The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell - Ii

'360 CHARLES STEWART PARKELL
< May I ask if yon were in favour of tlie suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act in 1881 ? '
Mr. Gladstone. 'Ah, well, I don't think I can go into that.'
I said : ' I have seen Lord Cowper, and he told me that you were.'
Mr. Gladstone. * Ah ! if Lord Cowper told you that, then I may talk about it. Yes, I was. Forster was quite mistaken at that time. He told me that the lawlessness was caused (scornfully) by village ruffians, and that if the Habeas Corpus Act were suspended he could lay his hands on them all, put them into gaol, and end the whole business. Why, it was absurd. The whole country was up, and well organised. It was not a case for the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act at all, and I said so at the time. But Forster pressed the matter. Forster really acted badly in that business. He did not understand the nature of the Habeas Corpus Act. I will give you an example of what I mean. There was a doctor in Dublin. He was Medical Adviser to the Local Government Board. He afterwards became a member of Parliament. I think his name was Kenny. Forster put him in gaol under the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, and he then dismissed him from his office under the Local Government Board.' He never told me a word about it. Of course it was monstrous. He could put a man into gaol on suspicion, but lie could not dismiss him from his post on suspicion. The first thing I heard of the matter was when an Irish member asked a question about it in the House of Commons. I was sitting next to Forster at the time. I turned round and said to him: " "Why, you can't do this. It is quite unwarrantable.'1 He said: "Well, I suppose you will get up and say so." I said: " Indeedho roHuitrftw «»f c*i\i!i*4ifiiiii \\vf^ not rxltiitiHted, 1 felt that If I ilitt not **top liiiti lit: \\oul*i htt\e nlfippitd tho Act.ctober 0, '1 'arnell suffered much. The rheumatic pains flew to his heart, ho of the «ame kind. Mostntnl i "Sing it* it.*1 Of nmrxtt ! rtiltwett* but hit kept {Hiking tit** it$ ttw I'Uw mil this litn**, Nnying: '* Hing It/1 iittcl n nuntht>r c»f ffilltiw* rut ttin tihttforin, Iw t«»nlt»n it, jttimui him. lUit 1 hcltl