Here are some excerpts from the archives of The Spectator that concern the Irish Tithe War of .
First, from “Opinions of the Press: The Tithe War” ():
Morning Chronicle — … If in Ireland events are
fast hastening to destruction the Protestant Established Church “guaranteed
at the Union,” we have lay preachers in England haranguing every parish
against the system of English tithes. The country papers teem with reports of
resolutions of grand juries against the pressure of local taxation, revolts
against church-rates, superadded to poor and country levies;
determination of rate-payers not to sanction the expense of gas-light for
evening services; parsons lowering their tithe 10, 15, and 25 per cent. under
the illuminating influence of “Swing;” whole parishes meeting to proscribe
the clergy and petition against this odious, oppressive, overwhelming
impost! …The landowners and farmers are practically learning the rudiments of
political economy; and low prices, high rents, and a restricted currency,
have revealed to them that the clergy belong to the classes distinguished as
unproductive labourers. They have picked up, in the course of their
inquiries into the causes of agricultural distress (and some of them, may be,
from Mr. Cobbett’s Sermons and Ecclesiastical Histories), that the support of
the poor was anciently a lien on the tithe; and that the clergy have silently
and cunningly contrived by process of time to get rid of that burden and
shuffle it on the laymen. Hence the same men who, a few years since, were as
willingly pewed in the parish-church as their sheep were penned up in
night-folds, halloo out against a hired a paid priesthood as a public
nuisance, the sooner gotten rid of the better! If this marvelous state of
society is not a revolution, we do not know what merits that
appellation. The farmers now everywhere inquire what services the clergy
render for eight millions sterling per annum, forced out of the pockets of
the people — whether the services rendered are in proportion to the
wages — how their duties are individually executed, and what their moral
conduct and personal character. …what farmer now believes that above
one clergyman in a hundred dedicates his life to the ministry from any other
motive than to get a good living, alias tithes? The agriculturalist,
naturally, therefore, regards the parsons as a money-seeking, grasping set of
men. He views the parish-spire as a deserter eyes the sentry-box of his
obnoxious guard on duty — and there is one such sentry-box, if not two, in
every parish! The scenes which are now acting beggar belief.
From “Ireland” ():
The Tithe war continues in Ireland; or rather we would say it has ceased, by
the yielding at discretion of the weaker of the parties in the struggle — the
Clergy. The most remarkable display of the energy of the people that has
hitherto been made, was exhibited at Cork last week. On
, fifteen cows distrained for
tithes due to Mr. Freeman, Rector of Ardngeehy, arrived in Cork, escorted by
a troop of Lancers — a most honourable escort for cows. The sale was
advertised for . At
, 10,000
people arrived in Cork to witness the sale. We quote the following striking
description of the scene from the Cork Southern Reporter–
Surrounded by the troops, the process of auctioning was commenced — the
auctioneer, a stranger, it is said a resident of Middleton. They were set
up at 3l. for each — no
bidder; 2l. — no bidder;
1l. — no bidder; in short,
he descended to three shillings for each cow, but no purchaser appeared.
This scene lasted for over an hour, when, there being no chance of making
sale of the cattle, it was proposed to adjourn the auction; but, as we are
informed, the General in command of the military expressed an unwillingness
to have the troops subject to a repetition of the harassing duty thus
imposed on them. After a short delay, it was, at the interference and
remonstrance of several gentlemen — both of town and country — agreed upon
that the cattle should be given up to the people, subject to certain
private arrangements. At this hour, the cattle, followed by the people,
frantic with joy, have just passed our office. We never witnessed such a
seene — thousands of the country people jumping with exulting feelings at
the result — wielding their shillelaghs, and exhibiting all the
other symptoms of exuberant joy characteristic of the buoyancy of Irish
feeling. When the result was known, clamorous and irrepressible cheering
for the military burst forth. Their conduct, indeed, was praiseworthy
beyond any thing which language can describe. Three cheers were then given
for General Sir George Bingham, and were followed by shouts the most
deafening. Nothing could be more suitable to the occasion than his mode of
conducting the proceeding. The people, to be sure, were under the guidance
and amenable to the direction of persons in whom they could confide; but
even were it otherwise, his manner and courteous demeanour would secure
order. As the military passed through Patrick Street, they were loudly
complimented by the gentlemen of the Chamber of Commerce.
The Reporter adds–
Would that the Irish Secretary could have witnessed this scene; it would
guide him to more correct notions entire subject of tithes in Ireland.
We doubt this. The Secretary belongs to a set of men whom no evidence will
turn from the way they have once chosen, — for the simple reason, that
evidence had no concern with their choice. This is not the only case in
which sales have been in vain resorted to. The same play has been played at
Carlow, and with precisely the same success. We need not say, where will
these things end. He must be very short-sighted who does not see that.
