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

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Mr. T. S. DUNCOMBE, in rising to bring in a Bill
to amend the laws relating to friendly societies, said
that differences of opinion had arisen with respect to
the provisions of the Act now in operation. The Act
to which he referred was the 10th of Geo. IV., c. 55, which
consolidated certain Acts relating to various societies which
had been established for benevolent purposes. 'lbis law was
amended by the Act of William IV., c. 40, which extended
the objects of friendly societies. Very recently a case had
arisen with respect to the South Shields Investment Friendly
Society, whose rules were certified by Mr. Tidd Pratt. A dis-
pute ensued between the parties, and an action was brought.
The case was referred to the Court of Queen's Bench, and
Mr. Justice Wightman decided that the society in question
did not come under the provisions of the Benefit Socis ties' Act.
If this opinion was held to be correct, he believed that two-
thirds of the friendly societies in the kingdom would
be illegal. He felt satisfied of this, and it was for
the purpose of settling the doubtful point that he wished to
introduce the present Bill. The amendments he in-
tended had received the sanction of all parties in
the country interested in friendly societies, and
had been submitted to Mr. Tidd Pratt, by whom
they had been approred. With these observations he begged
leave to bring in a Bill for the amendment of the law relating
to friendly societies.

Leave was then given to bring in the Bill, which was read
a first time, and the second reading was fixed for Wednesday
week.

NAVIGABLE RIVERS AND CANALS.
Mr. HUME rose to propose that all Bills for the improve-
ment or formation of canals and works of every kind should be
referred to the Board of Admiralty, and also for copies of all
reports and correspondence respecting the lose of the emigrant
ship Catarique, in Bass's Straits, in August last, having 423
emigrants on board ; also for a copy of the report of the
officer at Liverpool on the state of that vessel previous to her
sailing. It was not his wish to attach blame to any persons,
but it was to be recollected that out of the whole 423 persons
on board, nine only were saved. He was anxious to know with
whom the blame rested, whether the ship was regularly built,
and whether she had proper charts on board.

The copies were ordered to be laid on the table.
Mr. HUME moved fur a copy or extract of any instructions
front the Foreign-office, for the guidance of any agents de-
puted to inquire into the state of commercial negotiations with
the Zollverein at Munich, in 1836; also copies or extracts of
any letters or reports from them to the Iloard of Trade, or any
department of this Government, respecting the conferences of
any .such agents or other public functionaries with the Com.
missioners of the Zollverein for the facilitation of commerce
between Great Britain and Germany.—Agreed to.
STATE OF IRELAND.
Mr. O'CINNELL, 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 fur a
Committee of the whole House to take into consideration the
state of famine and disease in Ireland, with a view to some
means being devised for tFe relief of the suffering
people cf 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, and 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. 'the 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 c,,untry. 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 and extensive than the House was
aware. In order, however, to explain the frightful extent of
this calamity, it would be necessary to explain 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 rural 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
repot t was not 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 his assertions by quoting from indisputable doetiments.
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 ; for 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 1,3C0,000 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 tact given by the same return is, that the civil
population are to the amount of 36 per cent. li, ing in single
rooms, and in so.ne 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 Devon'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 lauded proprietors. They state that the agri-
cultural population of Ireland suffered great privatious and
hardships. They were badly fed, badly clothed, badly t oused,
and badly paid for their labour. It was impossible to describe
their sufferings—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 other country in Europe. Let
the House remember 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—thesichest 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 1815, 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. Ths 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 r, port said that the state
of the people was not brought on by themselves. He trusted,
then, that this statement would be attended to. The report
farther said, that any improvement which had taken place in
the condition of the people was not to be attributed to any eels
ditional demand for labour, but to the blessings of the tem-
perance movement in that country. 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—potatoes was their only food, and water their only drink.
All this has, however, failed them— the potato, at least, their
most' important—indeed, their only means of subsistence—had ;
failed them. A winter was now set in ; many of the people
had not firirg, nor. even a blanket to corer them.
