The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-18 00:00:00

STATE OF IRELAND.

Mr. O'CONNELL, in pursuance of notice, rose to briug
under the attention of the House the state of famine and disease
in Ireland, but. his opening observations were delivered in such
a low tone of voice that they were totally inaudible in the
gallery. He was understood, however, to say, that on the 3d
of February he gave notice of his intention to move for a
Committee of the whole House to take into consideration the
state of famine and disease in Ireland, wish a view to some
means being devised for tl e relief of the suffering
people of that country. That was the motion which
he intended now to move. The importance of the subject he
was sure was fully admitted by all whom he was then address-
ing, and in making such a motion he disclaimed being actuated
by any party motive, anti in return he fully expected that he
would be met by no party opposition.—(Hear, hear, and
cheers.) He trusted that the House would enter fairly into
the consideration of this question. he House would have
heard already that there was a most calamitous prospect for the
people of Ireland. The extent of the calamity was not accu-
rately known in this country. He did not entertain any hope
that the bringing of his motion before the House would have
the effect of avoiding the present famine in Ireland, but before
he sat down he hoped to be able at least to show that the ca-
lamity was far more awful ansi extensive than the House was
aware. In order, however, to explain the frightful extent of
this calamity, it would be necessary to explsin the previous
state of Ireland. The calamity, it would be seen by the docu-
ments which he intended bringing before the House, would
show that that calamity was not the result of
the negligence of the Irish people, or the sterility of
their soil. It was not even occasioned by a deficient
harvest; it was the dispensation of Providence, which no man
could control, and the charitable and the humane were, there-
fore, called upon to relieve a people placed in such an unfor-
tunate position ; they were certainly bound to mitigate the
calamity as much as possible. The tural population of Ireland,
instead of increasing, as in all other countries, were fast fading
and wasting away. It had been reported in this country that
the people of Ireland were on the verge of famine. That
report was riot precisely true, because it did not go far enough.
The agricultural population of Ireland were at the present
moment in an actual state of starvation. He proposed to prove
the truth of hi, assertions by quoting from indisputable documents.
He (Mr. O'Connell) asserted, and he could bear out his asser-
tion by referring to authorities of the most unquestionable
character, that the misery of the people of Ireland was in-
creasing. He held in his hand a return of the amount of
population in Ireland in the years 1821, 1831, and 1841 ; 'and
he found the matter placed beyond a doubt. The population
between the years 1821 and 1831 increased by near a million,
but between the years 1831 and 1841 it increased by only
437,950 individuals, or less by half than in the previous ten
years. That could not be accounted for by the emigration
reports; but the House had the fact staring them in the face,
that in the course of ten years the population of the country
went back by nearly half a million ; fur in 1841 there was
half a million less of human beings in Ireland than there should
be, and nothing but the distress of the country could account
for it.—( Hear, hear.) The next document to which he
begged to refer was a report of the Irish Poor-law Com-
missioners, ordered by the House, and published in 1835, in
which they declared that 1,300,000 of the people of Ireland
were in a constant state of destitution, and that
for several weeks in the year they were compelled
to subsist on the charity of their neighbours.—( Hear, hear. )
The next fact given by the same return is, that the civil
population are to the amount of 36 per cent. living in single
rooms, and in some instances, two or more families live in the
same room. The most important of all reports that have been
furnished is the one furnished by Lord Doven's Commission.
That Commission was formed of 400 gentlemen of rank and
experience, and, perhaps, a better corps never issued from the
hands of Government. He would wish to implore the atten-
tion of the House to the facts which they related. They re-
ported from evidence given to them, and from their own obser-
vations, and they were better able to make those observations,
as they were all landed proprietors. They state that the agri-
cultural population of Ireland suffered great privatious and
hardships. They were badly fed, badly clothed, badly housed,
and badly paid for their labour. It was impossible to describe
their suffering's—their only food was the potato, their only
drink was water, and they had hardly a protection against the
weather. The .larger portion of the people came under the
denomination of agriculturists, and they had to endure more
privation than the labourers in any ether country its Europe. Let
the House remembt r that the men who made that report were not
demagogues. They were men distinctly and emphatically be-
yond the possibility of deceit or of being deceived as to the
condition of the agricultural labourer. By the last census the
population was returned as 7,000,000, and 5,000,000 of them
were described as labourers. He was glad to be able to ac-
quaint the House with the details of this report, made forty-five
years after the union of Ireland with England—the richest and
the most industrious country on the face of the earth—and
this report was made by persons most competent to the task.
