Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-25
THE TYRANNY OF LEITRIM.
An Unprejudiced English Account of
the Worst of Irish Landlords.
From the London MAYFAIR.

=
be difficult for the most active Imagination and
the fullest charity to say anything good. The
most that can be promised on the nil rsisi prin-
ciple is, that the line shall be drawn some
where in discussing his evil qualities. The
House of Commons was properly shocked
when MIR. ODonnell suggested, under the
that the murdered earl was a systematic lib
ertine, and had made use of the compulsory
clauses in the sacred rights of a landlord
sa none mis- on The es Pen M
Commons is too familiar in Ireland. It is
made GDeay in the and With
proof it has never received. But it does not
need reference to this portion of the charge
against the late earl to prove that he was a
helpless men and women; that his presence
was a blight over large tract of country;
and that pious men, who were eye witnesses
times stand still and doubt that there could be
a God in Heaven and these things be. The
population who, by the Will OF an inserutable
despotism of Lord Leitrim were not, it should
be remembered, the shiftless, thriftless peas
antry who people some parts of the south OF
not afraid of days work. This characters
town where the population subject to
Of miserable novels. By the industry
and managing qualities OF the tenantry,
who gradually improved the place by building
stone houses and reclalming land, it gradu-
ally gained an air of prosperity. Under the
predecessors of the late Lord Leitrim these
of the people was cherished by generous treat
ment. 1t was true that about 1874, revalua-
ton took place, when the landlord benefited
by the labor of his tenants But, though there
was acquieSced in, and all went we'll till the
late Lord Leitrim came into possession.
change was speedily effected. A hard natured,
cross grained, imperious man, whose tenden-
cieS to martinetism had been improved in the
army, Lord Leitrim went to Donegal prepared
to stand no nonsense" By an accident of
tracts of land. There We're in connec-
ton with the land, in addition to the
worms in the ground and the vermin
man beings, whose presence was desirable
chiefly inasmuch as they produced certain
rentroll: Lord Leitrim had heard something
sometimes murmured when rent-day came
round 1t presumed to argue with its land
lord. 1t Whimpered that it must live: and it
had even been known to have this tendency in
common with the other worms referred to,
that. when trOdden upon, it would OCCASION
ally turn-a process that took the form of fir,
not burst in its hands, sometimes killed the
landlord. Lord Leitrim, to do him justice in
the only possible direction, was a brave man.
Fear was unknown to him, and he took a saw
age delight in facing danger. He did not pa
rade this feeling. That would have been too
much trouble to take in connection with so IT,
cOnsiderate thing as tenant: He went his
way with his chin well up under his military
stock; and if there was worm in his path he
trOd upon it.
A very fair sample Of his attitude toward his
teEants is supplied in letter. written about
twenty years ago, by one Of them, Mr. Law
ms, The Lawns family were among the old
est and most respectable tenants on the estate
The younger Mr.. LAWNS had built good house
a otherwise improved holding
when it was finished Lord Leiirim gave him
notice to quit. There was no help Tor it, and
the most the Lawns could expect was compen-
sation for improvements, matter not then
compulsory, for as yet the land act, against
which Lord l-eitrim raved, was not on the stat
ute book. MIR. LavinS's simple narrative ap-
peared in all the Irish newspaper at the time,
ard is beyond contradiction. Here is an ex-
tract, which will do more than a volume of
description, to show how this heir to the Dom
ega estate treated the tenantry whose interest
were also bequeathed to him: "SOme time at
teTward," writes Mr.. Lawns, "in the month of
April, the Earl of Leitrim visited his Donegal
his lOrdShip would take my case into consider
ton, and allow me for my improvements 1
was in Milford the same day [ forwarded my
application for payment. and got message
diately l went to the office, and there found
MIR. Buchanan, Constable Hughes, and two
an went to the inside office, and l heard him
say that Mr.. Lawns was waiting Lord Lett
rim and his agent, Mr.. Wray, came out, and
his lordShip addressed Constable Hughes as
follows: II have sent for you, sergeant, to
hear the following communication read" and
turning to Mr.. Wray he desired him to read
my letter, after which the Earl of Leitrim ad
wen, and not one foot of land will you ever en-
joy under ME. do not care. sir, whether you
are a Ribbonman, Molly Maguire's man.
no man. will do what is right, and evict you
after some months. You made the matter pub
lie this is my answer for the present. After
nication he Turned ont Of the Office and did
not give me an opportunity OF replying" Mr..
WIay, then Lord LeitrimS agent, was 80
shocked with this unparalleled tyranny that,
after vainly attempting to move his lordship to
do justice, he resigned lucrative post, rather
than be party to the transaction. 1t cannot
be said that Lord Leitrim was unmOved by the
eXecratiOn which the act called forth, not only
in Donegal, but throughout Ireland. Mr.. La
wins father, an old man, had spent his lifetime
in improving his holding, and had brought it
up to the value of fl,5O0. Lord Leitrlm's an
swer to the entreaties of the younger Lawns,
and the remOnstranceS of the press was, that
if more was said, he would turn out old Lawns.
promise, turned out the old man from the home
he had built, and banished him from the land
on which he had been born, and which was
halowed to him by the grave of his father and
mo- her.
We cite this case, not because it is worse
tina any other, but because the evidence sup
porting 1t is documentary and has never been
cOntradicted What Lord Letrim was to the
LAWNS, he was to every man and woman ON
his estate. Cruel, relentless, remOrSeeSS, he
paid no attention to the cry of strong men in
their agony, and turned with impatient ejacu-
latiOn from the whimpering of women and the
SObbing of children. To simple, sober, in
dustriOus people, beWildered by his impetuous
purpose, and appalled, by his iron Will and
strength of character, he seemed to be a curse
of G cd which passed all understanding. just
twenty years ago, some poor fellow, after long
brOOding over the tyranny of the OppreSSOr
broke forth in artleSs, but for that reason all
the more impressive, song
Tenants from their homes evicted,
Built by ancestors of yOre,
Scenes too sad to be Depicted
Who would not such scenes deplOre?
He. the ruthless desOlatOr,
Though assuming lOrdly style,
To his country is Traitor,
Than a highwayman more vile.
Some who knew the hOHOred father
OF this fend, whom widows curse,
Think witch in stormy weather
Changed him when he was at nurse
This rude rhyme accurately depicts the feel
ings with which the peaSantry regarded this
terrible man. They had known landlords
who were equal to the average hardness of
demanding their rents when due, and even
going the length of diSpOSSeSSing when the
money was no longer forthcoming. They had
heard of landlords down in the south who
rode rough ShOd over their tenantry. But
this handsome looking man, with his neat
ly trimmed beard, his military stride, his
abrupt gestures, his commanding mein, and