THE HIGHLAND LAND LAW REFORM ASSOCIATION OF LONDON. THE following documents have recently been issued by this influential and energetic Association. The Address to the Crofters is issued also in excellent Gaelic : I. TO THE PUBLIC. Although it is only recently that acute distress and the disturbances in Skye attracted public attention to the depressed condition of the Highlands, the system, which in so many instances either expatriated or drove the people from fertile straths and glens to barren holdings on the sea-shore, began upwards of a century ago. The story of Highland Clearances, detailing the process by which sheep, grouse, and deer have been substituted for the gallant race to whose forefathers the chiefs owed their chieftainship, and Britain the successful issue of many a hard-fought battle, is a harrowing record of cruelty and oppression. The remains of ruined houses, the dismal desolation of many a once-fertile strath, and the depressed condition of the few who are now permitted to live on, but do not derive their subsistence from the soil, testify too eloquently of a system which has uncompromisingly sacrificed the rights and welfare of the people for the purpose of sport. The net result of the game-preserving mania is, that vast tracts of country, fit for cultivation, or suitable for grazing sheep and cattle, are reserved in unproductive idle. ness as the rearing-ground of game; while the crofters, liable to capricious eviction, with no incentive to industry, year by year having their holdings curtailed, and subject to the arbitrary rule of landlords' representatives, are living from hand to mouth on insufficient patches of the worst soil. Long and patiently Highlanders have endured a policy which has either crushed out or pauperised the rural population; but the recent destitution and the growing discontent are ominous indications that an equitable reform of the Highland Land Laws cannot with safety be much longer delayed. This Association in contending for reform, as laid down in Article 2 of its Constitution, will proceed strictly on constitutional lines, and disclaiming any political bias, will endeavour to carry on its work irrespective of party politics. Whatever wrong-doing and injustice may be attributed to individuals, it is the system which permits wrong-doing and injustice that shall be attacked; and although it may sometimes be necessary to cite as illustrations the doings of individuals, anything tending to excite class prejudices shall be carefully avoided. On the support accorded the Association will depend the vigour and extent of its operations, and the Committee earnestly appeals for sympathy and support not only to Scotsmen, but to those who are interested in the welfare of a loyal people, and to all who are concerned in preserving the Highlands as a national health resort. II. TO THE HIGHLAND CROFTERS. The appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into your grievances is a tardy, though hopeful, acknowledgment on the part of the Government that the condition of the Highlands is not satisfactory. But, however fully you may justify your complaints and prove your case, the history of all great reforms should teach you that the changes necessary to promote your welfare will not be conceded without earnest effort and a well directed agitation on your part. We would suggest for your consideration the following remedial reforms as the object to which your agitation should be directed, viz. :— Such changes in the Land Laws as will secure— (1) A Durable Tenure, under which the power of landlords to evict the people capriciously shall be abolished. (2) Fair Rents, fixed, wherever necessary, by a Land Court. (3) Due Compensation to Tenants for their improvements. (4) Such a re-appointment of the land as shall admit of its being used for the production of food for man, instead of allowing it, as at present, in so many instances, to lie waste for sporting purposes. (5) A well-considered scheme, by which tenants shall, under equitable conditions, be assisted to become owners of their holdings and all waste lands capable of improvement shall be reclaimed and rendered productive. Your protests and complaints have hitherto been unheeded by Parliament, because a privileged body of landlords-hereditary and irresponsible-has been supreme in the Legislature, and in the Courts of Justice, in making and interpreting the law; but, above all, because you yourselves have hitherto had no voice in choosing your legislators. But ere long you will be enfranchised, and you should lose no time in preparing for the next general election, so that you may be able to return such men to Parliament as will interest themselves on your behalf. The treatment to which you have been subjected in the past has been arbitrary and oppressive, because you have not been united; but now you must organise, be earnest of purpose, and prepared to work, and, if necessary, make sacrifices on behalf of the cause of Land Law Reform. We would, therefore, suggest that your first duty now is to form, as soon as possible, Associations, through which you could speak and act and make your grievances known. In forming a District Association, you might first convene a public meeting to discuss your affairs, resolve that an Association be formed, and appoint a provisional secretary and small committee. Then, the townships included in the district might each, under the direction of the committee, choose representatives, and these representatives, at a convenient time and place, might meet to frame a constitution and elect office-bearers. An organization embracing the whole of the Highlands should be aimed at, in which each one has assigned him his place and work; so that an injustice done to one may be deemed an injustice to all, and the many united may be prepared, at whatever sacrifice, to support the righteous cause of individuals or communities whose rights are assailed. Your cause has many influential well-wishers. This Association, for instance, includes among its adherents a goodly number of Members of Parliament, private gentlemen, clergymen, doctors of medicine, barristers, professors, and others, who will earnestly support your efforts; but on your own unity and determination success will chiefly depend; for, in the words of the old proverb, "God helps them that help themselves." Any assistance or advice that this Association can give shall be readily rendered, and it is earnestly hoped that you will give the foregoing suggestions your serious consideration, and take such action as may be necessary without delay. In an address, addressed specially III. TO SCHOOLMASTERS, The Secretary says:-The reform of the Land Laws is a SOCIAL QUESTION, and it is not only desirable, but essential to the success of the movement, that differences of opinion as to Political and Church matters should not be permitted to create disunion in the ranks of the Land Law Reformers. The Highland Land Law Reform Associations already formed, may at least lay claim to having aims and objects at once definite and intelligible; and the number and influence of the gentlemen who have sc disinterestedly espoused the cause of the Crofters, should be an encouragement and incentive to those who are more immediately concerned in effecting Land Law Reform, to organise similar associations in every Highland parish. The battle of Land Law Reform can only be won by earnestness of purpose and unity of action on the part of the Crofters and their friends; and this Association ventures to hope that your influence will be exerted in promoting the social emancipation of the people amongst whom your lot is cast, and their education in the duties of citizenship, on the same lines and under the same name as this Association. PALACE CHAMBERS, 9 BRIDGE STREET, HIGHLANDERS OF NEW ZEALAND AND THEIR DISTRESSED COUNTRYMEN AT HOME. In addition to the sums already acknowledged, the Editor of the Celtic Magazine has received another draft from the Highlanders of Invercargill, New Zealand, for £33. Is., to be distributed at his discretion among destitute people in the North West Highlands and Islands. This makes a total sum remitted to him by our patriotic countrymen, in that district, of £181. 