THE IRISH LAND QUESTION.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1103, 24 October 1883, Page 2

THE IRISH LAND QUESTION.

The following is the continuation of Mr Redmond’s second speech at Wellington, part of which appeared in our last issue: This was a new gospel of life and hope; and so effectual was it, that within three months the landlords had practically yielded, and substantial reductions of rent were everywhere the order of the day. But the Government, between two fires, hesitated. They yielded to the landlords by introducing a useless Coercion Act, and they yielded to the Land League by passing a weak and halting Land Act. This Coercion Act, under Mr Forster’s administration, failed disastrously. As to the Land Act, it was regarded by the League as only a stage in (he road they were travelling, and was not an ultimate settlement. The League determined to lest a number of cases under the Act in differentlocalilies ; but what followed ? A reign of terror set in under the Coercion Act, and the leaders of the League were imprisoned, even down to the clerks, Public meetings were suppressed ; newspapers were gagged ; and the people, being deprived of their leaders, there ensued in 1881 a winter of unutterable horror. He denied that the Land League was the origin or cause of agrarian crime, arguing that such crimes were fewest when the League was exercising a restraining influence on the people, and became most rampant when the League leaders wore imprisoned. Every man of influence and popularity in every parish was imprisoned for being connected with the League ; and the very ladies who, like angels of mercy, came to the succour of evicted families to provide them with bread and shelter, were soiaed as malefactors and flung untried into prison. (Shame.) lie read a pathetic and horrifying description by the Lisbon of Neath of the eviction of 700 people, n that parish, and he also related particulars of the “murder” of Ellen McDonough, a young woman who was bayoneted by the armed police at an eviction for rent, in 1882. Those pathetic incidents brought tears from many eyes in the audience. While deploring, detesting, and denouncing crime, he said that these were results of En»h'sh misg-overn-ment in Ireland. England had sown the wind, and was reaping the whirlwind. This policy of imprisonment on suspicion broke down. The leaders of the people were released, and at once there was a cessation of agrarian crime. It was true (bat three days after this release an unparalleled crime of a

political, diii] not mi agrarian character, tools place in Dublin, The lecturer wont on to. argue that Mr Gladstone's Land Act had■ broken down, Mr Gladstone subsequently introduced an Arrears Ac', the princi()al provision being an exact copy of a Bill which the lecturer had previously introduced but failed to carry. A great change was taking place in opinion, for motions had been carried during the last session, both in the House of Lords and the House of Commons, recommending the Government to adopt the principle advocated by (lie Leagn- 1 , for purchasing the land in Ireland on a system of peasant proprietory. Th’s system was that the Government should borrow money at 3 per cent , which it could do on the Imperial credit, and, by lending it out to the land occupiers at 3£ per cent., they should principle and interest in 63 years, at the end of which lime the land should become theirs. Landowners now saw a strong inducement in this scheme, and tenants would become contented and happy under it. Both Houses of Parliament - being favourable to the scheme, no Government could long refuse to give effect to it. This was the result of the League’s agitation np to this point ; but to continue it to a successful issue, funds were needed, and hence bis visit to Wellington, where ho had been received warmly, and for which he expressed gratitude. He said, in conclusion, that he was convinced Ireland’s long political night was well nigh over. (Loud applause.) The meeting closed with a cordial vote of thanks to the lecturer.