From “The Tory Tithe War in Ireland: Down with the Tithes!” ():
Irish nature is human nature still, notwithstanding centuries have been
employed in brutalizing it. Quick sensibility to wrong, and the determination
to resist it even unto the death, are characteristics of the Irish nation.
Ireland has become as unfortunate a field for Tory experiments in the art
of governing, as could well have been selected. As long as money was to he
had by any means, however extortionate and cruel — as long as tithe-proctors
could get the “rem, quocunque modo rem,” all went on
smoothly to the eye of Protestant dignitaries. But now, the very poverty
which formerly rendered the latter so easy a prey, makes him desperate. The
little he has to give, he will not give to the Protestant parson without
fighting. He is not a person to be reasoned or treated with. Like Rob Roy in
the novel, “he has gone down to the hill-side, shouldered his claymore, and
become a broken man.”
Every week adds to the national exasperation against the Protestant Church. A
few days ago, there was a battle in the county of Armagh between a
tithe-collecting party of military and police and the racked and ruined
peasantry. Shots were fired, many were wounded, and one poor fellow was
killed. The tithe-owner, the Reverend Mr. Blacker, a Magistrate, witnessed
the battle, as he was out tithe-gathering with the party. A fitting
employment this for a lowly minister of Christ’s gospel of peace! The account
of this affair will be read to the Catholic peasantry, with probably
half-a-dozen others of a similar description, at every polling-place
throughout the country, and by every priest from the altar.
From “Irish Tithe Massacres: Down with the Tithes!” ():
A few days ago, thirteen men were shot, and eight others wounded, in
resisting a party of the military, who were employed to force the payment of
tithe from a widow woman, to a dignitary of the Church, Archdeacon Ryder, in
the county of Cork. It matters little how the massacre began: it may be
(though the accounts are, as usual, contradictory,) that the country-people
commenced the attack by throwing stones. This may make a material difference
as to the strict legality of the slaughter that ensued, but does not lessen
our abhorrence of the system of supporting that unbearable nuisance the Irish
Church, which the Tories are pledged to maintain. The Rathcormack massacre
adds one other to the thousand proofs already before the British nation, that
the Church in Ireland can only be maintained on its present footing by
bayonet and bullet.
From “The Church in the Three Kingdoms” ():
The [following] extract is taken from the Carlow Sentinel, a
Tory advocate of a vigorous prosecution of the rights of the Church; and will
form a fitting conclusion to our present survey of Church affairs.
On Friday, the Sub-Sheriff of the county, Henry Butler,
Esq., accompanied by Captain
Blake, Sub-Inspector of the county, Chief Constables Fitzgibbon and Trent,
and forty of the Constabulary, with a Captain and twenty of the Fusileers,
proceeded to post tithe-notices in the parishes of Hacketstown and
Rathvilly. At an early hour, the whole party arrived at Hacketstown, and
posted the notices according to law on the chapel and church doors: they
were hooted and abused, but no further obstruction was given the civil
authorities, in the execution of their duty. From Hacketstown they proceeded
to Rathvilly, where they met a different reception from the lawless and
disorganized population of that parish. On their arrival at the latter
place, large masses of men were concentrated at the avenue leading to the
chapel. The walls enclosing the chapel-yard were lined with men armed with
pitch-forks, scithes, bludgeons, and stones, while the women had a
plentiful supply of boiling water, supplied by the inhabitants of the
village. After the notices were posted on the church-door, the Sheriff
marched his party to the chapel; the gates of which were locked, and the
chapel-yard filled with men to oppose his entrance. He proceeded to the
house of Priest Gahan for the key; but he was not to be found! The Sheriff
next ordered the Police to scale the walls to post the notices on the
chapel; upon which the party were assailed by a general volley of stones and
missiles. The Police were repeatedly beaten off the walls; but they again
retook them, with a cool intrepidity and a forbearance unparalleled. Having
gained the yard amid showers of stones, the Police formed, and, after
priming and loading, succeeded in posting the notices. Captain Blake acted,
we are informed, with firmness and determination; and, we regret to say, is
desperately wounded. The Police, in self defence, after seeing the
Sub-Inspector fall from blows of stones, fired some shots; but whether they
took effect or not, we have as yet received no intelligence. Nine
Policemen are severely wounded, three of whom were assailed by boiling
water. Here is an awful picture of the county. We would offer some
observations on this awful outrage on the civil authorities, but far the
lateness of the hour the intelligence reached us.
Further Intelligence.
We have received information on going to press, that the boiling water which
was poured on the Police was actually brought out of the chapel! Such is the
dreadful state of one poor man, that the hair has dropped off his head!
