THE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2311, 3 May 1887, Page 2

THE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.

Dublin, February 18. Archbishop Curke has followed the ex- ' ample of Archbishop Walsh in subscribing to the defence fund and writing a characteristic letter. He bettered the instruction of Archbishop Walsh by suggesting a no-tax movement. The following is his Grace's letter : — " The Editor of the Freeman. " The Palace, Thurles, Feb. 17. "My Dear Sir,—l enclose £10 towards the defence fund. But when is this style of business going to cease 1 I opposed the ' No-rent manifesto' six years ago because, apart from other reasons, I thought it was inopportuue and not likely to be generally acted on. Had a manifesto against paying taxes been issued at the time I should certainly have supported, it on principle. I am in precisely the same frame of mind just now. Our line of action as a people appears to me to be in this respect both suicidal and inconsistent. We pay taxes to a Government that uses them, not for the public good and in accordance with the declared wishes of the taxpayers, but in direct and deliberate opposition to them. We thus supply a stick to beat ourselves. We put a whip into the hands of men who use it to lash and lacerate us. This is suicidal. In presence of the actual state of things in Ireland just now it is inconsistent besides. We run the Flan of Campaign against bad landlords and stop what they call their rent, and we make no move whatever against the Government that pays horse, foot, and dragoons for protecting them and enforcing their outrageous exactions. Our money goes to fee and feed a gang of needy and voracious lawyers, to purchase bludgeons for policemen to be used in smashing the skulls of our people, and generally for the support of foreign garrisons or native slaves who hate and despise everything Irish and every genuine Irishman. The policeman is pampered and paid ; the patriot is persecuted. Our enforced taxes go to sustain the one ; we must further freely tax ourselves to defend the other. How long, I ask, is this to be tolerated ? I remain, my dear Sir, your very faithful servant, " T. W Crokk, Archbishop of Casliel." The following letter is from another prelate :— " The Editor of the Freeman. "Bishop's House, Motiaghan, Feb. 17. "Dear Sir, —All honour to Mr Gray for reminding us of our duty to the five devoted patriots who are now on trial in Green-street. These gallant men are fighting our battle and must be stoutly backed by us in the conflict. They have thrown themselves into the breach to jirotect the rack-rented tenantry of Ireland and one hair of their heads must not be allowed to suffer so far as we have power to succour them, and they are now showing up to the world how law is administered in this unhappy country and what the British constitution and trial by jury mean when there is question of Ireland. Would it not be eternal infamy for us to grudge them our warmest sympathy and unstinted support? One of them, William Redmond, I am proud to recognise as the representative of a Parliamentary constituency in this diocese. I send you £5 for the defence fund and remain,—" Your faithful servant, " James Donnelly, Bishop of Clogher."