BOOKS.

.MR. HURLBERT ON IRELAND UNDER COERCION.* [FIRST NOTICE.]

MR. HurmitunT's interest in writing this book has been, as he takes care to make clear in his preface,—why he prefers to call it a prologue we do not know,—American. rather than British or Irish. As a citizen of the United States, he is not nearly so much interested in the purely political question which divides the English and Irish peoples at the present moment,

as he is in the much more important question how the in- fluences at present at work in Ireland are affecting the character of the Irish people, and therefore of the Irish immigrants into the United States, where they exert a very definite influence over the whole future of that great country. Mr. Hurlbert's special point of view is very well represented, for example, by the following experience and his comment upon it

"In the course of the evening a report was brought out from Ennis to Colonel Turner. He read it, and then handed it to me, -with an accompanying document. The latter, at my request, he allowed me to keep, and I must reproduce it here. It tells its own tale. A peasant came to the authorities and complained that he.was ` tormented ' to make a subscription to a ` testimonial ' for one Austen Mackay of Kilshanny, in the County Clare, producing at the same time a copy of the circular which had been sent about to the people. It is a cheaply-printed leaflet, not unlike a penny ballad in appearance, and thus it runs :— • Ireland under Coercion: the Diary of an American.. By William Henry Huribert. Edinburgh: Land Douglas. `Testimonial to Mr. AUSTEN MAcKey, Kilshanny, County Clare. 'We, the Nationalists and friends of Mr. Austen Mackay, at a meeting held in March, 1887, agreed and resolved on presenting the long-tried and trusted friend—the persecuted widow's son— with a testimonial worthy of the fearless hero who on several occasions had to hide his head in the caves and caverns of the mountains, with a price set on his body. First, for firing at and wounding a spy in his neighbourhood, as was alleged in '65, for which he had to stand his trial at Clare Assizes. Again, for firing at and wounding his mother's agent and under-strapper while in the act of evicting his widowed mother in the broad daylight of Heaven, thus saved his mother's home from being wrecked by the robber agent, the shock of which saved other hearths from being quenched; but the 'noble widow's son was chased to the mountains, where he had to seek shelter from a thousand bloodhounds. The same true widow's son nobly guarded his mother's homestead and that of others from the foul hands of the exterminators. This is the same widow's ion who bravely reinstated the evicted, and helped to rebuild the levelled houses of many ; for this he was persecuted and convicted at Cork Assizes, and flung into prison to sleep on the cold plank-beds of Cork and Limerick gaols. Many other manly and noble services did he which cannot be made known to the public. At that meeting you were appointed collector with other Nationalists of Clare at home and abroad. This is the widow's son, Austen Mackay, whom we, the Committee to this testimonial, hope and trust every Irishman in Clare will cheerfully subscribe, that he may be enabled in his present state of health to get into some business under the protection of the Stars and Stripes, where he is a citizen of. Subscriptions to be sent to Henry Higgins, Ennis. Treasurers : Daniel O'Loghlen, Lisdoonvarna ; James Kennedy, Ennistymon.' Then follow, with the name of the Society, the names of the committee. In behalf of the Stars and Stripes, 'where he is a citizen of,' I thanked Colonel Turner for this interesting contribution to the possible future history of my country, there being nothing to prevent the election of any heir of this illustrious 'widow's son,' born to him in America, to the Presidency of the Republic. • The use of this phrase, the widow's son,' by-the-way, gives a semi-masonic character to this curious circular."

Mr. Hurlbert is not only a citizen of the United States, but evidently also a good Roman Catholic, and while he appears to be favourable in principle to Home-rule moderately, or perhaps we should say modestly understood, he stands aghast at the prospect of that complete undermining of all the principles of civil society which the anarchists of the present day are apparently intent on bringing about ; all the more so, indeed, because these anarchists have.found such formidable allies within the Roman Church itself. Mr. Hurl- bert traces very powerfully the connection of Dr. M•Glynn's attack on the principle of property in land, with the Irish agrarian revolution planned by Mr. Davitt. He shows the close connection between the two, and heats Mr. Davitt as the real author,—as, indeed, he is,—of the policy of the Land League, and not only as its real author, but as the ablest guide of the agrarian revolutionists. He thinks Mr. Parnell's dealings with the matter not only quite secondary to Mr.

