The Irish standard., 1895-06-01
WIN. O'BRIEN TO RETIRE.

SUSs
WIN. O'BRIEN TO RETIRE.
There seems no longer to be any doubt
of VIM. O'Brien's retirement from The
British parliament, and If report be true
some of his own colleagues in the irish
party are responsible for bounding him
out of parliamentary life, In which he
has figured so prominently during the
past fifteen years. He is about to be
forced into bankruptcy at the suit of Pat:
rick Chance, a member of the Irish party
until recently, for defending O'Brien in
or rather the Home Rule party
which O'Brien represented in the courts.
The suit instituted by Chicago In the
English court, where he was sure to Sc
cure Judgment against his former client,
was Tor the non-payment of $4,000, bal
ance claimed to be due to him for prose-
cutting Lord Salisbury for libel IN behalf
of O'Brien. The chivalrous O'Brien
would not allow the Irish people to make
up public subscription, and the party
whose battles he has fought so fearlessly
for several years shows no disposition to
come to his rescue. The London CORE
spondents of the New York papers de-
clare that Tim Healy is anxious to drive
O'Brien from parliamentary life and has
prompted Chance to adopt his method OF
accomplishing his object They give an
interview with O'Brien in which he says
that the institution Of the bankruptcy
proceedings against him is part of con-
spiracy to drive him out of parliament,
conceived by some of his colleagues who
have differed with him and the majority
of the McCarthyites on questions Of par
ty discipline. Being asked why he was
the only victim, O'Brien is reported to
have answered.:
II am only the first marked down for,
removal Chance has begun suit against
all the members of the committee Of our
party for another party debt He pro-
ceeds in the English courts because no
Irish jury would give him verdict. 1t
is deep-laid scheme to disqualify for
parliament all the leaders of the Nation
alist party except one, T. M. Healy, who
is and always has been an intimate per-
sonal friend and political ally of Chance.
When / am out the scheme is to start
against Justin Mccarthy, Sexton, Dillon,
Blake, T. p. O'Connor-in fact, all the
prominent men OF the party who have
taken monetary responsibility on their
shoulders to support evicted tenants and
maintain the party when the funds were
exhausted"
If what O'Brien is alleged to have said
be true, the people of Ireland should Inn
mediately call upon Healy for an explain
alton. We have always. considered Tim
one of the brightest men In the Irish
party, but we have grave doubts about
his being actuated by patriotic motives,
though no proof of treachery has as yet
been brought against him.
Parnell recognized his ability, and
brought him from obscurity into promi-
nence; but when that great man fell
Healy bounced upon him and used his
yituperative tongue In holding up his
friend and benefactor to the scorn and
contempt of his countrymen. Our opin-
ion of Tim is that he is ambitious to he
the Irish leader and is trying to supplant
Justin Mccarthy. Not long ago he
brought upon himself the censure Of Dill
ion and O'Brien, and very likely he has
not forgotten it for both of them. No
Irishmen in later days have fought the
battle of ireland with more bravery and
energy than Davitt, Dillon and O'Brien.
They may be driven from the British
parliament by the machination of Tim
Healy, but they will retain the love and
esteem of their countrymen the world
over for their disinterested labor in the
cause of their country.
No wonder the Irish-Americans are be-
ginning to lose confidence in the efficacy
of parliamentary agitation for the re-
dress of Irish grievances. So long as
dissension prevails In the ranks Of the
parliamentary leaders, the friends Of
ireland in this country will remain apa-
thetic.