A PROTEST.

New Zealand Tablet, 12 October 1916, Page 31

A PROTEST.

[We do not hold ourselves responsible for opinions expressed by our correspondents .]

To the Editor. Sir, — article by ‘ Shanacliie,’ whoever that genius may be, on Irish bards and Scottish chimneysweeps, was, no doubt, intended to offend one class of your readers. Let me say he was not altogether unsuccessful. For the moment the writer’s Scottish burse got up. The grotesque picture, drawn by ‘Shanachie,’ of Scottish chimney-sweeps, bag of soot in one hand and chimney brush in the other, in pursuit of and despoiling West Meath farmers, proved a tonic, and so the angry feeling fizzled out. Lest ‘ Shanacliie’s ’ very charitable and Christian effusion might do harm, I would beg to refer to the Scot in Ireland, 1315-18, to Gladstone’s (a Scot) Disestablishment Act, as also to Sir Ralph Abercrombie (a Scot), and victor at the battle of Alexandria, who threw up ,a high position as commander of the forces in Ireland rather than do some of the Castle’s dirty work. It would be an easy matter to enlarge, but a kindly recollection of friends I used to know in Ireland, together with a strong aversion to offend any Irish acquaintances 1 may have, precludes such a course.—, I am, etc., Dunedin. J. Macdonald. [We have submitted the above letter to our contributor, ‘ Shanacbie,’ who says that the writer has entirely misunderstood his reference to the ‘ Adventurers ’ who, at the invitation of Parliament, came over to plant the rich countries of Ireland with ‘ Protestants of any nation, saving Irish, in such a manner as shall be directed by Parliament.’ (Orders made by the Committee of Parliament, May 12, 1652). And when sufficient Protestants could not be had from England, Puritans were invited from New England, Holland, and Scotland, and the Vaudois of Piedmont. These adventurers were naturally of the lowest type. The expression objected to referred to this class alone. A class that has been described in the History of the, Geraldines as ‘ that raging mass, besprinkled with the monarch’s blood, burst upon the land of my birth. The butcher, the buffoon, and the hired cut-throat, each led his baud ; and the very dregs of English cities and towns were invested with centurion authority.’ So horrified were the people at the brutality displayed by the Puritan officers in Ireland, £ that none but the very dregs of society could be found to share in the spoil’ ( Persecutions of the Irish Catholics). He thinks the expression was justified in the restricted sense in which it was used. He is sorry that he has raised the ‘burse’ of his ■*Scottish friend, at the same time he is glad, as it indicates that some interest is taken in his contributions. Ed. N.Z.T. ]