BACKWARD TENANTS.

25

in enforcing payment, the tenant's objection "to part" becomes more marked, while the chances of the landlord ever seeing his money at all become less and less.

When the Land League appeared upon the scene, these tenants listened to its doctrines and were well pleased. The rents having been demanded, or a part even of what was due, payment was consequently refused. An attempt was then made to serve processes; but the people "assembled in their thousands," armed with pitchforks and staves, and disputed the advance of the process - servers, though they were protected by large bodies of police and the Royal Dragoons, with a resident magistrate. The whole population seemed to have risen, and the campaign lasted three days, her Majesty's forces in the end being obliged to retire, owing, it must be stated, to the want of determination on the part of those locally representing the civil power. Of all the conceivable errors capable of being committed in reference to such

26

DEALING WITH MOBS.

matters, that of retiring before an Irish mob is one of the most serious. There is, however, one greater, which is permitting a mob to collect for hostile purposes. Once collected, it must be dispersed, or the representatives of the law must retreat. The alternatives should be avoided. What I urge, as regards disturbers of the peace in Ireland, is that the common law of the land should be enforced. It is unlawful that a mob should assemble for the purpose of obstructing the

the law in any of its branches.

execution of Such being

the case, a mob should not be permitted to assemble for such a purpose. Twenty peasants will disperse on receiving an order to do so, if they feel confident that the order is meant to be carried out; but half an hour afterwards one hundred armed men may not suffice to disperse a hostile gathering, augmented by thousands. Bloodshed, whether by the use of batons on one side or stones on the other, should be avoided, and, above all, the law should be executed with decorum, and

THE LAW TO BE OBEYED.

27

When,

not amidst scenes of riot and tumult. however, the law has been broken and defied, it only remains to assert its authority with the least possible delay; for in Ireland, if the law does not show itself to be the master of the people, the people will quickly show themselves to be the masters of it. When acting as a magistrate in Ireland, I seldom if ever punished the misguided people; but I insisted upon the law being obeyed and order preserved. I was not in consequence a persona grata to the leaders of the Land League, whose object it was to create disorder and to trample the law under foot.

As the judge of assize subsequently remarked, the acts committed at Drumlish were little short of rebellion. So my first duty on arrival was to bring the offenders to justice. Warrants were issued for the ringleaders, the rank and file being summoned to appear on an early date. I was advised to hold the court at Longford; but it appeared to me that the effect would be much more salutary if held at the

28

LAND LEAGUE PRISONERS.

village of Drumlish itself, on the

very battleground of a few weeks past. This was accordingly done. Precautions had, of course, to be taken against further riot and scenes of disorder, so I applied to the Government for the services of three resident magistrates, with an extra force of infantry and police. Writing from memory, I may say there were about a hundred prisoners, and the court-house being very small, it was necessary to try them in batches of twenty. I need not say that the local officials of the Land League were among the number. During the proceedings, which lasted a couple of weeks, the adjoining country was held by strong parties of cavalry, infantry, and police. Each morning the prisoners were driven out on cars to Drumlish from Longford jail, whither they returned in the evening. Had they been allowed to go at large during the trial, no effect would have been produced, and in the end leniency would have been impossible. As it was, the long cavalcade morning and evening, under strong cavalry

A PLEA FOR LENIENCY.

29

escort, made a marvellous impression, which considerably helped in the pacification of the

county.

When the evidence had been heard on one side and the other, the reverend parish priest stood up in court, and on behalf of the people made a short statement, as touching as it was sincere. He urged that the power of the law had been enforced, and he pleaded that leniency might now be extended to the misguided people, who, he said, regretted what had happened, and who, he passed his word, would not so commit themselves again. I did not fail, on this and other similar occasions, to point out to the prisoners how the leaders of the Land League had goaded them on into acting as they had done; but that in the hour of personal danger, and subsequently when the people were in their scores standing face to face with the law, they absented themselves. The champions of disorder never appreciated such remarks being addressed to their dupes. In the end I discharged all the prisoners, to