They proved that the labourers of Ireland were badly clothed,
housed, and fed. Their houses were pervious to the rain,
their only food was the potato, and their only drink was water.
They suffered more than any nation on the face of Europe, and
he would appeal to every gentleman whether that report did
not show a great amount of suffering ? Let them remember
that they did not at that time govern themselves—they had no
Irish Parliament. They had been forty-five years in their hands,
and they were responsible for the state of Ireland. Let it be
remembered that this was not the year 1844 or 1845, when the
harvest was abundant. The statement made by the Commis-
sion was at a period of distress. He would refer to one of the re •
ports of the Commission under Lord Devon. The report
stated that through the disease of the potato the people had
been brought to a state of great suffering, and that they .had
exhibited the greatest patience. The re port said that the state
of the people was not brought on by themselves. Ile trusted,
then, that this statement would be attended to. The report
further said, that any improvement which had taken place in
the condition of the people was not to be attributed to any ad-
ditional demand for labour, but to the blessings of the tem•
perance movement in that cuuntry. The people then in that
country were suffering greatly, and something should be done
to alleviate that distress. The labourers were only able to have po-
tatoes—petatoes was their only food, and water their only drink.
All this ha.s, however, failed them— the potato, at least, their
most important —ind, ed, their only means of subsistence—had
failed them. A winter was now set in ; many of the people
had not firing, nor even a blanket to cover them.
He had other documents, which were Parliamentary docu-
ments; and lie would quote them to prove, that the wretched
condition of the people had not been over-rated. The sum of
the statistical details of the report, which he held in his hand,
then was, that there had been imported from Ireland in the
year 1845 as much as 2,145,703 quarters of wheat, barley, and
oats, and as much as 2,184,064 cwts. of oatmeal and flour;
showing that the crops in Ireland during the previous year had
been both abundant and valuable. It was evident, therefore, 1
that the inhabitants of Ireland, if they could have retained the I
provisions which they themselves had produced, would
have had sufficient supply for all their wants. But in addition
to this, there had been an importation of cattle in the same
year to the number of 2,853, if sheep 2,776, and of swine
104,141. These numbers showed a singular anomaly between
the state of Ireland and the produce which it bore for the sus-
tenance of its inhabitants; when a country so blessed by Pro-
vidence, and so cursed by man, presented such a contradiction,
he really; thought it presented a paradox which loudly called
for inquiry. Others might account for it if they could; but he
thought it was requisite that some measure should be immediately
taken to ascertain the cause. He would only observe that the
mildest features of want in Ireland were equal to the worst
famine of other countries. It vas necessary to state these facts
with regard to Ireland in order to chew the formidable nature
of the evil with which the country was threatened, and he
thought it was unnecessary to make any further comments to
bring it under the notice of Government. Some of the Ministry
were acquainted with the facts which he had detailed, but he
had felt it his duty to bring the case of Ireland as near as
possible before the House, and he hoped, therefore, he
should be excused for any prolixity which he might have evinced
in making these statements respecting Ireland. All these docu-
ments showed that one-half of the potato crop was re-
- ported to have, been destroyed so long ago as November
last—( Hear, hear)— and it was not to be denied that
more authentic documents could be laid upon the table
These documents showed that the disease had deprived fami-
lies of their food. They presented additional evidence to that
furnished by the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir Robert Peel) last
night, and showed the unmitigating misery and poverty which
existed in Ireland at the precept moment. A Committee was
appointed last year to inquire into the state of the disease in
the potato crop. They sat at the Mansion House, Dublin,
and issued 983 letters to various parties throughout Ireland,
requesting information as to the failure of the potato crop, and
the consequent condition of the people. The replies which
they received from clergymen of the Established Church, from
Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, and poor-law guardians,
showed that the potato disease was almost universal throughout
Ireland, and that the people were undergoing the most unmi-
tigated sufferings. The Hon. Gentleman then referred to
other documents, but owing to the low tone in which he spoke,
their purport could not be heard in the gallery. The Hon.
Gentleman next referred to a document which he held in his
hand, from a county in the south of Ireland, the name of which
we did not learn,from the low tone in which he spoke. It con-
tained the attestations of clergymen belonging to the Established
Church, and the ministers of the various Roman Catholic and
Dissenting congregations, showing the great prevalence of the .
potato disease. He had in his possession the Government
returns obtained from every part of Ireland, detailing the state
of the disease. He would have felt hardly justified in bringing I
them before the House, had it not been that some of the leading
journals here had during the last ten days denied that the
evil in the north of Ireland was so great as represented,
or that there was any danger of an insufficiency of food. He
did not accuse them of acting from party motives, but he i
believed they were acting under a delusion, and were deluding
others.— (Hear.) The evil was not confined to one locality or 1
part of the country, but was spread throughout the land.