Re had other documents, which were Parliamentary docu-
ments ; and be would cpiote 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, arid
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,
that the inhabitants of Ireland, if they could have retained the
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 2,883, of sheep 2,776, and nt 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 .uelt a contradiction,
he really thou..sht 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 show 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 evintesel
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 unmitigatieg misery and poverty which
existed in Ireland at the present 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
D'osenting congregations, showing the great prevalence of the
potato disease. He had in his possession the Government
returns obtained from every part ot Ireland, detailing the state
of the disease. He would have felt hardly justified in bringing
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
believed they were acting under a delusion, and were deluding
others.— (Hear.) The evil was not confined to one lotality or
part of the country, but was spread throughout the Imes!.
Everywhere the cry was of the codling famine, A latter p hie

hand showed that in Tralee the labourers were only receiving
214. per day, and the tradesmen were paid even less; and
here the potato disease prevailed to a great extent. The lion.
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. He 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
tke 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 Donoughmore the poverty was increasing with the disease,
and want of employment 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 Ireland he bad already mentioned.
He wished to be 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 be 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 of the cause,
and it had in its hands the cure of the evil—viz., the produc-
tion of a sufficiency 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,3.s, was also
cold and wet, and provisions were not more plentiful than they
had been in the preceeding year. 1736 was 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, 1842, 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 80,000 individuals 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 on the point of starvation. He 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 tha
most strenuous application of some remedy for those evils. He
was there to show that Ireland bad 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 make 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
of Ireland were not adequate to the present state of the coun.
I 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 bends of the' Govern-
ment. He hoped to see a Board au horised by Government
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
coming 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 what railroads were required for Ireland,-
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 attended one of the Committees himself,
and he really did riot know very well how he was voting.—
( Laughter.) He thought that if 100,0001. were subscribed for
a railway. the Government ought to advance 100,000/. more ;
thus enabling 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 stiggeetion was merely
thrown out for the consideration of the House, for his plan o as
yet undigested. It might be said that the measures now before
the House would be sufficient to alleviate the distress in Ire •
land. Cleat evils, however, they knew required great reme-
dies. He new spoke, not from party views but from the very
depth of his conscience. Death had already followed—further
death wood 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, when I assure the Hon. and
Learned Gentleman 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 .übeect can eardly 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 qnarters of this House upon various topics, the
subject now under discussion is one which will receive from
all parties the most patient and anxious consideration. It is
my painful duty to state, that having taken the utmost pains to
inform myself accurately on the facts of this case, I cannot
state that in any important particular the Hon. and Learned
Gentleman has ev iggerated them. What are the striking
, facts? He has stated to us that a very large proportion of
the potato etop 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. I 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 loss 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 institutedaCommission, at the head of which they
placed Mr. Lucas, Under Secretary of Ireland ; Colonel Jones
and Mr. lePGregor, who was at the head of the Irish Ct.nsta-
bulary ; the Poor-law Commissioner, Mr. Taylor, and Profes-
Kane ; and the result of the inquiry had been stated to the
House last night by the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the
Government, in sums of its most striking features. Reports
were read from the different electoral districts of Ircl ind, the
larger number of which, so far from proving that the report of
Professor Playfair arid Air. Lindley had been exaggerated
I
showed, on the contrary, that the evil was not sufficiently told.
In ordinary years the great majority of the people of Ireland
arc 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 one-half- I will take one-fourth. Suppose then the
failure of the potato crop this year be equal to one-fourth of an
average crop. You have then, in addition to the six weeks'
scarcity of other years, to add one-fourth part of 10i
, months, that the population will be without their general sub.
sistance. 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
1 could hardly be brought under the consideration of Partia-
1, ment. It is not only the imperative dniy of the Government',
but there is also a natural i.npulse in the breasts of Hen:-
, Members of this House, under such circumstances its 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 sta.- emeros
I have been made since that date, winch prove that the disease,
so far from being arrestsd, is still progre,sing ; 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 di-ease, the seed could nor be preserved for
the ensuing year. The . ffeet of such a state of teinge I can-
, not and dare not contemplve without feelings of the greatest
distress. He must also rase that, (rent the accoui.ts which had
arrived respecting the state of the country, 190 labourers had
recently come before a board of guardians complaining that
they had no employment, that so wastes a ere offered to them.
and that they were -offering under extreme desti tuio He
thought that that was a i-ight which was en,uzit to excite the
pity of all who witnessed is. The Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man (Mr. O'Connell) had stated the facts to which he had
called the attention of the House with considerable accuracy.
