On Tuesday again Mr. Parnell addressed the Central Branch of
the National League, explaining that the Irish farmers had not supported him as they ought with funds for the purpose of sustaining evicted tenants, and that this part of the League's operations had been dependent on the handsome Australian contributions. He then went on to explain that at a meeting of the Parliamentary Party they had agreed to demand from every new candidate that he shall pledge himself to vote with the Parnellites, and to resign his seat if the Parnellites decide that he has not redeemed his pledge. Mr. Parnell further proposes to hold conventions with the constituencies for the purpose, not to put too fine a point on it, of telling them whom they are to elect. Any constituency which does not obey this mandate, will practically be struck out of communion with the Irish Party. When the Irish Parliament is restored, liberty is appar- ently to be restored to Irish representatives to represent their constituencies, even though those constituencies happen to disagree with Mr. Parnell,—then, but not before. At the same meeting, Mr. T. P. O'Connor explained that the English people are not a factor in the coming struggle who need count for anything in the calculation. Mr. Healy, however, one of the shrewdest of the party, was wiser. They were in presence, he said, of the dawn ; but whether it would be the dawn of a fair and prosperous day, or a dawn soon to be clouded with storm and rain, it is at present impossible to foresee. That seems to us more sagacious than impressing upon Irishmen that England and Scotland count for nothing in de- termining the constitution of the United Kingdom.
