THE SOUTHERN IRISH LOYALISTS.
[To THE EDITOR OF TER " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—The Spectator's scheme of compensating Southern loyalists who might wish to leave the country is simply impossible. Who would compensate them? The Sinn Feiners would never have gone into a Conference with such a liability. They would have said, " These people need not go; we intend to govern well and fairly." The British Government would not have compensated them. In some cases they would not have been allowed to go. A man of my acquaintance whose beautiful house was cruelly burnt wished to leave the country. and advertised an auction of valuable farm stock. The auction was forbidden, " as it would lead to unemployment." The Government has not even compensated men whose houses were burnt in " unauthorized reprisals," when soldiers, by the gross and culpable neglect of the authorities, were allowed to " run amuck " and burn hem-sec—in many cases belonging to loyalists. People whose houses were burnt by the I.R.A. and who were awarded compensation by H.M.'s County Court Judges have not been paid. People with a considerable stake in the country cannot leave it; they love their homes and, in most cases, are on friendly terms with their neighbours. We are all hoping for a Government that will govern and glee security
of life and property.—I am, Sir, &e., X.
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