170 RESTORATION OF ORDER. of Ireland, where a similar usurpation of authority had taken place, murders and other terrible outrages had become almost daily incidents. In the language of "patriots," "the light was being spread." I have given my reasons for believing that isolated arrests under the Act were a mistake, and I have endeavoured to explain the grounds on which I considered that the arrest of those leading members of the League, who had formed themselves into this hostile government, was a necessity if order was to be restored. It must be remembered that the only means at our disposal for restoring it were the provisions of the ordinary law and the exercise of administrative authority. Although there had been a determined strike against the payment of rent, yet in my district, by the end of September, little, if any, was outstanding. If any rent had remained uncollected, it was not owing to the inability of the tenants to pay, or to any shortcomings on the part of the Government in granting every THE ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT. 171 facility to owners of property to carry out the provisions of the law. In my original district order had been completely restored. Violent crime—such as murder, moonlighting, malicious injury, or maiming dumb animalshad been prevented by unceasing devotion to duty on the part of the constabulary and troops, working under difficulties never to be appreciated except by those who witnessed the labour and toil they underwent by night and day. It has been said that the Government acted weakly. I am here recording my own experiences, and I should display a want of gratitude if I failed to acknowledge the unswerving support given by the Government to me in those dark days. I can only say that whatever I asked for was granted, whatever advice I required was given, whatever help was needed was at once despatched to me. Beyond this, I was defended in the House of Commons by Mr Forster against attacks well known to members, with a loyalty and courage not to be surpassed. 172 RELEASE OF THE SUSPECTS. Towards the end of September 1881, I felt myself in a position to recommend the release of the suspects, and they were accordingly discharged from prison. Mr Forster had the most serious doubts as to the advisability of the step I urged. Violent crime was on the increase throughout Ireland, the Government was being hard pressed upon all sides, and the pacification of the country looked somewhat hopeless. The arrest of the leaders of the movement was being forced upon the consideration of the Government, and at such a moment I can well understand the doubts which crossed the minds of those in supreme power as to the suitability of the proposition I made. Lord Cowper and Mr Forster both treated me with every confidence, and I was in constant private as well as official communication with them. I had the greatest objection to relying which persons were without trial, as the ing or restoring order. upon the Act, under arrested and detained sole means of preservThere was a marked THE POWER OF ORDINARY LAW. 173 tendency on the part of the police and magisstrates to do so. The police were inclined to consider, where crime was committed or a district was in a lawless condition, and two or three suspected or notoriously disorderly persons were arrested and lodged in jail under the Act, that the necessities of the case had been met, and that nothing more was to be done. On the other hand, I regarded the Act mainly as a powerful and summary means of displacing those who, in the name of a revolutionary body, had usurped power and were exercising authority pertaining to the Queen's Government alone. The movement had gone so far, and the strength and organisation of the League were so great, that the ordinary law was unequal to the task of transferring the reins of government to hands lawfully entitled to hold them. But enforcing the Act was only a necessary preliminary to this end. Having removed the hostile power in occupation, I seized the reins myself, and relied upon the provisions of the ordinary law to enable me 174 RELEASE OF THE SUSPECTS URGED. to retain them. Having displaced the Land League committees at Kilmallock and Kilfinane, I lost no opportunity of asserting its power, with the result that order and confidence were restored. Having achieved this result, it would have been a most unjustifiable confession of weakness to have retained in prison without trial persons who, I felt convinced, would be powerless for evil if released. The very efforts to create disturbance and resume their old ways they were likely to make on returning, would but prove to them and to the people that the law was not so weak or faulty as many supposed it to be, while the futility of their attempts would but strengthen my position in the eyes of those over whom I was placed. I therefore did not hesitate to write to Mr Forster, more fully explaining my views, and urging him to act on the recommendation I made and release the prisoners. In the state of Ireland at the time he had ample grounds for doubting the expediency of the step, especially when re |