The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-02
Seventh Anniversary Of the
Death of the Irish Leader
/! His Great, Though
Brief. Career.

of. Charles Stewart Parnell will occur
next Thursday. He died Oct. 6, 1891,
at Brighton, England. He was in his
45th year when the final summons
came that called him away from earth
" strife, and closed the sad and BIT
ter controversy which, alas for himself
and his people, filled with gloom and
anger the months Immediately pre-
cstling his untimely and wholly I'M
looked for passing away.
Parnell was, undoubtedly, one of the
most interesting and powerful political
personalities this century has seen.
An eminent English writer said of him
recently that he stood equally conspic-
uQ5Is in European politics with Glad
stone and Bismarck While not claim
ing for one moment that intellectual
ly he was the equal of the great pre-
mier or of the German chancellor,
still, before he was 40, he was occupy
ing as large a place as either on the
worlds stage, master of the strongest
position any one man In British poll
ties ever held, absolutely the maker
and unmaker of powerful ministries
and the idolized Protestant leader of
remember WILDLY my first impress
sions OF Mr.. Parnell. They were re-
ceived at a mass meeting held in the
Corn Exchange of the city of Cork, in
October 1879 The meeting was held
for the purpose of devising means for
the relief of the deep distress that had
come upon the agricultural sections of
the country as the result or success
sion Of disastrous failures of the har
vest Famine was threatened in many
districts, the awful memories of "black
Az were being revived, the landlords
were showering eviction notices upon
the hapless tenant farmers thick as
snow flakes" to use Mr.. Gladstone's
words, the hearts of the people were
heavy, national despair was settling
like a pail Of death upon the land.
Half dozen prominent speakers had
addressed the thousands Of anxious
people at the meeting on the condition
Of-affairs, offering them all sorts Of ad-
vice as to what they should do in the
crisis, and bidding them have patience
till parliament met and then those high
and mighty gentlemen were to do most
wonderful things in behalf of their
people by the exercise of their infiu-
ence with the English ministers
Towards the close of the meeting
Parnell was introduced. As he came
forward stranger as he was tc all but
few in the vast asseTablage, his APP
pearance attracted instant attention.
Tall, gracefully proportional with
brownish hair and full beard, a strik-
ingly high forehead, complexion of
deathlike pallor and eyes OF raven
blackness, he stood for q moment in
silence as If wondering whether he
could get the range Of that immense
audience.5 When he began with the
sa3utation of Fellow eountrymen, a
hush fell at once upon the throng.
That voice can never be forgotten by
any one that ever heard its tones. AS
its magnetic owner sent his words out
upon the crowd of eager listeners, he
spoke amid stiffness like to that
which one can only experience in q
cemetery when the officiating clergy
man is reading the solemn service of
committal. At times one could all
most hear the ticking OF his neighbor'S
watch. Not a syllable went unheard
Parnell was speaking the inaugural
words of a mighty revolution.
Only thirty-three, and yet, as he
stood on that platform ia the open air,
that beautiful autumn Gay, twice ten
thousand people Nhad taken him for
their leader before he had spoken Is
minutes His way Of talking was SO
different from the style of those who
had preceded hing They had given the
Respondent people words of balm and
consolation and bade them hope in the
saving goodness of the English gov
eminent. Parnell gave them eonsola-
ton, too, but not that alone. He gave
them something to carry home and
think about and talk over. when he
advised them to unite and stand to-
gether against the evicting landlords.
"Stick fast to your holdings" said
he, for possession is nine points of the
law
A few weeks later that greatest po-
litical organization of modern times,
the Irish National Land League, was
founded and Mr.. Parnel was chosen
Its first president.
Lord Beaconsf1eld, the prime minis
ter, had both eyes on the new move
ment, so had Gladstone who had just
entered on his memorable Midlothian
campaign. Parnell soon satisfied them
both that his plan of campaign was
destined to change the whole current
of imperial politics, by bringing into
the imperial forum an irresistible and
uncertain element in the shape of q
united and absolutely independent r.
ish party. He also opened the eyes OF
the English leaders to the power and
extent Of the forces he mad at his COM
mand. Knowing well that across the
ocean. in the United States and Cana
da there were millions Of his race
10 WuOul u6 cOulQ slpDtdl iOI t1S re-
sources he needed, he sailed for New
York in December, 70, and from the
time Of his landing until he sailed for
home the following March, when the
cable brought him the news in Mon
treaf that Beaconsfield had dissolved
parliamenD, Parnells mission met with
unparalleled success.
HIS progress through the United
states was one uninterrupted ovation
Governors and senators presided over
and made speeches at his meetings. He
was accorded the unusual privilege oil
an invitation to address the nationa
house Of Representatives, while 1t was
in full session with the speaker in his
chair and the official reporters at their
desks taking down his words. Leaders
of American public opinion, regardless
of party lines, gave him and his cause
their heartiest support and the press OIL
the country both republican and demo.
cratic gave the young Irish leader the
most earnest and cordial support
Within three months Parnell was
able to send to ireland no less than
quarter Of million dollars, while The
New York Herald, which started a fund
of its own, sent a great many thousand
more. Money was not the only fruit o.
the mission. Branches of the lane
league were organized in every towl
and city from ocean to ocean. and earf
was a solid block of granite in tn,
great fabric which Parnell was rearing
He returned to Ireland in March t,
find the country IN the throes of q gen
eraf election. With amazing energy, HI
set about his task Of building up new
and independent Irish parliamentar,
party He worked against terrific odd
at the start The strongest influence
were called into play to beat him dow
and check his rapidly spreading powe
and influence among the people, but tn