er an area of
fifteen miles by ten, Father Keone went on the next Sunday to the
neighbouring chapels outside the Shirley estate, told his grievances,
and on the next day the people came with their horses and carts and
left sand, lime, and stones in sufficient quantities to build the
house inside the chapel-yard. The priest and people thought it
necessary to "thatch" their old chapel, and, though strange it may
seem, the agent actually served an ejectment process on the father
of the two boys who assisted the priest to make the collection at the
chapel door for so absolutely necessary a work. I may add, this man
owed no rent. Lastly, the then agent was in the habit of arranging
matrimonial alliances, pointing out this girl as a suitable match for
that boy, and the boy must marry the girl or give up his farm. These
facts being true, my lord, and more which I might state, but that I
have trespassed too much already on your lordship's time, I ask you,
my Lord Dunraven--I ask any impartial man, Irishman or Englishman--for
whom Mr. Trench wrote his "book," is it strange or wonderful that the
Catholic people, so treated, would rejoice--would have bonfires on
the hill tops at their deliverance from such conduct? I flatter myself
that you, my lord--that the learned reading public--that the English
people would sympathise with any people so treated for conscience'
sake; and having pronounced the sentence of condemnation against Mr.
Trench for not having noticed these facts, that you will direct your
name to be erased from the "book." I have the honour to remain,
my lord, with the most profound respect, your lordship's faithful
servant.'

'THOMAS SMOLLAN, P.P.

'Clones, Feb. 15, 1869.'

The electors of Monaghan, in their simplicity, thought they were
fairly exercising the rights conferred by the constitution when they
gave one vote for the landlord, and one for their religion and their
country, thus securing the return of one Liberal. But Mr. Shirley soon
taught them that the blessings of our glorious constitution belong not
to the tenant, but to the landlord; and so he punished their mistake
by adding one-third to their rent, and depriving them of proper fuel.
Not content with this, he carried the war into their chapels and
schools, and punished them for their religion. These facts may help to
explain the scenes which Mr. Trench describes so poetically.

The persecuting agent died suddenly in the court-house. The landlor