The Reminiscences of an Irish Land AgentHussey, Samuel Murray
History
The Reminiscences of an Irish Land Agent
Hussey, Samuel Murray
Country life -- Ireland; Hussey, Samuel Murray, 1824-; Ireland -- History -- 1837-1901
Hear, hear! say I, but our grandchildren's grandchildren when grey old
men will still be trying to settle the Irish question, which can never
be settled until there arises a big man strong enough to force his will
on the Empire and fortunate enough to be able to hand over the reins of
political dictatorship to an equally enlightened and powerful successor.
It is hopeless to expect Irish matters to go well, when the balance of
parties in the House of Commons is held by hirelings and traitors, men
who debase patriotism and would to-day encourage outrage as much as they
did in 1884, if it was worth their mercenary while.
I had a word to write myself a year later to Mr. T. Harrington, who
thought he could tell as many lies about me as suited his own purpose,
and I addressed my reply, published on August 29, 1887, to the Editor of
the _Times_. It ran as follows:--
'Sir--I have just read the speech of Mr. T. Harrington in the debate on
Mr. Gladstone's motive relating to the proclamation of the National
League, in which he states that I invented and gave to Mr. Balfour the
particulars of the boycotting of Justin M'Carthy. I beg you will allow
me to state that I never wrote to Mr. Balfour, or to any member of the
Government, on that or any subject. Had I supplied the information, I
would have mentioned some facts which Mr. Balfour omitted, for instance,
that a man named Andrew Griffin was nearly murdered because he brought
provisions to Justin M'Carthy, that four men were put on their trial for
the outrage, but notwithstanding a plain charge from the judge, the
jury, fearing the vengeance of the League, acquitted the prisoners. I
would also mention a fact that would seem almost incredible to your
English Catholic readers, that the old man cannot attend his place of
worship without being hissed at in the church, and that his aged wife,
while partaking of the sacrament of the Holy Communion, was hissed at
and jeered. These things can be proved on oath, and are not to be set
aside by frothy declamation. Neither can the fact be disproved that one
of the offences for which Justin M'Carthy has suffered was that he
purchased his farm from me under Lord Ashbourne's Act, a proceeding
which (as it is likely to settle down the country) is considered a
deadly crime; and for committing the same offence another man in the
same barony had his cows stabbed.
Your obedient servant, S.M. HUSSEY.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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