The Parnellites appear to show, as yet, no vestige of
any disposition to negotiate with the Anti-Parnellites for a re- union of the party. The manifesto which spoke of Mr. Parnell as " loaded with calumny and hounded to death " by the opposite party, has been replied to by Mr. O'Brien in language not at all less excited. He spoke of " the unhappy creatures who assail me with murderous scoundrelism, and permit besotted shrieks for vengeance to go forth with their authority in reference to Mr. Dillon and myself." Mr. O'Brien has no difficulty in showing that Mr. Parnell recog- nised to the full the courtesy, and indeed consideration, with which Mr. O'Brien had treated him in the Boulogne negotia- tions. Indeed, it was notorious at the time, and evident to all the world, that Mr. O'Brien leaned very decidedly to Mr. Parnell's side. Nevertheless, he says, we know not how truly, that Mr. Parnell's absolute retirement from the leadership was recognised by Mr. Parnell and his supporters as the absolute condition sine qua non of the negotiation ; while Mr. Redmond and the Parnellites reply that a temporary retirement for some six months or so was all that was so demanded. This is a dispute which we may leave the parties to it to settle between themselves, but for the present it is clear that Mr. Parnell's death has rather revived the hopes of his party. There seems to be a positive political merit attributed to dying nowadays, which covers a greater multitude of sins than charity itself.
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