STATE OF THE IRISH POOR.
The speech of the Earl of Darnley, (himself an Irish Landlord,) in the British
House of Lords on the condition of the Irish poor, states an amount of wretchedness
in that country almost incredible. His lordship appears to think the sympathy
bestowed on the negroes in the West Indies, and on the Turks, would be much
better employed on a very numerous class of sufferers nearer home, "whose
wretchedness was more squalid, whose houses, clothes and food were worse, than
those of an population on the surface of the habitable globe." With the
exception of liberty, the Irish peasantry were in all circumstances worse off
than the slaves of the West Indies; and it was obvious, with the existing facility
of intercourse with England, and the consequent emigration of the Irish, labourers
to that country, that either the Irish peasantry must by some means be raised
to the level of the English, or the later must come to endure all the wretchedness
of the Irish pauper. He quoted from the testimony of Dr. Doyle, the Roman Catholic
Bishop of Kildare, in order to show that his representations on this subject
were not exaggerated. That prelate declares the distress to be "indescribably
great," and that not only "the lives of many hundreds are shortened
by it, but their energies are paralysed, and they rendered incapable of any
useful exertion." Notwithstanding this extreme distress, adds the Bishop,
these poor people marry without care or precaution. With all this, the Irish
poor are not suffering, it seems, the extremity of distress. These are comparatively
good times for them, - they are enjoying their halcyon days,- for such was the
cheapness of potatoes, that a man and his wife could live for three farthings
a day and as the price of bacon was fortunately high, the pig according
to the old story, paid the rent.
The population of Ireland is stated at not less than eight millions, of whom
not less than six millions were probably in the distressed state just described!
It appeared that the increase of population was the ratio of the sparceness
of it. Thus in Ulster, where it was most dense, the ratio of increase was but
11 per cent, and in Connaught, where it was least so, it was 23 per cent. The
true remedy for all these evils was, said his lordship, the diffusion of capital
through the country; and this was what was anticipated and designed in the Union.
But it was in vain to expect this in the insecure state of Ireland; and that
insecurity would continue as long as the religious distinctions existing there,
continued to irritate and unsettle the country. Eight or nine millions, of Irish
capital were lying in the English funds at this time, because of its employment
at home was not deemed secure, and it was on this account that the funds were
rising. Meanwhile in Ireland the people were starving and dying the the streets
and highways.- Even those who found work for the lower orders, were in some
instances, obliged to feed them for six weeks, before they were strong enough
for labour. If their lordships, said the speaker, would visit Ireland, they
would see human animals enduring the utmost misery with the most exemplary fortitude.
Balt. Gaz. |