THE SUFFERINGS OF IRISH LOYALISTS. (To 'ME EDITOR Or THE
" SPECTATOR."
Sra,—The following extracts from a letter just received by me from the rector of an important parish in Southern Ireland will help your readers to realize the plight of Protestants and loyalists in those parts. The letter took seven days to get to me :—
"You are happy to be able to do your work unmolested; we are living here in dread, and when I go out now to distant, or even near, places in my parish I can't tell when, or if ever, I shall return. The country is full of cut-throats. I doubt whether Protestants will be allowed to live here very much longer... I send a local paper to show what some think of poor Wilson; there were great rejoicings at the great event—death of a Field- Marshal; bands played round. On Thursday night a knock came on door and bell was rung violently at one o'clock. I put my head out of window and asked what it was. A man said ho had a note from a parishioner who wanted me urgently. I, like a fool, went to the door, and was covered with a revolver. After the men had searched me in my dressing-gown they demanded my motor-bicycle. I made every excuse, but had to show them where it was, but absolutely refused to show them how to start it or put it into free engine. They were going to shoot me, but thought better of it, as it would make a row, so they shoved it down avenue against compression at rate of a yard per ten minutes. When they got out of gate I slipped on a coat and got on push-bicycle and went to Free State barracks, got guard out, and gave chase. We soon caught the beggars,
and after a dozen shots recaptured the machine; it's now in barracks. I'm afraid to take it out, as I expect they will go for me on road and seize it, or they may come back and burn house or sheds. . . . There are no posts, so I don't know when you'll get this, but letters may go North. We hear the boom of guns; there is a good deal of fighting between the two parties going en."
—I am, Sir, &c., J. R. M.
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