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QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE.

145

done. The outlying stations and "Emergency" posts had to be constantly visited, the patrolling supervised, the lives of several persons to be watched over, their properties to be protected, the sheriff in his "cattle-lifting" raids to be guarded, and magisterial and executive duty of every kind to be performed, it might be said at all hours of the day and night; but no duty gave me so much trouble as answering questions put in the House of Commons regarding my every movement and action. Sheets upon sheets of telegrams were daily handed to me,-Mr Sexton wishing to know whether "it was true that Mr Clifford LLoyd, &c., &c., &c.?" or "Mr Healy has given notice for this evening to ask whether it is a fact that you, &c., &c., &c.?" The answers were invariably that "it is not true that, &c., &c., &c." But the purpose of putting them had, no doubt, been achieved. Dirt had been thrown at me, and it did not matter much whether it stuck or not. The leaders of the Land League were not particular as to their

K

146

BEST ANSWER TO THEM.

weapons.

The questions as originally put, in language often disallowed by the Speaker, were sent to and published abroad in the Irish papers. The answers mattered little, so long as the charges were made. As the Government relied upon the strict accuracy in detail of the replies, they naturally entailed various references, and immense waste of valuable time. The most complete answer to all would have been, "Every magistrate acts upon his own responsibility under the powers conferred upon him by the law of the land; if he exceeds or misuses his power, the Court of Queen's Bench is open to every person feeling himself aggrieved." In those days there was no person debarred from his legal remedy by reasons of lack of funds or legal advice, as the Land League placed both at the disposal of even the most red-handed murderers in the country. Had this course, however, been pursued with reference to me, I should have had the opportunity of defending myself, which was the last thing my persecutors would have desired.

LAND LEAGUE COMMITTEES.

147

CHAPTER VIII.

NEWLY

FORMED LAND LEAGUE COMMITTEES AT KILMALLOCK AND KILFINANE - THEIR ACTION NOW HARMLESS HEADQUARTERS TRANSFERRED TO KILFINANE-EXPEDITION WITH THE SHERIFF- HERDS OF CATTLE SEIZED FOR NON-PAYMENT OF RENT CATTLE DRIVEN ΤΟ BALLYLANDERS HOSTILE MOB COLLECTED TO OPPOSE PASSAGE-RINGING OF CHAPEL BELLS-CONFLICT WITH THE MOB-EXTRAORDINARY SOUNDS EMITTED BY IRISH MOBS MARCH TOWARDS KILFINANE-VOLLEYS OF STONES FROM THE MOB-CONDUCT OF THE PRIESTS-UNIFORM SUCCESS OF SHERIFF'S OPERATIONS EXTENSION OF DISTRICT ARREST OF BALLYLANDERS RIOTERS-SIEGE AND RELIEF OF MASSY LODGE-EXTENSIVE SEIZURES OF CATTLE BY SHERIFF AND PROMPT PAYMENT OF RENTS.

THE meetings of newly created Land League committees at Kilmallock and Kilfinane continued to be held occasionally, but they no longer attempted to usurp the functions of the Government or of the established courts. They reminded me of the snakes in the pocket of an Indian juggler, which, having had their eye-teeth drawn, are perfectly harmless, though

148 HEADQUARTERS AT KILFINANE.

it is sought to make the public believe otherwise. My headquarters were transferred to Kilfinane, whence the sheriff made expeditions to all parts of the country thereabouts, protected as usual by troops and police. We endeavoured from day to day to reduce the force sent out, until in a few weeks we went anywhere within my own district with twenty men-in fact, things became so quiet that I rode about with an escort of only four mounted men. About two miles to the east of Kilfinane my jurisdiction ceased, and I doubt much if any one else's began, for the people were the most lawless of any I had ever to deal with. We made the acquaintance of each other under the following circumstances. One morning very early, before the people were up, I had accompanied the sheriff with ten men of the 48th and ten of the constabulary in army service-waggons. On such expeditions I invariably went myself, for doing so enabled me to see the country, to note the demeanour of the people, and the progress made in pacifica

EXPEDITION WITH THE SHERIFF. 149

tion. The sight of the troops did good, and with troops out on such duty a magistrate is essential. Even when the protecting party consisted of police alone, I accompanied it, for fear of any mishap which would have thrown us back in the work in hand. On this occasion we went two or three miles out of my district, on the Tipperary road, where the sheriff seized several herds of cattle for non-payment of rent. The convoy was very large and the escort very small, so it was proposed to drive the cattle to the town of Ballylanders, which was about three miles in another direction, nearer than Kilfinane, and there to pound and sell them. I knew little about the locality, beyond the fact that it was very disturbed; but as it was then mid-day, and as men and horses were tired, having been out since 4 A.M., I consented. We took a road leading towards the Galtees, intending to proceed to Ballylanders. Men in every direction were soon seen on the move, and the chapel bells were "calling the faithful" to riot. Horns echoed among the

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