Year: 1870


and arms revealed themselves, and Immediately ap.
peared on the road man, who uttered not word,
but looking about him vacantly for snort time,
walked away so mysteriousy that the hafscarcd
Larry Doolan believed he was one OF those "g0od
peopen who are SAID TO be out and about on Christ
mas eve in fairyland.


Leaving Londonderry, our road lay for several
miles along the fOye, which Is an exceedingly pretty
river and rivals as think, in beauty OF scenery,
the more celebrated rivers Lee and Slaney. Parting
from the Foyle and going westward towards the
dilapidated village OF Manorcunningham, our route
wound through an extensive champaign, stretching
down to the shores of Lough Swilly, aud thence
forming beautiful valley to the town OF Letter
kenny. This valley Is somewhat abruptly broken by
several Mills, which, within comparatively small
compass, greatly diversity the surface OF the coun
try This champaign in its full extent, may be said
to extend from the city OF Londonderry to Bay-
shannon, along the whole eastern boundary OF
Donegal stretching inward as far as line running
from Lough Swilly to Donegal bay. 1t comprenends
the whole eastern ana southeastern part or the
county, from the shore OF Tyrhugh on The south 10
Ennisnowen on the north. ms champaign, must
say Is one OF the richest and best cultivated tracts
OF land have yet seen In Ireland. The iied3 ap-
peared to me FOR the season OF tne year. TO be nm
usually green and even the hills which rose up mere
ana there wore a very luxuriant appearances. The
farm houses were very neatly quilt, and mad all the
appearance OF cleanliness and comfort.


Most Of the landed propretOrs or this district have
the reputation or beng most eXceiient landlords;
but there others VINO, unfortunately, bear dlf-
ferent character. From what have heard since
came to this pace, beeye am correct In Sayn;
tha the best ana also the worst landlords IN Ireland
belong to this county. The Marquis OF Londonderry,
whose estates border upon the city bearing hrs
name and stretch down within o few miles OF Let
terkenny, IS good landlord ana recognizes am
told III all Its integrity. the Ulster custom OF tenant
right. Adjoining tne estates or the Marquis are those
oil Lord Iempe!nore A few days ago an outgoing
tenant the estate OF this nonleman received Tor
the good Will or a farm OF about forty acres which
was without q lease and considerably racked, the
sum ot $500. This SHOWS the confidence which the
people have In Lord Iempemore; Tor 1T IS Il fact


interest IN the farm he is leaving IS determined In
great measure by the character or the landlord.
Another. and probably the most extensive.
Donegal Is the Duke OF Abercorn, the Lord Lieute-
nant OF Ireland under the late government. His
Grace Is universally admitted TO be one OF the best
landed proprletors in Ulster. HIS estates, not
merely in Donegal, but IN Tyrone and in other coun-
ties or Ulster, are reputei good; his tenants are
happy and contented having little to fear 80 long as
they pay their rent. There Is, however, one COM
plant against his Graces management which found
was pretty general and that complaint was tnat he
limits very considerably the amount to be paid to
the outgoing tenant for the good viii OF his farm.
Though am unahe to say what the amount Is that
he allows, have good reason to believe that 1t Is
considerably less tlan what would be obtained were
he to interfere. man OF very great experience,
who has been land valuator lor forty years told me





from Twenty-Five 70 thirty pounds Tor the good Will
or every acre on his Grace's property. 1t there
fore perfectly clear tnat the tenant Is badly COM
pensaed for any improvements he may have effected
during his occupancy and that whatever interest he
may have In the SOIL Is to con siderable extent con-
flscated.


