TIMES-PARNELL COMMISSION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2009, 18 February 1890, Page 1

TIMES-PARNELL COMMISSION.

London, Feb. 13

Members of the Parnell party intend to move for o committee to investigate the publication of tho forged letters by the Times.

The report of the Parnell Commission has been laid on the table of the House of Commons.

The Parnell Commission report that Davitt, Harris, Dillon, W. O’Brien, W. Redmond, O’Connor, Condon, and O’Kelly conspired to bring about the absolute separation of Ireland. The fac simile letter is declared to be a forgery. The defendants, since denouncing the Pbcenix Park murders, were proved to have incited to intimidation, and invited the assistance of Ford in America. Parnell is acquitted of having assisted Byrne to escape to Paris, and the Judges find it is not true that he was intimate with the loading InvinciblesDavitt is shown to have been closely associated with the party of violence in ] America.

Tim Parnell Commission further find that defendants conspired by means of coercion and agrarian agitation to expel landlords from Ireland, They circulated the Irish W orld and oilier papers inciting people to sedition and crime. It was not proved that they paid for the commission of crimes, and some, especially Disvitt, expressed bond fide disapproval. They did not denounce intimidation, and knowing the effect they persisted in noi doing so. It was proved they subscribed towards, or wen- intimately associated w'di, notorious criminals, or paid to procore l-ln-ir escape from justice, and that tm*y soot comp a nsaiion ! a persons injured in the commission of crime l . ].t was not proved defendants were aware

the Olan-na-Gael controlled the American League, or collected money for the Parliamentary Fund.. It was proved that in order to obtain the assistance of (he physic®! force party in America, including the Clan-na-Gaei, which was actively engaged in dynamite operations in England, defendants abstained from condemning the actions of that party. It was not proved that at the date of the Kilmainham negotiations Parnell knew Sheridan and Boynton were organising outrages. It was proved that Davitt arranged an alliance between ParneiliUa, the American Home Rulers, ; and the party of violence in America, and that the “Skirmishing Fund” was used to promote agitation, which resulted in the formation of the League. The Inviucibles were not a branch of the League, Boycotting was . ruel and illegal. It whs proved that forty-four Irish members, including Parnell, Dillon, Deasy, Davitt, the Redmonds, and other leading members who supported boycotting, were guilty of criminal conspiracy against the landlords, The League neither organised nor paid the Invincibles. None of the defendants had either direct or indirect knowledge of the Phoenix Park conspiracy, Pigotc was utterly unworthy of credit, and all his letters were forgeries. The League did not assist in the detcc tion of crime. No details were given of the way in which £IOO,OOO of the Leaguers’funds was expended, and there was valid excuse (sic) for the nonproduction of the books. The rise of agrarian crime coincided with the be. ginning of activity in the League. The Commission did not receive the assistance that was expected from either Parnell or the League.

The report, which was unanimous, fills 165 pages.

Feb. 14

In referring to the report of tho special commission, tho Chronicle states that the history of the articles “ Parnellism and Crime” is a most colossal fiasco of political journalism.

The Daily Telegraph considers that

while the Parnelliies have been pronounced guilty no new points have been advanced, and the new members of the Irish party are virtually acquitted of complicity in crime. The Standard says that tho defendnnts have been shown to bo morally responsible for the igprst of the crimes committed in Ireland,

The Times states, though the report is eolorF-in iu judicial language, it ihorong! y -confirms the main part of their case. The general effect of charges, it asserts, will remain unshaken, and it believes that the country will accept the judgment completely as confirming the arguments they had urged.

Feb.ls

In the House of Commons, Mr W. H. Smith stated that (he Government had not yet decided what action should be taken in connection wiih the report of the Tiraes-Parnell Commission,

Some ol the Tory papers are urging the expulsion of forty-four members, unless they are prosecuted for alleged conspiracy in crime in Ireland, The Standard opposes this step, although it deplores tho political morality which permits tho forty-four members to associate with the party of loyalty in order to debate Mr Parnell’s amendment to the Address-in-Reply.