The morning call., 1893-06-11
MICHAEL DAVITT.
He Explains the Circumstances of His
Bankruptcy.

The following communication is self eX-
planatOTy:
Editor CalI-SIR: 1 have just received a
cory OF The MORNING CALL of the 10th inst.
containing some statements under The caption
OF my name which are unfounded and calcu-
lated TO have caused pain TO many OF my friends.
VIII thank yOu To allow me an opportunity OF
correcting such statements.
1t Is declared by your contributor that | had
applied TO the late Mr.. James Canning of Oak.
land. my wife's uncle, fer funds and had been
refused. aud. that in consequence of this in
cldent unfrlendly relations had resulted be-
tween myself aud Mrs. Canning. Permit me to
say that there is no: word OF truth in such 4
story. never asked Mr.. or Mrs. Canning for
cent In my lfe and no unfriendliness or cold
ness has at any time existed between myself
and Mrs. Davitt's Oakland relatives.
1t Is also asserted by the wriier of the article
In question that have complained against the
alleged eXpr ndrure Of money in the building OF
a church-attrIbuted, by Implication, To Mrs.
CannlnG-and claimed hat such mon-y should
have been devoted 10 political purposes In con-
nection with tho homerule struggle. There Is
not an atom of fact Tor a foundation for this
fiction. 1t Is guesswork or pule invention.
IL is also implied If not broadly declared In
your article that my present financial difficult
ties, arising out of the trial of the North Meath
petition, could have beer or should have been
deat with by my wife's relatives in order to
avert my retirement from Parliament. The
best possible refutation OF such an insluuaron
is found IN the fact that | have refused offers
OF various sums OF mOney-amouutiDg In the
English, Liberal and American sources, for the
liquidation of this political debt. There was no
need therefore for any appeal, In this respect,
10 any private channel 10 meet a claim which /
could not bring myself 10 consider in any other
light than in that Of piece OF party blackmail.
The history of this bankruptcy business Is
very brief. 1t Is this: NV defeated antagonist
in the contest tor North Meath al the general
election of last year pelitnned against my re-
Turn on the grounds of clerical intimidatiOn"
and violation OF the corrupt practices act. In
a Judgment a r
petition II was declared by the Judgs that Il
pastoral letter OF Bishop Nultys violated the
law and rendered The election void. On the
opening OF he trial OF The petition against me,
/ instructed my counsel 10 accept a similar de-
cision, as it would be useless TO come end that
the pastoral let er in question did not bear as
much upon the case OF North Meath as upon
that OF the sister constituency.
was also anxious to avoid lncurriDg large
legal costs. My offer was refused. The trial
proceeded and alter five days Investigation
every charge and allegation made against me
fell 10 the ground The only material fact
proved was the pastoral letter OF Dr. NuIty'S,
which l had not asked for, which was pub
lished not on my account, but for religious and
moral reasons which seemed good to the ven-
cradle Bishop OF Meath. This was my degree
OF legal culpabiity Ia the Meath election. For
TINS was unSeated.
A month ago was served with bill of costs
amounting 10 S9380. The alternative was paw
or bankruptcy. Pay meant in reality the giving
OF this large sum of money TO men who thaving
already received from the subscriptions of th 'ir
friends the money expended in voiding the
Meath elecrions) would use it for the purposes
OF the f,ctions and insane contest which they
are wagiug against the vast majority of their
Nationalist fellow countIymen TO the injury of
the homr-rule cause.
| could not hesitate for one moment as 10
what my duty was in such situation. | alone
was legally responsible for these heavy costs.
l couid not pay them, as l had not The neces-
sary means. / resolved that they should not
be levied upon home-rule funds, or upon my
friends l therefore resigned my seat for
Notheast Cork, to which l mad been eeci ed
without opposition, and accepted the alterna-
tive of bankruptcy rather than submit TO the
blackmaillng OF the slender financial resources
OF the hOme-rule fight.
Whether the proceedings now instituted
against me succeed in excluding Inc from Par
lament for n short or long term IL Il matter of
small consequence personally or politically, 10
me. l never coveted membership OF the Im-
perial Parliament To the extent of permitting
the money subscribed by the friends of home
rule TO be drawn upon to cover my personal liza
Dilities. nor have / allowed my political posi-.
lion IN the home rule movement 10 be any drain
upon the means of my wife;s relatives. Yours
vely truly, MICHAEL DAvITT.
Land League Cottage, Ballybrack, Ireland
May 27, 1898.