PARNELL V. " TIMES"

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2133, 24 May 1889, Page 2

PARNELL V. " TIMES"

'"ass [PBR PABSS ASSOCIATION.] London, M»y 22 Before the Parnell Commission to-day the examination of Mr Wm. O'Brien was continued. Witness stated that he had never been a sworn member of any Fenian society, though he had never made any pretence of loyalty until the year 1885. Witness also stated that illegality was inbred m the Irish people, I as a result of the oppression to which I they had been subjected. His paper " United Ireland/ had never incited outrage. T. Harrington, M.P., Secretary of the League, had always taken measures to suppress such branches of the National League as were guilty of using strong language or encouraging outrage. He admitted being present at the Convention m America, when John Finerty, the dynamitard, declared they would get nothing 1 from England except by the sword. On that occasion both he (O'Brien) and Michael Davitt had replied advocating reconciliatory tactics. Patrick Ford, editor of the " Irish World," appeared to regard Mr Parnell as his mortal enemy, and he had told Ford tha|Jiis aotion was imperilling Parnell's policy. Mr O'Brien deolarod that, personally, he had not been connected with the commission of crime directly or indirectly. Boycotting, with intimidation, he thought was quite •justifiable and constitutional, He admitted that he had advised the Mitchelstown tenants to fight for their homes. He thought it quite a legitimate course to publish the names of those who abstained from joining the League. He justified resistance to evictions, and said his paper, " United Ireland/ although it had never denounced secret sooieties had tried to win young men from them. He dissented from much that had appeared m the columns of the "lrishman/ and declared that he had always found Patrick Jigan acting m a constitutional manner.