IRISH AFFAIRS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 366, 8 May 1889, Page 5

IRISH AFFAIRS.

London, May 1. Before the "Tinies"-Parnell Commission today, the cross-examination of Mr Parnell was continued. The witness asserted that lie* always tried to conduct the agitation constitutionally, without crimo. He admitted inciting tenants not to pay rents, and that he waß personally acquainted with John Devoy, convictedi cted of Fenianism, and a trustee of the skirmishing fund raised by the "Irish \Y orld "; J. W. Nally, convicted of crimes ; John Walsh, of Middlesborough, organiser of the Invinciblos conspiracy in Ireland and a member of the Fenians. He was not aware that the latter had receded from Fenianism, neither was he aware that the National fund raisod in America was identical with the skirmishing fund. It was not his duty to excludeatiyonefrom membership of the League on account of his antecedents. Ho held that tho Crown ought to be the sole link between England and Ireland. He was not able to remember if when speaking at Lynn (Massachusetts) during his American tour, he had stated that not until England had been beaten to her knees by an enemy would there be a chance for Ireland. He admitted saying at Troy (New York) that of the amount subsciibed"as the result of his tour in America, that for every five dollars he accepted for bread, he accepted twenty for lead. W hat he meant by that was that he accepted the American donations, and would apply the money raised in tho proportion of five dollars to charitable purposes, and twenty dollars to the objects of the League, in the sense of carrying on the fight for Home Rule. Tho witness stated that lie still adhered to the view he expressed at the interview with Farrell. In making the admission that ho had advocated the non-payment ot rent, Mr Parnell said this was the only unconstitutional act that he had committed during his career. Sir Kichard Webster's questions in crossexamination were few in number and prac- , tically without result. LoxDOiV, May 2. The cross-examination of Mr Parnell Ly Sir R. E. Webster was continued ' yesterday. The Irish leader is skilfully ' answering the Attorney -General's questions. Respecting his knowledge of Gallagher, Harris, Walsh, Devoy, Breslin, and other Irish-Americans, Mr Painell said he did not know that they were ienians. They never told him they were. Statements as to his ] approving of Nolans past history, and { saying none were truer than those standing beside Nolan, were election exaggerations. He admitted that Condor, who was one of those who planned the rescue of Caley and Deasy from the custody of the police, near Manchester, on the 1 8th September, 1887, when Policeman Brett was killed, was Chairman of his (ParneU's) Reception Committee at Washington, and asserted that he introduced him to Congress. He knew Finnerty as a dynamiter, and had never repudiated him. He admitted writing to him in 1882 as a personal friend, congratulating him upon his return to Congress, but was not aware that he was a dynamiter till 1882. He was not aware that the chairman of his Ameiican Reception Committee was a member of the Clan-na-Gael. He was not aware that Deasy threatened to murder an English Minister of the Crown and burn cities. He admitted that he never denounced the use of dynamite except when replying to Mr Forster, Irish Secretary, in the House of Commons. He might have subscribed to the present to Kelly, who shot Constable Tarbot, and he never condemned the past career of the violent party. He considered the enthusiasm ofW. E.Redmond, M.P., approached to rashness, and he had privately reproved him for menacing speeches. He admitted that his protests against crime since 1880 were not sufficient in view of the increase of outrages. His No Rent manifesto tvas an act of retaliation (or imprisonment in Kilmainham Gaol, and arrests of other membeis of his party, and he was willing to admit that the manifesto was open to condemnation, though it had never been formally withdrawn. Fie regarded many of Mr O'Brien's articles in the " United Ireland " paper as too strong. London, May 2. It is rumoured that the office of Viceroy of Ireland, which will shortly become vacant in consequence of the resignation of the Marquis of Londonderry, will be abolished under the new Irish local government scheme, and that upon the resignation of the pre^ sent holder the orifice will be administered by a commission until the scheme to be submitted is dealt with by Parliament. The movement set on foot to confer the freedom of Edinburgh on Mr Parnell has been dropped. London, May 3. To-day the cross-examination of Mr Parnell was continued before the Special Commissioners. Sir R. E. Webster, Attorney - General, read several articles in the "Irishman" newspaper, in which persons committing crime in 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, lie thought, probably the work of scattered organisations composed of IrishAmericans. If Constitutional Government for Ireland failed, he , might consider his retirement from public life. Mr Parnell said that he disapproved of some of the speeches delivered by Mr Dillon, but it was not within his province to reprove him for them. He considered that the Martyrs' Fund was used for innocent purposes, but that the name given ,to the Society was likely to cause peoplo to regard executed 'murderers as martyrs. , Mr .Parnell admitted that the, statement made by him in the House of Commons on January 7, 1881, to the effect that, sect ec societies had ceaaed to exist in Ireland, 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 feared ho had failed, as the Act had since been applied. His statement was a'

gross exaggeration, and not founded on fact; He intended to exaggerate in order to produce an . impression of the influence of the National' League., (This admission created tremendous senßation, which was intensified by Mr Parnells cynical nonchalance. There was also some hissing.) Mr Parnell admitted that secret societies and crime had ceased in Ireland after " The Arrears in Rent Act " had como into operation. This result was largely owing to the influence of Messrs Davitt, Bgan, Shoridan, and Boy ton. He assumed that some of the books of the Land League were in possession of Egan, but the cash book, the lotter books and ledgers, had disappeared. Sir James Hanncn said he attached great importance to the fact that tho books had been lost, and Mr Parnell promised to try and recover them. In reply to further questions, Mr Parnell stated that the account-* of the Land League had never been audited. Mr Parnell, in cross-examination, said he had often remonstrated with OBrien, but never publicly repudiated his utterances.