The Portland daily press., 1891-10-08
THE DEAD LEADERS, LIFE.
His Rise to the Control of Irish AZ
fairs and His Deposition.

Charles Stewart Parnell, the Irish politi-
clan and leader, was born at Avondale. in
County Wicklow, on the 2Sth of June 1S4s.
His father belonged to an old Cheshire fami-
| ly, which purchased an estate In Ireland un.
der Charles H., and from which sprang
Thomas Parnell, the poet.
His great grandfather, Sir John Parnell.
was long chancellor of the Irish Excheouer.
and actively supported Grattan In his strug.
giles against the Union. William Parneil,
his grandfather, sat for County Wicklow
and was the author Of q political novel. His
mother, Della Tudor Stewart, was the
daughter of the American admiral. Charles
Stewart.
Mr.. Parnell was educated privately, and
was for some time q member OF Magdalen
College, Cambridge, but did not take his de-
gree. He was high sheriff OF County Wick
law,in 1874, contested County Dublin unsuc-
cessfully In 1876 but In the same year was
returned as home ruler for County Meath
He attached himself to Joseph Biggar, the
member for Cayan, who no, was !, the first to sug
~ tactics. During 1877 aud 1873 his audaci-
ty in the use of the new engine made him
very popular in Ireland,
The new horror Of sil.night sittings then
became familiar to tho House Of Commons.
and throughout the struggle Parnell equalled
Biggar in audaeity and c0olness. In 1878
Parnell was elected president of the English
Home Rule Association, and threw himself
into the agrarian agitation, supplying it
Your Homesteads.
In October, 1878, Mr.. Parnell was elected
president of the Irish National Land League.
Visiting the United States to raise funds for
the cause, he was allowed to address Con-
gress ana carried home with him $4,000.
In 1880 he was returned for the counties of
Meath and Mayo and for the city of Cork,
and chose to sit for the last
de was then elected chairman Of the Irish
parliamentary party and in a speech at En-
mis-, September 10, 1880, he proposed the
Furnishing an unpopular individual. The
Gladstone government coming to the con-
cluslOn that the objects Of the Land League
We're contrary to law Parnell and several Of
his associates were put on trial, but the jury
failed to agree.
At the next session the government
brought In coercion bill, which Parnell op-
posed, and In the course Of the struggle
which ensued he and30 of his followers
were elected from the House, February 3,
1881. Mr.. Gladstone next brought forward
his famous land bill, but Parnell refused to
accept it as final settlement until the re-
suit OF certain test cases before the new land
court was known.
On the 18th of October he was sent to Kill
mainham Jail, and ren aimed there until
May 2. 1882. being liberated after some
private negotiations with the govern
ment in which Capt. O'Shea was the
go-between. Mr.. Forster resigned
the Irish secretaryship in consequence Of
the release, and next followed the terrible
tragedy Of Phoenix Park, of which Parnell,
in his place in the House of Commons, ex-
pressed his detestation.
In spite Of the strenuous opposition of the
Irish Nationalists, the crimes act was then
hurried through Parliament. The Land
League had already been proclaimed an IL
legal association on account Of the mo
Rent" manifesto. but early in 1884 the Ma
tionalists revived it under the name of the
National League and Parnell was elected
president.
Mr.. Parnell returned to Westminster with
eighty loyal home rulers at his back. in 1886
he introduced his famous home rule bill. A
long debate followed. A large section of the
liberal party rebelled against Mr.. Gladstone's
leadership and the bill was defeated by a
vote Of 81 to 341. Forthwith Mr.. Gladstone
dissolved Parliament and appealed to the
country, the result showing an oVerwhelm-
Ing majority against home rule and bringing
Lord Salisbury into power.
Then came the infamous fParnellian and
Crime" articles in the London Times, the
sensational Outcome of the trial, revealing
the forgery of ParnelPs name, and the tri.
umph of Parnell. He had reached the height
OF his fame soon to plunge into the denth of
his infamy as revealed by the Cant. 0'Shea
divorce proceedings. Parnell, the Ievei-head-
ed leader, became the factious head of a con
stantly lessening faction. His latest days
deserve oblivion because of his earlier sturdy
long and manful fight in behalf of Ireland.