The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Vertas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, JULY 13, 1891. CARLOW AND PARNELL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XII, Issue 2404, 13 July 1891, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Vertas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, JULY 13, 1891. CARLOW AND PARNELL.

The hope that Mr Parnell, by his marriage with Mrs O'Shea, would be rehabilitated m the eyes of the IrisL priesthood and the National party, and restored to his position as leader' of that party, has been finally dispelled. The Irish Roman Catholic bishops apparently met to consider the ex-le.ider's altered condition, for a few days after the announcement of the marriage, we were informed by cable that the Irish hierarchy, with the ex+ ception of the Bisnop of Limerick, have signed a resolution calling upon the people to repudiate Mr Parnell. Later, on Mr Parnell had the temerity to take an active part m promoting the candidature of his nominee for the Carlow seat m Parliament, and his reception there must have convinced him that he had lost all of that wonderful hold, which he until a few, months ago held over the Irish people From one village he was driven with loud execrations and the beating;of. kettles—the latter a delicate allusion to the name of his candidate; at Carlow he wvs assaulted by the mob and his wife burnt m effigy, and other indignities were heaped upon him. To end all, his candidate received a; crushing defeat. A knowledge of the sentiment of the Irish people warranted Mr Parnell m clinging to the'hope'that his marriage and his personal appearance to assist m the election campaign of a strong adherent of the Nationalist cause would attract his old followers to hi? side, if they did not as m times past cast themselves at his feet m unquestioning submission to his will. The events at Carlow proved, ho .vever, that the influence of him who was so long their "uncrowned king" no longer had any hold upon the peasantry. He risked the fall and it came to him and was great. His future course is an interesting question. Wil he accept his fall and retire from the scene, or will he endeavor to regain his position by stubbornly fighting the strong religious, social and political forces opposed to him ? His followers are even yet of considerable numbers, and should he persist m carrying on a series of contests he would be able to materially embarrass the National party, espscially m their efforts to secure the return of their Parliamentary candidates for English constituencies. A man who has had such despotic power as Mr Parnell possessed, and of his temperament, will not submit to total extinction without making every effort against it. Possibly the coming general election may see Mr Parnell a disturbing element that will have to be reckoned with.