over
NJ parnell was. as it had long been. complete
- she nrevailed Mr. Parnell took himself
and his defence elsewhere, and finally, as all 1ne
world knows, declined TO appear.
His relations with Mrs. O'Shea had OF course
lang been notorious They were known 10 every
body who knew anything about him. They were
bevond doubt known for years TO those LloersI
leaders who afterwsrd reaouneed and deserted
him because, as they said, Of his adultery ~
,ras not the adultery which shocked the moral
consciousness Of these sensitive natures; IL was
the legal proof of it in open court which rouseo
them 10 the cnormity of the offence eommV'ed
ny the leader to whom they nad surrendered
Nav II was net even that il the revolt or the
Nonconformist conscience. l speak of the Non
conformist conscience now, as ever win resPe0"
II ono cannot ALWAYS think its judgments en-
lichtened its sincerity Is beyond dispute anu
sincerity in public life is admirable IN proper
non 10 its rarity. L. was the CONVECTION wv
reluctant conviction, Of Mr.. Gladstone ''St hc
must choose between Mr.. ParneH and the great
body Of his Noncontormist supporters II WIG
the renorts Of the agents Of Mr. Schnadhorst from
all over the country, and from constituencies .,
every shade. that the Dissenters Of England woulu
make Mr.. Parnen's retirement the absolute c0ndl-
ton of their continued allegiance to Mr.. Uad-
steue. Those are the true reasons for MI Gad-
stones letter to Mr. Morley, and the interval
between the dates Of the decree Of divorce ana
the appearance of Mr.. Gladstone's ultimatum can
not be filed up in any other way.
What happened on the other side of the lrlsh
Channel proves that more sinister influences there
cot the upper hand. The priests saw their chance
There had been long struggle between them anu
Mr.. ParneH, and he had come of victor IN every
;mnortant contest He had forced the priests and
the whole Episcopal hierarchy to be ms o'euIcn'
servants. He had taken Ireland-political Ire
land-out of the hands of Rome. But Rome mas
long memory and a long arm, and knows how to
b1e her time She had beaten Prince bismarck {;
sbe was not likely to give in % Mr.. ParneI' ier
hour came when the decree was pronounced IN the
divorce court She struck remorseessly, ana the
blow was fatal. She deposed the Cncro"heu
King and she resumed that political control when
sba has never admitted ard never will admit to
he separabe from her spiritual aScendancy
There was TO be seen the most astonishing spec
tacle of modern times a close political cooperation
between the Romish priesthood in ireland ana the
Puritans Of England. 1t is unavowed, Out IL Is
none the less real and at the head of it stands the
one Englshman to whom POpery and dissent are
alike most hateful Never was there more ap-
Mailing instance of the lengths which political
ambition will lead a scrupulously conscientious
soul
Ireland or part Of that part OF Ireland over
which the Uncrowned King once bore sway, VIII
rive him puble funeral hallOw his memory, and
build up the usual myths and legends about thelr
dead hero's name Yet the very effort TO do TINS
proves how critical the situation is, and how
absurd it is to say that Mr. Parnelis deoth can
have no political effect. The colleagues who be-
trayed him would fain join in honoring his mem
ory. and dare not Their appearance would pro-
woke riot Mr.. Parnells grave would be the
scene Of hand to hand conflict They have pru-
asn,l ana ,y;sal, elected 10 STAY away Mr.
Psrnen deserted by the great body OF his country
men. for whom he had done SO much, deserted and
ostraeised by the English Liberals under Mr.. Glad
stones imperious lead remained formidable
force; and Parnellism may still be force.
1t is idle to predict the course of Irish politics.