The New York herald., 1879-09-01
THE IRISH LAND WAR.
Tenant Farmers Organizing to ESIab-
liSh a Peasant Proprietary.
BURNING QUESTION.
How the Repeal Of the Convention Act Will
Affect Irish Politics.
DUBLIN. August 20. 1879.

DUBLIN. August 20. 1870.
The repeal of the Convention act is likely to lead
to more serious results than the English govern
ment dreamed Of when abrogating that penal meas
ure. Already advantage has been taken OF the new
liberty which its disappearance from the statute
book creates to launch q national land agitation
which aims at nothing less than the abolition OF
landordism and the final uprooting of all the con-
iscations and plantations by which the English hold
ON Ireland was sought to be strengthened by past
governments. In the opinion of we'll in
formed politicians the agitation is des-
tined to temporarily overshadow the home
rule movement because it appeals to the strongest
sentiment of the Irish heart-the greed Of Land and
the desire to possess a portion Of the soil inde
pendent Of all interference from meddling tyran
nical landlords. The movement has the advantage
over home rule that it is possible Of successful at
tainment without endangering the security of the
Empire, and there is but little doubt that peasant
proprietary established it would do much to
check the revolutionary tendencies among the Irish
masses which have been developing of late years to
rather remarkable degree. In order that American
readers may be able to understand the influence
which the repeal Of the Convention act is likely to
exert on a movement with which at first sight 1t has
relation it may be we'll to explain that the Con-
vention act passed by the old Irish Protestant
Parliament in 1898. and forbade the meeting of any
representative assembly in Ireland except the Par
lament.
INFLUENCE UNION.
This measure directed against the Catholics of
Ireland who that time agitating strongly for
the repeal of the penal laws under which they
deprived Of the right of citizenship in their own
country. This unwse helped more than
anything else to bring about the so-caed Union of
Great Britain and Ireland. When that measure
effected, with the support of the Catholic hrarchy
the English government took to continue the
Convention act in force, and found in 1t most
powerful agent in repressng the political activity
OF the Irish masses. By the act Of Union the effect
of the law widened. and instead of depriving
only the Catholic Irish Of the right to meet
in convention its provisions applied to the
whole nation. The immediate effect OF this law
to debase Irish political hfe and throw wide open
the doors for the appearance the stage of public
life Of charlatons and trcksters whose only object
was fill their pockets at the expense the people.
1t had also the effect OF throwing into the hands of
the Catholic priesthood undue share of political
power for the priests the only class possessing
o regular organization who could set the law at de-
fance under of their religious duties. In this
way the priests became the political well
the spiritual guides of their parishes and until the
appearance OF Fenianism the man in the Catholic
districts who could command the support OF the
priesthood controlled through them the votes of
their parshioners. Fenianism and the ballot box
struck two heavy blows against priestly influence,
but the repeal of the Convention act by permitting
cal struggle is likely sweep away the last vestige
| of that priestly control. which. though doubt
benefcent in the beginning, wss gradually becom-
ing an intolerable tyranny in Irish politics.
GRAPHING WITH PRACTICAL POLITICS.
It speaks well for the intelligence the people
that the first use to which they apply their new
found power is the redress Of practical rather than
o mns yass Of the
lstence on the culture OF the land and whatever
affects this great national industry Affects directly
the whole nation. Enough has already been pub
lished in the columns of the HERALD to expose the
evils Of the system of land tenure in Great Britain.
aud it is only necessary to say here that Ireland is
| worse off in this respect than her neighbors The
leader of the new land agitation is Mr.. Michael Da
| WITT one of the released political prisoners. He
is the beau ideal of popular leader and has
already proved his fidelity 10 the cause of Ireland.
20 sbie degree the quality of nersonaI mac
netism, 80 indispensable in a leader OF He is
six feet in height and strong and wiry IN build
Masses OF jet black curly hair shade a high broad
/ forehead; q large aquilinc nose and quick. dark.
piercing eyes looking out from beneath black eye
gentle face. Davitt is an effective speaker. and.
like the great o'Gonnell; can address his
guage OF the Saxon the tongue of tho Gael
| He was born in the county Mayo in lS49. and soon
driven from his home during the mercess evictions
which followed the Irish famine. The family
moved to England. but the memory of that eviction
was kept fresh in the home circle. Though in the
land strangers the Davitts continued speak the
language of their fathers, and when Fenianism ap-
| pesred Michael Davitt Became one Of the most
getic OF tho local leaders in the English
the movement. He led company of
| to the attack on Chester, which failed through
| treachery, and afterward was arrested and
sentenced to twenty years imprisonment for
supplying arms his compatriots in Ireland. For
this technical crime he was doomed to consort with
murderers and thieves in an English prison for
nearly eleven years, and even then it required the
whole public opinion of Ireland to secure his re-
lease On leaving prison he paid short visit the
United States. and was struck with the happy
fop ,,fVu CIu ln
with the determination OF setting foot an aeita-
ton which would bring the whole political power
proprietary being convinced that the restoration of
the land to the people would bring in its train all
other political and social changes for which the
Irish people have been long struggling in vain.
THE NEW LAND AGITATION
The danger to the British government in this land
agitation lies in the fact that oil classes Ireland
directly affected By it, and the only persons in
favor of the present system are the absentees and
the larger landed proprietors who form but very
small fraction of tine population. Both orangeman
and nationalist. Presbyterian and Roman,Cathoic.
can and will join in the agitation for right
and in the next Parliament the land question will
undoubtedly take precedence OF even home rule. In
view of these facts the proceedings of the con-
town of the county Mayo, on the 10th of August.
possesses considerable interest. The chair
taken by James j. Loudcn, Is. L., OF Westport and
there Representatives present from all parts of
the county. Speeches were made showing that the
Land act passed under Mr.. Gladstonc's admnistra-
ton had proved unequal to protecting the tenants
account of the power left with the landlord to
arbitrarily the rents, and so compel the tenant
TO surrender his holding or submit to ruinous
terms. Mr.. Davitt read the following document,
cmbodying the rules and setting forth the objects of
the proposed National Land League. and after some
discussion 1t was adopted by the Convention.
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
Tho land Of Ireland belongs to the people Of Ireland
be cultivated tor tho susenancc OF those whom
God decrccd be the inhabitants thereof Land being
created supply mankind with the neccssares exist
encc those who cultivate ii to that end have higher
caim its absolute possession than those who
article of barte to be used er disposed Of for purposes
country requires equitable of the
the people who to live the fruits
their labor in its cultivation Any restriction, therefore,
upon distribution by feuda land embody
prmogcniturc and ontail, the
large estates. the claiming of penal
from occupcrs and preventing the
developing the full OF tho land must neccs.