Davites, but far less skilful and effective. And, consequently, while Mr. Hurlbert is not at all theoretically indisposed to some form of Home-rule for Ireland, his deepest concern with the Irish Question is to trace the development of the dangerous revolutionary doctrines which have led to the various forms of the " no-rent " movement, and to examine the evidence upon which they have been advanced as essential to the wel- fare of Ireland. Mr. Hurlbert's study of Ireland, then, has been a study from the point of view of a Liberal Roman Catholic who cares a great deal more for the moral welfare of Irishmen than for any particular political system, but who is quite favourable to local liberties so long as these local liberties do not really imply moral anarchy. His accounts of all his curious experiences in Ireland are admirably given, and we can hardly do better than let our readers have specimens of these experiences, for he seems to have *conversed quite frankly with all classes of Irishmen, and to be on friendly terms not only with Mr. Balfour and the Duke of Abercorn's family, but with Mr. Davitt, Father M‘Fadden, and the chief members of the Nationalist Party. Mr. Balfour, laughing at the abuse which is showered so thickly upon him, told Mr. Hurlbert that the shorthand reporters had been compelled to invent a special sign for "bloody and brutal Balfour," because this phrase is used so often in the speeches. Mr. Hurlbert states that Mr. Balfour talked about the abuse lavished on hint "in a casual, dreamy way, which reminded me irresistibly

of President Lincoln, whom, if in nothing else, he resembles alike in longanimity and length of limb." Mr. Davitt, whose masculine sense compares very favourably with the Irish rant on the subject of Mr. Balfour, has never spoken of Mr.

Balfour with scorn, and has warned his countrymen against the foolish attempt to frighten Mr. Balfour out of his policy by showering upon him bad names, which only tend to breed a certain respectful fear of lain in the minds of the people. Here is Mr. Hurlbert's own impression of the Irish Secretary

What especially struck me in talking with Mr. Balfour to-day was his obviously unaffected interest in Ireland as a country rather than in Ireland as a cock-pit. It is the condition of Ireland, and not the gabble of parties at Westminster about the condition of Ireland, which is uppermost in his thoughts. This, I should say, is the best guarantee of his eventual success."

Of the humorous Chief Justice, Sir Michael Morris, Mr. Hurlbert repeats a very smart saying that the Irish difficulty in a nutshell is simply this,—that a very dull people is trying to govern a very bright people. That is happily put by Sir Michael, and is more or less true, but his saying would not account adequately for the state of affairs ; for if that were all, the very bright people would have got all they wanted out of the very dull people, and then settled down comfortably. The pinch of the difficulty comes here, that the Irish are a very bright people without much real genius for practical life, and a considerable genius for evading practical, life and shouldering off their troubles on to others,—a people who find all sorts of excuses for teasing the very dull people, without making themselves comfortable, or even making up their minds what would make them comfortable.

Mr. Hurlbert does not limit himself strictly to aspects of the deeper issues in Ireland. He tells many admirable stories of Irish humour, of which we can hardly give any better specimen than the following

Some excellent stories were told in the picturesque smoking- room after dinner, one of a clever and humorous, sensible and non-political priest, who, being taken to teak by some of his brethren for giving the cold shoulder to the Nationalist movement, excused himself by saying, I should like to be a patriot ; but I can't be. It's all along of the rheumatism which prevents me from lying out at nights in a ditch with a rifle.' The same priest being reproached by others of the cloth with a fondness for the company of some of the resident landlords in his neighbourhood, replied, 'It's in the blood, you see. My poor mother, God rest her soul ! she always had a liking for the quality. As for my dear father, he was just a blundering peasant, like the rest of ye ! '

Mr. Hurlbert's account of the rund.ale system at Gweedore, and of Lord George Hill's exertions in improving the condition of the people there, so entirely bears out the account we gave of that controversy some months ago, that we will not return to that vexed question again ; but we may say that Mr. Hurl- bert's account of Father M‘Fadden, of Gweedore, is thoroughly fair, and even appreciative. As regards the incomes of the Catholic priests and the source of their income, Mr. Hurlbert received some valuable information from Father Walker, the Parish Priest of Burtonport (Donegal) and the President of the Burtonport branch of the National League :---

