The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-07-22
What VIII His Future BE?

What VIII His Future BE?
The reputation OF his candidate in Car
low, following successive defeats in North
Kilkenny and North Sligo. is accepted even
by his remaining Parliamentary adhcrents
rs conclusive proof that Mr.. PARNELL' s day.
rs leader of Irish Natlonalss is over.
The test of his political strength at Carlow
must be regarded rs decisive Tor several
reasons: first. because several parish priests
were publicly and actively enlisted on Mr..
PARNELLs side; secondly because the last
occupant OF the seat, tho late O'GoRalAN
MAHON. on one occasion carried the district
by a considerable majority against the
unanimous and strenuous opposition of tho
Catholic hierarchy; and. thirdly. because
Mr.. PARNELL declared beforehand that he
would look upon the Carlow verdict as final.
1t should also be remembered that in this
election those who reject his leadership hal
not the advantage of being guided by Mr..
MICHAEL DAvITr or any other Irish M
tionaist Of remarkable influence. Had Mr..
PARNELL's opponents been marshallcd by
Mr.. DILLON. as they undoubtedly will be
after the latter is released from prison, and
had Mr. DILLON been able, rs he soon will
bc, W CpuIll VII Ills DONclIul uSSlStitltS VI
Mr.. WILLIAM O'BRILN, tho rout OF their
former chief would have been even more
disastrous AS it was. the majority against
the Parnellite candidate was sgnally larger
than the whole number OF votes pollcd fer
him. although at least third OF them came
from Tory electors.
We cannot we'll avoid tho Inference that II
n new general election were to take place
tomorrow Mr.. PARNELL could no. carry n
single Irish seat by means Of Nationalist
votes alone His career, therefore. as IL rep
resentative OF distinctlvely Nationalist
wishes and intentions, must be admitted to
be closed. We do not, however, say hat he
will cease to figure in the House of Com
mons rs the occupant of IN Irish seat. lIo
has still a certain following in good many
districts, especially in the cities and large
towns: and there are several SEATS which
the Tories lost in 1885 and 1886 by only n few
votes, and which with his assistance they
might reasonably hope to regain. But to
carry those seats Mr. PAHHELL and his few
faithful lieutenantS would have to come for
ward practically II not avowedy, as Tory
candidates. They would be regarded as
Tories In Ireland, and they would have to
compOrt themselves as such in Parliament,
at all events in critical coniuncturcs. No
one disputes that Mr. PARNELL would be a
valuable recruit to the Tory party, both for
the reason above mentioned and becaus, he
has acquired KIN owlcdgc of Irish questions
anda power Of appealin. to an Irish audi
ence such as but few other men possess. 1t
Ia conceivable that he might render matcral
service to the Tory Government should it
cur thu oil ND
stranger sights have been witnessed than
the return of CHARLES STEWART PARNELL
to Dublin as Chief Secretary for Ireland.
But uncrowned King" he is no longer.
That title will no more be his.
1t is indeed, a tremendous injury which
Mr.. PARNELLs infatuation for n beautiful
woman has caused him to inflct upon him
self and his country. His personal loss is
at once unmistakabc and irreparabe. But
the damage done to the home rule cause al
though as yet less visible, is, it is to be
feared. most serious. So long and honorable
had been the roll OF his services, and SO deep
and strong was the confidence OF Irishmen
in his patriotism, that, US every one owns
frankly. he could scarcely have been beaten
in the three recent by-elections without tho
organized and resolute interposition OF the
Irish episcopato throughout tho canvass
and at the ballot box. A triumph won by
such means is Mt best Pyrrhic victory of
very dubious advantage to the Nationalist
movement or to the Catholic Church itself.
We do but chronicle n patent fact when We
point out that tho spectacle Of the Catholic
hierarchy openly controlling some eighty
seats in tho House Of Comm ons will bc
viewed with apprehension and diSmay by
the whole body OF British Nonconiormlsts.
The latter could not tolerate the exercise OF
great Parliamentary influence by Mr.. PAR
NELL after his conviction OF an offence
against conjugal morality They will view
with equal repugnance, although on quite
different grounds, tho assertion of similar
political power by the ecclesiastical repro
sentatives OF the Church of Rome. We arc
not now discussing the rcasouablrncss of
the feeling. We simply affirm its unclla!-
lengcab Bile existence. Tie truth, indeed, is that
the Nonconfornist conscience is more scn-i-
tive to what it deems thcoloyicu obliquitcs
than to breaches OF the marriage covenant.
The forefathers OF the present English Dis
senters, the Purtans OF the reign of JAMES
H.. showed themselves singularly tolerant
Of certain diva.ations on the Part of the
Duke OF MONMOUTH and of WILLIAM OF
Orange, so long MS they believed them to be
answering champions OF tho Protestant
faith, The proi!gacy Of the Duke of Mos
MOUTH was notorious. and yet the austere
preachers who held forth in chapel and con-
venticle lamented him with fervor ard
with JUNCTION, oven as DAVID mourned for
ABsALoM.
This, then, is the kernel of the wrong done
to Ireland by the man whom she delighted
, to honor. For the qualification OF his own
passions Mr.. PAENELL put tho National
lists Ia dilemma, where, whatever course
they took, II would be extremely difficult Tor
them to AVOID cs.ranGlng tn, British Non
conforElists, who have hitherto been re,
carried as indispens lble Gdhrrcnts OF the
Gladstonian pIrtr, They were certain to
ALLEVIATE English Disorders II they contiu-
uei t. Submit to NJ. PARSELLs leadership.
II they managed to throw Off his authority
by means of an Omen and puer ret ic Qemun-