Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1880-11-20 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

CRIME IN IRELAND.  TO THE EDITOR OF THE " STOCKTON HERALD." SlR,—The absorbing topic of the hoar is, essentially, Ireland. In the mill, in the hall of justice, on 'Change, in the mansion, and in the cottage, Ireland is the burning question. And no wonder, for at every turn huge posters announcing in glaring characters more murders and fresh plots in that country present themselves to our view. Poor Pat, with the conventional kneebreeches, long-tail coat, and prolonged upper lip, has served as a study for many of our rising artists, who appear to have been animated with the one idea—to make him as repulsive as possible. In  this they have succeeded admirably as the illustrated papers testify From observation, however, of my countrymen, I fail to detect any similarity between them and these absurd caricatures; and the only conclusion I can arrive at is, that these zealous pencillers have their own photographs at hand, together with lively impressions of the lineaments of their country cousins in Norfolk and Devon. At one time Pat is seen behind a hedge waiting for a victim; at another posting up a threatening notice; but always 'armed and well prepared," and in the most aggressive attitude. No wonder, then, that we hear honest Englishmen declare that the whole race should be exterminated, and pious old ladies assert that the Irish—the dreadful Irish—are worse than Zulus. It does not surprise me that such ejaculations should escape their lips, nor their belief—and ,it is general—that Ireland is a nest of u,sassins' and that its verdant hills and 1 valleys are bristling with the bayonets of the peasantry, to who outrage has become a duty. The daily persus.l of the papers, with their lists of murders, manufactured by zealous correspondents in Dublin, leaves them no other alternative. I say " manufactured " advisedly, aud I shall attempt to prove it. " Murder no wager is considered a crime by the main body of the Irish people. Murderers are oonsidered heroes and public benefactors." This, culled from a leading London daily, is improved upon by one of the provincial journals, which declares that " Murders are of daily occurrence in the Sister Isle." These are specimens of what are being served, up daily for the breakfast table of the newspaper reading public of England. Now, let us see if the assertion of this authority," that murders are of daily occurrence," is borne out by facts. If this assertion be true, then there must have been perpetrated in Ireland during the last six months no fewer than one hundred said sixty-eight murders I I shall leave your readers to see how strangely at variance this is with the fact that only fire murders have been committed. _ _ _  Taking a peep at the criminal calendar of peaceful, law-abiding England for the same period, we find that no fewer than twenty four murders have taken place ! Four of these murders, including the diabolical outrage at Acton, were perpetrated in one week. Most of the learned judges at the recent assizes complained of the state of their respective calendars. There are men and women now under sentence of death, yet we never hear of "crime in England." Would it be unfair to ask the editors of those papers which are dealing out such outrageous nonsense about Ireland to their readers, and who are daily clamouring for coercion, suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, and all kinds of pains and penalties for my afflicted fellow. Countrymen, to look at home, and think of some plan to prevent the outrages on defenceless women and children which are of daily occurrence in this country? I think that by so doing they would be fulfilling the duties of their position much better than by holding up as a martyr the tyrannical Irish landlord. It is the knowledge, Sir, of the spirit of fairness that has marked your leaders on this question, that emboldens me to direct to yan this letter; and I trust that your characteristic fair play will be again exemplified by its publication in your justly-esteemed journal.— y >ars, &c.,