"He gave me also, at my request, some valuable information as to the stipends of the Catholic clergy, and the sources from which they are derived. This subject has been agitated in the local Press of this part of Ireland in connection with estimates of Father leFadden's income at Gweedore, which Father 31.Fadden declares, I believe, to be greatly exaggerated. Father Walker has been parish priest at Burtonport for about nine years. In all that time the highest sum reached in one year by the stipend has been £560; this sum having to be divided between the parish priest, who received £280, and two curates receiving £140 each. The annual stipend, however, has more than once fallen below £480, and Father Walker thinks £520 a fair average, giving £260 to the parish priest, and £130 each to his curates. Where there are only two priests in a parish, as is the case, for example, in each of the parishes of Gweedore and Falearragh, the parish priest receives two-thirds, and the curate one-third of the stipend. The sources of this stipend are various, and in speaking upon this point Father Walker desired me to note that he could only speak posi- tively of the rules of this particular diocese, as they do not cover in their entirety the usages of other provinces, or even of other dioceses in this province of Ireland. One general and invariable rule indeed exists throughout Ireland, which is that every parish priest is bound to offer the Holy Sacrifice, pro poputo, for the whole people, without fee or reward, on all Sundays and Holy Days, snaking in all some eighty-seven times a year. In the diocese of Raphoe, to which Burtonport belongs, there are four recognised methods by which the revenues of the priests are raised. The first is an annual fixed stipend of four shillings for each household or family. Sometimes,' said Father Walker, but rarely, the better- off families give more than this; and not unfrequently the poorer families fail to give anything under this head.' The second is a fixed stipend of one pound upon the occasion of a marriage. Sometimes, but not often, this sum is exceeded by generous and prosperous parishioners.' The third is a standard stipend of two shillings for a baptism. This also suffers, but on rare occasions,' said the good priest, a favourable exception. I mention the ex- ceptions as well as the rules,' said the good Father, in order to make grateful allusion to the donors.' The fourth and last consists of the offerings at interments. These vary very much indeed, but they constitute an important,and, I may say, a necessary item in the incomes of the clergy.' Besides these four forms of stipend, the priests derive a revenue from those who ask them to offer the Holy Sacrifice "for their special intention." ' In such cases it is customary to offer a sum, usually of two shillings, but sometimes of half-a-crown, which is intended both as a remuneration for the priest, and to cover the cost of altar requisites."

Mr. Hurlbert was told repeatedly in the Gweedore district that the people there constantly bought tea at 4s. or 4s. 6d. per pound, which they stewed and drank continually,—the teas offered at any cheaper rate being despised, though the flavour of the tea cannot possibly be discerned by people who use tea after this cruel fashion. They buy these extravagant-priced. teas on credit, always being more or less in debt to the dealers..

One of the most interesting passages in Mr. Hurlbert's. book is his account of the boycotted Mrs. Connell, of Miltown Malbay,—a case on which we have more than once had. occasion to comment. It will measure to some extent the'

reputation of Mr. John Redmond, for accuracy of state- ment, since it was he who supplied Mr. Parnell with the very incorrect account of that poor woman's boycotting which he gave in the House of Commons at the beginning of this Session, and he who supported it when Mr. Parnell's state- ment was traversed by the Government

