Mr. Smith Barry's neighbours in Chester have warmly acknowledged his
courage and firmness in fighting for his rights in Tipperary when, it will be remembered, he was, though acknowledged to be the best landlord in Ireland, threatened with ruin for supporting Mr. Ponsonby against the " Plan of Campaign." They gave him an address on Thursday, and Mr. Balfour made a speech giving so vigorous and lucid a history of the " New Tipperary " plot, that if it were only read, it would of itself convert thousands of Home- rulers. He showed that the Irish leaders were ready to ruin an ancient and Catholic town, in order to carry out their own unjust will, and concluded with the following determined expression of his convictions :—" Any man who understands what took place in Tipperary, will come to the conclusion that the men who could devise the Tipperary conspiracy in cold blood, and carry it through in cold blood— who could see unmoved the ruin they were bringing upon their dupes, who could see and contemplate without flinching the wreck they were making of one of the most prosperous parts of Ireland—those men are no more capable, are no more to be entrusted with the destines of Ireland than —I refrain from drawing from any other country the parallel which alone would suit the gentlemen I have in view."
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