He ( 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 off a great deal of
that redutioancy. In Manchester. Glasgow, and Liverpool,
immense numbers of the Irish were very laudably exercis-
ing their industry. The Right Hun. Gentleman proceeded to
say, `• The Hon. ,Gentleman (Mr. O'Connell), I think, also
observed that the imports into England were increasing." !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 forthe Public Works' Bill 50,000/., there
is a grant of 50,000/. in the Drainage Bill, and it is tho
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
468,0001. 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 'NOW. 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 gonna considerable distance, leaving their families be-
hind, in order that they might obtain employment on
these works. It appeared, as the Hon. arid 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 he quite
agreed with the Hots. 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
nature of the measures which the Government considered
ought to be employed 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, *Weyer might be the reeult of the potato atop,

the Government could not be taken by surprise.—(-1-lear.),
The Hon. Gentleman has observed the prevatence of fever'
and the amount of destitution arising from it. I admit tote
lion. Gentleman the fatal consequences that have - foll tur/to
from this scourge, but.on this point I will call his atteatia
rt.
the fact that in this respect the poor-law of Ireland 161;
important relief.—( Hear, hear ) in the existing re be
there are four modes in which relief in cases of disease a 1.,.
given. Path nts can be received either into the worth,
__.11:;
or be removed from the workhouses into hospitals, if the .e 3
any objection to their remaining there for fear of info ;tot
Treading among the rest of the inmates. I d 0 ere
place much confidence in these two provisions, ba ,431
are two other provisions whose importance in cases of thisbe
are to be highly estimated. The first of these provisions o_o
providing of temporary fever hospitals in the vicinity of eit,
workhouses. Out of 110 unions in which workhouses
cled,
been built, 42 have already had temporary hospital, ers,e use
and measures are being taken to provide such aee;t"•110
dation for the remaining workhouses.—(Hear, hear.) jo
remaining provision is one which empowers the Pure is
guardians, in cases where no hospital is erected, to ts 00.
empty house and use it temper ily for such a purpose. Tuor
way, in 1944, a malignant typhus fever prevailed, and upao4
1,100 persons had been received into a temporary fever : 40
tal, and of these from 900 to 1,000 were in a short ternoll
charged cured.—( Hear, hear.) But with these prorl'tsssof
is impossible to meet the case, and therefore, on tbe pro3ol
the Government, I propose to give notice for the introduyAffil
a Bill with the object of amending this state of things. .f ars
the precedent of 1832 in relation to hospitals, .100
fever spreads, it will be impossible to meet it by the P 0
means. It is not my intention on the present occasion 041
at greater length into the circumstances of Ireland; 1
ellii
must say that I am most unwilling that this discussitobitilr
be prolonged, so as to interfere with the progress Itf,tts 00
porstant debate going forward on the measures propose° ;obit
the present critical state of the country. Ever since Nalrelopeg
last, when the full extent of the potato disease was de 3s 0
itself, my opinion has been, that to meet the evil it amsr
duty of the House and of the Legislature to remove feed
bargees or restrictions on the free importation of anteofo
food. This was and is my candid opinion—that WI fio
ron edy is secondary and trifling when viewed in cooled
Itt
with this. Notwithstanding the measure of her blO
Government, if famine should proceed (and I very ranrodei
it will) I apprehend that a generous exercise of the P„010
tion on coin will be necessary, and a relaxation of theta
must take place. . I
Mr. SHAW said he would not say one werafok
would have a tendency to check any pleasures 1 t
would have for their effect the amelioration-t e 3 01
distressed people of Ireland. At the same herpid
thought it his duty to state to the House the
.000
state of the destitute in Ireland. The Poor-law Conslons, 0:
in the year 1835, stated in their report that theier
2,300,000 people without the means of providing it sttlttri.a
greater part of the year. And he felt bound to add t""pirs
would be considerable distress unless provision weress-ars
However, he thought very great exaggeration had taxe..,ool
and that statements had been put forth for interested Ise,
He had every respect for the high character of the 0)3"
gentlemen who were directed by Government to eaa,t&Pliss
the cause and the extent of the potato disease in hew F 4
Plas fair and Lindley; but he (Mr. Shaw) consider eras
withstanding, that their report was exaggerated.( "stal,
from the Opposition.) He admitted that distress of a'
more or less in every part cif Ireland, but he e, 111.
