The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-05-16 00:00:00

MICHAEL DAVITT SET FREE.

About Friday night last, the friends of Davits, who has
been detained in Pirtiand Prison for about a twelvemonth.
Oman to consider his release as about to be immediately
assmoop hued. It is true that Michael Dwitt• thee is
rather different Irooo that of the " easpecte." since he was
detained by the rev 'cation of lois ticket-of-leave or licence,
but then hobos been treated with tio• greatest kindness and
consideration by every one, from the Governor downwards,
on this, his eve ad term of prison life. On Friday nisht
nothing was known at the Prison of the intention to
misses Devitt, except what bad been published of the
proceedings in the Hones, and the warrant for the retakes
heel not come. But next morning there was no definite
sign, for a Mr. Q utter had arrived from Weymouth in
march of the di.tieguielted coavict, and ready to give
him friendly greeung and &minimise on his return to the
outer world. I hastened to the Grove on arrival of the
935 train, and on the road found the well-appointed trim
of Hoit Smith on the move. At the Grove Inn! found
the aforesaid Kr. Quiltsr in the shape of a stout, jolly.
I looking, lull-bearded individual. apparently the very
oppoeite of the conventional Yankee. and marcely betray- .
ing any sign of the Isiah brogue. except perhaps that he
mid 'ably' for "early." This sentiernao, whom quality
end occupation were • mystery to the P.suandirre as much
as that of the celebrated " Mn. in the Mom" was • vary
rail mad and fairly conversational pawn, with a strong
opinioo on the Irish questiou, but no extreme mode of
Putties( it forward. He stated be was a particular Inend
of "Mr." Devitt's. and that be would leath the Prison in
a very quiet way, his desire being to avoid anything like
a demonstration, and he would probably be dthen from
Portland to Weymouth, take the train there, and proceed
to near London, say to Sarbiton, and thence across the
country to his Quilter'e) place at Kew. On the
previous evening hie friend had been in the Hones of
Common., listening to the debates. and. as Men as be wee
satisfied Michael Devitt Would be released, be hastened
eff to Waterloo, just caught the train, and came down in
the early morning to find the mail train dose not paas
Dorchester. but that the mail is despatched from the
county town to Weymouth by mail cart. This was
unexpectsd, but the advance-guard of the Home Rulers
wan not baton by this relic of barbarism. and, taking •
ride in Her Majesty's mail cert. hung on firmly no the
shaking trap rattled over Ridgway Hill. They arrived
in Weymouth too early t get rob reshMshiS to Waage the
Moots Ruler ; but be waited tilt the first train from
Portland was In, lest Devitt should be alleeed logo out
by that. If Mr. Quitter occupied himself in describing
the mai arrangements between Draeltister and Weymouth
the residers of--saY the New reek Herald or MA •
Timer —won't
_get • very fluttering idea of our state '
01 progress. The first Portland train having arrived,
Mr. families walked into Portland and up to the Grove.
and manage 4 to lawn that Michael would probably
be relea that day, though the preliminaries would
entail a delay of several bows. Meantime, however, the
Inch synop.thiser seems to have been well entertained by
English iffici elt,for he Was able tome the sights of the Prison,
and be ope.ks in the Wheat terms of the Governor, deputy
governor*, and the medical officer, Dr. habeas. Still the
time pawed away without any Sin of the release. ofilciels,
Wog asked, mystiriously spoke of papers being made out
for the guidance of the polies, since the convict would only
be released on his licence, or ti het-of -leave, while another
view was that it would be necessary to At him out with a
suit of clothes before seeding him out into the world. The
wearisome delay has td be relieved with alternate Heti" to
the Prison Officers reading room. Host Smith. at the Grove
Inn. end watching the Priem' Rood ; nut we learn that
Devitt the expressed h meal( as exceedingly well satisfied
with his treatment. which has been vastly different from
that be received on his former Incarceration. Daring the
twelvemonths of bin confinem-nt be has bad • comfortable
apartment and been pleasantly recopied with a pretty
little garden, formerly called Rouvril'e, and op hen of as
one of the met charming spots in the Convict
Edabliabment. although the great Governor's gardens,
which adjoin the road, are models of neatness and bright-
nese. But these latter do not dewiest the charm of retire-
ment, which belongs to the " Borman garden," in which
there gnu • tele, Devitt bad the pleasure of seeing •pair 01
thrushes reared. With every one treating him with the
gFacrwtii2drciongirderavitiingtkom. lestlisistfetep
nlaw-abidingu mighti
nhattaver heerrn.rukenv.v.i:dpatnhhdy.
Jost one privation there wes—that of liberty, for D.vitt
couldn't get information Own outside, be being aunt,
seen in the presence of officers. and so MOM was the
supervision t at the way tot stated he would give the
Portland Prison officials credit for the perfection of their
wstekfulnee'. He only got bold of one hit of news—the
death of Earl BeaoonsAeld. which he la said to have much
regretted. It may be surprising to hear that the so-redled
down-trodden sad impoverished enontry or its friends has
been able to raise £lO,OOl or LIMOS to parathes an estate
to present Davitt and *le would seem to show that
the more wastage ask for the more they'll get Not that
Dewitt is likely, in the opinion of his friend, to swept the
costly gift; probably he will continue to bestir himself
Ilk. Mr. Plitmell, who has a most plement islet;
In a lovely pert of Ireland. the residence well
filled with old family relics sad • library with
records of the d
oings in the old Irish Parliament, gorse of
them in manuscript So attached are tit!. e said to be
to Parnell that when be was shut up in K.nhatn, they
came in large numbers with teams and Ploughs, and
prepared the land in proper style. One would think •
restless& with so much round him thet is pisasset,
would not trouble himself about what libelee:lg so math
misery: bat he le said tabs so active In disposition that
it is most unlikely he will ever take his ease even
In m beautiful • home. while evictions and wretched.
nees go on. sea 0, -the smuggle will continua TM
Irish sympathiser volute with triumph, almost with
weeder to the linelemak of the Government, which he •
speaks of se granted to the dozen or twenty men, who
have been Do threletent in their efforts in the country and
the Hones of Commons "And what is to be the end of
It all rwe ask. "Is it to be separation r &Mande
another. " That question will not come op; it is not the
time, nor will it be yet ;" hat the Hoene Rater roes on to
point out, as he mays, that there will be • general election
in six mouths' time, and that then, Instead of • doaen or
tweney members, there will be 70 or SO who will be stiff
and firm in their principles sad aims. The nrerseale lately
rod., end the revelations hr the Room rig Lied._ ,are he
s ye, than Mr. Parnell ever put forward. leen In
Inc sod be eats, tense% have rained in late years from
their landlords or grouter concessions than bad been
dreamed about before. And with respect to Island no
talks about a lovely country, the Tory oastred to this
white,Onoat4 Pottleied. Ifftli ma olsowins