Jerilderie Letter, p. 46

Irish people in the colonies were often treated badly by police and government bodies – here Ned describes, and expresses sympathy for, such treatment. Ned's reputation as a champion of the downtrodden may stem from his being well regarded by the disadvantaged Irish community.

 

Created 1879. Manuscript: letter.

 

Accession number: MS 13361

 

From the State Library of Victoria's Manuscript Collection.

 

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Transcript

 

pulling their toe and finger nails and on the wheel. and every torture imaginable more was transported to Van Diemand's Land to pine their young lives away in starvation and misery among tyrants worse than the promised hell itself all of true blood bone and beauty, that was not murdered on their own soil, or had fled to America or other countries to bloom again another day, were doomed to Port Mcquarie Toweringabbie norfolk island and Emu plains and in those places of tyrany and condemnation many a blooming Irishman rather than subdue to the Saxon yoke Were flogged to death and bravely died in servile chains but true to the shamrock and a credit to Paddys land What would people say if I became a policeman and took

Ned Kelly's Jerilderie letter