The New York herald., 1879-10-31
Birth of the Agitation on
American Soil.
THE VESTS AWAKE" "
Landlords Taking Their Turn in the Work
house and Emigrant Ship.
LIBERATORS OF THE LAND.


honorable attached to his and is the brother of
All Irish nobleman was informed that s,mething
must be done for the landlords we'll for the
tenants in Ireland, and during my perigrinations
through the country have found that the Irish
landlord is gradually arriving ut the opinion that
further settlement Of the land question is the great
Irish question for the next Parliament How
it is to be done is difficult problem
just rs the famous question ralsca
by the monks OF the Middle Ages as to the precise
process necessary to pass the Scripturai csmci
through the eye of the Scrpura needle but thero Is
no doubt about the fact the current agitation
among the Irish farming classes is directed ana VIII
continue to be directed toward an agraran revoiu-
tion greater it's scope and in its results than any
which has taken place since Stein-the Regenerator
OF Prussia as the Emperor William has tyied him
formulated the idea of peasant proprietary. or
since the revolution of 1889 abolished landlordism
in the air land of France. or course those who
own the land just now as vehement as they were
three months ago in denouncing the land alitators
as lawess conspirators against the rights of prop
erty. But it so happens that the anti-rent move
meut originated. not with Mr.. Parnell or
his Parliamentary colleagues, but was in
the beginning an Irish American idea. Tho
agitation unthought of when Mr.. John
Dewey, Of the ex-Fenian prisoners resident
union OF the Irish revolutionary element this
country with the advanced section of the Irish Par
lamentary party in promoting Parliamentary agi
tation from the nationalist point of view The basis
upon which that union was offered was that Of the
land question-plainly and clearly the roofing Of
the tenant occupiers in the possession Of the SOIL
SHADOWS BLFoRE.
1t was foreseen last year-as, indeed, it was fore
seen least years before the great Irish fam
ine--that bad times were coming in 1879. Mr..
Michael Davtt. another ex-Fenian prisoner. had
been through the country and had grasped the con-
dtion of the farming classes. Mr.. Davitt visited
the United States and was welcomed by his country
here. Mr.. Davitt came back to Ireland, and
back with definite plan of agitation In his
Uranium. 1t was in July last that the anti-rent ag
tat.on burst out in the West. and the cry went
out among the Irish farmers that the Vests awake
1t used to be asleep in the stirring times of the
Young defenders generation ago. Mr.. Davitt
quietly travelled through the West and organized
local meetings, in which the undoubted distress of
the small farmers was proclaimed in decidedly az
gressive form. The fact that the extreme national
lists were busy in Connemara organizing agrarian
body alarmed such decided anti English politician
as John of Tuam who wrote public letter denounc.
ing the proposed agitation He feared that it would,
uneuided by strong moral power, develop
landlord two offered up propitiatory sacrifice.
And then would proclsma,ions from
Dublin G ste, coercion bill from Parlia-
mt and a magnificent harvest for the
Royal Irish Constabulary and the jailers. But still
the fac. remained that there was starvation
throughout the land. The weather imported from
the atcs. and duly invoicci by the NEW York
HERALD daily. had left little no hope of anything
lias average harvest The small farmers particu-
larly had drawn the savings of years to get
the hard times of II and '73, and in nine
out of ten they were penniless What little
yield their farms could give would barely suffice
give bread meat to Their families during the year.
le: aione pay the rent, and already they in
debt to the tradesmcn of tine small towns. There
was no doubt about it they could not pay the rent
coIld they pay the tradesmen in 1879. VIII
they do? There is a spirit among the Iris
peoplo which did exist in 49, they are
csperate III their despair, aud had the agitation
incI left in the hands of the official promoters
there would nave been dangerous work ere this.
NO MORE EMIGRATION.
One thing the people have nyed their hearts upon
this ime-to stay IN Ireland at any risk. and to hold
last by the land. whether they pay rent for it or
at Every market and every fair, the farmers
had made that resolve to one another and the
very first attempt ut eviction alter Michaelmas
would have been the signal for uprising in the
West. To spare the land this 1urther misery the
priests took up the land agitation. In the West
iley ii hrst met in their deaneres and passed rosolu
tlons calling tho attention of the landlords and
the government to tho condition OF the farmers, and
calling tor direct assistance from the one and
mission or reduction OF rents from the others.
Every deanery in the West held meetings and pub
lished resolutions bearing the signatures of the
parish priests; every county in Munster iol-
lowed suit, as did many III Leinster, and
altogeth,r during the last three months at
least thousand priests have affixed their
names to sneinn statements averrinQ the dcplorabe
condition of the country. While this going
local meetings were being hold la West Ire.
land and resolutions were being presented to the
landlords or their agentsby the tenantry Up to the
cad OF August not single landlord had responded
or offered the slightest abatement of rents and all
hope hed that good moderate harvest
coull come to relieve the black prospect. In South
and West the potatoes rottng IN the ground.
the wheat was lost. or all but lost; the hay fields
were covered with melancholy lakes, and the pros
pect was as bad for the grazing farmer as 1t was for
the tilier The loss Of the hay crops made IL mpos
sble for the graz to hope tor profitable pursuit
OF his business during the winter, even il the i'm
portation of live cattle your side had not re-
duced the prices of Irish beet and mutton and
Ihs grapsrs surra he iii anssI n , market ,
at price at the fairs and the was seen last
week at the great fair of Ballinaloc where while tho
supply OF live stock was far below the average, the
prices grecdily taken were Little more than half
those realized the previous years. The small
graziers had TO sell out at cost to pay even re-
duced rents The wealthy graziers held back because
they could not afford to sell their stock at loss
They are waiting Tor better markets elsewhere. An
other element o distress operated against the small
occupers OF the West More than any other period
during the past ten years they cngrated England
as harvestmen there to earn, II possible. tho money
70 pay the rent for their miserable Irish honcstead
Not more than one in ten. / am told, have earned
anything beyond mere sustenance.
IIEAR1sICK AND EMrry-HASDED.
Tie agricultural depression III England made
work scarce and lowered the price OF their labor,
and hundreds of them ''are coming b,ck heart
sick and empty handed to the wife and the chldher'
at home. 4 Witnessed pitiablc scene al Chez
Ter the other day There three mise rabe
looking. prcInaturely broken down men. in tatterei
irlcze clothes. who had tramped from stsiiordshire
to Chester, aud were without penny to pay their
way back again to the West of Ireland. These
small farmers turned harvestmcn. was one OF Inc
contributors subscription originated by Irish
gentleman the platform to pay the fares OF the
poor fellows back to their expectant wives aud little
ones at home. The tear OF these wretched tenants
Df the consequences OF their inability to pay the
rent Dantesque its intensity but the hardest
henrt could not but be moved at the despair they
uttered 1T having nothing 80 put into the mouths
ui the wife and the chhcr. Another touching story
Will dp more than statistical volumes to picture the
misery OF the people. IL told To me by - car
lhan who was driving the other day through
the ssI)o va ~ said