, 1870-05-08
TEE FARMERS CATECHISIM IN
IRELAND,

AGe ulSA Hl1E6t uuuEE CuG I36CS fIeSE1F5
ton Qre!and) act Was nnzde at Dundalk, Coun'
t. Louth, rccent1y, when MI. John Mathews
printer aud uewsTerde1 Of that town, wa
taken rnto custody BY three police -constables
On = charge Of hav7ng on that day "so1d {
printed pamphlet entitled the Farnets' Cate
chisn, containing divers seditons and ttea
sonable words and sentences" Constable
M7Kee deposed to have purchased copy o1
the pamphlet in question at Mr. Mathews
shop. The prisoner declined to state whence
he obtained The pamphlet, and vas remsnded
to enable the authorities to be consulted with
bail for his appearance being taken
The following is q complete copy OF the pub
1icstion referred 10, which, for some time past
has been largely circulated in the Different
mattet-towns Of Ireland:
What is your name7 Oppression.
Who gaye you this name? Ay landlord and
agent in the days Of my youth, wherein was
made child Of toll, man OF soupw, and IN
inhe11tor Of q bundle of rags
What did your landlord and agent then foz
you7 They did promise and VOW three things
snmyname-frat, that I should renounce all
the comforts Of this Life, and all tho pleasures
found therein; secondly, that should DO .
hewer Of wood and drawer Of water; and,
thirdly, that ahall bo . slave for them all the
days Of my life
believe and do as they imposed upoa yous No,
verify, and by Gods help will endeavor to
shake of tho chains b which am bound, bet
tsz%y e19aitioa S;9a;t on and continue IN tbs same
Rehea1se the articles Of thy belief believe
: that God Is no Tespecter Of persons, and that
lie Is King of Kings and Lord Of Lords, and
that He created all things for the good Of man,
and that every man should enjoy the fruit Of
lis 1nbor; for the laborer is worthy OF his hire.
also believe that 7 do not enjoy the Fruits OF
my labor, for am compelled to giro it to men
who reap where they do not SOW, and gather
ri 4fo1-t txra mt ri, haffar
known IN the banqueting-hal, the foreign
club -house, or on the betting field, thau in tho
school of industry, or among those honest cate-
worn tenSnHy, save when the corn is Hpe. !
also believe TINT nm not able to par my rent
from the produce Of ny farm, and that the
pomp and vanity OF those men-Hho, Like
birds Of passage, Ieave when they get the Last
grain OF corn; men who live in ease and indo-
1enee, rolling about in purple and fine linen,
and farlng sumptuoualy every day On
the toll and sweat OF their fellow-creAtu1es,
and reEelling On the :brehd Of idlencas-have
reached its highest climax, and that it Is full
time thew should be brought TO know and feel
that The stalvazt farmers are the bone and
einew Of the land, and that they VII! no longer
endure or submit to the burdens hesPed On
are the chief cause Of the grievances Of this
country. I believe in the fall 81 rents and
lowering OF taxea, the suppression OF CRIME,
and the emancipation Of al slsves,
WhAt doSt thou emery lea1u ~ tAoso eAAe!co
Of Thy belief? FIRST, learn that justice de-
uands such state Of things to cease, that rent
must fall, and tenan.-1iEht must be carried, to
the satisfaction Of the people, no mhtter what
government rules or who W1eids the EcepIe.i
and secondly, that honest Independent mel
must be sent out to value the land,
and fair price hid on according
to quality; and that no lands must
exceed 25s. per acre, no matter Hhat quality;
1or, according to the terms Of the Ulster
plantation, land1ords are rot entitled to BENG
fite arising from the improvements OF the soil,
as all is owing to the labor Of the industrious
farmer; and further, that proper security
rnust be given to the tenant-fa1mer that he or
hIs heirs cannot be removed 30 long rs they
NJ their rents and conduct themselves ts be-
and thirdly, that al classes viii go hand IN
haud and stand shoulder to shoulder in this
1ernl war1are, and neyer give up till they bring
landlord and tenant on closer equality, and
II needs be stand their opponents to the faco
"a tho hour Of battle, for he who would not
Sovereign
You said that your landlord and agent did
bind you to keep all their Laws and command
1uents- Tell me how many there be7 Ten.
Which be they2 The sane which they spake
IN their Office when they brought me out Of
tho land of peace into tho land OF bondage.
!. Commandment Tho shalt hkre no ten
ant-7ight.
Z. Thou shalt not takc to thyscE any changes
On thy farm, nor buy nor sell without our con-
sent, nor complain against Us for rearing
esoursing COTE days, nor keep dog, nor gun. nor cat,
tn iistuTb them in any WY, no matter what
dsmase d. thou rnayst sustain thereby; thon
shalt bow down md pay obeisanee s' unto ~, & for
we arc thS landlords, mud jealous ones, who
sh,fi Sn Tisit thee and thy children with heavy
ean1s notices, and ejectment processes, If
Ten1 !Snn d;sbey us OF neglect to pay thy rents
a. Thou shalt not take the sna.S nsns Sh Se II
Mnoao.u ~ -n.tter whit We do, for We will not
2, ho1a aIi them bel gultess who tateth our name in
vain ne,oernber that thou art q tenant at viii;
SIS dsys op .be1 snd d de Sa1tmsal ~ sn1s shGu IN
h.s I = do our reot .as T. a Z Which sa:
ssen Tsuner Of work ELL you reach our ofnce
and pis Honor as r thy landlord and thy agent with