New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-02
THE TROUBLES IN IRELAND.
TESTIMONY OF THE LANDLORDS.

Il
is by cxacting cxorbitant rents-only or chiefly tha'
men like Lord Lansdowne are blights on the pros
peritv of Ireland. Their interests are at war with
every benefcent influence that seeks to evolve
noble citizens from covering serfs They are the
cxpouents and defenders of the spirit of CASTE and
they value their estates quite as much because OF
the mower "a because of the wealth they yield to
them. Nowhere in the British Islands is the spirit
of caste 40 strong as in Ireland. Between peasant
and lord there is a deep gulf fixed, which no human
svmpathics arc broad enough to span. Neither u
common nationality nor even n common creed has
been found able to bridge this social gull. Inc
Catholic gentry have been quite indifferent to the
sulcrings of the peasants the Protestant gentry
Not a Judge in Ireland for example, gave single
subscrpton to the relief funds. and all the profess
siona classes without regard To creed were equally
heartlcss The Enthusiastically the absentee
landords-look on their tenants rs rent-paying
machines only, and whenever the machines iail to
do their work. they have conjunction IN casting
them aside. They are experts in indicating their
conduct by the teachings OF political economy"
Their political economy does not illustrate the
great law of supply and demand 10y sending food
to their starving tenants when they cry out for il.
french and Lansdownc would he cxccratcd in
America if one-hllf Of their deeds in Kerry were
known there No Bowcry pawnhrokcr has ever
shown greater greed than LansdOwne-the model
Irish landlord of the English press. Yet have told
only 1.-THE OF the crueltics heard oi IN Kerry.
An ancient writer, in the reign OF Edward H. IN
spcaking of the expressions OF the poor irecholders
Lv The great English landlords, said that although
their system WAS first invented in hell yet if il
had becn pract.cd there in ireland il would have
destroyed the very kingdom ol Bceizebu".' sir
John Davis was the author of the scheme 10y
which Donegal was divided among Che planters
after the light Of the Earl Ononncll IN 1901 He
said that he considered the condition of the Irish
peasantry worse than that OF bOndslavcS. d" for.
commonly. the bond,ave is fed by his lord, but
here the lord is fed by his bondsave." 1t is the
same to-day.
In no other country in all this world are the titles
of the holder, Of the soil detective; so untcnabc
in equity; so full of flaws; founded on 50 many
violations of plighted faith. Mr. Parncl said to me
recently that a large number of Irish landlords
could show 10 title at all. and therefore they
dreaded a movement that might end in compelling
them to show cause why they should be paid for
their lands In no country in the world are the
rights of landed propretOrs not carried out only,
but advocated with such fanatical zealotry. The
Trenches father and son, have frequently dstln-
elished themselves by their more than Saul-like
zeal in proclaimng. both by precept and practice,
the cardinal doctrine of Irish landlordsm. that
tenants have no rights that landlords are bound to
respect Trench shamelessly broke his pighted
faith with LanSdownc's tenants whenever 1t
pleased him. He levied fines without sanction OF
law for violations Of laws Of his own creation No
despot on earth had more absolute Authorization
the tenants were at his mercy for the house their
own hands had built, for food for fuel for life
outside Of the poor house. To be cyictcd meant to
I, 10, Ia. rrip nod he Ii sl
land agent recognizes one interest only, one motive
of action only one standard Of ethics only-the
good of the estate. Christianity, patriotism and
philanthropy are as dust in the balance when
weighed with the Rules of the Estate
HE DOCTRINE OF sUBJECTioN.
To Enforce obedience to such n petty despotsm
il is necessary to destroy the spirit Of reedom-Or
that spirit. which is the safety of States, is the
danger of Iandlordsm. Tho Trenches by various
expedIcnts have crushed the manhood OF their ten
antry They refuse leases. to keep the tenants
constantly ut their mercy. and never hesitate to
punish the slightest rebellion. | knew nothing of
Lan,downc o. of Trench whom first went 70 Kerry
but noticed ut the abect spirit OF the people
They are afraid TO ORGANIZE Land Leagues or to
assert personal independence of action. The school
teachers are silenced by petty brides OF donations
and cheap pasturage, and Catholics reported the
same Influences TO have muzzlod the priests on Lord
Ianslowncs estates. Old Trench once Toasted
that Queens CSunty was Quictrr than Tippcrary.
and attributed the quiet 70 the famine that
" thinncd Dut the population This order iu War
saw. founded on the death or expulsion Of a bold
peasantry. their countrys pride" a patriot surely
would lament but the landlords like it. Tip
pc1ary near by was still, TO use Mr.. Trcnch's
phrase. ill managed and he added: "rhe
Ill of nd
DEGRADED like those OF Kerry and Glare"
A man is rightly judged by his heroes. Mr..
Trench had a hero-his cousin, Mr.. Francis Trench.
ellis Intelligence may be estimated By what he
has DONE
And what had ne dOnef
soon after the famine" says Trench "he
cleared the land of the Duke of Leinsters tenants
in Kildare by an extensive emigration, and adyer
tised widely i'll the Scotch papers for tenants In
time the estate was relet. The rental was by i'm
proved management raised from G33.000 to
go 600"
" improved management" in the mouth of an !
Irish land agent, does not mean the expenditure Of
money by the landlord to increase the fertility of
m estate. 1t consists of raising the rent only, and
clearing of the natives and introducing aliens |
The Irish peasantry are 80 ierate that they do not
appreciate this style of improvement ESPECIALLY |
neal descendants of the original owners of the
and.
REVIEWING Mr.. TRENCHS BOOK.
For the last twenty years" said Mr. Trench in
MS Realities of Irish Life" there have been
numerous occasions which | have been the OBJ
ect of some deadly conspiracy, and yet deny that
he Irish are a sanguinary people. There are i've
lines as many murders committed in England at
here are in Ireland. =. The English rutian
murders for money. The IriShman murders
,atriotically. lie murders to assert and enforce
the land, which he has reclaimed
rom the bog the cabin which he has built and the
rees that he has planted ale his own-subject to
he landlords night by law to exact rent for tho
esults OF another mans labor. In general he pays
he rent generally he exerts himself to pay it.