NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Report of the Special Commission on the connection between Parnellism and Crime, was presented on Thurs- day night to the House of Commons, and is a singularly pithy and able, as well as singularly judicial document, signed by all the Commissioners, and full of statements of concentrated significance. Sir James Hannen, who has, we suppose, had the principal hand in drawing the Report, deserves great credit for having brought so elaborate and difficult an investigation to an end, and an end which will really help to enlighten those -of the public who wish to be enlightened, and do not wish merely to have their own view backed up. We have explained elsewhere what we regard as the chief utility of the Report in reference to the condition of Ireland. We may add here that the verdict of the Commissioners comes very much to this,— that some of the respondents, not including Mr. Parnell, but including Mr. Dillon, Mr. O'Brien, Mr. Devitt, and others, did really mean to use the Land League as the means for establishing the independence of Ireland ; that Mr. Parnell wished to avail himself of the help of those who aimed at this object, whether by violent or peaceful means, without formally approving their object, and as a matter of fact, -did get their active help ; finally, that the effect of the in- timidation and boycotting which all the leaders expressly approved, was a large amount of violent crime, which, how- ever, most of them deprecated, and one at least, Mr. Davitt, warmly condemned.
