The Warwickshire Herald. — 1887-04-28 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

PARNELL.  The Timex in a leading article, says :—A week has elapsed 'once we placed before the world a facsimile of Mr. Parnell's letter an the Phcenix Park murders. We entertain not the slightest doubt that the letter is a genuine one, and we have challenged Mr. l'arnell to take the only coarse by which the question can be thoroughly tested. Mr. Parnell has met the charge with a simple denial, accompanied with much strong language. and be is asaired by Mr. Gladstone, Sir William Harcourt, and other leaders of the Opposition, that it is unnecessary for hi ni to take any further steps to vindicate his character. Whatever success this policy may have with persons who for I arty rea-ons desire an excuse for closing their eyes to unpleasant truths, an unprejudiced pubic will certainly not be satisfied with Mr. Parnell's bare word. It is clear that if Mr. I Parnell was the author of the letter we have reproduced be cantmt be considered incapable of re-I,tulia• lug it. We have conclusively proved from the writings of Mr. l'arnell's l 7 masters in the United States and from the speed es of his subaiterns in Ir..land that the orginisation of which he is the chief is doubleface ; that while it presents itself in the Imperial Parliament as a constitutional movemtnt, and is treated as such by Mr. Gladstone, it is mainly supported by the apostles of the gospel of dynamite in America, and that now, as six years ago, its footsteps are doggt d by crime. Mr. Parnell must not expect to be believed if he  contents himralf with declaring the letter a forgery and denouncing the Tillie'? for having forged it. Fiat denials and gross abuse will not avail to meet a charge of so much gravity, and if Mr. Parnell refuses to take the course which is open to him, and to throw upon us the responsibility of making out our case in a court of law, public opinion, which has been aroused all over the country, will speedily settle the question. During its long life of already more than a hundred years, this journal has established its character for impartial and independent criticism of pubkc affairs. Often, when great public interests were at slake, we have faced very serious risks under a harsh libel law in the fulfilment of our duty. But never have we acted under a graver sense of responsibility, under a stronger conviction of obligation, than in the present controversy, We can afford to look with absolute indifference upon the insolent abuse and furious threats of the proprietors of United Ireland, the clients of the Irish World, the gue-t, the intimates, and the hired men ot Patrick Ford. But it is with pain and shame that we see English politicians condescending to imitate the practices of the Parnellites. When we find Mr. Gladstone, Sir Will am Harcourt, Lord Spencer, and their colleagues professing unbounded confidence in the men they imprisoned without trial in 1881, the organisers of the League they suppressed as unlawful and criminal," the asscciates of criminals and fugitives from justice, it becomes a duty to show that the reasons for refusing to Mr. Parnell and his followers the control of Irish affairs exist in undiminished force.  MR. Sr. JOHN BRRNON'S action against Messrs. Ridgway for an alle4ed libel published in their Black Pamphlet, will probably be taken this week. The Attorney-General, who was retained to lead for the defence with Mr. Poland, has returned his brief on the ground that he has Such pressure of Government business as will preclude him from giving the necessary attention to the very complex matters which will have to be submitted to the jury. Sir Charles Russell, whom the defence also sought to retain, has refuse Ito take a brief. Mr. Kemp, Q.C., will now lead the defence in this action, and with him will be associated Mr. Poland and Mr. Mc'j'all. The evidence which will be adduced will, it is said. be of a most extraordinary character. Several Parnellite members have been subpamaed, and the defence will also call Mr. Monro, the head of the Criminal Investigation Department.