A concerned reader has written a letter to the editor to shed light on an incident of persecution against a Protestant doctor, Dr Long, and his Protestant patients in Limerick. According to the letter, Roman Catholics in Ireland are demanding license rather than liberty, and this incident exemplifies the lawless intolerance they are exhibiting towards Protestants in the country.
The author stresses the importance of making the public aware of this situation at a time when Romanists in Ireland are clamoring for additional privileges and expressing sensitivity about the King’s Declaration and Oath. They urge members of Parliament not to be swayed by Lord Salisbury’s dogmatism and unconstitutional declaration on this subject and to avoid tampering with the Declaration or Oath.
According to the letter, Dr Long and his patient’s entire family have been Protestant since birth, as the family’s patriarch informed the priest. Despite being made aware of this, the priest refused to leave the room and continued to defy the family, eventually joining with the mob outside the household. The mob had smashed the windows of the family’s room and appeared to be watching the house, hurling abuse and stones at the family members if they ventured outside.
In addition to the physical harm caused by the mob, the family has been threatened with eviction from their home and had their water supply cut off. Given the father’s illness, the family has been unable to procure food or medicine due to the hostile atmosphere created by the mob.
The letter goes on to recount the mob’s further acts of violence and intimidation, including placing a tar barrel beneath the family’s nearly pane-less window and setting it alight, causing the family, which included a sick infant, to almost suffocate from the smoke.
When the perpetrators of these actions were brought before the local court, they were not reprimanded nor were measures taken to stop their lawless behavior. Instead, the magistrates allowed a Roman Catholic priest to address the audience in the courtroom, but did not grant the same privilege to a Protestant clergyman. Furthermore, the priest openly declared in court that his followers would continue their attacks on Dr Long, even if he were prevented from practicing medicine in Limerick.
The letter’s author points out that the priests responsible for orchestrating this disgraceful event are likely a product of the “Maynooth” system, which is supported using funds appropriated from the Irish Protestant Church. They argue that similar results would occur under Mr Balfour’s University proposal.
In conclusion, the letter to the editor sheds light on the ongoing persecution faced by Protestants in Ireland and, potentially, elsewhere. The author urges those in positions of authority not to be swayed by Roman Catholic demands for increased privileges and stresses the importance of upholding principles of liberty and justice for all citizens, regardless of their religious denomination.
Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 24 June 1901
