THE LAND AGITATION IN IRELAND.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2412, 9 December 1880, Page 2

THE LAND AGITATION IN IRELAND.

LAND LEAGUE TACTICS. Land meetings were hold on October 10 at Ennistymore, Onlast, Ballinvoy, Carrowbeg, Ballyhaunis, Ballyduff, and Crathisland, At the last named Mr Biggar, M.P., supported the resolution —“ That we give to the land movement the support it demands from us—namely, we pledge ourselves never to bid for a farm from which a tenant has been unjustly evicted.” In the course of his speech Mr Biggar said Among other things take care that none of you pay rent above Griffith's valuation, and hold no intercourse with any one who is base enough to go against the cause pursued by his fellows. In a case of that sort public opinion can be brought against him. Then, suppose a tenant farmer is threatened with eviction, yon can take care that all the facts are supplied to the Land League in Dublin, and that this man will get a proper defence. In a great many cases if the tenants had been properly defended no eviction would take place. Then again, suppose a farmer is evicted if possible take means to have him put into possession again. If any person should take the grazing ot the land you need not injure him —don’t injure his flocks, but you can take care that they will stray out of the land —the fences will fall down, you know ; and suppose any man take possession of the land, you need not injure him, but his corn will be cut down by another man, to whom the evicted tenant will sell it, and he will be unable to pay the rent, so that it will be a most unprofitable transaction. These are the means which you maj r use. Well, then, there is another question which is raised very much,and that with regard to shooting landlords and agents. It is said that a great many in Ireland recommend that. Well, I won't encourage anything of that sort, but I will tell you what might be done. When a man is charged with using violence to a landlord or a landlord’s agent it is the duty of the Land League to see that that man gets a fair trial. The Government offers an enormous reward to discover the guilty'- man, and this would tempt people to go against one against whom they had a grudge and make out a case of, may be, slight suspicion. The police take care if they hear anj'thing suspicious that they bring the unfortunate man before the magistrates, and endeavour to prosecute him to conviction, and any evidence in favour of the prisoner is sure not to be brought, forforward. The magistrates who hear the case are all against the prisoner and in favor of their class, and the prisoner is sent forward for trial to the assizes, where the Government take care to pack the jury and bring down the ablest counsel at the bar to try, if possible, to convict on a little suspicion. In such a case it is your duty to see that the prisoner, who may be innocent, has at all events a fair trial. Now, gentlemen, I think that the present system of land laws cannot hold, for it is a system weak on the face of it, a system by which the landlords, the powerful though smallest party, tyrannise over the people.