Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-26
PARNELL AND THE IRISH CAUSE.
A Review Of the Present Political Situation
by Monsixnor O'ReiIly.

Review OF the Present Political Situation
by Monsisnor O'Reiily.
HE CONCLUDES rhAr PARSELL's POWER Is GONE,
AND HIS OPPORTUNITY Losr-rnH DIsAPpoISr-
MKSr CAUSED NJ HIS coURsE-rHE Cause ANr
NOT THE MANA NEW LEADER
In the forthcoming number of the American
Catholic Recieao will be printed an article by
Ri. Rev. Bernard REILLY. L. D., on the present
political situation in Ireland. From advance
sheets of this paper The STAR is enabled to
present some of the leading thoughts. Mgr.
O'Reilly, after reviewing the various occur
ences down to those attending and following
the O'Shea suit and trial, which he speaks of az
1.-THE last and most mastery movement in their
(the Salisbury goyernmentis) strategy against
the national cause" says:
''To all who to the last chung to the belief
| that Mr.. Parnell was innocent and that the
OShea law suit was only the last act i'm the tory
conspiracy against Ireland, which would result
! III Mr.. Parnells turning the tables on his SLAM
| derers, his conduct on the above occasion was a
sore disappointment.
| 1T Is true that some vague passages in Mr..
| Parnelrs public utterances have been inter-
preted as request that his friends and the
| nation ut large shall suspend judgment in his
| case. And we are also aware that theory Of
his innocence has been seriously entertained.
| based on the eccentricities and peculiar meth
| DDS OF the man, notably his action at the time
| of the Pigott investigation. Still, the fact
stares us in the face that not single formal,
authentic and unquestionable assurance of in
nocence has by him been given to any one.
BE that as it may his guilt or his innocence
| forms no essential factor III the solution OF the
Irish problem as it now confronts US. The pub
lie will discuss and solve the question of crimi-
nality or guiltessness according to its own par
TALLY. prejndices or passions.
L q
men of the world will not be at a loss to find
circumstance which will appeal to the COM
passionate and merciful side OF our nature
If Mr.. Parnell is really innocent and can tr-
umphanty prove himself to be so be may in
| deed thus vindicate his personal purity but the
OF his political sagacity. For he, the leader of
nation by his very Willingness to appear
guilty has precipitated in Irish affairs the same
disastrous consequences as if he were the
been endeavoring to prove him to be. 1t was
objectionable, considering the position he held
| among people SO proverbially pure and
watchfuly jealous Of the sanctity of their
homes. in Mr.. Parnell to continue his relations
| with the O'Sheas after the Galway election
| together with his suspicious conduct ever since
This is the first count on which the verdict
OF public opinion must be against him.
THE SECOND FAULT.
'The second fault committed by him in this
regard was his not making known to the men
who had a right to his confidence some good
| reason for the silence maintained by him after
the verdict in the divorce suit was rendered
and more especially for not reairming the
assurances given to the archbishop of Dublin
when the divorce proceedings were first insti-
tuted.
THE letter of Mr.. Gladstone" saws Mgr
OReily, calling for the withdrawal of mir
Parneli, taken together with the verdict of the
divorce court, seems to have disturbed the
usual equanimity of a man weakened by long
illness and racking anxieties. We cannot other
wise account for the contradictory Judgments
given by Mr.. Parnel himself of the famous
visit to Hawarden Castle and his lrreconcilable
estimates of Mr. Gadstone's trustworthiness AZ
an adv ocate OF a full measure of home rule for
Ireland.
THE CAUSE AND NOT THE MAN.
"Mr Parnell," the writer goes on. "was
heard with attention both in the British senate
and all over the civilized world because his
voice was that of Ireland, too long misgoverned
and oppressed.
lis her cause so absolutely identified with Mr..
Parnelrs fortunes that his disgrace or his
| retirement from political life, or even his
death. would so paralyze her voice. SO injure
her claims. that the people of Great Britain. so
lately awakening to the sense of her cruel
| wrongs, would close their ears, their minds
their hearts to what justice. humanity and
tneif own dearest pOltlcdl interests demand IN
favor of the sister island?
''And will Irishmen and men of Irish race
| consent to bury forever out of sight and be-
meath the earth that cause of Ireland, so en- p.
Enthusiastically upheld but yesterday? God
| knows, we Irishmen are clannish enough and
this very clannishness, the devotion to a name
and a man, the narrow love of the tribe and
| the locality in preference to the country and
the nation, has been too often our bane in the
past. 1t dashed all the hopes of our people
4 Il.
sacrifices made for religion and nationality for
| the past two or three centuries.
| That this clannlshness ls not q thing Of the
past what has just happened i'll Ireland. as well
| u in our own free America, proves but too con-
oidsively. The name of the man. not that of
the cause or the country, is the spell our speak
ers conjure with, the will-o' the-wisp which
| leads our countrymen astray and lands their
| country's cause in quagmires from which there
| seems no escape.
I'VE must learn to love Ireland for her own
sake, not for the sake of the men who represent
| or misrepresent he-. We must be devoted to
| the cause through good repute and evil repute,
through good and i'll fortune, because we be-
| heve it to be a cause fated never to be lost.
1T depends on us. on Irishmen in the three
kingdoms, and on Irishmen here and wherever
| the English language il spoken, to prevent the
| cause of Ireland from being lost cause. The
man who shall be chosen to succeed Mr.. Par
nell will be the lawful representative of the
cause, anu Dear tne nag around winch all
| should rally who deserve the name OF lrishmen.
NEW LEADER.
"A leader will have to be chosen. competent
to speak for the party in the house of COM
mons, to occupy officially the place just made
| vacant, to be the acknowledged and respected
| representative of Ireland in dealing with MIR.
Gladstone and his colleagues We do not see
among the Irish parliamentary party any one
man who may, for the time being at least, enjoy
the confidence won by Mr.. Parnell as a states-
man, debater and leader. But whoever is
chosen lie will be man of ability and unblem-
ished character. There are among his followers
no lack of tried. varied and eminent talent
There are plenty Of men to do and do well all
the work which the coming struggle for final
success will put upon Them"
Princess Hcnriette Improving.