The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-09-03 00:00:00

MR. GLADSTONE AND IRISH AFFAIRS.

LETTER FROli LORD ARGYLL.

The following letter has been addressed to the
Gla.wou, Hrrald by the Duke of Argyll:
Sir,—Will you allow me to express in your
columns the astonishment and the pain with which I
have read Mr. Gladstone's last speech on the Irish
question in the House of Commons? The attempt
by mere devices of language and tricks of phrase to
minimise and excuse the detestable tyranny now exer-
cised by the National League over a large part of
Ireland shows a condition of mind on which no
reliance can be placed for counsel or for guidance.
Feeling the vagueness and unreality which affect all
mere statistical information, I lately determined to
make an individual inquiry into actual cases which
illustrate the ordinary operations of the League. I
applied to men of known character and position,
avoiding landlot ds who are in conflict with their tenants,
and anply ing in some cases to members of the Roman
Catholic Church, so as to eliminate all sources of
religious prejudice. One of these I may give as an
example: A small tenant determined to sell his hold-
ing, as the Act of 1881 entitled him to do. Another
Irishman bought it, offering for it more than any one
else. The tranon was concluded with the wsent
and approval of all parties, including the parish priest.
The money was paid, and the new tenant-entered into
possession. Some months later a third Irishman came
back from America. He heard of this purchase, and
coveted the farm. He bad influence with the local
Land League, and the result was an order or demand
upon the poor tenant that he should give up the hold-
ing which he bad lawfully bought and paid for. He
refused, but the covetous Leaguer had other weapons
than persuasion. He set to work the machinery of
the League, what Mr. Gladstone calls exclusive
dealing.' The poor tenant was suddenly visited
at night by a moonlight band. He was dragged
out of bed, loaded guns were presented at his head,
and, under fear of death, he was made to swear that
he woold give up his farm. The pretence on which
this demand was made was that the new comer was
willing to give more for the land than the tenant had
given. That shows the spirit in which that clause of
the Act of 1881 will be worked which encouraged the
tenants to exact the very highest competitive value
for the holdings which they sell. Of course the sale
once made was legal and binding on all, and the
holding was as much the tenant's property as if he
had held it from untold generations. But the violence
by which he was compelled to give it up to a man
who offered more shows two things. First, the
hopelessness of checking land hunger' and exces-
sive price for farms under the Act of 1881 ; and,
secondly, the atrocious tyranny which the League
practices and enforces against the legal rights and the
lawful dealings of the poor. Several other cases involv-
ing the same methods of proceedings have been supplied
to me, with the names of the parties concerned and
all the particulars, which, of course, I am obliged to
keep private. This sort of thing is going on more or
less all over Ireland, even in districts where we hear
nothing of it in the papers. Such secret tyrannies as
this always are worked by the worst men in a com-
munity, and the scope it gives for malice, envy,
covetousness, and all the vices is only too apparent
This is the abominable tyranny which Mr. Gladstone
hides, palliates, and excuses under the fair phrase of
'exclusive dealing,' and which, he tells us, rich men
can pursue individually whilst the masses can only
pursue in their collective capacity. The phrase of
'exclusive dealing ' bears no intelligible relation to
the facts, and the argument bears as little relation
to f al; sor to logic. Mr. Glad-tone once said
most truly that it does not require much ability to
govern men by covetousness. This he said speaking
of Mr. Parnell. It applies equally to all who ally
themselves with the unchanged politics of the Irish
leader.—l am, &c., ARGYLL."

IF the Chinese nation were to pass before an
observer in single file, the procession would never cease,
for a new generation would be coming on the scene as
fast as the procession moved.
THAT new dentist who name here last week is co;nc
to make business, said the potemaster.—How ? .ftit
the iial.Bon.--,Why, he has -a! sign- Teeth el-
tract ed while you wait."
'1%1E111: is some help for all the defects of fortune:
fr if a tnan cannot attain to the length of hi:,
wishes, h way have his remedy by cutting of them
r,