A letter written from Kerry by a lady to the
Scotsman of last Tuesday week (18th inst.), gives so admirable a description of the Irish peasantry in Kerry, and especially of their touching pliancy to influence of all kinds, good or evil, that it is well worth our readers' careful perusal, even without regard to its remarkable literary skill. It certainly proves that, in Kerry at least, the desire for Home-rule, so far as it is a separate desire from land- hunger, is mixed up with the quaintest and, most confused notions of Protection for both farmer and trader, and of the kind of advantages that Protection would bring. "Under Horns-role we'll protect ourselves against American cattle," said one. On the inquiry being put how that was to be managed, seeing that it is in the English and not in the Irish market that the American cattle injure the Irish grazier, the reply was,— " Bedad I I never thought of that ; but," with a twinkle in his eye," maybe we'll have the making of the laws for the English as well as for ourselves by then." And if the celebrated Swansea concessions are to be realised, we do not think that the humorous farmer would be so far wrong.
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