The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1889. Parnellism and Crime.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3144, 4 March 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1889. Parnellism and Crime.

All Irish liberators havo suffered fi'om political persecution and misrepresentation, and the lot of John Stewart Parnellhas not in this respect been exceptional, but 110 Irish leader has ever been able to turn the tables upon his opponents as he has. The existence of crime in Ireland, as the outcome of political agitation, has beeu abundantly proved, and the personality of PamoU.as the head of the late agitation has been indisputable. A very large section of the English people have believed that Parnoll was wore or less responsible for the Irish outrages, that lie-either tolerated or encouraged them, and the great London Times, the Jupiter of Printing-house Square, undertook a task from which even the Government shrunk, the work of establishing a connecting link between Parnellism and crime. A fortnight ago it was thought that'the Times was proving its case before tho high judicial tribunal specially appointed to conduct it, when suddenly the biter was bit, a mine was sprung on the ■ enemy who was' taking the citadel, which laid him hopelessly prostrate, There is. some sort of poetic justice in the discomfiture of! the Times. It bought the evidence on which it relied for its case, it touched pitch freely in order to defile the Pari.ell party, and it has only itself to blame if it is itself smeared in the encounter. The Times has failed to connect Parnellism and crime, and for the time being the Irish party is triumphant. Past history confirms the belief that the loaders of the Irish National party have usually been men of high and unblemished honor, that they have been animated by genuine enthusiasm and that the sentiment which inspired their labors, whether wise or mistaken, was at least honest.. It is some satisfaction to the English speaking races of the antipodes to find that complicity with crime has not been proved against tho present leader of the Irish, party, and that even those who oppose his plan for the regeneration of Ireland may regard him as an honorable adversary. The time will perhaps yet come when Irish patriots and English statesmen will be able to agree upon some common platform by which the pacification of Ireland maybe accomplished. The Salisbury Ministry are perhaps helping towards such a consummation by insisting upon, the rigid maintenance of law and order in the sister kingdom,' and the National party is at liberty by all legal and constitutional means to secure thji political autonomy for Maud, op for»large portion'of it, that is sought for. _ Oiio worked feature of the judical investigation is the/act that the Irish party m m a victory iu a London court of law au,d fcljat'ifc can obtain fair, play even in jlie pfropolis of unsympathetic Engiishmci). ' '.