The Sun.
London, England, 1831-07-18 00:00:00

FAMINE IN MAYO.

GALWAY, JULY 1.

Sta,—l take the liberty of again soliciting your atten-
tion, and that of your benevolent committee, to the appal-
-1 ling destitution which prevails in this town and neigh-
, hourhood, as well as the entire western districts of the
counties of Galway and Mayo.
We had hoped that the relief afforded would have re-
pressed the wide-spreading desolation ; but I grieve to
attest the mournful increase of famine,, with all its awful
accompaniments. His Grace the Archbishop of Tuam
states, that in the course of his late tour he has ascertained
that the parishes of Barna and Spiddul, in our immediate
neighbourhood, are in " pestilence and famine." It is with
anguish of heart that I am obliged to claim for the Clud-
dagh fishermen and their families, 5,000 in nutnber,
woful pre-eminence in calamity. Words cannot express
it. lam sure there does not exist on the habitable globe
want characterized by more deeply marked features of in-
tense suffering than appears in these three quarters, espe-
cially the last. But it is vain to particularise in such a
wide and expanded scene of terrific and almost universal
devastation. In a community of 45,000 souls, there are
not, I am sure, less than 30,000 in extreme distress ; and
including the distressed districts in both counties, I can-
not estimate the number pining in afflicted indigence at
less than half a million. Many deaths have occurred from
starvation in the town itself ! Hordes of famishing hu-
man beings, from all parts, daily swell our own peculiar
share of misery, and we are in frequent apprehension of
falling victims to contagion. The labouring classes roam
along our door idle from mere want of employment, evinc-
ing in their worn and hollow countenances the frightful
ravages of unrelenting hunger. They were forced thus
bitterly to linger by, even whilst the spring business was
in progress, and how many must have been added to the
forlorn and sorrowing groups, now that occupation in this
way is over ! There is, then, the accession of hundreds
from the distilleries, mills, and corn stores, which, at this
season of the year, from the deficient supply of water, are
always at a stand.

hasteneth, and an all-just Providence, in its
wise forecast, bath visited us iu this way for some inscrut-
able purpsse which human eye durst not scan, and is
known only to its own sacred behests. Yet it is not the less
our duty, bending in resignation to the supreme beneficence
of that Power which ruleth our destinies with resistless
sway, to extend the feebleness of our, aid and service to our
perishing fellow creatures.
I have the honour to be, Sir, your most faithful servant,
t ED. FRENCH, D. D., R. C. Bishop.
John Smith, Esq., &c.

INIALTON ELECTION.

(From the Leeds Mercury).

Wednesday last being the day appointed for the
election of a Member of Parliament for the borough
of Mahon, in the room of Francis Jeffrey, Esq., the
Lord Advocate, the morning was ushered in by the
ringing of bells and other demonstrations of joy.
At ten o'clock, the only candidate, William Ca-
vendish, Esq., accompanied by the Hon. William
Howard, arrived at Kimberley's hotel, and in half an
hour afterwards set out, fully decorated with orange
ribands, to perambulate the town, preceded by a
band of music, and a procession.
The procession arrived at the hustings, which
were erected in the centre of the Market-place,
about eleven o'clock, when, after the usual forma-
lities, no other candidate being proposed, the 13o-
rough Bailiff declared William Cavendish, Esq. duly
elected.

W. CAVENDISH, Esq., then came forward, and
said—Gentlernen,wirh respect to the political ques-
tions of the present day, the question which stands
prominently forward is the measure of Reform pro-
posed by his Majesty's Ministers—(Hear, hear)—
' and although by the time I shall have taken my seat,
I trust the Bill will have made a still further ad-
vance, so that the assistance which I can render it
by my vote will be comparatively trilling, I shall
give it my hearty concurrence in the final stages it
has to pass through, before it goes to the Upper
House of Parliament.—(Cheers.) I do not
mean to assert that this Bill is totally unex-
ceptionable in all its clauses—(Hear, hear,
hear)—but I believe that, as a whole, it is as
practicable as any measure that could have bets)
brought forward; and that it was as likely as any
to meet with the general sanction of the country,
the result of the last general election must have proved
to every unprejudiced mind.—(Applause.) I give
it my support, because 1 trust that it will restore
that confidence between the people and their repre-
sentatives which has long been wanting—(Applause)
—but which appears to me indispensably necessary
for the security of ail the established institutions of
the country, and for the satisfactory carrying on of
the Government of the country.—(Cheers.) As
for the clamour about revolu;ion, and all the catas-
trophes which same persons imagine will result from
this nentsure, 1 do mot entertain any such arre-
hensions. I, on the contrary, believe that it is
surest means to guard against revolution. I cannot
believe that there are many among the Reformers
who are desirous of disorder or confusion; but there
is a very general arid a very natural wish to have a
Parliament, which will consent to no unnecessary
expenditure of the public money—(Hear)--and
will really endeavour to alleviate the public burdens
to as great an extent as possible.—(Applause.) To
the want of an effectual Reform, to the system of
Parliamentary influence which has long prevailed,
has, I am convinced, been mainly owing the enor-
mous increase of the national debt, and consequently
of taxation,—(Hear)—and although it must be re-
membered that evils which have been long aceu.
mutating cannot be removed in a day, I confidently
hope that a Reformed House of Commons will be
able to do much; at least I am sure it will endeavour
to do its best—(Hear)—and I shall therefore cor-
dially support the Bill introduced by his Majesty's
Ministers.—(Cheers.) There is another subject on
which also I feel most strongly, and which is a sub-
ject of the deepest interest to the inhabitants of
this borough. I believe that this county was the
earliest, as it always has been the most zealous in
the cause of negro emancipation.—(Applause.)
There are, no doubt, difficulties in the way of the
removal of this, as there always me,sli be where
abuses have become inveterate by neglect : but it
has always appeared to me that the existence of
slavery in any part of the British dominions is one of
the deepest stains on the character of England,
(Cheers.) On this point I trust his Majesty's Mi-
nisters will be prepared before long to take some
effectual steps.—(Cheers.)
Witt. ALLEN, Esq., then came forward and said,
—Gentlemen, I stand here to-day as the represens
tative of the Lord Advocate.—(Applause.) Par-
ticular circumstances and strong connections, which
you can justly appreciate, have induced him to sit
for his native country in the present Parliament. He
cannot, however, separate himself from the con-
nexion which was formed between you and him,
without desiring me to express to you the deep
sense he will ever feel of your kindness towards him.
—(Hear, hear.)
At five o'clock William Cavendish, Esq., and a
select party of his friends, to the number of sixty,
sat down to a sumptuous dinner, including every
delicacy of the season, at Kimberley's Hotel. The
greatest harmony and hilarity were kept up till a
late hour.

We are happy to notice that the export trade,
the chief vent for is at Liverpool, has been particu-
larly brisk during the last month. Cotton manufactures
were exported to the value of upwards of 1,100,0001
Woollen manufactures, which were thought some time ago
to be decaying, to the value of nearly 600,000 L, and the
infant manufacture of silks has exceeded 18,000/. for the
month only,.—Liveryool Courier.