Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-08
CAREER OF PARNELL.
HIS ANCESTORS PLAYED NOTABLE
PARTS IN HISTORY.
The Dead Leader Took No Prominent
Part in Politics Until 1s77-Some of the
More Remarkable Contests in Which
He Was Engaged

The Dead Leader Took No Prominent
Part in Politics Until 1s77-Some of the
More Remarkable Contests in Which
He Was Engaged.
The public is familiar with the stirring
events in which Parnell has been the prin.
cipal figure during several months past.
His career has been a notable one, as can
be seen from the following general view
of it:
Charles Stewart Parnell was born in 1916,
at Avondale, County Wicklow He de.
scended from an old English family that
crossed over from Congleton, Cheshire to
Ireland, and many of his ancestors lfave
played prominent parts in history. Thomas
Parnell, the poet, was one OF the family.
Mr.. Parnelrs great-grandfather, Sir John
PaFnell, held for many years the office of
Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Irish
Parliament, and resigned rather than vote
for the Act of Union, and Sir Henry Parnell,
Sir Johns son, after many years service in
the House of Commons, was raised to the
peerage as Lord Congleton in ls4l
Charles Stewart Panell, whose mother is
daughter of Admiral Charles Stewart, a
celebrated American naval officer was edu-
Gated at various private schools in England,
and afterward went to the Magdalen Col
lege, Cambridge. After a tour of some dura-
tion in the United States he returned to his
home in Wicklow, and was elected High
Sheriff OF the county in 1874. He made his
first attemp+ to enter public life in the same
year, contesting the County of Dublin with
the late Colonel Taylor, on the latter's ac-
ceptance OF the office as Chancellor of the
Duchy of Lancaster in the second admins
tration of Lord Beaconsfield Mr.. Parnell
was defeated by an overwhelming majority,
but In the following year, 1875, he was re-
turned for the County of Meath, in success
sion to the late Mr.. John Martin.
For some time Mr Parnell took no nrooi-
nent part in the proceedings of Parliament
but during the session of 1876 he attracted
some attention by engaging in several pro-
longed and stubborn conflicts with the Gov
ernment.
In February, 1877, he made his first ap-
pearancc as Legislator, introducing the
Irish Church Act Amendment bill. The in
PRODUCTION of the Prisons bill gave rise to
the active policy of the Irish members,
which was known to the English as the
policy of obstruction. A similar course was
the debate on the 3lst of July. ON the South
Africa BILL that Sir Stafford Northcote
moved the suspension of Mr.. Parnell. This
motion was abandoned. In 1878 Mr. Parnell
was elected President of the Irish organiza-
tiOn in England. In 1879 he started the land
movement, sounding the keynote of the
struggle in the words: 'kecp a firm grip on
your homesteads." On the 3lst of October
was formed with Mr. Parnell as President,
and in December of the same year he came
to America to raise funds and spoke before
Congress.
During 1880 Mr. Parnell took an active part
in the organization OF the Land League. He
was tried in December of that year under in
formations made by the Attorney General,
but the jury disagreed. In 1881 he fought
tie coercion measure, and, with 81 of his
followers, was removed from the House. He
was arrested October Is and conveyed to
Kilmainham Jail, where he remained until
May ?. On January 3, 1882, he was presented
with the freedom of the city of Dublin. In
1853 a subscription of f35,O0O was presented
TO him.
In 1885 he had So followers and supported
Mr.. Gladstone, Then came the "Parnell
Commission" This was to inquire into a
pamphlet published at the Times office. Fac
Smiles of letters purporting to have been