yelled very recently through the counties of 'ler
perary, Kilkenny, and Carlow, and very many o.
of Ireland, and he found that there was considerable P„ost"
sine, but that there was mere than an average crop 0" p ilfs'
Now, with regard to the let era which the it'll Ord
Baronet read last night in reference to this subject'esoL;
quite aware that great distress did exist in those Pot ri
' country where the Government communication is walllo
Generally speaking distress was prevalent in the „is i
Ireland, and such places as Mayo, CLinmel, and Deuet;ollt;
the south of Ireland, too, the distress was no .les!fte,
and in Kerry, Clare, and Waterford, he might Pth 004
suffering would be found. On the whole, however,
eoe 4
1 the extent of the deficiency of the potato crop had to be
exaggerated, but he did not wish for a moment deed
posed as blaming the Government for what they etsivj
discovering the extent of the potato disease, and„ 4'; esti
the best means for devising a remedy for it. r°:,sesl
is
ese
weeks in every season a deficiency of potatoes was 'r-
IDs but in the present season the deficiency had been gof AS
ever it had been known before. But it most be re spill
that ample substitutes for the potato had been founp!"
latterly there had been a more than ordinary seset 0044
labour. He could not help thinking, therefore, t" sir
tent of the misery in Ireland had been greatly e,s,a7o
and he thought further that a very unfair use laa"..";eoti
of the subject. However, this branch of the atrupoo.7'
longed to another debate, and what he had to ~ajor.)
should reserve until the other debate came on.--( d 0,
SirJAMES GRAHAM suggested to the Hon- I,,re 0
Ipi
Member for Cork, that as the Government sveles'e pws/
do all in their power to mitigate the sufferings of to toff
Ireland, occasioned by the failure in the potato croP.'„beer
hardly any necessity for the Hon. and Learned Mr' /
ing his motion. I°7
Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL said that in offerings:op i 0
tions which he was about to make, he had no intssse-01.00
peding the repeal of the corn-laws. He was prePiliittelt
his suppprt to that measure, because he believed OO,O
he beneficial to the people of the United Kingslent'oeflt 0
was no d übt that the repeal a the corn-lawsli,bavisk
beneficial to the people -of England than it oti Reef
people of Ireland, who were without money and w dr,
If any of the evil effects which were depicted 81,407
upon the repeal of the corn-laws, by Hon. GentooV
site, would ensue to the agriculturists, there Fos pp ibitoe
Ireland, that had hitherto had a monopolY ,000)
market for food, would be the country that wow ot ssfri;
—(Hear.) But he would repeat that he did °
any evil results from the repeal of the corn-lawTA 01
He was determined to offer a few observations de eope
merits which bad been produced on his .1 id tIO
House—( Hear, hear) - even at the risk of If; cc"
dered as offering impediments to the disco,oely
corn-1 tws. The distress in Ireland at the Prefebre
he would aesert, was 01 the most trightful and fearful:4bl ,
—.'Hear.) With regard to the arguments of thew 0
Gentleman the Secretary of State for the Horne ,3, 01,1
without attributing to him any dise.reditable motlid
.01.4,,,
say they were not in consonance with the fact. ,f,:ft. eyotr,
argument of the Right Han. Gentleman opposite Vl,OOl g,