Everywhere the cry was of the coming famine. A letter in his

hand showed that in Tralee the labourers were only receiving
2.1 d. per day, and the tradesmen, were paid even less; and
here the potato disease prevailed to a great extent. The llon.
Gentleman here read an extract from the letter in support of
this statement, and to the effect that as a result fever prevailed,
and was geatly on the increase both there and at Killarney.
Leaving these, he would go to Londonderry, in the north of
Ireland. Ile had before him a report of the Derry Agricul-
tural Society, from which he would read an extract. The
Honourable Gentleman here quoted a passage, showing that
the evil of the potato disease existed in a very
aggravated form throughout the north of Ireland.
He would next produce a return from Castletownroach, in
the county of Cork. The respected clergyman of that parish
states that the disease is progressing. The next returns he
would produce were from Down, Armagh, Antrim, and
Monaghan, where the disease was unchecked, although every
method was adopted that was suggested for their preservation.
In Donouglinnire the poverty was increasing with the disease,
and want, of emplotment would add more to the impending
ruin. From the documents he had received from the county
of Clare and Galway, he found that famine and dis-
ease were no less prevalent in those places than
in the other parts of Leland he had already mentioned.
He wished to he understood that whenever there was a scarcity
of provisions in Ireland, it was accompanied by disease, princi-
pally typhus fever ; and that disease continued, no matter what
might he the season or the temperature of the air—it was not
affected by tee atmosphere. It always ceased when provisions
became abundant. The House was now aware cf the cause,
and it had in its bands the cure of the evil—via., the Froduc-
tien of a suflleiency of food to the people of Ireland. The dis-
ease always ceased the moment an abundant harvest arrived.
In the year 1734, the summer was cold and wet accompanied by
a scarcity of provisions. The summer of the next year,3s, was also
cold and wet, and provisions were not more plentiful than they
had been in thelsreeeeding year. 1736 wag an extremely hot
summer. In 34 the disease was prevalent, it continued through
35. In 36. when provisions began to be more plentiful, it be-
gan to abate ; and in 1737, when Providence blessed the country
with a most abundant harvest, the disease disappeared alto-
gether. During the years of scarcity the disease was always
most prevalent, and in times of plenty it disappeared totally.
In the year 1740 the spring was dry and cold—the autumn and
winter were frosty—a great dearth of provision occurred which
towards the latter end of the year increased almost to a famine.
In that year 80,000 persons perished from this disease. The
Honourable and Learned Member then went on to compare
from the report the state of society with the state of
the tillage and consequent want in the years 1798, 1800,
1801, 1817, 1841, 1811, and 1843 with the experience
of 1793. This, he said, sufficiently showed the con-
nexion between want and misery, starvation and disease ;
and these facts showed that the connexion was the same in
1843 and 1845 as it was in 1793. the year of national excite—
ment, and in 1798, the year of the great rebellion. 'This was
the cause of the deaths of the 80,060 individual., of whom he
had previously spoken. He had shown the House that there
was no peasantry so badly off as the peasantry of Ireland. He
had shown them that there were nearly five millions of the
peasantry of that country me the point of starvation. lie had
shown the House all this from the report of Lord Devon's
Commission, and it was the duty of the House to propose some-
thing to alleviate the distress. Let him tell them what he pro-
posed. He proposed that the House should join him in the
most strenuous application of some remedy for those evils. He
was there to show that Ireland had all the resources in
their own power. He proposed that House should take
from the landlords of that country means of remedying the
evils. That they should tax the absentee landlords of that
country 30 or 40 per cent., and the resident landlords who
did their duty to their country, a comparatively smaller one of
10 per cent. 'That would snake a fund, which would assist
the people of that country in a very material degree, and re-
move much of the distress which affected her. The poor;laws
t of Ireland were not adequate to the present state of the coun-
try. The poor-law unions would make very good hospitals in
cases of sickness, and there was no doubt that there would be
many claims upon them rising out of the present distressed
state of the people. The lanes in Dublin are full of fever.
Fever is abroad over the whole land. It had pleased Provi-
dence to inflict a great calamity. It was the business of that
House to abate it as soon and as well as they could. There
were the railroads. Why should they not take some
strong measure with respect to railroads ?—( Hear, hear.) He
hoped to see the railways placed in the kends of the Govern-
ment. lie hoped to see a Board au horised by Govsrnment
to see what railways were most fitted to give employment in
Ireland ; and he trusted that the House would sanction any
motion for that purpose. Famine was coming on—fever was
corning on—and this House should place in the hands of the
Government power to meet the evil. If they had that autho-
rity they would know svhat railroads were required for Leland,
so as to give the most extensive employment to the people.
