r of one humble
man through the trials and temptations incident to his lot in life,
I must not dwell upon the wider theme of national disturbance. I
have endeavoured--how weakly, I am well aware--to shew, that social
disorganisation, rather than political grievances, are the source of
Irish outrage; that neglect and abandonment of the people on the part
of those who stood in the position of friends and advisers towards them,
have disseminated evils deeper and greater than even a tyranny could
have engendered. But for this desertion of their duties, there had
been no loss of their rightful influence, nor would the foul crime
of assassination now stain the name of our land. With an educated and
resident proprietary, Ireland could never have become what she now is;
personal comfort, if no higher motive could be appealed to, would have
necessitated a watchful observance of the habits of the people--the
tares would have been weeded from the wheat; the evil influence of bad
men would not have been suffered to spread its contagion through the
land.

Let me not be supposed for a moment as joining in the popular cry
against the landlords of Ireland. As regards the management of their
estates, and the liberality of their dealings with their tenantry, they
are, of course with the exceptions which every country exhibits, a class
as blameless, and irreproachable as can be found any where--their real
dereliction being, in my mind, their desertion of the people. To this
cause, I believe, can be traced every one of the long catalogue of
disasters to which Ireland is a prey: the despairing poverty, reckless
habits, indifference to the mandates of the law, have their source here.
The impassioned pursuit of any political privilege, which they are given
to suppose will alleviate the evils of their state, has thrown them
into the hands of the demagogue, and banded them in a league, which they
assume to be National. You left them to drift on the waters, and you may
now be shipwrecked among the floating fragments!

My tale is ended. I have only one record more to add. The exercise of
the law, assisted by the energy and determination of a fearless and
resident landlord, at length suppressed outrage and banished those who
had been its originators. Through the evidence of Gavan Daly, whose
treachery had been already suspected, several of the leaders were found
guilty, and met the dreadful penalty of their crimes. The fact of an
informer having