OUR IRISH LETTER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIV, Issue 45, 4 March 1887, Page 5

OUR IRISH LETTER.

(From our own Correspondent.) Dublin, December 30, 1886. The Woodford trials — ctnvictions rather are in full swing. The prisoners, Gal way men, who resisted the evicters of Clanricarde, took a bold and important step yesterday in requesting counsel to withdraw from their defence, so that the law which judged them might stand out in all its hideous deformity. It will be remembered that twice in succession their packed jury panel was challenged and condemned. At last the crown has grown impatient of these obstructions, so with the most brazen openness a jury waa selected which contained but one single Catholic, and not even a single Protestant of liberal opinions. " The prisoners are convinced " said Mr. Bodkin, who represented them, "that their trial is a mockery, a delusion, and a snare, and they refuse to countenance it by the mockery of a defence." Bven the notorious Sergeant Peter O'Brien, prosecutor, was stung into an exhibition of his Cawstle Cawtholicism. He hastened to accuse the members of the Bar of conspiracy, to declare that he was a Catholic and his father before him, he did not add, though it was remarked often since, that so was Judge Keogh ! Yet after every precaution it was with the utmost difficulty a verdict of guilty was wrung from the jury, it waa after feats of lecturing, coaxing and threatening had been accomplished by the judge. At the Becond trial the jury could not be got to agree for either love, law or loyalty. The Catholic jurors who were rejected held a meeting in the Town Hall of Sligo under the presidency of the Major, at which formal resolutions denouncing jury-packing were passed. The Plan of Campaign is in capital working trim, notwithstanding the hysteric efforts of the Governmeut to crush it. Rent collecting at midnight is becoming quite a feature of the struggle. Evidently both the tenants and their leaders enjoy outwitting the vigilance of the police, and tickling the cupidity of the landlords. The proceedings against the four Nationalist M.P.'s, for rent receiving were farcical in the extreme. After citing them to do what Mr. Dillon said only Sir Boyle Roche's bird could accomplish, appear in two different places at the same moment, the Loughrea magistrates had to write down " No rule " opposite the names of the men they met to try. Of course it was the above court and not that of Dublin they elected to attend. " Here we are " said William O'Brien, " bat where is AH Baba Davis " (the police officer) " and his forty thieves." People would have tired talking of the resignation of Lord Randolph Churchill ere this, perhaps, were it not for the fine irony of Fate which leaves Mr. Gladstone celebrating his seventy-seventh birthday environed by devotion such as party alone could never call forth, and the chaos which has come again upon his enemies unholy alliance. Six months ago the Unionists joined hands for Mr. Gladstone's destruction, to-day he sees that Union the laughing stock of the kingdom, torn this way and that by mutual distrust, jealousies, fears, and prejudices, while he is still the hale and hearty leader of a band never more closely knit nor strongly pledged to his policy and devoted to himself. Among the many messages and congratulations which were pouring in upon the Grand Old Man during bis natal day was the following from Dr. Croke, Thurles. " God bless and guard you and give you every earthly consolation . May your daya be many, and your glory great here and hereafter. " Abohbishop op Oabhbl." The appointment of Thomas Sexton, M.P., as High Sheriff of Dublin is likely to cause some exquisite complications with the

powers that be. Already thn Lord Mayor (T. D. Sullivaa) has seised on the ludicrousness of the situation, and one of his inimitable jeux d'esprit is being sung on all sides. The verses are thoroughly in the old ballad style, and are full of characteristic drollery. It is to the efforts of CastJereagh his colleagues to defeat the Plan of Campaign we are indebted for the terms" garnishee " and " fi fa fum." A TALE OF A GARNISHBEIt was the Lord Lieutenant, whose name is Castlereagh, He sent foi Thomas Sexton, and thus to him did say : '■ You are our new High Sheriff, and now your time has come To execute a Garnishee, likewise a Fi-fa-fum.' 1 Then up spoke Thomas Sexton, and says to Castlereagh : " Of course the things you've mentioned I'll do without delay, But first this simple question you'll have to answer me — Pray tell me what's a Fi-fa-fum and what's a Garnishee ? " Then Castlereagh he placed two rolls of paper in his hand. •' Find out," Rays he, '-one Will o' Brine, the plague of all the Und. We want the debt he owes the Crown ; we wish to strike him dumb ; So serve him with this Garnishee, likewise this Fi-fa-fum." Then off went Sheriff Sexton, a pleasant hour to spend Upstairs in the Impayrial with his colleague and his friend. They called for coffee and cigars, and laughed right merrilee While poring o'er the Fi-fa-fum, likewise the Garnishee. " Behold my whole and sole estate," said cheery Will O'Brine ; " So now take up your documents, and pen on each a line ; On one write ' nulhi bona,' on t'other, ' He won't come.' And there you've filled your Garnishee, likewise your Fi-fa-fum." Oh I when unto the Cacti-" Tom Sexton went next day, 'Twas something to behold the rngc of Castlereagh. He's not allowed to shave himself, or sharpened steel to see, Since he got back his Fi-fa-fum, likewise his Garnishee. For extreme cruelty, Lord do Freyne has well outstepped his brother lords and landlords during the present week — Christmas week, be it remembered. Th« facts are as follows : His lordship recently evicted a poor old widow, named Mary Mornscy — a bedridden, helpless creature, ninety years of age — together with her daughter Margaret, who is also in delicate health. Their patch of ground measures one acre and a-half. After the eviction, the old woman lay for a fortnight outside the door of her cabin, where she had been deposited by the bailiffs. The daughter made a shelter over her with some sticks and a quilt ; but when the snow came this poor daughter grew bold from the fear of her mother's death by exposure. She opened the d' o", a' d rnamgo Ito get the sick woman laid on some straw on the clay floor. H's Lordship was inform°d. The bailiff ctrne to warn off these trespis^crs ; the old worn in pleaded piteously for leave to die inside the wills — even ventured to promise that she would not be long a tr nible to Lord de Freyne. and that he mi?ht dv what he liked with the place when she would be pone. His 1 irdship was inexorable, Thi two women were summoned to the Petty Sessions — the daughter only was able to attend The law was vindica f cd, however, and the defendants weie ordered to gaol in default of their paying a tine.