PARNELLISM AND CRIME. O'Donnell Action Aganist the "Times."

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 217, 27 August 1887, Page 2

PARNELLISM AND CRIME. O'Donnell Action Aganist the "Times."

Tide sensation produced by tho disclosures, ' cw rather cojsnipilations, of the " Times " has .almost died out, though some curiosity, I lingers as to Uae method of refutation which the Parnollite* may adopfc. Last week indefinite nunows- were current that an action , for libel was afoowt to be brought against ithe "Times," and the " Daily News " publishe*aiv extract from a document which it is stated Mi; F. 1L O'Donnell, late M.P. for Duugarvan, has seat to the " Times." The foHo\ving; are the concluding passages :—: — j Now,. Sir, I shall afford you the pleasure !of having, your jury. Only with thin little qualification— that you ivre to bo sifted down tcv the reasonable proportions which will allow twelve indifferently chosen citizens, even tliouigh devoid of special political aptitudes*, to entertain no doubt whatever* upon the character of your proceeding^. What the House of Commons, or so much) of the best part of it, failed to do I have contrived t«> effect. Or, rather, you have done it yourself. In your ! eagerness to crush nay interposition, you haves sifted yourself, and now we possess tbi3 result in the refined i gold of that most libellous article against |me in your issue of the 17th inst. , which ' w.as your tEuculent reply to an inoffensive correction, of one of your fundamental mis- ' statements, ci matters oi fact. That was a great erroii of strategy on your part. , \Vifchin tLe four coraei'S of that perfectly infamous libal almost every sentence is a gross,, tangible and horrible lie, or the sug- ' gestkm of it. ELvery lie is solid and circumstantial and definitely localised ; and, ' mark me, you shall prove every one of 1 thorn, houie.. There is not one of them ' situated La foreign parts. They all purIpout to naarate transactions here at our j ow.n doovst. When I step into the witno&s I box. you will not find one wished for prei text for confusing the i&sue by .single tran satkuitic epi&«tle. You shall be J allowed to. budge not one inch out of British ! soil, Bi itibh knowledge, British experience. , You, &h*t>U be allowed to promenade the i jury,, not over to Chicago nor Poker Flat, Inoi- tke Ui eat Wall of China. What you have- said you shall stick to. You have 1 libcHously described mo as resorting- to most dishonest "quibbles" on " iriulevant " ! matters in order to disguise my " rcluc- , tauco or inability'" to meet your state1 tttcnfcs. You shall prove it. You have i Hbeliously declared me to have been ' for years in your very city of London tho " colleague " of murderers. You shall prove it to a jury of London. You have hbellously connected me v-JOh. the concealment, heiein your city ofj London, of the tools of intended assassination. You shall prove it to a jury of Lcjwloii. You have libellou&ly connected ips- with yo.ur lying story that, here in Lon^pw, Charles .Stewai t , Parnell knowingly supplied funds for tho.object of saving murd^aers from the reacl,t. of justice. You &hal\pi,ove it to a jury g^ London. I give you, inde^*!,, one alternative. 1 show you one measure of mercy. Consi'4*ring that it is at l&apfc psychologically conceivable that - i^giug by your ravir^b — you are to some ?\tenD liable to be the lupe of your insane prejudice, I allow y0.4, one week to adopt wo- following alternative : — 1. Explicit retractation of the lib J4J 4 and sincere apologies to me and my former colleagues. 2. Explfcifc and humble apology to the public oi/iuion of Engl md, whicl\ you have endeavoured to envenom for the, of setting people against people,, and nation against nation ; and 3. As a material confiima^n of theso ret^ctions and apologies, awl as a partial compensation for your hoinble practioos against Christian and civic charity and fellowship, payment of the sum of Llo>ooo for charitable objects within the metropolis of London without distinction of roligious denominations. This is my reply to your insulting challenge for explanations. You will ha-\e ample opportunity for letting me know j what you think of it before 12 good citizens of London. Perhaps you will allow me to intimato a suspicion, finally, that you may be found to be as well disposed to shirk 1 trial by jury as investigation by parliament. ' —I have the honour to remain your obedient servant, 3<\ Hugh O'Doxnell. Ex-Vice-Pre&ident and Hon. Sec. of Home Rule Confederation of Great Britain ; Ex-Member of Executive of Land League of Great Britain during Mr C. S. Parnoll'sj imprisonment.