IRELAND AND HER MALIGNERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9564, 21 October 1892, Page 4

IRELAND AND HER MALIGNERS.

TO THE EDITOB,

Sir, —Under the above heading an " BxScofcoh Farmer" writes in your issue of the 19th inst., and states that his object in writing was "to inquire what good it does in bringing up these matters of contention now; these times are passed, let us hope never to return. Let the Irish do as the Scotch have done—make the best of their country." With that writer's sentiments I most heartily and fully concur. But it seems these matters are not to be allowed to lie, for amongst the locals of the same issue of your paper appears a most innocent-looking paragraph as follows :— " The Irish Nationalists of Australia have extended a cordial invitation to Mr Michael Davitt to visit the colonies, and there is every probability that he will leave England at the end of this month," Innocent, indeed, until we ask who is Mr Michael Davitfc, and what is his probable object m visiting Australia (and, I suppose. New Zealand also) ? It is as well to know something of our distinguished visitors before they reach our shores to seek the right hand of fellowship; and, doubtless, many of your readers will have some hazy idea that his name has in some way been connected with the Irish history of the past few years. For the benefit oE those who seek more precise information as to Mr Michael Davitt's career, with your permission, I I will cull a few extracts from a work called " Recent Events and a Clue to Their Solution," by the Right Hon. Lord Robert Montagu, page 576:—"We must bear in mind that at the trial of Davitt, on July 18, 1870, it was sworn that he had att&nded meetings of Fenians in Liverpool after the failure of the Fenian attempt to blow up Chester Castle • that he had frequently deplored the failure of that attempt; that lie had assisted to make arrangements for a rebellion in Ireland ; that he had frequently discussed the plans for raising the rebellion ; that he had written a letter (which was produced) which gave directions as to how a Fenian scheme of assassination should be carried out; and, finally (to use the words of the Lord Chief Justice), that ' there cannot be the shadow of a doubt that he bought those arms and sent them to Ireland to be used in a Fenian rising thera.' Iv addressing the court before the sentence (of imprisonment) was delivered, Davitt did not deny the letter, nor the interpretation of it." This evidence and conviction shows fairly conclusively that if Mr Davitt was not an installed member of the Fenian Brotherhood, he was a hearty sympathiser in its diabolical working Oil page 22 is found the Fenian oath : "I do solemnly swear that I renounce all allegiance to the Queen of Euglaud ; that I will do all that may be in my power to make Ireland an independent Democratic Republic; that I will implicitly obey all the orders of mv superiors, and will take up arms on " the first opportunity." Page 581: "The council of the ;FeDian Brotherhood (St. James' Gazette, 21st May 1882) had issued a manifesto to all the Irish in America and the English colonies, as well as to those in Ireland. The manifesto contained the following passage :—' Awake, arise in solemn secret conclave, continue with augmented force, give emphasis, dagger, fire, sword, and other available resources of civilisation to our imperishable hatred of our ancient, merciless, unrelenting enemy, to destroy whom we shall use, while life endures, every means within reach of human effort. We proclaim our unswerving fidelity with ancient gospel force ; we authoritatively declare you are to regard recent events merely as a cloud the size of a man's hand on the horizon, clearly indicating what will infallibly follow in the near future. To our brethren of every Irish secret revolutionary organisation we now solemnly declare that the watchword of the hour has gone forth ; we pledge ourselves to apply all our resources with redoubled energy and devotion, and with even a ferocity equal to that of our arch enemy, to the great work confronting us—the destruction and annihilation of British power in Ireland." The Times of 25th May (page 594-) : " The Separatist movement in Irelaud, with its subversive social characteristics, is disclosed, still more completely than by Mr Dillon's speech, in a letter written by Davitt to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Meath. That prelate had made himself conspicuous as an exponent of doctrines relating to property in laud, not distinguishable from those of the most advanced of Continental Socialists."

At a meeting on July 13,1879, at Claremorris, Mr Davitt said (page 388) : "We have been called Communists and Fenians because we asked for the right to live in Ireland. We may retaliate, and ask what right the landlords have to the soil ?" &c. Page 4-16, " The Land League ousted the Queen from her authority, and established its own sovereignity over Ireland. It held its own law courts. It published its own decrees. As it was in the time of James II so it was in 1880. Two hundred years ago Tyrconnel established throughout Ireland its anti-justiciaries, its anti-nomial decrees, and its anti-coaetive powers." Page 389: "On August 16, 1879, Mr Davitt opsnly formed the National Laud League at Castlebar."

Some years ago, Sir, a Mr Redmond paid us a visit from the Home country and was most hospitably entertained, and, with your permission, I will quote from a speech of his of February 3, 1885 (page 687) :—" One of the principal rules of the Land League—and if that rule was broken that agitation, could not possibly succeed—was boycotting." He said : " Boycott anj' man who was false to the league; but above all boycott without fear, without mercy that man who grabbed the land from which peopie-had been unjustly evicted."

Sir, I say if such people as Messrs Redmond and Davitt pay our colony a visit merely as private gentlemen, well and good; but when, as in the case of Mr Davitt, their advent is heralded by an announcement of having received "a cordial invitation," then it is only right that all loyal aud right-minded citizens should be nip.de aware of the public character of such visitors. Our highly blessed colony has hitherto had an unblemished reputation for loyalty to Great Britain, and I sincerely trust that should Mr Davitt see fit to extend his visit to this colony no spot will be allowed to raar or sully that reputation. My strong impression is that it will be found that a deeper aud much more serious aspect lies hidden under the movement to redress Ireland's wrongs, be tho?e wrongs real or fanciful; and this anyone cannot fail to see who cares to take the trouble to read the b^ok I have quoted from, and I assure them it will well repay a perusal.—lam, &c,

October 20.

A Loyal Ikisidian