PARNELL-O'SHEA IRISH LEADER'S INTENSE PASSION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 119, 21 May 1914, Page 7

PARNELL-O'SHEA IRISH LEADER'S INTENSE PASSION

COOL CYNICISM THE KILMAINHAM TREATY. (By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright.) (TIML'S AND SYDNEY SL'N SERVICES.) LONDON, 20th May. Mrs. O'Shea (who later became- Mrs. Parnell), in her book discloses Parnell's intense passion, heightened by the cool cynicism of his comments upon politics.' When Captain O'Shea was returned for the Clare seat, ho gave frequent dinners. The hostess was piqued because Parnell ignored the invitations, and she declared that she would bring him. She went to the House and sent her card in, and when he came out and conversed with her she dropped a rose from her bodice. He picked it up. Within two months Parnell wrote : "I cannot keep myself away from you any longer." Before the year was out she hid him in a room off hers for a fortnight, where he composed speeches and read " Alice in Wonderland." The feelings of the Irish Nationalists were harrowed by the published descriptions of the sufferings Parnell endured in Kilmainham Prison. He explained that he was quite comfortable, but the stories were published in order to stimulate the Irish _ subscriptions, and so leave the American money for other purposes. Parnell wrote in February, 1882, that he was glad the platform oratory had ended, because he was disgusted with the meetings, knowing how hollow and how wanting in solidity everything in connection with the movement was. Mrs, O'Shea persuaded him to draft the Kilmainham Treaty, realising the intensity of the hate that had been let loose. [In October, 1881, Mr. Parnell was arrested under the Coercion Act and lodged in Kilmainham Gaol. Later, Mr. Gladstone resolved on a more conciliatory policy. The three imprisoned members of Parliament, Messrs. Parnell, Dillon, and O'Kelly, were released on 2nd May, 1882, against the wishes of the Irish Viceroy and Secretary (Lord Cowper and Mr. Forster), who resigned. It was alleged that there was an understanding (the treaty) between the Government and Mr. Parnell as to Irish affairs. There was to be a complete change from coercion, and Mr. Parnell was to co-operate in the advancement of Liberal principles. Mr. Gladstone always denied that there was a "Kilmainham Treaty." A few days later the Phdenix Park murders shocked .the world, and the policy of conciliation came to a sudden end.] "THE HdWLS OF HYPOCRITES." WHEN THE EXPOSURE CAME. MR. GLADSTONE~AS THE SPIDER, ' (TIMES AND SIDNEY SUN SERVICES.) (Received May 21, 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, 20th May. In her book, Mrs. O'Shea (Mrs. Parnell) states that when the divorce decree was issued Parnell said there would bo a howl, but it would be tho howl of hypocrites. _ He cried, saying, " Kiss me, sweet wifie, and I'll try to sleep a little." When Mrs. O'Shea- was acting as Parnell's intermediary between Mr. Gladstone and other political leaders, Mr. Gladstone conversed with her, the ■two walking arm-in-arm to Downingstreet. Mr. Gladstone bargained for tho Irish vote. He gob letters from Parnell dated from her 'house, ■ while Parnell, after leaving Mr. (now Lord) Morley (then. Chief Secretary for Ireland), told her that Morley had said: "Can't you do something to stir up tho people?*' When the exposure regarding the Par-nell-O'Shea liaison came, Mr. Gladstone and others were duly shocked. Parnell was nob angry, remarking, "Tho old spicier has nearly all my flies in his web." / Many statements in the book are borne out by letters; others are dependent on the authoress's memory.