The decisions of such a board he believed would be received
with more attention than the decisions of the House itself, for
it was a general impression, and he coincided in the opinion,
that there was no worse tribunal to decide on the merits of
those lines than the Committees originated by the House.
He had ate ended one of the Committees himself,
and he really slid not know very well how he was voting.—
( Laughter.) He thought that if 100,000/. were subscribed for
a railway, the Government ought to advance 100,000/. more ;
thus eeabling the capitalist in Ireland to meet his monthly
payments. This money might be lent at the rate of perhaps
1 per cent., which might be increased to 4, as in the circum-
stances they might think fit. This suggestion was merely
thrown out for the consideration of the House, for his plan was
yet undgested. It might he said that the measures now before
the House would be sufficisnt to alleviate the distress in Ire-
land. Great evils, however, they knew required great reme-
dies. He now spoke, not from party views, but from the very
depth of his conscience. Death had already followed—further
death would follow the neglect of the House. The Hon.
Member then concluded by moving the motion of which he had
given notice.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM—I am sure that I express the
general sentiments of the House, whets I assure the Hon. and
Leareed Gentieman who has brought forward this subject, that
he is entitled to the respect and attention of every Member of
this House ; for it is not to be dissembled that the state of
Ireland, at the present moment, does deserve the serious at-
tention of Parliament. I agree with the Hon. and Learned
Gentleman, that the importance of this subject can hardly be
overrated. I also agree with the Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man in the persuasion, which he expressed at the commence-
ment of his speech, that whatever diversity of opinion may
, exist in various gnarters of this House upon various topics, the
subject now under discussion is one which will receive from
sI an parties the most patient and anxious consideration. It is
my painful duty to state, that having taken the utmost pains to
inform myselt sccurately on the facts of this case, I cannot
state that in any important particular the Hon. and Learned
Gentleman has exaggerated them. What arc the striking
facts? He has stated to us that a very large proportion of
' the potato crop of Ireland for the present year has failed.
Before we consider the effect of that statement, it is necessary
to remember how very large a proportion of the population of
' Ireland is dependent upon the potato, which is almost exclu-
sively their daily food. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman
has estimated that! seven-eighths of the whole population are
dependent upon the potato. 1 should perhaps place it at some-
; thing lower, but clearly, I believe it is admitted on all hands,
that at least one-half are so dependent. Now consider this
matter. One-half of the whole population of Ireland are de-
' pendent for their daily food upon the potato, which by a visita-
tion of Providence is this year a signal failure. It is very diffi-
cult to ascertain by any computation which we can make the
exact proportion or extent of that failure. Professor Playfair
and Mr. Lindley estimated the boas at an early period of the
year at half the entire crop. Admitting, for one moment, that
there is some exaggeration in that estimate, I will now state to
the House what is the result; of the most accurate inquiries which
the Government, with all their appliances, have been enabled to
make. They had instituted aCommission, at the head of which they
placed Mr. Lucas, Under Secretary of Ireland ; Colonel Jones
and Mr. M‘Gregor, who was at the head of the Irish Consta-
bulary ; the Poor-law Commissioner, Mr. 'Taylor, and Proles-
' Kane ; and she result of the inquiry had been stated to the
House last night by the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the
Government, in some of its most striking features. Reports
were read from the different electoral districts of Ireland, the
larger number of which, so far from proving that the report of
Professor Playfair and Mr. Lindley had been exaggerated,
showed, on the contrary, that the evil was not sufficiently told.
In ordinary years the great majority of the people of Ireland
are compelled to subsist for a period of six weeks upon more
expensive articles of food than potatoes, in consequence of the
crop of the preceding year not keeping until the crop of the
ensuing year was ready for food. 'To show the present condi-
tion and prospects of Ireland, let us suppose that the danger be
less than rue-half- I will take one-fourth. Suppose then the
failure of the potato crop this year be equal to ene-fourth of an
average crop. You have then, in addition to the six weeks'
scarcity of other years, to add one-fourth part of lq
months, that the population will be without their general sub-
sistence. By this calculation it appears that for four months
the people of Ireland must be fed upon food of a higher and
more expensive class. A more difficult and alarming case
could hardly be brought under the consideration of Parlia-
ment. It is not only the imperative duty of the Government,
but there is also a natursl impulse in the breasts of Hen.