After luncheon a car came up to the mansion, bringing a. stalwart, good-natured-looking serjeant of police, and with him the boycotted old woman Mrs. Connell and her son. The serjeant helped the old woman down very tenderly, and supported her into the house. She came in with some trepidation and unea.siness, glancing furtively all about her, with the look of a hunted creature in her eyes. Her son, who followed her, was more at his ease, but he also had a worried and careworn look. Both were warmly but very poorly clad, and both worn and weatherbeaten of aspect. The old woman might have passed anywhere for a witch. so wizened and weird she was, of small stature, and bent nearly double by years and rheumatism. Her small hands were withered. away into claws, and her head was covered with a thick and tangled mat of hair, half dark, half grey, which gave her the look almost of the Fuegian savages who come off from the shore in. their flat rafts and clamour to you for rum' in the Straits of Magellan. Her eyes were intensely bright, and shone like hot coals in her dusky, wrinkled face. It was a raw day, and she came in shivering with the cold. It was pathetic to see how she posi- tively gloated with extended palms over the bright warm fire in. the drawing-room, and clutched at the cup of hot tea which my kind hostess instantly ordered in for her. This was the woman of whom Mr. Redmond wrote to Mr. Parnell that she was an active,. strong dame of about fifty.' When Mr. Balfour, in Parliament, described her truly as a decrepit old woman of eighty,' Mr. Redmond contradicted him, and accused her of being the worse for liquor' in a public court. 'How old is your mother ?' I asked. her son.—' I am not rightly sure, sir,' he replied, 'but she is more than eighty.'—` The man himself is about fifty,' said the serjeant; he volunteered to go to the Crimean War, and that was more

than thirty years ago I did indeed, sir,' broke in the man, and it was from Cork I went. And I'd be a corpse now if it wasn't for the mercy of God and the protection. God bless the police, sir, that protected my old mother, sir, and me. That Mr. Red- mond, sir, they read me what he said, and sure he should be ashamed of his shadow, to get up there in Parliament, and tell those lies, sir, about my old mother I'—I questioned Connell as to his relations with Carroll, the man who brought him before the League. He was a labourer holding a bit of ground under Carroll. Carroll refused to pay his own rent to the landlord. But he com- pelled Connell to pay rent to him. When Carroll was evicted, the landlord offered to let Connell have half-au-acre more of land. He took it to better himself, and how did he injure Carroll by taking it?' How indeed, poor man ! Was he a rent-warner ? Yes ; he earned something that way two or three times a year ; and for that he had to ask the protection of the police= they would kill him else.' What with worry and fright, and the loss of his liven-. hood, this unfortunate labourer has evidently been broken down morally and physically. It is impossible to come into contact with such living proofs of the ineffable cowardice and brutality of this business of ' boycotting ' without indignation and disgust. While Connell was telling his pitiful tale a happy thought occurred to the charming daughter of the house. Mrs. Stacpoole is a clever amateur in photography. Why not photograph this "hale and. hearty woman of fifty," with her son of fifty-three ?' Mrs. Stac- poole clapped her hands at the idea, and went off at once to pre- pare her apparatus. While she was gone the serjeant gave me an. account of the trial, which 'Mr. Redmond, 31.P., witnessed. He was painfully explicit. 'Mr. Redmond knew the woman was sober,' he said; she was lifted up on the table at Mr. Redmond's express request, because she was so small and old, and spoke in. such a low voice that he could not hear what she said. Connell had always been a decent, industrious fellow—a fisherman. But for the lady, Mrs. Moroney, he and his mother would have starved. and would starve now. As for the priest, Father White, Connell went to him to ask his intercession and help, but he could get. neither.' The serjeant had heard Father White preach yesterday.. It was a curious sermon. He counselled peace and forbearance to the people, because they might be sure the wicked Tory Govern- ment would very soon fall !' Presently the sun came out with. golden glow, and with the sun came out Mrs. Stacpoole. It was a. job to 'pose' the subjects, the old woman evidently suspecting some surgical or legal significance in the machinery displayed, and

her son finding some trouble in making her understand what it meant. But finally we got the tall, personable serjeant, with his frank, shrewd, sensible face, to put himself between the two, in the attitude as of a guardian angel; the camera was nimbly adjusted, and lo ! the thing was done. Mrs. Stacpoole thinks the operation promises a success. I suppose it would hardly be civil to send a finished proof of the group to Mr. J. Redmond, M.P."

So far as regards the age and infirmities of Mrs. Connell, and also Mr. Redmond's ample means of judging of that age and those infirmities, this seems conclusive. We must close here for the present our notice of these very graphic experiences. We hope to return to Mr. Hurlbert's valuable book, and give some account of his second volume next week.

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