10s.; for which, in the name of the Highlanders at home, we heartily thank them. Our good friends will be glad to learn that now no unusual destitution exists. It is, therefore, thought best to apply most of the money on hand to the supply of corn and potato seed in the Spring. Sufficient provision has been already made for the Strome Ferry fishermen. The following is the letter accompanying the remittance, with a list of the subscribers: INVERCARGILL, NEW ZEALAND, 8th Nov. 1883. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, Esq., Dean of Guild, Inverness. DEAR SIR, -We have now the pleasure to enclose draft on London for the sum of £33. Is., being the third instalment towards the fund for the relief of our distressed countrymen in the North. Enclosed please find list of the contributors, and we shall thank you to give it publicity as you have done in the case of our former remittances. We note with pleasure (by your letter of 28th August that appeared in the Inverness Courier) the alacrity displayed by you in the distribution of the funds in hand; and L although the value dispensed to each claimant may not be intrinsically much, still, the knowledge that their comparatively prosperous countrymen in this distant part of the world have not forgotten them, may make the gift doubly valuable to them. As yet we have not heard as to the results of the Royal Commission, and presume that their labours are not yet finished. Much sympathy is expressed here by a number of the contributors to this fund, on behalf of the Strome Ferry fishermen, who were wrongfully imprisoned for conscience sake; and we leave it to your discretion as to whether a portion of these funds should be applied in their case. - Yours faithfully, ... ... Hugh Mackenzie, Ronald Macdonald, and Finlay Murchison, Waikaia ; ... R. Crawford, D. Maccoll, D. Mackenzie, and T. Buchanan, Tapanui ; CELTIC AND LITERARY NOTES. 550 800 900 2 10 O £33 I O AN interesting feature has recently been introduced into the Pictou News, Nova Scotia, its conductors having added a Gaelic department to its columns. The superintendence of this portion has been intrusted to the accomplished hands of the Rev. A. MacLean Sinclair, Springville, N.S., well-known to the readers of the Celtic Magazine. Colonial and other Highlanders should extend to the Pictou News the encouragement which so patriotic and interesting a step as this deserves at their hands. Another adminicle in the evidence of a decided Gaelic revival comes to us in the form of an announcement that the energetic and large-hearted Celt who holds the office of Minister of St Giles' in Edinburgh, is about to make the experiment of having Gaelic services, conducted by Highland clergymen of all denominations, as part of the non-canonical ordinances of the Cathedral. We have no doubt that this new departure by Dr Cameron Lees will be beneficial in many ways, and one of these may be the promotion, in a greater degree, of intercommunion between the Gaelic membership of the various denominations. There is no department of Gaelic worship where improvement could be introduced with greater advantage than in that of music. Without even approaching the subject of organs in public worship, there can be no question that there is room for vast improvement in our Gaelic praise. Our beautiful musical language is often twisted and tortured to suit ill-adapted and ill-sung Lowland and foreign tunes. We would direct the attention of Dr Cameron Lees and his Highland musical friends to the question, in the hope that some improvement may in this respect result from his new departure. It is scarcely a matter for congratulation that our native country cannot at present be charged with being a region "Where men display, to congregations wide, Devotion's every grace except the heart." Another intimation of the extension of the area of Gaelic activity comes from Chicago. A Gaelic congregation is about to be established in the "Empire City" under the pastorate of the Rev. Dr Campbell, of Collingwood, Ontario. We trust that under such able and experienced superintendence, the Gaelic congregation of Chicago will be a large and prosperous one. The Scottish Review for December last contains a very interesting and important article on "The Irish Language," with incidental references to Scottish Gaelic. Students of Celtic philology will find in it a careful and intelligent survey of the field, and a description of the available adjuncts and implements for its cultivation. What promises to be a sumptuous book, has been announced by Messrs Blackwood. We refer to "The Old Scottish Regimental Colours," by Andrew Ross, S.S.C., Honorary Secretary to the Old Scottish Regimental Colours Committee. Mr Ross deems the present time a fitting one to place on record the "spirit-stirring deeds" of the Scottish Regiments, public interest having recently been pointedly directed to the subject in connection with the imposing ceremonial enacted in St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, on the occasion of depositing in that ancient shrine the emblems of Scotland's military renown. The work is to be illustrated with a series of full-page representations of the old colours, and, judging from advanced plates with which we have been favoured, this part of the work will be a perfect luxury o chromo-lithographic art, apart altogether from the historical narrative, and the intrinsic interest attaching to the venerable and battle-stained subjects which these illustrations represent. LAYS O' HAME AND COUNTRY. By ALEXANDER LOGAN. A NEW volume of Scottish poetry by the author of "Poems and Lyrics," needs no commendation from us. The present volume completely bears out the author's previous character as a tender and sympathetic exponent of the voices of the "soul in nature." It were difficult to select specimens surpassing the others, where most, if not all, are so full of delicate and pleasing beauty. We prefer to put our commendation in the form of advice by telling all "brither Scots," to get the book and enjoy it as we have done. The volume is tastefully got up and admirably printed. |