The Irish standard., 1907-02-09
William Duffy, Member Of Parliament For
South Galway, Recently introduced
Bill to That End.
Clanricarde's Ancestors Were Once the Pride
of Ireland, Yet He Does Not Dare
to Enter Erin.

Hubert George De Burgh Canning,
second marquis Of Clanricarde, is ac-
counted the most hated landlord Of
Ireland, though in his veins flows the
purest Of Celtic blood, says a corre-
spondent in the Chicago Tribune.
William Duffy, member Of parlia-
mellt for South Galway, recently
BROUGHT In a. bill in the house of COM
mons ito provide for the appropriation
Of the marquis Of Clanricarde from his
Irish estates" Mr.. Duffy declared the
marquis had been in ireland but once
in his life--to attend the funeral OF
his father, more than forty years ago.
The marquis, he said, was a. phenom-
enon, a curse to his country; cold,
ca}lous. and hard hearted landlord will,
T. career more distinguished by misery.
wretchedness and bloodliness than even
Oliver Cromwef1's.
:.He has. evicted by force 359 fam
ilies," went OH Lord Clanrlcarde's ac-
cuser. '.His estates Of $4,000 acres in
Galway are blighted by his wanton
cruelty. He is tho most hated, the
most mathematical Of Irish landlords
The people Of his district are III a
state Of insurrection bordering on war.
Tt is time for the government to. take
action"
And Mr. Duffy quoted former Prime
Minister Balfour as saying:
Lord Clanricarde is the general type
of absentee landlord. The only way to
deal with his case is to bring in a bill
to deal with him specifically"
Sir Henry Carnpbell-Bannerman, tile
prime minister, in a speech which was
greeted with bursts of cheering from
the entire house Of commons, agreed
with Mr.. Duffy and the Irish party. He
declared that there was no justitica-
tion for Lord ~Clanricarde's actions and
attitude. He strongly condemned tho
nobleman.
But he regretted that parliament had
too much work on hand to pass such
a. bill this session. The government
agreed to accept the bill for future con-
sideration. ,
On a vote being taken only three
plelnbers, all Orangemen from tho north
Of Ireland, voted in favor Of tire mar
quis. The remainder Of the house OF
commons voted against him.
The ultimate effect Of the passing OF
William Duffy's bill would be to place
the Clanricarde estates ON the market,
to be sold to the tenants under the
present land law or to the highest bid
der. The money OF course would be
handed to the marquis, but he would be
banished practically from Ireland and
prohibited from holding any property
there.
That would be all extraordinary con-
demnation for a. man whose ancestors
fathers founded the greatest family Of
Ireland, the Burkes, whose women in
ternaarried with the kings Of Meath, of
1holnond, of Tagnmony, who gave an
cestors to King Edward w of England
The Clanricarde was the greatest. of
all Ireland's noble families. Its sons,
in one generation, We're rebels and
fought and died for Ireland, but for 900
years the family has stuck to: it's mot
to, "Ung roy, ung foy. uny 10y cone
king, one faith, one law'D.
1t is q. distinctly fighting family. Its
coat Of arms is supported by two bat
tling wildcats, with Il third sitting OH
top, ready to spring. The family num-
bers long list of ancient knighrs.
who fought for country or king. In
the last two centuries many of it's sons
have been soldiers of fortune and won
high honors in the armies of France
and Spain.
Three Burkes day,.>cousins of the
present marquis Of Clanricarde, are,
respectively, Ulster king of arms and.