The natural, proper, and honest course, then, for the landlord, was to have kept the 30,600 l. as compensation to himself for the mistake of his predecessor, and to let the leases stand.  If he considered the peace of the country, if he wished to inspire in the minds of the people respect for the rights of property, or confidence in the Government, he would not have adopted the desperate course of breaking 120 contracts, kindling the flames of agitation, and planting Ribbon lodges all over a district hitherto peaceful and tranquil.  But he was bent on crushing the independent yeomanry into the abject condition of tenants-at-will.  To carry out this purpose, Mr. Trench was indispensable.  He knew how to tame the wild Irish.  And Mr. Trench was equal to the occasion.  He went to reside a few weeks at Tullamore, to reconnoitre the enemy’s position.  He writes as if this was the first time he made acquaintance with the estate.  But his own residence was in the Queen’s County, not far off; and there is good reason to believe that he knew all about Geashill long before; and all about every estate belonging to an English absentee in the four provinces; for he had, growing up around him, a young generation of land-agents, trained in all the arts of modern management, and one of the ablest of these, his son, Mr. T.W.  Trench, became his partner in this agency.  Mr. Trench’s tactics are not new, though he excels all men in their skilful application.  His plan, adopted on all occasions, is to divide and conquer.  Violent measures being dangerous and contrary to his own feelings, he trusts to diplomacy, dealing with individuals, taken separately into a private room, where his irresistible personal fascination invariably brings matters to a satisfactory issue.

In this case, he went over to the English executors, and persuaded them to advance the 30,600 l. to be distributed among the tenants, under the guarantee of Lord Digby that this sum would cover all possible claims.  Thus provided with funds, he summoned the tenants, not all, but ten of the most influential, to meet him at Geashill.  He left this meeting, purposely, to the last day and the last hour, as a piece of generalship.  He says:—­

’They appeared puzzled and anxious, and very uncertain what to do.  At length one of them proposed that they should do nothing until they had had an opportunity of consulting the remainder of the leaseholders, of whom there were upwards of 120 upon the estate.

’"No,” replied I, “you must come to a decision now; there is a messenger at the door on horseback, to ride to the telegraph station at Portarlington to stop the English witnesses coming over.  This must be done within an hour, or they will start for Ireland, and then it will be out of my power to stop the lawsuit.  You must determine now, each man for himself, or the lawsuit must go on.”

’"Will you state the amount of money you will give to each of us?” asked one of the party.