The Irish standard., 1896-10-17

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and Mr.. Davitt: but Parnell was too
astute and too self-controlled a poll
tician to allow any such differences to
stand in the way. Indeed Parnell, was
usually very tractable and forgiving
and reasonable man in his dealings with
other men-unless when he happened
to be caught by one Of those outbursts
Of uncomfortable suspicion and anger
which blinded him and even maddened
him. There were many things in the
new constitution for which Parnell did
not particularly care; but, on the whole,
he regarded the bill as the greatest and
best settlement, and he stuck strongly
and even passionately to it in every de-
tail. [ remember that I made a speech
which suggested that the bill might be
regarded as open to considerable modi
ication in Committee. Mr.. Parnell did
not like the suggestion at all. We
want this bill,'' he said to me emphati-
cally after had sat down.
l forget at this moment. what was the
date of Mr.. Parnells famous visit to
Hawarden, but I saw him Immediately
after. We were both entertained at a
couple Of banquets at Liverpool. Par
nell was subjected to AN amount of adu-
lation which would have turned the
head of any other man; but it did not
appear to turn his head. He did not
speak of the visit to me with very much
enthusiasm, though he had a conversa-
ton with Mr.. Edward Evans, we'll
known Liberal leader in Liverpool,
which seemed to me of a more enthusi-
astic character. At this interview he
made suggestion which I heard OF
soon after, and with very great sur
prise. 1t was that when Mr.. Gladstone
came into power again to propose Home
Rule, the Irish members should occupy
seats on the Liberal side Of the house,
a suggestion which I do not think even
Parnell's S power of command would have
got his followers to adopt.
Again, heard Mr.. Parnell speak of
Mr.. Gladstone and his relations to the
Irish party on remarkable occasion.
It was at that last friendly meeting l
had with him in the library of the
House of Commons, On the eve Of my
departure for my second, trip to
America Everything, as it will be
remembered, was going splendidly then,
and it was quite clear that: Mr.. Balfour
and coercion, and the enormous posi-
ton and prestige of Parnell, would soon
bring majority Of over hundred for
the Liberal party, and, of course, the
certain triumph Of Home Rule. We
were discussing the possibility with
Parnell, and he made the characteristic
reply when we spoke confidently OF the
big majority Mr. Gladstone would get,
that his fear was that the old man wollid
have too big a majority.
What is the explanation OF this attf-
tude of Mr.. Parnell? What Of the still
mere hostile attitude he assumed to-
ward the Liberal leader later ON? l
have already indicated some of the
causes OF this point of view--Parnell's
natural suspiciousuess Of character
his. hardness in political bar gaining;
his belief only in the power of a COM
manding position. But there was an
other cause. have already said that
ParneIl spoke always of the months he
spent in Kilmingham as amongst the
happiest Of his political life, and | have
told that the reason he gave was that
he had no respon sibility. But all the
same he bitterly resented this imprison-
ment. He never, I think, for one mo-
ment really forgave it or the man who
had inflicted 1t. ParneM was essentially
a proud nlan-prouder than anybody
knew to whom he did not now and then
reveal his inner nature. / remember
being struck once by an observation he
made with regard to the assaults on
members Of Parliament by the police,
which, under the coercion regime, were
pretty common in ireland. He ex-
planned that he had never placed him
self In the position to: be treated in this
way, for he was sure that if he were 80
himself. and would have shot the police
n ic ypr.'
neil was the man to make good his words.
The sense of humiliation in being taken
by policeman, in being thrust into
cell, were, therefore, emotions that
would remain with Parnell even; years
after it had all happened. I remember,
indeed, once when Mr.. Gladstone was
in office, and before he had accepted
Home RUE. hearing Parnell say-it was
with a smile, but in earnest all the
same-that he meant to pay back that
six months Imprisonment. 1t was this
tenacious memory of wrong that ex-
plains much in ParnelHs career.
This feeling Of suspicion of everybody
was so ingratiated that, in the end, it be-
came almost mania. I have heard one
of the men who knew him best say that
he never heard Parnell speak of any of
his colleagues except in terms Of more
or less disparagement I confess this
was not my experience, as there were
some few men whom5I have heard Par
nell praise. Once, however, ParneN
formed a prejudice. and got suspicion
of man, he never / was abe to feel
towards that man the same way
again. 1T was in this way that he raised
up against himself some of the enemies
that were afterwards able to have their
big revenge upon him. And not only
did he not forgive in such cases, but he
never took any pains to conceal his dis
like. Indeed, though he was usually a
courteous man, and though he never
descended to those depths Of rudeness
which were attributed to him after his
death by English writer's who did not
know him, he could forget all his po-
likeness when he was confronted and
found himself at variance with any Of
those people for whom he had this
aversion. 1t was on such occasions that
you got at sense of the power of the
man over other men. He would look at
the person with a steady though not an
Insulting or fiery .ook; and there would
come a coldness into the voice. Few
men ever had the courage to further re-
sist Parnell after he had given such a
look. s
Sometimes as I have already ind.cat-
ed. a suspicion became almost mania.
He was convinced that a certain gentle
man who figured largely in his life had
forged the Pigot letters-or, il he had