Mr. Luby, one of the Fenian prisoners who has just
enjoyed the severe clemency of the Crown, by exchanging what he himself and most of the Irish members believed to be the promise of a free pardon within the year, for a certain banishment of fifteen years from his home and friends, has written to his wife a bitter and also'. pathetic letter, published in the Cork Examiner of Wednesday last. Mr. Luby has already suffered an imprisonment of five years and a quarter,—an imprisonment which he, at least, thinks "almost. unexampled in its severity and humiliations," and was looking forward confidently to a free pardon, when this act of clemency descended on him. He had been offered, he said, any reason- able convenience for seeing his friends, and unlimited power for writing to them, to make arrangements for availing himself of the conditional pardon granted by the Government. But he can't make any arrangements without permission for at least a. limited stay in Ireland, as pecuniary and family matters can't be settled by correspondence, and it would be impossible to bring his wife and children over in this weather, even though, which is- probably doubtful enough, he had the means. "I do not want,"- he says, "to make the slightest display, or take the slightest political action there, but it is utterly impossible for me to talk of' private matters, either family or pecuniary, through the medium of correspondence." He thanks God that his mother, who died. six mouths ago, expecting his speedy pardon, did not live to. receive news of the "boon" of the Government. It is quite obvious what effect this "boon," after Mr. Gladstone's virtual promise, has had, at least on this prisoner. It has been re-- garded as a breach of faith, has embittered still further his feeling against England, and will send him to America to preach, the Fenian gospel more earnestly than ever. The man who draws back his hand just as he is in the act to give, had far better not have thought of generosity at all. The lookers-on call it weak- ness, and the objects of the repented generosity, meanness or bad faith.
Previous page
