THE IRISH JUDGES.
fT0 THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Any reader of the article in the Spectator of Saturday last, headed "The Irish Judges" would suppose from the extract you have given of my evidence that I threw down Patrick Butler's house in which he resided because he had voted for Captain Nolan, contrary to my wishes. You omitted to give the other part of my evidence, when I swore that the house was mine, was never Butler's, but used by him occasionally to thrash corn in, and always by my permission. Two witnesses swore I always had possession of the house, and that they oftentimes heard Butler ask my leave to thrash his corn in it. Neither Butler nor any of his family ever lived for one day in the house. After hearing the evidence, the judge said I had a perfect legal right to throw down the house. It was not thrown down on Good Friday, but on Saturday, the 29th of March. When writing the letter which you quote, I meant to say that if my tenants did not oblige me, I would not oblige them, but neither before the petition nor since have I in any way shown to them any anger or disappointment in their having followed the direct commands of their priest, rather than the request of their landlord, who during his life has always assisted them in every way in his power, and it is only he who knows the Irish peasant who knows the many ways they crave assistance.
Butler was my herd, as well as my tenant. As my servant, I have dismissed him, as my tenant he continues the same as ever, and has not, nor shall not, meet with any severity from me.
In simple justice, I must request your insertion of this letter in your next publication.—I am, Sir, &c.,
GEO. LYNCII-STAUNTON.
[We had not the slightest intention of giving the impression referred to by our correspondent, and condensed his evidence solely for the sake of brevity. The main point on which his evidence turned had no reference to the barn, and that he en- deavoured to exert the most direct and powerful influence on Butler's political vote and that of his other tenants his own letter admits. We have censured the priests as strongly as we censure the landowners for these discreditable transactions.—ED. Spectator.]
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