Charles Stewart Parnell
From Conservapedia
Charles Stewart Parnell (1846 - 1891) was a 19th century Irish Nationalist, and chanpion of Home Rule, sometimes referred to as "The Uncrowned King of Ireland". A wealthy Protestant land owner, he had a wide following among Catholics. Elected to the British Parliament in 1875, he became leader of the Irish Party, and a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. He attempted to achieve independence for Ireland through deals with the British parties. In 1879 Parnell became president of the militant Land League, which threatened landlords with violence. At once he emerged as a national figure, and at the general election of 1880 his personal following was so greatly increased that he was elected chairman of the parliamentary Home Rule Party.
Imprisoned briefly by Libeal Prime Minister Gladstone, Parnell was released in April 1882, with the understanding that if the government amended the Irish land legislation to extend further benefits to tenants Parnell would give general support to Liberal Party policy. In succeeding years Parnell consolidated his hold on Irish opinion and created a parliamentary party which was formidable for its discipline and talent. As a result Irish Home Rule became a live issue, and in 1885-1886 he actually held the balance in Parliament between the Liberal and Conservative parties. The Home Rule Party leaned to the Liberals once Gladstone committed the Liberal Party to Irish Home Rule. Though the bill which he introduced in Parliament was beaten and the Liberals themselves were deeply divided, Irish self-government remained an explosive issue in English politics for more than 30 years.
A highly publicized adultery scandal in 1890 caused him to lose support from his party, and he died soon after.
Further reading
- Robert Kee. The Laurel and the Ivy: The Story of Charles Stewart Parnell and Irish Nationalism (1993)
- Sean McMahon. Charles Stewart Parnell‎ (2000) 79 pages
- R. Barry O'Brien. The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell, 1846-1891 (2vol 1899) full text
