A very telling speech was made by a dark, thin, wiry man named O'Neil.
His speech dealt with the hardships which they had passed through owing
to excessive rents and hard years of poor crops. He spoke what the
people felt, for many a voice chorused, "True for you; we know that
well." In the middle of the speeches the platform prepared to break
down, but only collapsed in the middle and fell half way and stopped.
Two of the priests spoke also, and spoke well to judge by the people's
applause. No one spoke in favor of the Bill.
I thought as I sat there of the remark made to me by a Catholic
gentleman of Innishowen, who said: "The Irish people have hoped in vain
so long, have been deceived so often, that it is hard now to win their
confidence." The more I move through the country the more I believe
this. Mr. Dillon was the idol of the assembly, that was easy to be seen.
A few words with him, a touch of his hand, was an honor. He apologized
for Mr. Parnell's absence, who being elsewhere could not possibly be at
Omagh that day. I left before the meeting was over.
As far as I hear from the Common people themselves, they think the law
and the administrators of it sympathize with the landlords only, and let
that sympathy influence their decisions. They are, therefore, very
averse to go to law to obtain what they consider justice from a
landlord.
Another great complaint that I hear again and again is the expense
attendant on a transfer of property. As an instance, a little property
of the value of a hundred pounds changed hands when I was in Ramelton.
The deed of transfer was a parchment as big as a table-cloth, and cost
L10.
XVIII.
IRISH HUSBANDRY - A DESCRIPTION OF LORD LEITRIM - ABOVE AND BELOW THE
SALT - LANDLORD AND TENANT
The valley through which the railway passes from Derry to Omagh is one
long stretch of beauty, fertility and careful tillage. Every field,
whatever its shape, is cultivated up to the fence and into the corners
with a mathematical nicety. The regular fields, the green separating
ditches with their grassy covering, the hills cultivated to the very
tops, and the trees growing here and there all over made a landscape
that should delight the heart of a farmer. Whenever I come to careless
husbandry, I will be sure to record it. I have seen nothing of the kind
yet on mountain side or valley. I do not wish to fling a rose-colored
veil over everything because it is Irish.
The country is simply beautiful - no works can do justice to it. Still
there are some things one could find fault with freely.
