[Letter from Roger Casement (Ballycastle, Antrim) to [Robert] Donovan, discussing plans for a Press Agency; Irish MPs and Home Rule; an article in the 'Freeman's Journal' on King Leopold's policy in Congo; anti-enlisting; anti-jurying; Irish trade and cus

of his selfish and Criminal [??] of the Congo was inspired by Protestant missionaries and bigots - like myself! That is only one and the lies told in defence of his policy of opression - I went out to tackle that abominable wrong in Central Africa just because I was an Irishman who knew from my own country's history how the plunderer and raider always sets to work - and because good people and honest people in England has taken up the cause of the Congo natives I do not think any Irishman - however ardent his patriotism - need fear to identify himself with those well doers in such a cause. The Jingos and Imperialists are

was made to discover the authors or printers.

I hope the "Freeman" will keep anti-enlisting well to the fore and if Trial by jury is not second to Ireland either by repeal of the Statute of George IV or by a Determining Act withdrawing the challenging power of the Crown that then The "Freeman" may lend its aid to an Anti-Jurying Campaign!

Have you ever noted Sir Robert Peel's letter of February 1829 to the (Protesant) Bishop of Limerick on the Emancipation of the Catholics? There is a paragraph in it

on the Irish jury system which should serve today for a text to Irish jurors.

There are many things we can get settled once for all in this Liberal Parliment - and the jury packing fraud is one. Another would be an Irish Trade mark for all goods of Irish make. Yett another, to secure separate import and export returns for Ireland, sharing just what we sell and buy. This last would be of great importance to our Irish industrial revival. Until we know, and see in brutal figures, what we purchase from Great Britain of things we could and should make ourselves we are not on sure ground.

Seperate Customs Statistics for Ireland would not involve any great outlay ; and I am convinced that such annual returns would be of the highest value in awakening the national mind to the importance of the many questions depending on commercial activity.

This is a much longer letter than I set out to write - but I have jotted down my thoughts as they came.

Yours sincerely,

Roger Casement

P.S. A pro Mrs Alice Milligans lecture in Irish

history (the Lantern is not a good one - the League might do far better) Do you not think it would be an Excellent thing if we had a Lecture with good slides, devoted to some foreign countries which enjoy Home Rule? For instance Denmark. Denmark is about the size of Munster - she exported to Great Britain in 1904: - Butter £ 9.572.439 Eggs 1.648.367 Bacon 4.294.017 Total £15.574.823

Now a good Lecture on Denmark - her national life; Parliament, Schools, industries, judicial system, police and juries would tell a lesson we need every day in Ireland. The

5 cost of getting good photos re - of Danish life would be little - one of your coming young men could spend his holidays in Denmark and work up the subject - and why on Earth should not the United Irish League take the matter up and [turn?] its own organised lecturers? The Primrose League in England has kept Toryism alive, I believe, by its Lecture vans - and if such a cause can make such appeals to the people how much more should a Peoples' cause adopt these popular methods.

Then there are other hapy little lands which govern themselves - Norway, Portugal, Roumania, Holland and Belgium: all these