THE COVENANT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1552, 23 September 1912, Page 5

THE COVENANT.

SPEECH BY SIR E. CARSON; SHADOW AND SUBSTANCE. ACTION 13Y Till/ WOMEN OF ULSTER. By Teltzraih—Press Association—CoDjrrleut (Rec September 22, 5.0 p.m.) London, September 21. Sir E. Carson was f,-ivcn a great reception at Londonderry. ', In a speech he declared that if anyone signing the Covenant went back or failed at the critical moment, \ let him beware lest lie be hi< brothers' bi-trayer, and the ignoble successor of liobeil Lundy, who advised the surrender of Londonderry to King James. There would, be no compromise, but if (he Government dropped the shadow, and with the help of the Unionisvs, pursued (he substance by ensuring the completion of the land purchase system, (hu, improvement of education, and the development of agriculture, the people's contentment and prosperity would be secured.' London, Septeml-er 20. Ulster women are to sign a so-called "women's prayer," associating themselves by this means with the covenant "> L o be signed at the monster meeting to bc'-held in Belfast on the 28th inst. \ "A COWARDLY POLTROON." ". ROBERT LUNDY. Robert Lundy, \<o whom Sir Edward", Carson reTerm! in his speech, made on> exceedingly unenviable name for himself in' the year 1639, at which time he was Governor of Londonderry. Lundy, at one time, finding nublio feeling strongly in favour of William of Orange declared in William's favour, bnt later, when the troops of King .Tinnes II menaced the town, he used all his efforts to paralyse the defence of the city. Whether or not he was in this a deliberate traitor history does not say. Macaulay calls him a cowardly poltroon. In April, IGS9, Lundy was in command of a force of Protestants who encountered some troops under Richard Hamilton, at Strabnne, when, insicad of holding his ground, he told his men that nil was lost, and ordered them to shift for themselves. Lundy himself was the first to take flight back to Derry. On April 14 English ships arrived in the Foylo with reinforcements for Lundy, but be' dissuaded them from landing, representing that a defence of Londonderry was hopeless, and that he intended to withdraw secretly from the city. When tho citizens got to know of this they accused him of treachery, and his life was in danger. When the enemy appeared before tho walls Lundy ordered that there should bo no firing. But his authority had vanished. The people flew to arms under Major Henry Baker, Captain Adam Murray, and the Rev. George Walker. Lundy fled by night. He was arrested in Scotland, and was sent to the lower of London. Hβ was excluded from the Act of Indemnity, but his subsequent fate is unknown.