Members of this House, under such circumstances as these,
which calls forth their sympathy, and urges upon them the ne-
cessity of adopting some speedy measures to remedy this evil.
The information to which 1 have alluded does not extend to
a later period than the Bth of January. Further statements
have been made since that date, which prove that the disease,
so far from being arrested, is still progressing ; that the pota-
toes are decaying, and that there is a great and increasing dan-
ger of want, unless some precaution be used to present this
evil These further statements also went to prove that, in
consequence of the disease, the seed could not be preserved for
the ensuing year. The effect of such a state of things I can-
not and dare not contemplate without feelings of the greatest
distress. He must also state that, from the accounts which had
arrived respecting the state of the country, 190 Isbouress had
recently come before a board of guardians complaining that
they had no employment, that no wages were offered to them,
and that they were suffering under extreme destitu; lose He
thought that that was a sight which was enough to excite the
pity of all who witnessed it. The Hon. and Learned Gentle-
mats (Mr. O'Connell) had seated the facts to which he had
called the attention of the House with considerable accuracy.
Ile( Sir James Graham) considered that the redundancy of the
population was, to a certain extent, the cause of a great Portion
of the evils under which that country laboured. He
considered this also the more strange, as the principal
towns of England and Scotland took ff a great deal of
that redundancy. In Manchester, Glasgow, and Liverpool,
immense numbers of the Irish were very laudably exercis-
ing their industry. The Right Hun. Gentleman proceeded to
say, s• The Hon. Gentleman (Mr. O'Connell), I think, also
observed that the imports into England were increasing." I think
I have now glanced at the principal points in reference to this
subject ; I now, therefore, wish to put the House in possession
of the steps which the Government had thought fit to take to
meet the present emergency. I think it necessary to state to
the House what has already been done, short as the session has
been, to meet the emergencies of the present moment. There
has already been given for the Public Works' Bill 50.000/., there
is a grant of 50,0001. in the Drainage Bill, and it is the
intention of her Majesty's Government to insert a clause in that
bill for the purpose of improving the inland navigation of Ire-
land, by joining the northern locks of the Shannon with the
southern ; the whole amount of money proposed to be advanced
for the carrying out of public works in Ireland, amounted to
46s1,000!. He wished to call to the recollection of the House
the fact, that in the last session of Parliament railway bills
were passed authorising an outlay of capital of nine millions. In
this country it was generally assumed that the whole outlay re-
quired for the construction of a railway, would extend over a
period of three years. The case, however, was different with
regard to Ireland, as the railways in that country required a
longer time to construct. At any rate, he could not divest
himself of the fact, that 2,00 ,0001. of money had already been
expended in the construction of railways in that country; and
from the reports he had received, it appeared that able-bodied
men had gone a considerable distance, leaving their families be-
hind, in order that they might obtain emplo)ment on
these works. It appeared, as the Hon. and Learned
Member had stated, by the reports which had been laid on
the table of the House, that the potato crop had failed through-
out a great portion of Ireland. Then with respect to the poor.
law. He admitted that that law was insufficient, and lie quite
agreed with the Hon. Gentleman that the number of poor-law
unions were insufficient to afford relief to the great numbers
who required it. He ( Sir James Graham) had stated the
n 'ewe of the measures which the Government considered
ought to be emiloyed with respect to Ireland, and he was sure
the House would give her Majesty's Government credit for not
having neglected the adoption of measures which might
alleviate the sufferings of the people of Ireland.—( Hear. )
At any -rate, whatever might be the result of the potato crop,

the Government -could not be taken by surprise.-oear•
The Hon. Gentleman has observed the prevalence of fever,
and the amount of destitution arising from it. I admit settle
Hon. Gentleman the fetal consequences that have fea!essed
from this scourge, but on this point I will call his attnisi-oest;
the fact that in this respect the poor-law of Irelans. —At 5
important relief.—( Hear, hear ) In the existing poor-1501
there are four modes in which relief in cases of disease may De
given. Patients can be received either into the workhouse,
or be removed from the workhouses into hospitals, if there
is
any objection to their remaining there for fear of infectioon
spreading among the rest of the inmates. I do n
place much confidence in these two provisions, but there.
are two other provisions where importance in cases of this kind
are to be highly estimated. The first of these provisions is the
providing of temporary fever hospitals in the vicinity of unto:
workhouses. Out of 110 unions in which workhouses bac.,
been built, 42 have already had temporary hospitals erected'
and measures are being taken to provide such accomm°
dation for the remaining workhouses.—(Hear, hear.) r
remaining provision is one which empowers the poor-lea
guardians, in cases where no hospital is erected, to take 4.
