The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-09-05

the house of commons. He left the
tomahawking and scalpng to others.
He used a napier, keen-edged weapon,
strokes, or gave the most delicate of
cuts, vet he did it With such grace and
humor, and such captivating smiles
that the person operated upon could
not help enjoying it, This was his
usual mood. But when the occasion
required it he welded double-cdged
sword that was merciessly deadly i'll
it's effect. l think he was the most
conscientious representative that Ire
land ever sent to the house of conf
mons. He gave himself up absolutely
to his parliamentary duties. He SEEM
ed to have had no distraction outside
the walls of the house of commons.
He was in his place when the speaker
took his chair. He left only Wien the
speaker adjourned the house. Night
after night when bills which had no
interest for Ireland We're being dis
cussed. have seen him alone in the
deserted Irish quarter. listening to
everything. watching everything. lest
by some unexpected chance. some
fortuitous turn of events. q matter
affecting Ireland might arise.
But the figure miss most from the
Irish benches is that Incompatible per-
sonalty, that inscruabc personality
Charles Stewart parncll. He stood
out conspicuously from the crowded
files of his followers. The head was
large and we'll formcd-thc head of all
leaders Of men. He Wore his hair
thick and long. and his beard was also
full and shaggy. The characteristics
of his pale. handsome. aristocratic
face, We're the calm. cold passivcness
of it's expression and it's brOoding. sor
rowful eyes. 1t was rarely or never
rutfled But when Parnell smiled his
face was completely altered 1t was
a smile of remarkable sweetness. and
great was the change it effected in his
otherwise set and melancholy features.
He was wonderfully calm in the most
exciting of moments. while his follow
ers who sat around him yelled and
shouted in passion and turbulence.
Another popularity of this great man
was the absence of heat from his
speeches. l have often watched him
intently as he spoke in the house. and,
though the subject was full of interest
and Importance, there was visible in
his face but the faintest trace of eN-
citement. which showed itself in an
almost imperceptible flush of red over
it's icy whiteness, and a distension of
the sensitive nostrils. 1t was in his
voice that Mr.. Parnell betrayed the
passions that we know surged beneath
his apparently cold and Indifferent de-
.meanor The voice at once arrested
attention, the tone was so wonderOus
strange and uncommon; and, like a
clarion, it rang out in concentrated
contempt. or scorn. But when thor
oughly excited Parncll was a wonder
full, aye. n terrible spectacle. On
nights that the savage animoSities
aroused by "the split" among crst-
while brothers-in-arms broke out in
the house of commons, I never saw II
man display such frenzicd Indignation
as Parnell did. in his bitter words. the
tremuous anger of his voice, his white
and almost blanched face, and his
AL Il n; nj In, tl,o f,n,
he stood in the Irish quarter. Il gaunt
figure. with haggard face and unkcmpt
hair.
The place of Parnell as leader of
the Irish party is now filled by Mr..
John Redmond parncll was unqucs-
tionably that portcntous thing which
is described by the simple worls-';l
great man" He was unique. ! am
convinced that we shall not look upon
his like again. He was not the sort Of
personality one would expect to find
produced in Ireland. There was i'll
him not the slightest touch of the
Gael. There was nothing Indigenous
" Ilit sui VI t''out llllii. ii'1l-
ing charcteristically Irish. but his
opinions Daniel O'Conncll WAS Il
genuine son of Ireland. That mighty
Tribune was a Gael to his finger tips;
and in my opinion while it is possible,
bNt not probable that we may see
again great Irish politician Of the
O'Connell type another Parncl is i'm
possible in Ireland. But if John Red
mond has not the elemental greatness
of Parnell, as a parliamentary leader
and tactician he is supreme. Ireland
has never sent q more adroit parlia-
mentarian to Westminster than John
Redmond.
The Irish party which John Red
mond leads will compare most favor
ably, I think, as regards ability, with
any similar number Of members from
either of the two British parties. But
it is not so able as the party which fol-
lowed Charles Stewart rarnell after
the general election of 1855. The old
Irish party was certainly composed of
wonderful men. What a combination
of talents of the most varied order was
found in a body which comprised Par
n