The New York herald., 1870-06-19
IRELAND.


Trim, the scene OF the ''scarlet'' Letter-The
County of Meath-Its Geographical Position
and Local KesOurces-Political Pnrties-The
Coercion Act and the COnsequences-Agra.
rian Outrages and Their Causes-Secret SO-
cieties in Active Operation.
TRIM [where HERALD special writer wasl
subsequently arrestedl, June 2, 1870. J
The county or Meath is bounded on the east By the
irish Sea, and also by the counties OF Louth and
Dublin; on the south by Kildare, Oh the west by
Westmeath and the north by Louth, Monaghan
and Cavan II is the largest county In the province
OF Leinster, containing, according TO the ordnance
survey an area OF .127 statute acres OF which
only about five thousand are unimproved noun
tains and bog. In no county In Ireland IS the pro-
portion of waste 10 arabic land small as in Meath.
This OWING chely, If not entirely, so the fact that
In the whole county there is not single mountain,
nor even rugged hill, the entire surface being one
vast plain. which is clothed with the richest
verdure / have ever cast my eyes upon. 1t
Is no exaggeraton for me to say that the external
aspect of Meath exceeds anything have ever seen
in luxurlant England, and surpasses II, think, in
natural richness and fertility The country every
side presents truly magnificent appearance large,
green nel>, enclosed with luXuridnt hedges, and
sheltercu noble trees waving woods and hills
covered the brightest verdure not cabin
meets the e. q; splendid farm houses, consisting for
the most part OF dwelling ana long ranges OF OFF,
ces for cattle, and there are Few tourists as they
whlrl at railway speed across those rich plains who
will not with difficulty bring themselves to believe
that they in dscontentei Ireland whose inhabt-
ants are departing week after week Ia thousands
from her shores, as ii they were dying from some
terrible disease.
Meath Is, par excellence the great cate grazing
county of Ireland. 1t consists as enrFc'y OF
pasture land. There is indeed. sacl - tllage
that one may drive Tor miles w.th0ui saeilg single
field under anything but grass. ALL "a nearly all.
the mud cabins have been leveed, and the humble
inmates have either gone into the towns or have
emigrated to America. The only laborers employed
in the country parts of Meath those n charge o?
the CATTLE and as tie farms here are for tae most
part of immense size very small number Of such
persons required.
Another class of persons have also by tae foulest
means been driven from his county-namely, the
small landholders. There are, strange TO say, no
small farms in Meath. The work Of consolidation
has been carried on for years, with a vlgor and
success that would astOnsh you. The landlords
and the grazlers united together In order to drive
the humble peasant and the honest workngman
from their homes. 1t would from what have
heard be difficult to say whether the landlord or the
graZier had the greater hand IN this foul work.
With both rests the blame But it is matter OF
the work is done.
RETALIATION.
Meath and Westmeath nave during several months
past obtained an unelvable notorety, in conse-
quence OF the murders. the attempted murders and
the other crimes that have taken place in
them. Men have been fred at and shot down at
MONDAY, no less than at midnight Some have their
houses guarded constantly by the police others have
TO De projected by an armed guard whenever they
not u few OF them receive letters daily threatening
them with death unless tney change their conduct:
houses have been broken INTO and the
happy inmates subjected to the most inhuman
treatment; men and women have been placed
upon their knees and shots discharged over
their heads; houses, cOrnstacks and hay n0ws nave
been set on lre lie and property are most Insecure:
'lory OF the Hllls has taken the law into his own
hands and arrogates to himself the right OF settling
disputes between man and man.
COERCION AND LAW.
This Is a brief outline Of the state Of things In
Meath and Westmeatn for six eight months past.
Since the famine years do not think that any part
OF Ireland was in SO disturbed condition. Under
such circumstances 1t surely Will not be wondered
al that the extraordinary powers with which the
government Is invested are IN full operation here.
This is the only part OF Ireland have ye visited in
which the Coercion act Is in lorce wish |
under happier auspices. NO one but those who have
personal experience OF the TACT can realize the
state Of things In Meath and the PROSTATE condition
OF the people. Humiliation Is depicted on every
countenance. Every one appears crestiallen but
the government officials, whose pomposity and In.
dation of the people. The magistrates look as II
they were the arbiters of the fate OF nations and
the police, when tney strut through the Streets
appear absorbed in the contemplation OF their own
mlUhtiness and the nothingness OF those around
them. The people are, at all events at their mercy.
Tne most insignificant government officer can, If he
wishes, bring ruin upon whole families, not one OF
whom as the Law az present stands can % 40 more
existing state OF things his protestations are OF
little use.
MARTIAL LAW.
The great fault of this savage Coercion act is 1t
conrounds the innocent with the guilty. Whenever
an outrage takes place troops are certain to be des
patched TO the scene OF the occurrence and these
troops quartered upon the Inhabitants whose
only offence is that they happen to live In wicked
district. The offence may be committed by
stranger; still the Inhabitants OF the district must
suler. This is, indeed very great hardship, and Is
is to suffer- while the real criminal Is almost
certain to escape. Though am very far from deny
order to put stop TO the outrage; in this county;
still must say by no means approve OF the scheme
adopted yr BY TO @ MAINTAIN s1ar an,orce e
order. "Rory OF the Hllls'' is still at large, and
sets coercion at defiance; the bad landlord, the
'wild justice OF revenge;' the honest man may be
punished for appearing outside his door after sun.
set, but "Rory' is abroad at all hours. And while
the act rs unable to punish crime, it is certain TO
make loyal men disoyal and honest men hypocrtes
aud knaves This is certainly TO be regretted, as
few. think, will refuse to admit that Something
was necessary to put stop to agrarian outrages III
FENIARIsM AND TIE "YouNG MEMS, PARTY.
learned since came here from a source that is
undOubted that every poor person. and a large por-
tiOn OF the young people of all classes belong either
to the Fenian organization or 10 the "Rbbonn So
ciety to both. This Is, no doubt, an extraordi-
nary announcement but my experience Of this place
short 1t is enables me to vouch Tor Its accuracy
may say. however, that many persons belong to
these societies not from any conviction Of their be-
ing likely to do any good but because they are
afraid to keep aloOf from them The principle upon
which these societies act Is that those who are
Tor them, with them, belonging to them are against
them, and are treated as enemies and 'traitors to
the cause" 1t is, beyond all doubt, terrible thing
for class, and that the numerous class in tue
community, 10 be engaged In an organized opposl-
tion against the middle and the upper classes.
social war Is being waged between them more
defce, more relentless, more lasting than any re.
corded In history. When or how 1t 10 to end no one