empty house and use it ten-mot-By for such a purpose. •In ts, of
way, in 1814, a malignant typhus fever prevailed, and upwards
1000 persons had been received into a temporary fever
tat, and of these from 900. to 1,000 were in a short time /or,
' charged cured.--( Hear, hear.) But with these provisions it;
is impossible to meet the case, and therefore, on the
part Of
the Government, I propose to give notice for the introduction
a Bill the object of amending this state of thirmgs•
the precedent of 1 t.;32 in relation to hospitals, if nt
fever spreads, it will be impossible to meet it by the Pre'e-o
means. It is not my intention on the presant occasion to.gi
at greater length into the circumstances of Ireland ; atlstie
roust say that 1 am most unwilling that this discussion sht,
be 1 roloneed, so as to interfere with the progress of that Tot
portant debate going forward on the measures proposed to °bee
the present critical state of the country. Ever since Necewine
last, when the full extent of the potato disease was developt;
itself, my opinion has been, that to meet the evil it WI 0,
duty of the House and of the Legislature to remove all e of
bargoes or restrictions on the free importation of articles ~0
food. This was and is my candid opinion--that every o t:01
ren.edy is secondary and trifling when viewed in corne'i y
l's
with this. Notwithstanding the measure of her Mat.le"fres
Government, if famine should proceed (and I very In'tc'hiel•
it will) I apprehend that a generous exercise of the ON ,00
tion on corn will be necessary, and a relaxation of those '
must take place.
Mr. SHAW said he would not say one Ivor- tlob
would have a tendency to check any measures "' tbe
would have for their effect the amelioration of b•
distressed people of Ireland. At the same 6°ool
thought it his duty to state to the House the genets,
state of the destitute in Ireland. The Poor-law Cournii's%.ese
in the year 1835, stated in their report that the': for S
2,300,000 people without the means of providing fOOO „ea
greater part of the year. And he felt bound to add thatlied
would be considerable distress unless provision were suPoPteeer
However, he thought very great exaggeration had takenelives•
and that statements had been put form for interested ti',-;rutel
Ile had every respect for the high character of the r; ioto
gentlemen who were directed by Government to examine,
the cause and the extent of the potato disease in Ireland' pet; •
Play fair and Lindley ; but he (Mr. Shaw) considereX no,
withstanding, that their report was exaggerated.—("'' fog
from time Opposition. ) He admitted that distress Wads try
more or less in every part of Ireland, but he ha Tip.
yelled very recently through the counties of Cork'
perary, Kilkenny, and Carlow, and very many othei4,
of Ireland, and he found that there was considerable alWraetosse
sion, but that there was mere than an average crop of P°'-fferi•
Now, with regard to the let cm which the Rightly ress
Baronet read last night in reference to this subject. / the
quite aware that great di-tress did exist in those parts °foe*,
couniry where the Government communication came tb
Generally speaking distress was prevalent in the 00'
Ireland, and such places as Mayo, Clenmel, and Dooeg's'isors
the south of Ireland, too, the distress was no less toes" test
arid in Kerry, Clare, and Waterford, he might stater %At
suffering would be found. On the whole, however, he th°o;l
the extent of the deficiency of the potato crop had been g
exaggerated, but he did not wish for a moment to he, noti
posed as blaming the Government for what they had
discovering the extent of the potato disease, and Wm' lis
the best means for devising a remedy for it. For nes.ret,o4l
weeks in every season a deficit ncy of potatoes was expert r than
brit in the present season the deficiency had been greste beta
ever it had been known before. But it must he remelt that
that ample substitutes for the potato had been found, and for
latterly there had been a more than ordinary defog?. se•
labour. He, could not help thinking, therefore, that Write&
tent of the misery in Ireland had been greatly exaggeotie
and he thought further that a very unfair use had beeit be'
of the subject. However, this branch of the argumeD ittie
longed to another debate, and what he had to say uprs;
should reserve until the other debate came on.
SirJAM ES GRAHAM suggested to time Hon. and 7:0145-
Member far Cork, that as the Government were pre/ ale'
do all in their power to mitigate the sufferings of the lie: esr
Ireland, occasioned by the failure in the potato crops the ostOr
hardly any necessity for the lion. and Learned Member
ing his motion.
