BOYCOTTING.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2168, 5 February 1881, Page 3

BOYCOTTING.

Mr W. Benee Jones, whose oase is exciting considerable interest at Home, writes to the " Times " as follows :—I am sure that Englishmen do not know what their fellowsubjects are suffering at the hands of the present rulers of Ireland. Ac I am at present undergoing that form of oppression called " Boycotting," I ask your leave to make the faets known to your readers. I was born and bred in England, and, having inherited property in Ireland, I thought it right to try to do my duty by the ?eople. I have mostly lived here since 1840. have laid out £BOO a year in permanent improvements —more than £25,000 in all. I farm largely and suooessfully, and pay now more than £25 a week in wages—£l,3oo a year. Our best labourers are paid lis a week, with a good oottage and garden, and as much land for potatoes as they oan manure, all free. Others, less good men, get 10s, 9s, and a very few B#. Several members of a family are often employed. In one suoh case 39s per week were drawn in one house. Every sort of kindness that an English land, owner's family is in the habit of doing for its people and personal goodwill and regard have been freely given and heartily returned. Besides the wages paid an equal sum has been spent in other farm expenses. As I have some other inoome whioh more than covers the expense of a house in London and all spent there during some months, nothing that I derive from land in Ireland is taken away from it. I have so improved the condition of my tenants that, with two or three exceptions, the rent has for the last tbirty years been paid punctually in the first weeks in July and December. No one can show a better rent-book. There is not Is of arrears in it for the rents due at Lady Day or May Ist. I farm nearly 1000 acres, Griffith's valuation on whioh is about lis per aore. My net return for rent and interest on May Ist, 1880, was 38s per aore. For several years it has exceeded 40s per acre, and will go much higher I believe. This harvest and potato crop have been the best we have bad in Ireland einoe the famine. All knew my rent day would be December 7th. For a fortnight before there were reports that my tenants would be allowed to pay only Griffith's valuation. Thursday, December 2nd, the tenants received threatening notioes by post to that effeot. Friday, Deoember 3ad, a like threatening notioe was stuck on my hall door, and a grave six inoheß deep was dug in the grass near, which the notioe said was for me and; my son. Threatening notices to the tenants were also stuck up all over the town. Saturday, the 4th, a speeoh appeared in two Liberal Cork newspapers, said to have been made on Friday by Father O'Leary, a young priest of the parish, of mere vulgar personal abuse of me, so gross that if any evil had happened to me he could not have escaped bring held liable. Monday, the 6th, there was a fair, at whioh my tenants were again vehemently threatened, especially those known to be friendly with mo. On the 7th the tenants were met ooming to my house, and again threatened. A few who came in offered Griffith's valuation with a oivility and friendliness that were amusing. They said they had been threatened, and were sorely afraid. Some said they would pay, if I BBked them, but hoped I should not; and, above all, that I Bhould not think worse of them for not paying. The rent of nearly all these men exoeeded £IOO a year. Because I would not accept Griffith's valuation the Land League has now sent threatening letters to all my laborers, ordering them to leave me. As I have 400 sheep on turnips and sixty cattle fattening, it is thought that they can injure me thus. Tho effort is, of course, to cause me a great loss in selling these animals. All butchers have been forbidden to buy them. I sent sent three earts of oats last Wednesday to the market, a mob followed them howling, and frightened all from buying. My laborers and all others are frightened by this grievous tyranny. This morning (December 13th), hardly any one at work. I ask Englishmen to consider the cruel wrong thus inflicted; that it is the Dlain work of the Land League, consisting of a few unworthy

men aiming at bad ends. All this misery and loss to me, to my laborers, and to hundreds of others who have done no wrong, is allowed to continue in deference to a few members of the Government who fear for the constitutional liberties of those who are inflicting these iniquities on us. In my oase there can be no doubt that it is a definite attempt to coerce me into accepting lets than is honestly due. My tenants have no real part in it, except one shopkeeper, who is a chief man in the League. The tot ants are coerced. A week after the rule of Queen Victoria has been re-established in Ireland muoh of the rent will be paid. The laborers are paralyzed by fear. The whole mischief is from outside, through the Land League, who, while they have established a reign of terror, expeot to esoape by saying they disapprove of violence.

While this is in full force some talk of making concessions to the Land League, whose whole object it is to force such money concessions from any of us, and if largo concessions cannot be had then to get smaller ones, as an instalment. Surely, there has never been such a slur on the brave and upright name of England since it was a country.—W. Bunch Jones. Lindane, County Cork, December 13th.