to the exaggeration of the statements which had hto4, rrossitri
night with respect to the present distress in Retail,/
shortly dispose of it by saying that he left the 610,1- 0
settled between him and the Government. wit° teeta/selssi
from their own Commissioners accounts of the !kit feta,
precisely similar to those which had been broths 001•1110,,
his (Mr. O'Connell's) side of the Hoag,. foe OPr
Right Hoe. Baronet the Secretary of State ef
tit'
Department, had received official documeats..l t fl,
sent famine in Ireland, and he had not ssi eltet
a
statements were exaggerations.—( Hear, hear )wo
e(td
Hon. Gentleman had, however, said that there as
daney of the population in Ireland of 2,000-“ r„ ibrefost ly
O'Connell) believed that Ireland could maintinrsol wog, y
times her present population—(Hear, hear), ase
abet
fact. was capable of doing so, he could %toe ts"st ,
fact. of her having at present a numerous poPo'could "bef 'A
considered an evil. The reason why Ireland t• stet/
port her presen population was, because alarm rig t ,
was taken from her people.-4 Hear, hear.) ~,o. 01.9
Ireland were in a position similar to that of ou'eresltts.o4(
had she a full command of all her resources-1,0'3n
nits sent at borne—were she allowed fair Plaresen_s?lj
be nor eason for her people to complain that.stry thrie 05.
quantity of food was sent forth from this eo°."bat ti4r),/
present exported, if they were also assured `,3stsr,-fasrsl
have food for themselves. But the anomaly °,l or-;ter_Ar
plc sending forth immense quantities of her pr°`!,_ sl'easlSetry
was one that was most startling and most shocaleso se4d V
He (Mr. J. O'Connell) had but risen to atte4 r 'a
ipl
racy of the statements made, and to go furthe ' ib• /
lre'n de' 'ft
that, Irons all the accounts he had heard, and ts res osllsfOr
he possessed of judging of them, the statement tee
~ririlla
of being exaggerated, fell infinitely short o'.. tile "Ifilftif
(Hear, hear ) He willingly bore testimony tub,s.73le,ao
lention which the House had evinced that even, 001013,0
question was under discussion—( Hear)--and hlteetrsittilsol'
adverting to the fee ling he had witnessed throutteie- 004
session exhibited by Hon. Gentlemen, and, 3r," ,'sja
discover some remedy.—(Cries of " Hear, °lie feel fer,feel'
sides of the Halve.) It might be said that t- ur ae,opilf
selfish one. And decidedly there could notsoesesellhfr 0° 1
a calamity as famine in Ireland, without 0 Tieh'ooll 01
being felt in England.—( Hear, hear.) Should you'd isolol
occur in any other country, the consequences .0 frept4
little short of a dissolution of society. But..glerisitieti,ipt,
efforts of the people were so broken into by 5" 0 07,1 r,
could almost endure anything ; and, further'ablettselo,
not disturbed, it would be owing to the adoirbt tberioo;)
mind and soul which the Irish people had
( Hear, hear.) He implored of the Housesus„°,oefe,ors/
-that, in what they had done, or in what tor;;bschi!ge Viet,
'dined to do, they had met the terrible danger deee,Ao
fit t° el alai
over- Jr. land. tie imploied of them °, woo, it f
taag t .10 tiA
selves with the idea that the Irish people ossru ,5 °,,ri
had been given them as a boon, °r lawn or r or,
favour. They would acknowlede the oesr, bes.,l°,l
intention of her Majests's Government—",(ht of sod volve
they would n d acknovelecge it in the 144 of es% of
_6.
