The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-12-03
THE cRoFTERs OF SKYE.

| American readers have doubtless noticed
that 1t is not alone In Ireland that the rapacity OF
landlords Is driving tenants into open revolt. Scot
land also Is feeling the movement, and doubtless
England's turn will follow In due time, The fact "A
that many of tho so-caed :" tenants arc in any
far construction what should consider the owners
OF the land they occupy II Is 10y applying an alto
gether modern and ncwfangcd system of law to ten
uros which have come down from fcudal and patri-
archal times that the landlords get their claim to
wiring the last coin out OF their wretched victims or
even force thsm from their holdings In order 10 breed
sheep, Instead OF men. ''The crofters OF SKYE is
phrase that has figured largely In recent British news
Crofters are the occupants of small farms tho foe IN
which is claimed by the of several large es-
tates They have no leases, aud were without doubt
originally the clansmcn settled the land belonging
to their tribe under the direction of the chief The
lowland lawyers artfuy turned the over orlshp of
ths chief Into an absolute title In the land by pro
ceSscs unknown TO the simple clansmen, until after
many years they found these lands sold to aliens and
strangers and leased by them to a. tacksmen ~ or
miidlemen, who take them upon speculation. The
result Is what might be expected. by what may he
law, but is certainly not Justice nor right an at
tempt is made evlct these sturdy peasants or SO
curtail them of their immemorial privileges that
they will be obliged to yield stnrve Cooler and
mole united than their cousins of Ireland they have
held out manfully and with fair prospect of sue
cess, unless the English government takes tho out
rageous course OF sending soldiers against them,
possibly to repeat the massacre of Glencoe.
The Glasgow correspondent ofa Philadelphia Jour-
nal gives two specimen cases which Illustrate tho
point at issue.
In Glendale in the extreme west of the Isls of
skye-famous for Its scenery, and also for sending
10, soldiers 600 captains 500 pipers and we'll n
TO 100 majors. coonels and generals to the wars
against Napoleon - certain townships were cleared
and the people crowded in among the crofters in
M hnr un1 lnItb tbn ,I,.
TO sheep. one OF the cleared townships, which had
been let for years to DIR. Martin for grazing pur-
poses was about to he vacant, and the ovcroTowdcd
tenants put IN an oiler, or rather claim to 1t, as
they had become too numerous for what they had
They were trltled with and put OF without definite
answer, and unknown TO them, the land was let by
the trustees to the factOr-tO the very man throuy
whom the croftets had applied They did not know
this but they had pretty strong hint FOR the factor
put up notice, warning them against trespassny
on the shore where they used to land in stormy
weather when they could not round a dangerous
headland to eastward and make for thcr own land
Ing. They took the hint called meeting, and re-
solved that they would pay more until they
got the land of Waterstein. cannot afford space
for tha various incidents of the struggle which has
been going on for seven months. The crofters have.
Watersein, and the factor has far been worsted'
that he has actually given up the tactOrshlp. He
was meal dealer, fsh-Cuier, and sheep farmer as
well, but he has been beaten ut every point The
croters nave been served with interdlCts and all that
but they have paid no attention. and we hear
nothing aOont the legal proreedlngs now:
The next l am going to mention Is that
Braes, in the large estate of Lord Macdonald In
1865 Ben Lee which was held in common by the
twenty-nine tenants of the Hraes, actually let 70
a tacksman by the factor without tEer leave being
asked and without reduction of rent From time TO
time they demanded restitution, but TO no purpose
However, last spring they, like the endale people,
took stand; they would pay more rent until the
NIL was restored sherihs officers Were sent with
notices to quit, but the people made the chief ocer
burn his inssives. The factor and his advisers deter
mined to strike terror so fifty policemen sent 10
capture five men. There was dangerous fight men
and women being badly wounded, and some of the
police were sent home wounded also The five men
were prosecuted, but the fines paid at once Ivy
their friends and on the term day their sheep We're
on the hill In dispute. They there still. aul In
Few days the stock of the tacksnan win all he off.
There is question of honesty this refusal to nav
rent and these brave isesmen will have the attention
and sympathy of n good part of the world in their
struggle against the most odOus form Of oppression
that which takes away the poor man 8 hnIne