Year: 1859

The EviCtiOns In Ireland.


The editor Of the Waterford (Irelani)
Citizen addresses the following letter to
the Earl Of Derby in relation to bis Doom
tenantry:


Ny LoRD:-Had the administration of
which you are the head encountered a
troublesome and factious opposition from
the Irish people and had the Catholic rep
reseutatives selfshly combined to destroy
it, one could understand how man of
weak intellect and narrow souI-which 7
freely grant you are not, my lord-might
be prompted to seek revenge for the loss
of his official station III the destruction of
the Irish tenantry. But the very reverse
was the case and instead of meetino with
a factious opposition from this country, a
majority of its people were disposed to ex-
tend to you, if not an active support, at
least generous forbearance. A Catholic
people recognised in You, it is true, the
chief of a government of Protestant as
cendancy; but they argued, and rightly
argued, better even for while a govern
ment of Protestant ascendancy not wholly
unredeemed by desire 10 promote the
material advancement ofthe country than
a government Of Whig Catholic corruption
absolutely and contemptuousIy neglectfuI
Of every social interest leave to other
pens, my lord, the digniied task of discus
sing whether Wing or Tory rule in Ire
land be the greater or the lesser nuisance
-" plague, say, on both your houses, 4"
it is proper, however, YOU should distinctly
understand that the Irish people have given
you no special cause for the enmity which
you SO unbecomingy manifest against that
portion of them having the strongest
claims upon your protection.


The subject, my lord, upon which | pro-
pose to address you is the threatened ex-
termination of your Doom tenantry. Your
conduct in this regard is unconstitutional.
and you know it; it is un-Christian, and
you know it; i is unwise, as YOU shall by
the 1st Of March next discover TO your
terrible cost, should you have the criminal
audacity to persevere. Tell me, my lord,
for YOU are travelled man, have Won
ever, in any quarter Of the globe, met with
people so stepped III barbarism as tamcIv
to submit to such treatment as that which
YOU prescribe for the tenants of Doom:
\
have you ever read of a peopleso debased
SO destitute of all the attributes of man
hood, as passively to fold their arms while
a lord or master, in the wantonness of ir-
responsible power, affixed the brand of
"felon" upon their Drows, and inflicted
upon them the punishment of feIons tor
crimes Of which they had no knowledge
The Irish people, 1t is true, We're patient,
and they persevereL while Wing economy
blasted their towns and blightei all their
fields; but, my lord, the world has been
going round these last ten years, and if the
Irish people have not become wiser and
better, the empire has become weaker
France and Spain have become stronger,
America more defiant, and China triumph
ant.


Suppose now, my lord, the people Of
ireland, or of single county of Ireland,
should argue in this wise We are men
made in Gods image; the tenants of Doom
are our brothers; their cause is our cause;
we will march to their defence when the
eventful day arrives; we will make a ring
Of fire about them and we will nobly die as
men rather than this deed of hell should
be accomplished Suppose all this, my
lord. what force IS there at your disposal,
what at the disposal of the British Govern
ment, sufficient to execute your decree
There is none and you know it, and there
fore say to you my Lord Derby, come on
if you dare; come on il you dare


/ feel it to be my duty, my lord, to raise
warning voice weak though it be, ii
will vat reach the oar az Mar MahOD al
France. at the head of his fiery legions
O'Donnoli Of Spain shall hear it and so
too, shall the American General IIarnev
who with handful of men holds San Juan
in the teeth Of your boasted Pacific squad
ron. Be wise, and harken to this humble
voice of mine, and desist from your rash
aud unholy enterprise. If however, you
are resolved on proceeding TO extremities,
then-for you are a man of undoubted
personal courage-do fully Justice to your
character, and commit not to any poor
devil Of subordinate the execution o.
your decree. With the jeweled coronet
of the Stanleys Chttering upon your haugh
" brow, and the ribbon of the Garter dec
Grating your manly person, head yoursel
the posse comitatus. In that event,
promise myself the qualification of making
your personal acquaintance: I" Wei
meet at PhiIippi" Meanwhile, have
the honour to be your lordship's obedienr
humble servant


u S,,,-rry