Pat Leray, of Stratlanstoun, and beat Leray and his son in a severe
manner. The only reason assigned for this is, that Leray went to
plough some land for his landlord, Captain Robinson of Rossmead."

"The same morning, the house of Pat Woods was attacked by the same
party, and for the same cause of offence. Woods and _his mother_
were severely beaten."

* * * * *

Now, those outrages have been perpetrated, not in any of the five
condemned counties, but in Westmeath, where almost every proprietor is
resident. What a state of society do they exhibit? Ruffians assailing
men because they dared to change their servants, and beating _old women_
solely because their sons were on good terms with their landlords. And
those daring violations of the law were enacted in the open day by a
party of thirty men, well armed with both pistols and bludgeons. A tithe
of the outrages committed in Ireland are not only never heard of in this
country, but never even reported to the police. Such is the power of
those banded assassins--such the terror which they inspire--that their
victims submit to their decrees in silence rather than bring further
misfortunes upon their families. Sir James Graham, in his statement,
mentioned the case of a man dying of his wounds, who refused to identify
his murderers out of regard for the safety of his relatives and friends.
A person of the name of Gleeson, who came into his land twenty years
ago, was dreadfully beaten, and ordered to give up his farm; and,
although five of his sons were present, not one of them informed the
police. "Had they done so," says Sir James, "there is but little doubt
the perpetrators would have been arrested. I have heard it said, and I
do believe," (continued the most moderate of exponents,) "that, in the
five counties, the great body of the people are tainted. I believe the
bands are small, though perfectly organized; but the number of persons
comprising these lawless bands is small compared with the great body of
the people. But still evidence cannot be obtained, and the law is by
reason of this inoperative. And if these small bands prevent the
exercise of the law, these outrages remaining unchecked, the bulk of the
population will not heed the law." And whose fault is it that those
counties are tainted, and that the law in Ireland has ceased to be
respected? Why, chiefly the fault of the government, of which the right