cut him across; I have seen it almost in what I would call cut like diamonds; the severest torture I ever saw. "Have you ever known that inflicted upon women and children?-Never. "That was inflicted upon those who complied with the demands of the Catholic clergy?—Those that broke their rules and regulations in that way, or in taking land, or in paying tithes. "Was this schedule, to which you have adverted, peculiar to the county of Westmeath ?-I never saw it any other county. "Was the carding peculiar to Westmeath ?-I think it was in Meath, and I think it was inflicted at Garristown. "Have those dues been abandoned by the priests since?The priests for some time did not, but they were compelled to comply; they were threatened themselves with destruction if they did not; and the people there did not hesitate to come up to tell me that it was a gross imposition; but they never avowed that they were the perpetrators of outrage, but that they felt the severities of the dues that were demanded by the priests."-H. C., 1824, p. 118. An instance of a connexion between a Roman Catholic clergyman and the Whiteboy combination appeared during the proceedings of the Maryborough special commission; and even this bears rather the appearance of a vaunt made for the purpose of intimidation, than of a real guilty participation: if the individual in question had been in fact an accomplice with criminals, he probably would not have been quite so ready to avow it. 66 Myles O'Reilly, Esq. Have any circumstances come to your knowledge which have induced you to think that the Roman Catholic clergy, in their zeal against tithes, have been induced or led into the holding of any intercourse with this pre-existing faction of Whitefeet? I am very unwilling to suppose it possible that any individual of the Roman Catholic clergy could have been in any degree connected or in correspondence, however remotely, with the faction of Whitefeet. Collectively, I am very certain they have been and are very much opposed to the Whitefeet or Blackfeet system. The question put to me, however, I am compelled to conclude, has reference to some remarkable circumstances disclosed in my presence, on a trial that took place at the late commission, and which (as the whole of those proceedings are before the public in print in a collected form) it would be affectation to deny that they were certainly calculated to throw more than a suspicion upon at least one individual of that body, as connected with or exercising a direct influence over the Whitefeet, as such. The question manifestly relates to the disclosures that took place on the trial of a man of the name of James Dowling, when it appeared that the witness for the crown, Miss Magee, who had gone to mass, as she swore, in consequence of having been pelted with stones when going to church, being very much pressed on cross-examination, declared that, in consequence of a recommendation from the priest of the parish adjoining Carlow, in which her family and herself had previously resided (on their removal into a very disturbed part of the county, under circumstances highly dangerous to them, and where they were subsequently attacked), she waited upon the parish priest of that district, and had had communications with him, in which he had said, that he would make a pitchfork mind the house; that he did not like any one in the house but herself; that he expected he would make a Christian of her, and bid her often go see him, and that she need not be afraid of the Whitefeet; that he had them at his command, and that they would not meddle with her; that Luther and Calvin beat them out when their religion was established, and that he intended to get his rights again."—H. C. 1832, No. 7125*. * Maryborough Special Commission, p. 177; and see the remarks of the Chief Justice on the witness Ellen Magee, p. 197; compare p. 271. The Attorney-General states, that "in his view it is not possible to say that she has deposed to a single fact warranting any criminal imputation against Mr. Kelly (the priest in question)," p. 288. It will be observed that Mr. O'Reilly, in giving the above faithful account of what passed with regard to this particular transaction, expresses his opinion that the Catholic clergy in general were quite free from any such participation. It is however to be observed, that although Whiteboyism has not a religious character, yet the persons concerned in it, being the labourers and cottier farmers of the south and west, are exclusively Catholics: there are, in fact, none, or scarcely any Protestants in the class for whose protection this system has been organized. The following testimonies all relate to the recent disturbances in the Queen's County, but they probably apply, with equal or even greater force, to the more purely Catholic parts of Munster and Connaught. Colonel Rochfort. "It is not founded upon religious distinction ?-No; but religion is the bond of union; I do not think they would trust. a Protestant. "Then this association is confined to the Roman Catholic religion?—Yes; but they prey upon Roman Catholics who do not join them. 66 Have any Protestants been committed under charges of this kind?-No. "The great majority of the lower classes are Catholics?Yes. "And the association is confined to the lower classes?Entirely, as far as I know; but there must be some higher powers that move them, or they could not carry it on as they do."-H. C., 1832, Nos. 1082-6. Henry Smyth, Esq. 66 Are you aware of the fact, that the body of the Whitefeet bound together by this illegal oath are exclusively Roman Catholics?-I am not aware of it, but I believe it to be am not aware of the Protestants being implicated. "The emigration from among the Protestants in Queen's County has been extensive in proportion to their numbers ?— I do not know that; but I think, unless something more is done for the security of the country, that many more of the respectable people will emigrate."-H. C., 1832, Nos. 4568-9. Rev. J. Delaney. "Are you aware of any bers of that body?—No. but Roman Catholics being mem "Are there any Protestants of so low a class in society, or so poor as those who generally compose the Whitefeet?—I cannot speak of the county generally, of my own knowledge; I speak of the district in which I reside, and I say that in that district there are not Protestants to be found in so very poor and low and destitute a condition as the class of persons who generally compose those illegal associations."-H. C., 1832, Nos. 4451-2. Robt. Cassidy, Esq. "Are you aware that the Whitefeet association is exclusively Roman Catholic?—I am not aware that it is exclusively Roman Catholic; but I am bound in fairness to say, that I have never heard of a Protestant being what is called a sworn brother, but I have heard of Protestants being applied to to join them."-H. C., 1832, No. 5984. There appear to have been a few instances of Protestants being implicated in Whiteboy proceedings; in one case, of which the details are given, it will be observed, that the party was in a higher class of life, and that he employed the persons who committed the outrage. James Robinson Price, Esq., speaking of Ossory, in the Queen's County : "Mara was a surveyor, employed by me to survey burnt ground. The year before, a man of the name of Wall, a Protestant and an under-tenant, burnt a considerable quantity of ground upon the Ladies Fitzpatrick's estate; he took the land under the court, on the death of Mr. White. I surveyed the land, and summoned him before the magistrates, who fined him. The next year, notwithstanding, he persevered in burning double the quantity, and he gave it to be understood to the people, or to the Whitefeet thereabouts, that if they kept off the fine and prevented the surveyor from effecting a survey, that they should have the quarter ground at 67. an acre, or otherwise they should pay 107.; in consequence a detachment of Whitefeet, who lived ten miles off, were summoned, and this Wall supplied them with money; on their way they attacked the surveyor's house, and fired into it; the surveyor's son fired on them, and wounded a man in the arm, of the name of Robinson; the country people turned out next morning, and, assisted by the police, they pursued Robinson by the tracks of his blood, and they took him in a corn field concealed. Robinson turned approver, and prosecuted three men to conviction, who have been since transported. . . . . The most important part of that transaction was Wall sending for them, and Wall being cognizant of their proceedings. Wall was tried and acquitted; the Rev. Mr. Caulfield, a Protestant clergyman, came to give him a character, considering him a religious man; but when he heard the evidence he went away, without being produced on the table. Mr. Baron Smith, in discharging him, said, that he was morally guilty of the blood of those men.' Sentence of death was passed upon them, but with an intimation to the magistrates of the county, that if the county was tranquillized in the meantime they would be recommended for transportation; and the magistrates assembled in August, and recommended the sentence to be commuted, in consequence of the improved state of the county. . Wall was tried in conjunction with three others; he was not convicted, but the judge said he was morally guilty of the lives of the other three he was indicted, not for a conspiracy, but for the attack on the house, and it was not proved by Robinson the |