001
Mr. JO. -IN O'CONNELL said that in offering any efts;
tions which he was about to make, he had no intentimie
peding the repeal of the corn-laws. He was prepared t'irosP
ed
his suppprt to that measure, because he believed that.it ter
be beneficial to the people of the United Kingdom• „imbue PiS
was no d. uht that time repeal of the corn-laws //°",'"*"
beneficial to the people of Er gland than it could bet food'
people of Ireland, who were without money and withonef
If any of the evil effects which were depicted as cant orif°l
upon the repeal of the corn-laws, by Hon. Gentle/001,p
site, would ensue to the agriculturists, there was no d;
Ireland, that had hitherto had a monopoly in thltfaffer.
market for food, would be the country that would nar'senpal
—( Hear.) But he would repeat that he did not allest•
any evil results from the repeai of the cot n-laws.edest
He was determined to cffer a few observations on t f
mesas which had been produced on his side t'coatr,
House—( Hear, hear) -- even at the risk of being the
dered as offering impediments to the discussien ° ti/r'
corn-lives. The distress in Ireland at the present.,"
he would assert, was of the most frightful and fearful clf:1100'
—r Hear.) With regard to the arguments of the 111Voese,At'
Gentleman time Secretary of Slate for the Home DePar,eor'
without attributing to him any discreditable motives, hetet!:
say they were not in consonance with the fact. And ~b'ese)te
argument of the Right Hen. Gentleman opposite (Mr• de in
to the exaggeration of the statements which had been Tee toili
night with respect to the present distress in Ireland, "co to j
shortly dispose of it by saying tl.at he left the quo!' receive •
settled between him and the Government, who had t fstle
from their own Cymmissioners accounts of the prese7oll„
precisely similar to those which had been brought fs )
his (Mr. O'Connell's) side of the House. —I ileare'
Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for t
the rA
Department, had received official documents or „et tlo'el
sent famine in Ireland, and he had not said t"' 114"
statements were exaggerations. —( Hear, bear- ) Thee
fel
Hon. Gentleman had, however, said that there ',castle ail
dancy of the population in Ireland of 2,000,000 t or 'to
O'Connell) believed that Ireland could maintain threeot
times her present population—( Hear, hear)---and webi time
country was capable of doing so, he could not see hold,
fact of her having at present a numerous populetionisot Joj
considered an evil. The reason why Ireland co'llui berg
port her present population was, because almost doh!,
was taken from
alt people.--( Hear, hear.) „sole
Ireland were i position similar to that of other r
II be
pta
had she a full command of all her resources—were a re Ole
nies spent at home—were she allowed fair play—tbea is at
be no reason for her people to complain that evelst,
quantity of food was sent forth from this country uilef
present exported, if they were also assured that t„,a,v
have food for themselves. But the anomaly of a sta, oar
pie sending forth immense quantities of her produce-104
was one that was most startling and most shocking•-Thetacj
He ( Mr. .1. O'Connell) had but risen to attest the st'oe
racy of the statements made, and to go further, haa
that, from all the accounts he had heard, and from te„--
he possessed of judging of them, the statements Inaullitt,
of being exaggerated, fell infinitely short of the '-ionseie
(Hear, hear. ) He willingly bore testimony to the sebibtbo
fention which the House had evinced that eveningt4lpot toe
question was tinder discussion—( Hear)—and he coultbo re te
adverting to the feeling he had witnessed threugh°"t yeti
session exhibited by lion. Gentlemen, and thei!' 'on la
discover some remedy.—(Cries of " Hear, hear, .4.10,01
sides of the House.) It might be said that the fee' frej
selfish one. And decidedly there could not occur rog
o eLity
;0
a calamity as famine in Ireland, without its '1 no
being felt in England.—( Hear, hear.) Should such 70
occur in any other country, the consequences evcalcdeland tyl
little short of a dissolution of society. But it, 01,4
efforts of the people were so broken into by suffering' ,t 9
could almost endure anything ; and, further, if 3°ciPles.i°
not disturbed, it v. ould be owing to the admirable ee,,ell'ino
mind and soul which the Irish people had taught thewiolgo•
( Hear, hear.) lie implored of the House not tr°e the°olo4
that, in what they had done, or in what they !lone"'
dined to do, they had met the terrible danger /chic Le tilo
over Ireland. He implored of them not to decetebo
selves with the idea that the Irish people would it °the
had been given them as a boon, or regacd„e °fire
favour. They would acknowledge the kinJpiSiestrrors
intention of her Majesty's Government—(Hear, boon*,
they would not acknowledge it in the light of soy sa'hisli
favour, for they looked on such applications cf 111`lie d; r!
