FROM THE ARCHIVES:Those caught up in the late 19th century land war sometimes faced a choice of being either evicted or boycotted, as this shopkeeper from Tipperary explained in a letter to the editor. – JOE JOYCE
Sir,-- I ask you to allow me space in your paper to state that I am an evicted tenant on the Smith-Barry property in town here, and that although I was assured in public and in private that I would not be one penny at a loss by being evicted, yet it is now going on six months since I was put out, and no one came to me to ask what I lost or did I want for anything.
The fact is I could not tell what I lost, for I lost all I had, my house and business. Can any man expect of me that I am to continue in my present miserable state, drawing on the few pounds I had before this unfortunate business turned up here? I will not continue as I am any longer. I do not like to go secretly and redeem my place. I prefer to do it publicly, or, at all events, not to deny it after having paid the rent due. But if I am obliged to do it in secret, I suppose I must. Very few here have any confidence in the men who are leading on this struggle, and it is a very extraordinary thing that they cannot pull among themselves in a peaceable manner.
Smith-Barry is not more opposed to the tenants than what these two parties are opposed to each other. We have now two rival Land Leagues in town, and both in opposition to each other.
When the Nationalists of Tipperary are fighting this way I think it is high time for the unfortunate evicted shopkeepers to see to themselves, and save themselves from ruin. How can a man have any confidence in men that must have it all their own way, and that cannot tolerate any difference of opinion?
I certainly will not sacrifice my property and my business, and I will, I publicly declare, redeem my house next week. I did promise at one of the meetings last year that I would not pay my rent: that I would let my shop goods be seized and sold by the sheriff for the amount claimed for rent, but I deny that I ever promised, and I never saw any man in Tipperary to promise that he would throw up his house and home and go walk about idle.
I will pay my rent, and if I am boycotted for it I will show to the civilised world, and wherever the English tongue is spoken, that no one is to be blamed for not parting with his house and home and trade and walking about idle with a poorhouse staring him in the face. As I said, I never made any promise to do this, but the promises that were made most solemnly to me were not kept. I give my name and address, but not for publication.--Yours truly,
An Evicted Shopkeeper.
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