POLICY OF THE LAND LEAGUE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VIII, Issue 414, 18 March 1881, Page 7

POLICY OF THE LAND LEAGUE.

The following passages are taken from the instructions to organisers and officers of Land League branches, issued by the Executive on December 13 :—: — In no period of the League's existence was xt so absolutely necessary for the tenant farmers and labourers throughout the length and breadth of tbe country to keep a firm grip upon and control over their passions and indignation at wrongs perpetrated and injustice threatened than at the present hour. The evil system which has so long bten the curse of their families and existence is now gasping out its criminal life in face of the whole world — dethroned, discredited, and on the point of being destroyed by the stern but passionless action of a united and indignant people through the means of a bloodless revolution. To consummate its death should be the effort of every member of the League— to have the civilised world bend back its thumbs and give sanction to tbat decree against landlordism should he the aim and desire of every man upon whom it ha* inflicted injuries. How is this to be effected ? To show the vorld that the just use of organised strength is to remedy present evils and not to avenge past wiongs— to convince our enemies that we have at last learned how to evolve out of ourselves, build up, and control a power which can be diree'ed by judgment and reason in the practical amelioration of our wrongs and grievances, instead of allowing it to fall a prey to that intoxication of purpose and unsystematic action which have hitherto purchased the defeat of the people's cause. To effect this object demands no sacrifice from any man in our ranks but that of temper and passion ; to s°e it triumph requires no action but such as tbe League points out in its teachings and rules, firm and determined attitude in making just demands without violence to enforce what intelligent, legal, and resolute combination can obtain. Enunciation of just principles and motives to convince where intimidation entails a conflict with law — arguments and motives based upon right and tbe common good, when born of deep and honest conviction will be found a more potent agency in furthering the cause of free land and helping the League in winning it for the people than means which jar upon tbe public mind and tend to alienate the sympathy of outside observers. Threatening letters are as unnecessary as they are stupidly criminal and unjustifiable ; and we feel assured tbat no member of our organisation has resorted to such a method of making just demands which invites the stigma of cowardice and clumsily plays into the hands of the landlords. If a just right cannot fearlessly be demanded by a victim of landlord power when a powerful organisation is at his back to protect him he deserves neither a concession from the landlord nor assistance from the League in obtaining it. In speaking of injuries inflicted upon dumb animals, we cannot for a single instance believe either tbe numerous reports of these monstrous outrages winch the landlord organs are publishing, or that a s-icgle man within the ranks of our organisation would be guilty of participating in the fow cases which we are sorry to say have been authenticated. No injustice in the power of Irish landlordism to perpetrate upon our people could justify in thp least degree the unfeeling brutality which inflicts injuries or sufEering upon harmless and defenceless animals in revenge for the wrongs committed by their owners. While dwelling upon this painful subject we would point out to the officers of the Tarvras branches

throughout Ireland the advisability of informing the Executive of the League of any outrage occurring in the locality, in order that reliable information may be at hand t> correct the vicious exaggeration given to insignificant occurrences by the landlord organs. Agents of the Associated Pr>-ss throughout the country are known to have manufactured outrages near their districts in or«ler to turn them to account in obtaining money by feedinc the criminal appetite of English readers ; and it is well to remind those gentlemen that while the privileges of the .Press entitle them to publish facts and make any just or fair comments thereon, deliberate concoction of outrages will be looked upon as real outrages upon the character and name of the Irish people. A fair and judicious use of the power of combination against the enemies of the people, traitors to the League, or instruments of unjust eviction or other landlord injustice, will work the requirements of our movement in the present crisis without any resort to means or methods which would offer a pretext for foul play against the organisation or estrange the moral support of public opinion outside of lieland from a just and noble cause.