I fully admit that there is much to be said for the juries who refused to convict.  When a Government is doing its utmost to suppress anarchy and to enforce law and order, it is no doubt the duty of every loyal subject to render assistance even at the risk of his own life and property.  But when a Government is conniving at anarchy, and deliberately refusing to put in force the Act which would put a stop to it, I say it is too much to expect of any man that he should face the prospect of being ruined and probably murdered, and his family reduced to beggary, in order to enable the Government to keep up the farce of pretending that they are trying to do their duty.

During the first half of 1908, there were 418 reported cases of cattle-driving; and arson, outrages with firearms, meadow-spiking, and similar offences increased in proportion.  The judges urged in vain that the law should be put in force.  But the policy of the Government remained unchanged; the Daily News (the Government organ) when cattle-driving was at its height said that thanks to the excellent government of Mr. Birrell cattle-driving now had practically become extinct even in those few parts of the country in which it had existed; and in July Mr. Birrell, addressing a political meeting at Port Sunlight, said that:—­

“They were led to believe that the state of Ireland was of an appalling character, that crime predominated, and that lawlessness almost universally prevailed.  All he could say was that a more cheerful land was nowhere to be found.”

In 1909 matters became somewhat quieter, chiefly because Mr. Birrell promised to introduce a Land Bill by which the cattle-drivers hoped to get all they wanted.  Hence their leaders advised them to “give Birrell a chance,” but Mr. Redmond warned the Government that if they did not carry out their pledge, they would speedily find Ireland ungovernable.  In February 1909, Lord Crewe, speaking for the Government in the House of Lords, made the remarkable statement:—­

    “As regards intimidation, I have always shared the view that
    well-organized intimidation cannot be checked by law.  I know
    no method of checking it.”

If this is not an admission that the Government had failed in their duty, it is hard to say what is.  The result of their line of action will be seen by the following table, which has been taken from various returns which the Ulster members, by repeated questions in Parliament at last succeeded in forcing Mr. Birrell to make public:—­

Agrarian outrages 1906 234
     " " 1907 372
     " " 1908 576
Cattle-drives 1905 Nil
   " " 1907-8 513
   " " 1908-9 622
   " " 1908 219
Cattle maiming, mutilating, etc. 1907 142
Persons boycotted 1907 196
     " " 1908 270
     " " 1909 335
Cost of extra police 1908 L47,000