Mr. Parnell is in Ireland becoming a mere candidate, ready
to swallow any pledge that may catch stray votes. The dele- gates of many labour associations presented to him on Sunday a furiously Radical programme; and though he did not accept it all, rejecting the eight-hours movement in particular as: useless without an international agreement, he accepted universal suffrage, a State control of all the questions which usually cause strikes, and "in principle" the nationalisation. of the land. This last concession is bewildering, unless, indeed, Mr. Parnell is hopeless of carrying the counties. His first claim on his supporters, a claim supported by some audacious misrepresentations as well as some truths, is that he has secured fixity of tenure for the peasantry, and will secure- freehold rights ; and both are opposed to nationalisation. He does not intend nationalisation, of course, and, we fancy, has. caught up the phrase only because he thinks it Mr. Devitt's. instrument of power, whereas it is really the reason why Mr.. Davitt is; not the national leader. The Roman correspondent of the Times says the Irish prelates in Rome think the. Church is beaten, and muet submit to Mr. Parnell; but that is nonsense, as the battle is not yet joined. The better opinion is, that he will carry the towns and lose -the counties, and even that is far from certain.
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