favou , for they looked on such applicatt°n of fula"ol°,
rally nothing more than so many restitutioSey sh° ta etorij
they had been most unjustly deprived. •it order d!" 9,,
the course of their police towards Irelsnd,ttifroeetesti° atoi
the pten'mena of ever recurring famine, Pe' of legl'oo°_,ll
There must be something bed in the systeneto Moireere
the administration of • ffattut in that vonntrY A by t, 0000110 i
mitie4 Their attentien had been astrakearif tees 00_ Is
and certain increase of evils in Ireland, an baabOblielee
view their polies they would find that tigers 01 Itoreso;re:,
He was not grEne to touch upon mere Ina „natter:3 IP 4
upon all maters of emen•e• ee, and upon a Let teso. qfp:',
cal policy that had reference to Ireland- lii3systfite Poeti
collect the words of English writers uponelerged 'oil j 0.,
fifty or sixty years ago England stood Zeland too
..0.1
systematical's saer.fie-d the interest of 11 was e f "of
. Sne e 0 d fe'
that time considered her owu interest. rot fan a ,
having systematically .ireerfered with the gi s, slger 'OOl c,
turing prosperity ; and, by the same aut l'lt.euse o.oose its.
charged with having denied to Ireland tit3osse.i're &blot!
sources. Let the House look at its poll:nag:ea:0:1:0:i:
t..ll.oticbfloill;
if something was net remaining caleul ters..osepse eoesetis
rest of Ireland; and if there was, let thettleye`"tost could 'el
lay the axe to the root of the evil as then
et'
11,040011,0
that this system would not do any
1. eyhongothaarCtiiTillos.tebeAsfio
on the plan of giving relief to Ireland
gency and afterwards forgetting
ciple unworthy of such a nation as
,'-'bMr.rl 00 10'0f
which he had mentioned had been elude rorf, but tbee ifio
1785 and 1799 and they were not contr He chit leaf 0
trary, were admitted to be true'
having systematically impeded the
the the fielded Wstii? tOi
country and Mr. Huskisson repeated
~....„syie rig ~p
sap;
pc°. Periti;l 80. el,
words that he used were, " You have af,tere-t-;,,,f bad beeObli,; tic,
gency of the moment that which 0 "
Ytu which vii., tilt. °sr
(Mr. J. O'Connell) felt sure that
of trade with foreign countries,. 0
_ions „sots eiooe: 0
was nothing more than Ireland was entitledFror:that'iduheePt i 01114
of the union no further con et.
order to impress the question sneo47eoJess of What ,c;rry._,c
had said that in 1780 the und str"
first tialeilitl tt't
of tlrri'
this had been made evident for thevo
,? The a
.be be e
pro
of
He had felt it necessary to referretr.iltuhenspeoloBstheet:sfe/409.,
rights of which they were tiepr!
oil toseing_trore t_shoeiele,ff
their home trade and the rightrs. AO that The go, if
oportunities in the foreiffn a°'
trade'
own rigposl we vilitehrastle
pies on which they founded , ,____. yet how tci ~
04,11
greater necessity and equal eta.10t.,0,, 3 n neisiob i
~pr,.i,
Why, that this country shook' .7..rt'ooutse
aphis' sip
land is deprived, hY the.
I"sced 'IP° 'es apps'elPh
the .1 stbi
were continued, While
It rea, ind was fulifland •10°
produce remained tura ,a 1765 _ from 10000
tained; the high duties
itna° low (jut' ibt I
on wsa. 1 1. hi 0
by the fact that everyallevtatio. for 0
turned. The a the unto
cogsfy ei 0 .re
nothing was re
which had been ex
reseedhiri ping
wilts .
vlacted
rosdb elioierts
was carried, but by what means___:oo they
n 1..L16 0
e of th 'unto havecoderOier
say. If by that measure
their dutY , ;op po.
benefit to Ireland, it was
whoa b' been was n 0 stets
Its
they desired to carry the schem
tection. But the duties wino
unt ; and ltry ba' the tl3looo'
manufactures was low in e
on
- the c°uill sisjoeed; dad ° oil
that the benefits conferred
~.... eorreerlt - ••optly a ...se p
•s on Irish prate"' irentlYs "
imposed duties . 1
PP
ex q ail dude§ ; awl mu"'
an equivalentto the advant,eae:orbiob e c_..l
goo r
?it
was
not
Itill isi.s
thijoiJok,
~

"'
ttti r 11,
t