There Is in this county landlord who has within
the last year or Two spoken ana written upon the
land question more tnan most iisn proprletors.
siderable ability, and ought, Instead of occupy ing
his time in writing letters from the wds OF Donegal
a. t.na x.P D,,t
ing the many speeches and letters have read bear
ing his name must confess my Inability to UNDER.
stand his Lordsnlp's poitics 1t would appear that
he Is conservative put anxious TO be considered


liberal. During the last few days he addressed q
letter to the London Times bewaAing the number Of
pamphlets which are being published upon the Irish
Question, though he probably forgot his own letter
was an aggravation OF the injury 1t deprecated. /
do not think lie has much reason 10 complain OF the
pamphlets which have been recently published on
the Irish question; for as far as know, they have all
been written IN vlndcation OF the landlords prlyl-
ieges Though ne has ilved Tor thirty years upon an
he does not know what tenant right Is. Probably
hts difficulty in understanding what rs Is due to
the fact that tenant right has long beec banlshed
from the sphere OF his Lordships influence.


When he says that the holders OF land In three
fourths OF Ireland sympathizc with Fenlanism |
must humby beg to express my dissent from that
opinion. So long us the object Of FenlanSm was
understood to be the abolition OF the Established
Church and the settlement Of the land question |
have no doubt his LOrdship's calculation was fair
and moderate one. But when the organization has
revealed It's true character ana has gwen abundant
evidence to show that 1t was as much opposed to
the dsestabllshment OF the Church as 1t Is now to
the settlement OF the land question. have reason
to believe that vast majority OF those who formerly
sympathzed with Fenjanism now regard it only with
disgust. Lord Lrord evidently does mol wish to see
the power Of the landlords abridged, because, he
says, it prevents the tenant from subletting
and dong other mischief Tne Irish are all
willing to admit that when landlords
IS i IS we sa oIa IN does tsss prof Of
pose remedy for protecting the tenant against that
power when 1t Is used 10 oppress hm. lie has no
need 10 20 far from mis- highland home to md an
tate upon which, by all account, the tenantrY in
q condition OF serfdom TO which the heaviest yoke
OF medieval vassaage was hight. That estate Is in
this county, and IS not many miles from this place.
1t belongs TO The Rlgnt Hon. William sydney, Earl
Of Leitrim. The slavery to which the tenantry on
this estate are reduced S better expressed in the
language OF tle noble proprietor himself, or his
agents, than In any sentences 1t Is In my power TO
write. Iquote the following extract from an agree
ment which Lord Leitrm's tenants have been
within the last six months compelled TO sign. i
wish to call attention II a particular manner to this
extract because believe the conditions it imposes
upon the tenants are such as 1t is Impossible for
them TO fulfil, thus


And Ia also agreed that the said tenant shall not without
permit sion in writing from the said Lar OF Lerm his
he said lands build alter any house bu ding thereon
dwelling house that in which he shall himself reads
,hat pc viii not two waite or grain crops in
any year have in tllago than acres, dir,


Il he Of h % sp

ar or afterwards laid down by hm or that he will not
year I'LL with potato crop any greater quantity OF
than that which shall be other green crops or
Til with potato crop land which shall been in


lea during the previous se carry Off tho
said land any hay. straw, manure, trnips mangoid
Hurze and that he shall not atssn suet lot in
for crop, subdvide fer grazing with
session Of the said land or any part thereof.


It is unnecessary for me to make any reference to
this extract. All comment can easily be dispensed
with The extract Is sufficiently PLAIN for the most
ordinary intelligence. 1t clearly shows that 1t Is
quite Impossible Tor the tenants to live on the land
and, at the same time to fulfil the conditions 1t I'm
poses upon them. That peasantry, honest, brave
noble by nature, could bring themselves to sign
document which Is little preferable TO q death war
rant, and which must sooner or later, conslgn
them to either the workhouse or the grave is, in
Itself, sulcicnt proof OF the servitude to which
they are reduced. do not beiieve that Lord Lirord
with all his ingenuity and experience, Will he able
to ind an instance proving as strongly why the
landlords should continue IN the possession OF TIRE.
sponsibe power as this proves that 1t should be
swept away.


But am not yet done with Lord Letrim. II his
Lordshp deserves credit for nothing else he deserves
1t for his ingenuity; for do not believe there s
j. another man " ths island capable Of q
tenantry as chat to which have velerred. But 1t 10