THE PARNELL COMMISSION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2127, 6 May 1889, Page 2

THE PARNELL COMMISSION

IB* KLfiOTBXO TBLIGKAPH— OOPYBIGHT.J

(Pbb Pbkjs Association,)

Tn , „ lVaswrn, T& 4y 3 10-day the cross-examination of Mr IVsell was continued before the Special Commission.

Sir R. E. Webster, Attorney-General, read several articles m the « Irishman " newspaper m which persons committing crime m Ireland were highly eulogised. Mr Parnell admitted that these were calculated to encourage the use of physical force. He believed that O'Donovan Rossa had never originated outrages, and only boasted of them after they were committed. The outrages attributed to the Clan-na Gael Society were, he thought, probably tho work of scattered organisations composed of Irish- Americans. If constitutional Government for Ireland failed, ha might consider his retirement from public life. Mr Parnell said he disapproved of some of the speeches delivered by Mr JMllon, but it was not within bdg province to reprove him for them v He considered that the « martyrs' fr;nd" was used for innocent purposes, b^t that the name given to the society *#& \^\j to cause people to regard executed murderers as martvvs. Mr Parnell admitted that the, statement made by him m the Honse of Commons on January 7th. Ifcsi, to the effect that secret Bocveties had ceaßed to exist m Ir.e\&icl, was intended to deliberately mislead the House as to his views. Owing to the rejection of Mr Forster's Habeas Corpus Suspension Act he undoubtedly had wished to mislead the House, but ho had failed, as the Act had since been applied. His.statement wag a gross exaggeration and not founded on facts. He intended to exaggerate m m order to produce an impression of the influence of the National League. [The admission created tremendous sensation, which was intensified by Mr Parnell's cynical nonohalance. There was also some hissing.] Mr Parnell added that secret societies and crime had ceased m Ireland after the Arrears-of-rent Act had come into operation. This result was largely owing to the influence of Messrs Davitt, Egan, Sheridan, and Boyton. He assumed that some of the books of the Land League wera m the possession of Egan, but thq cash book, the letter books, and ledgers had disappeared. Sir James Hannen said he attached great importance to the faot that the books had been lost, and Mr Parnell promised to try and recover them. In reply to further questions, Mr Parnell said that the accounts of the Land League had never been audited,