Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-10
MEMORIES OF PARNELL.
He Turned y Rabble Into an Army and
Victory Followed victory-RecQliec-
tions Of Some Fierce Struggles in the

Victory Followed victory-RecQllec-
tlons Of Some Fierce Struggles in the
House Of Commons.
One day, over 20 years ago, 1 called on
Isaac Butt, then leader, of the Irish Parlia-
mentary party, at his residence, Henrietta
street, Dublin, writes a correspondent of the
| London Illustrated Nelcs. Butt came into the
room in his pleasant, genial way, shook me
warmly by the hand, and said: "My dear
fellow, you will have to wait 20 minutes.
have got a splendid recruit and cannot
leave him. 1t is young Parnell-an historic
name-and tell You what it is, my friend,
| the Saxon will ind him an ugly customer,
though he is ID good-looking fellow"
| This was the first had heard Of MI. Par
/ nell. had joined the "Home Rule Confed-
| GRAFTON" very soon after it was formed. 1
| remember well the Parliamentary campaign
| of 1s74s0. I saw the Irish party of those
days gradually fade away. 1t used to be the
joke of the lobby in the years 1889 that ''no
two members of the Irish party were on
speaking terms with each other" Mr.. Par
nell came and all was changed. A rabble
was turned into an army, and victory on
victory followed defeat after defeat.
1t was in 1881 that first came to know Mr..
Parnell. During that year was with him
in the House Of Commons constantly. 1t
was year of fierce struggle. In 1880 1 had
gone to Bradford, at the invitation OF the
Home Rule League, to induce the Irish OF
that division to "go solid for Mr.. Forster"
met an "old Fenian'' in the tOwn-not
man to be classed with the dynamitards or
agrarian murderers. but a man of the school
of O'Mahony and Stephens. of Luby and
O'Leary.
He Was With the Liberals.
He said: "You are going to help the Lib
erals. All right! They will introduce a
coercion bill the moment they get into Of
flee. But 1 won't interfere. L saw a tele-
gram from Mr.. Parnell, saying: Vote for
the Liberals won't go against him; but
won't vote at ALL" The Liberals came in,
and they did introduce coercion bill. Over
that bill there was one OF the fiercest parlia-
mentary fights on record. While the struggle
lasted spent many nights pacing the cor
ridors of the House with Mr.. Parnell.
Mr. Bright made one Of his best speeches.
member was put up to reply. He failed ut
terly. The night afterward said to Mr.
Parnell:. "AIr. Bright has not been answered,
upon the House" well. what do You wish
and he failed. I can do no more l quite
recognize that Bright has not been properly
dealt with. He ought to be treated as an
old friend who has gone wrong. In fact, the
story of his past career ought to be told to
to be II read s to him." Wei, it IS not too late
yet" "Oh, yes: these things ought to be
done on the instant to have any effect"
Then he paused, and added: "But really it
for speeches. reasoning has no effect on
them-force has. We must bind them by
their own rules"
He Attacked the Speakers Conduct.
While we were walking up and down one
of the corridors Lord Granville came along;
he was soon followed by Lord Kimberly and
other members of the Cabinet. "a Cabinet
Council" said Mr.. Parnell, with one of his
keenest looks; 'they are at their wits ends.
I wonder what they are going to dor Some
thing violent Those men don't know it, but
we are driving them into home rule. -
wants me to stop this debate Ton coercion).
Have you ever heard such nonsense? 1 shall
hold out to the end. 1t they continue the
fight according to the rules we shall beat
them. II they break the rules, and so force
the bill through, they won't gain much by
that" that, A newspaper reporter came up;
"Well, do not know. There is, 1 suspect, q |
Cabinet council going on. 1 shall Just wait |
and see what will come out of it. l suspect |
they mean to do something violent"
A short time afterward the debate on the |
first reading of the bill was stopped by the |
Speaker, after the House had been sitting |
without interruption for Al hours. Mr.. Par
nell was in bed at the Westminster Palace |
Hotel early in the morning when news OF |
what had happened was brought him.
"W hat shall we do now?' said the member |
who had come "Be in your places at IL |
when the House meets" said the chief 1t |
was Wednesday. The Irish members were
in their places when the House met. Mr..
Parnell was at their head He attacked the
conduct of the Speaker in stopping the |
debate. A warm discussion ensued. 1t was
kept up until 5:45 when the House rose. No
business was done.
He Plans for the Future.
Sitting in the smoking room one evening,
1 said: "The O'Gorman Mahon thinks that
Lord Beaconsfield will be the man to intro
duce home rule" He smiled, slipped his tea,
and said: ooh! 1 don't think so. Mr.. Glad
stone will do it. Mark what say! We are
improving our position every day" 1 said:
''What do you think OF Chamberlain"
"Well, haven't seen much of him. 1 met
him with MI. Morley. Morley is good
fellow" But our people will oppose him in
swell, l don't know. They
are PLACED in difficult position. Personally, |
I shOuld like to see Mr. Morley in the House. |
He is making good fight for us in the Pail
lHoL."
Time for writing of more recent events has
not Yet come. But 1 may repeat the last
words 1 heard Mr.. Parnell speak; they show
the dauntless spirit of the man. 1t was at
EuSton. He was on his way to Ireland.
Someone said: "Well, Mr.. Parnell, do not
think you will conc back from the general
election with five followers. In fact, think
you will come back absolutely alone" He
smiled, and said calmly, "Well, if do come
back absolutely alone, one thing is certain
shall then represent n party whose inde-
pendence will not be sapped.' He passed |