rally nothing more than so many restitutions of fueneeld r
(epli°
they had been most unjustly deprived. They irfee ,e;eete'A
the course of their policy towards Ireland, in orue"ed°
time phenomena of ever recurring famine, pestilenceailetio°oo'
'There must be something bad in the system of lege tees' old
the administration of affairs in that country to caus:be stsice
Indies. Their attention had been awakened hY
and certain increase of evils in Ireland, and if t,b,,ee'eri i" bai
view their policy they would find that they ha0,",,0-iitie..,es'
pie
Ile was not goings to touch upon mere matters oir f 07) re
upon all maters of commerce, and upon all znatterasoooo.oo
cal policy that had reference to Ireland. Let them,
collect the words of English writers upon this 'tenth -40
fifty or sixty years ago England stood charged whet she
systematically sacr,ficad the interest of Ireland ttoged de/
that time considered her own interest. She was e"f 0000°
_di 0
having systematically interfered with the gr.:ln-volt°„err'
luring prosperity ; and, by the same authorities, la'cfr,er 0110
charged with having denied to Ireland the use isted,r-oir
sources. Let the House look at its policy as it oeeeure 1001
if something was not remaining calculated tow it. -Ledo
rest of Ireland; and if there was, let them resn"c"t be c°° et
I lay time axe to the root of the evil as they must could Goer'
that this system would not do any longer. .1 neJ odder'. pri_Ale
on the plan of giving relief to Ireland on s°'ne it 05 jorr,
gency and afterwards forgetting it altogether The years
ciple unworthy of such a nation as Englan_apittio Pio el
which he had mentioned had been made by Mc'''eu tent , 00,
1785 and 1799 and they -were not contradicted,arue, thewotel
He ch. the IV
trary, were admitted to be true.
having systematically impeded the prosperityin 150.
country and Mr. Huskisson repeated the ehargelded
words that he used were, " You have always 111 se a rig-- ursl,-,t
geecy of the moment that which you deers: had beentre rive
(Mr. J. O'Connell) felt sure that that which if
ov.f.atsrailthysi,nigthmfoorreeigtnhaenouliriet:aien,d. v;rsomentthitalet6tpido' tiviPeelEtti:Meseti:looll3o.
of the union no further concesaioes"
rots alluse•
He haii felt it necessar to refer to these the
svpolielibe•-
t were 00
hoarddesratiod
thlmpressatiu quotlh7eBo
th lion more
dmeosrireabfuiel e‘uvehh_
rrspry
ights
thsaudf bewehniumhattlheeeyviwdeernet fdreirptrhiveedfir?stge_eabthileitybetsotriectgr,obeeii
it their home trade and the right of sirdawilteeere srtuend:o
I opportunities in the foreign trade. 3
pireesa greater
Why, that this country should erkioY whh pr
necessity
tthey n
and equal
du
lo theirjm . ownA..itigbhheontsc'efiwtleborehtePvrthisbelcielbtnitilfelt;
intercours jos fog.
land is deprived, by the upon on „owls
lisb
tained; the high duties imposeow duties
anion. .fief, •
were continued, while the
and the ef; jest' bile *
produce remained unaltered, a 16.5 fuiaciand
horde
which had been expressed in Iteted fronts 003,00
by the fact that everything was. was refuoat .C7l, to
nothing was returned. The amid'
.n_
..nion,
ar for hire A
of the "
they desired to carry the scheme.
was carried, but by what means itwaswg
they aetainvpsh
say. It by that measure of the t
3
manufactures was lose in amounthre c
ountrY. 'id for e-eoor
tbeeontei
(fit, to
iltruetl Ireland,
dutiesi it was
whichtheirdhuayda
ntodeehni
tai Epos:
that the benefits conferred on t
ch efgeientleells s/11.
' h produce %Jr ' 1 eel tae
imposed duties on Iris .
1 t parens Yt
ervading duties; and whi p
an equivalentto the advantages fohrm. erly en.lOY, 'aidd as moo
sodD t
114 en upperst
;o oty°, 't

_

Hear. )
e of fever,
&nit 4a the
e felt fe.A
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5.1). met'
town 111
ight' ranter"
ob
thge o;900
tot" de.
ros 0
en ,e 9
da 14°
ioul'ey 0
a OP', the
t 00
0 or•tyheu.
st Ot ,Heir
:he P''of
irtnelltnet
theYu
biciuP ant-
" reductl
P
nglisbea' i
if while
hen
Vtaell eras
tt sc",
'or ;
od to
rOO,
,ined Piisll
Y
r„ to °re
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theY un-
-0 el?..ap
g'v.

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