Parnell Page #2

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of jail, Ill get my wife

To invite him to

Eltham for dinner.

I didn't know you

ever saw your wife

Long enough to have

dinner with her.

And now I have to

entertain for him.

Don't look so glum!

But it's only the beginning, aunt Ben.

Now that Willies a

member of parliament,

There'll be no end

to his demands.

Money?

More money.

Well, as a member

of parliament,

He'll have more ways

to spend it.

Houses and champagne suppers

will only be extra now.

You mustn't give it

to him, aunt Ben.

He won't ask me.

No. He'll ask me

to ask you.

Well, Id rather see

you give him money,

Even my money,

than... other things.

At least it's kept him

away from you, dear.

It's not enough,

aunt Ben.

If only he'd let me

divorce him,

But he won't.

That's the one thing

Willie won't do,

Even for money.

Aunt Ben,

is there no way

Of forcing him to

give me a divorce?

My dear, my dear, we've gone

over this all so many times.

With our English laws,

we can't force him

To do anything

he doesn't want to do.

I shan't be

a minute, aunt Ben.

Take your time.

My time of life,

there's no hurry.

You sure you won't

come with me?

My dear, Ive listened to men

saying nothing for so many years

That it isn't worth going

into the house of commons

To hear them doing it

for their country.

Where can I find

Mr. Parnell?

He's in the house

at the moment, ma'am.

If you like, you can wait

for him in committee room 15.

It's across the lobby and

up the stairs to your right.

Or, if you'd like

to hear him speak-

No, thank you.

Katie?

Hello, Willie.

Have you...

seen Parnell?

No.

He's in the house.

Yes, I know.

He's going to speak.

Why don't you go up in the

ladies' gallery and hear him?

Aunt Bens waiting

in the carriage.

Well, you're not going

without seeing him.

Willie, I can't run

after him like this.

I've written to him twice,

and he hasn't answered.

I told you he never

reads letters.

Come on, Katie.

He won't talk long.

Very well.

This is my last

effort to reach him.

It is true that there

is unrest in Ireland today.

There always will be,

Until you give the farmer

fair treatment,

Assure fair dealings

between landlord and tenant,

And give Ireland a parliament

that she can call her own.

That's what

we're looking for!

Give us a parliament

of our own!

Ireland

for the Irish!

And the land

for the people!

As much as any Englishman

here present,

I deplore the unrest,

The violence,

and the outrage,

But force

will not cure them.

You have passed

80 coercion acts for Ireland

In the 80 years since you

abolished her parliament.

And what is the result?

3 rebellions,

A million and a half

people dead

From starvation

and sickness,

And 3 million people forced

to leave their land

To find food

and homes elsewhere.

Surely this is

a spectacle that marks

The very height

of tragic suffering.

For years, the British government

has debated on Egypt and India,

Then wept over

the sorrows

Of the Bulgarians

and the Armenians,

Responsibilities far

distant from its door.

And all the while, across that

strip of water called the Irish sea,

So narrow that

its a wonder

Their cries cannot be

heard here in this house,

As I hear them in my ears,

A sister people agonizes...

and unheeded.

Charity should begin at home.

Settle the land question,

Mr. Speaker.

Assure fair dealings between

landlords and tenants,

And you'll have

peace in Ireland.

Send us the military,

And you ravage

the country anew.

Mr. Gladstone.

Mr. Speaker, sir.

Any utterance of the honorable

member whom we have just heard

Must command our respect

and attention.

In the present instance,

He has spoken with

the emotion, the conviction,

And also the impatience which comes

from true sympathy with the cause.

But... I would remind him

that we have another problem

Before the house

at the present time,

And I must ask

the house to proceed.

And I say the house

shall not proceed,

With that business

or any other business,

Until it gives us a guarantee

that Ireland's grievance-

It'll take

an earthquake

To settle the Irish

land question.

Then let us have

an earthquake!

Mr. Speaker, sir!

This is intolerable!

I must request

that the house-

I move that Mr. Gladstone

be no longer heard!

Holy Morgan!

He's telling the old

spider to shut up!

Mr. Speaker, sir.

It is my painful

duty to move

That the honorable

member for cork

Be suspended from service

in this house...

For the remainder

of this sitting.

Mr. Speaker,

I beg to second

The motion which

has just been made.

Order.

The motion before

the house is...

That the honorable member

for cork, Mr. Parnell,

Be suspended from the

services of this house

For the remainder

of this sitting.

Those in favor,

say "aye."

Aye!

Those against

will say "no."

No!

The house

will now divide.

Mr. Campbell.

Mr. Campbell.

Gather together all

members of the party

And tell them to stand

by for suspension.

Very good, sir.

But what will

happen, sir,

When all our members

are suspended? Nothing.

They'll take us back

again in 24 hours.

Meanwhile, we're suspending the business

Of the British empire

for 24 hours.

Yes, and we'll keep on doing it

Until we show them

our strength and unity.

Sit together, act

together, war together-

That's what

we must abide.

When Gladstone sees

that the Irish

Actually can

stick together,

Then perhaps they'll

condescend to notice us

And realize that

we are important.

Mr. Parnell.

Mr. Parnell, sir.

There's a lady

waiting to see you.

A lady?

Mrs. O'shea.

O'shea?

Any relation to the newly

elected member for county Clare?

Wife.

Do I know her?

No.

Tell her I can't see her. I'm too busy.

Uh, excuse me, sir.

She's a great friend

of Mr. Gladstone.

Did she tell you so?

No...

her husband did.

Oh.

Where is she?

Well, I took

the liberty, sir,

Of asking her to wait

in your office.

Very well.

Mr. Parnell.

I... Ive kept you

waiting.

I apologize.

It was extremely

kind of you

To see me at all,

Mr. Parnell.

You're Mrs. O'shea.

Yes.

I was in the ladies gallery

just now when you spoke.

Oh. Then you saw

the fireworks.

When Mr. Gladstone

had you suspended,

I wanted

to kill him.

In all fairness, Mr.

Gladstone wasn't to blame.

He had no alternative.

I forced him

to suspend me.

But after your

wonderful speech,

I expected the house

to rise as a body

And grant Ireland

her freedom.

You must have listened

with your heart.

Men avoid that

if they can.

All my life, Ive

heard of home rule.

It's just been a dull political phrase.

I've usually

ceased to listen

When someone

mentioned it.

Now suddenly, it means something to me,

Something vital

and urgent,

Because of

what you said.

I'm deeply gratified.

But you didn't come

here to discuss politics.

No.

My purpose was to extend an invitation.

It's accepted.

You take

my breath away!

I've been told you

rarely go to parties

Or accept

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