The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-28

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spiracy which must be crushed Mr.. Monroe char
acterized him on Tuesday us the most dangerous
Of all the prisoners. He is undoubtedly an
earnest and energetic agitator, q man OF great
intelligence and considerable education. He
returned from New York in December, and since
that time has been constantly engaged in agita-
ton. He is an ardent member of the Home
Rule League. II was he who revived O'Con-
nelPs plan for the reconstruction Of the Irish
House OF Commons. He expressed his
belief that twelve or eighteen months, or
perhaps two years, would be necessary to Or
Convention thorough success. He thought
the people should be prepared for the election
of members-for Irish membcrs-to sit where
they ought to sit, in College Green, and that
OConnell's course would be the best that could
be adopted for training the people to look for
ward to an Irish Parliament. The franchise
should be manhood suffrages, and the voting
should be by ballot.
DAvlTT'S CONVICTIONS
/ began my interview by asking him many
questions regarding New York. He expressed
his expectation Of returning there ere long.
With respect to the case against him, he thought
it would fall to the ground and that jury
would possibly convict on the evidence. He
thoroughly believed in agitation as q means for
relieving the necessities of the people, and he
intended to continue in spite Of the government
and its persecution. He knows from his contact
with the classes dependent upon cultivation of
the land that most Of them live on wretched
food, dwell in miserable and unhealthy novels,
while by their labor and moral conduct
they are deserving of better and
more civilized existence. The landlords
earn nothing by labor. They are not
in any way superior to ordinary people on the
score of morality. They enjoy the pleasures Of
life, food in plenty, freedom from the misery
and hardship which are incidental to the lives
of those upon whose labor they subsist. Such
disparity necessarily creates discomfort
against the laws which are responsible for this
glaring inequality. From this system crime
and violence have sprung in the past and will
again in the future.
what" asked, sis your opinion with re-
gard to your arrestr
''Great advantages" he replied, twill accrue
from the agitation. 1t was huge blunder on
the part of the landlords and Dublin Castle"
"Do / understand you to say" continued,
"that the landlords are implicated in these pro-
cecdingsl"
Certainly" said Mr.. Davitt. .'They have
flooded the Castle for the past three months with
letters demanding my arrest. They never had to
encounter such spirit of independence and re-
sistanee as the peasantry have exhibited since
the agitation began. Ordinarily the poor Irish
farmer, who is politically and socially ut the
mercy of his territorial MASTER is afraid to dress
himself and his children comfortably or even to
enjoy substantial food lest the rack rent be in
vited by his mode of life. This is now COM
pletely changed. The notion that rents are too
high and life in Ireland often too miserable to
endure has long been fully realized; but that a
landlord has no right in real equity to the land
for which he extracts an Ubiquitous tax in the
the tenant farmer before"
RENT OR NO REMIT
''Do you mean that rent should be no longer
paid :"
''No, lido not What mean to say is that
the government of the country, which. ofcourse,
is not the rightful government of the country,
is bound to the interests of the landlordss and
therefore general or partial refusal to pay
rent would give power to the government over
those who refused these dues. But an organized
attitude on the part of the rentpayers against
the exorbitant and arbitrary proceedings on
the part of the landlords has in few months
compelled concessions and Attachments which
have been Of the greatest benefit to the farmers
The price oil lanu mas also fallen, wnie the land
jobbers, who are the farmers worst enemies
have ceased to bid for land over the farmers
heads for want of competition"
'.Do you think the government will stop ut
the arrests already made"
81 am not sure that the government has shown
all its hand. They appear to have done very
stupid thing, but have possibly more trumps to
play"
Referring to the action taken by the priests
with respect to the present agitation Davitt
said -
al wish we could keep religion out of Irish
politics. Then weshould have united Ireland"
DALY's DEFENCE.
hx-x LIANT IN