Star.
London, England, 1831-04-09 00:00:00

GREAT DUBLIN MEETING,
To RRLIEVE THE DISTRESS ox THE WESTERN COASTS.

On Tuesday, a great national meeting was convened at
the Mansion-house, to devise the beet means of affording re-
lief to the distress in the county Mayo, and on the western
coast of Ireland. Amongst those in attendance, were
The Most Rev. Dr. Murray,?Rev. Sir F. Lynch Blosse, Dean of
Aehoory, Daniel O'Connell, . M.P. Mr. Sheriff' !Mahan, T. F.
Kelly, Esq. (Seneschal), H. Co e Esq. ( Magistrate of Henry-street
office), G. Howell. Esq. Hon. &load Gore, P. Dumbrayne,
Major Sin. &c. &c.
The Right Hon. the LORD Ms Yon took the chair; and
the Rev. Mr. Su ITH being appointed secretary to the meet-
ing, be gave a lengthened detail of the distress. He men-
tioned, from the Westport committee, that there were in five
parishes 5,590 families, and 31,904 individuals, dependent
upon public charity for support. The reason was, the de-
struction of the potato crop by storms and rain, and he as-
sured them that the people lived on nothing else—they never
tasted flesh meat except on Christmas-day, and oatmeal was
too great a luxury for them : in fact, all the grain they could
raise was taken to pay the landlord and the local taxmen—
(Hear, hear.) Mr. Smith read several extracts describing
the distress in 1817 and 1822, and assured the meeting that
the present far exceeded what was witnessed at those periods.
Rev. Sir F. L. BLossE proposed the first resolution.
—" That it appears to this meeting that the accounts from
the western coasts of the country, of distress from famine,
are of a very alarming character, and that it is their
bounden duty to endeavour, as much as possible, to avert a
repetition of the awful calamity which occurred in 1822
He said he did not think that the 50,0001. proposed to be
given by government, would be sufficient to relieve the pre-
sent appalling distress. (Hear.) He trusted that the name
of every landlord who did not contribute would be published
to the world. !le stated that he was himself an instance of
the advantage of landlords living on their own property, and
he pledged himself that one resident landlord who would do
his duty properly, would do more to preserve the peace of the
country than all the military and police that could be introduced
into it. He had the satisfaction of knowing he lived amongst
a happy and a contented people—every tenant of his had a
good blanket to cover him, and his house well stored with
provisions. (Loud cheers.) He assured the meeting he
was no loser by this, for his property from being ill-managed
was now a most productive one. (Cheers.) He described
the distress as stretching all along Connaught, Galway, and
the entire way up the sea coast to Donegal. The
Reverend Baronet concluded by saying that unless some
means were adopted to relieve this country, it must become
one vast wilderness.

A letter from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of that dis-
trict, who was an eye-witness to the scenes he described :

ll'estport, March 28, 1831.
My dear Lord—l have been for the last fortnight in this part of the
country, and hate witnessed scenes of human misery and distress far
exceeding any thing that occurred in 1822. There are many hundred
families whose small store of provisions i 3 already exhausted, and the
number will increase considerably as the season advances. Many,
many are gradually pining away, and falling victims to starvation.
—The inhabitams of Westport, with the Marquis of Sligo at
their head, have formed themselves, most benevolently, into a
Committee of Supply and Relief ; by their benevolent exertions
and contributions upwards of nine hundred persons receive as much
food at the soup-shops as bertha suffices to keep them alive. The
Marquis employs many more, who ate enabled to support their families
on their daily hire. But this relief is necessarily confined to a district,
while the whole face of the country presents a scene of the most frightful
distress. The starvation is occasioned by the total inability of those
whose crops have failed, or disposed of to pay the rents and other as-
sessments, to purchase provisions, however low the price. There is no
possibility, in my bumble judgment, of arresting the accumulated pres-
sure of distress, which is daily advancing with rapid strides, otherwise
than by giving employment to the people, and some suitable remunera-
tion for labour. The landlords and the government are loudly called
on to look to this state of things, otherwise it is difficult to say what
the consequences may be. But certain it is that matters cannot long
continue as they now are. Indeed the present affliction is past human
endurance.

If the western coast of Mayo be in the dreadful state of destitution
of which I have given but a very faint outline, I have reason to
know that the whole coast of Connemara is yet in a more pitiable
state. No potatoes—no oatmeal—a total failure of the fishery--no
price for kelp—no public or private works--no ways or means of earn.
ing daily wages—no resident gentry qualified to give much employment
or extend gratuitous relief—no food for many of the wretched human
beings but sea weed and the:atuallfiabes they pick up along the strand.
I shall conclude this doleful narrative by assuring your Grace :hat the
picture drawn in the public prints of the miserable condition of the poor
of this part of the country is net, to my certain knowledge, exaggerated.
Most sincerely your's, OLIVER KELLY.

The Lotd Mayor read a letter fr im the Duke of Leinstei,
enclosing 1001. and another from a gentleman who signed
himself Win. Morley Husisisson, enclosing 1001.
Mr. Dombrayue next addressed the meeting, and stated,
he had been employed by the Lord Lieutenant to relieve the
distressed poor in Donegal and other parts of Ireland. lie
read extracts from several of his correspondents. One of
them from Sligo, described the poor women being collected,
to the amount of 3,000, on the beach, gathering sea-weed
to boil, as food for their starving families !
The Dean of ACIION RV spoke in terms of the highest
praise of the Irish peasantry, and as to the Catholic clergy,
he said, that he had always found them most charitable and
good men. (Cheers.) It was his opinion that this country
never could be quiet until poor laws were introduced. (Hear,
and cheers.)
Mr. J. D. LATOUCIIE, in proposing the next resolution,
observed, that there should be some legal enactment for the
poor. Nothing could permanently preserve the poor from
distress, except some legal provision were made for them.
(Hear, and cheers.)
Rev. Dr. SINGER seconded the resolution.
Mr. HOWELL avowed himself now, as he always had been
a decided friend to poor laws. He showed from parliamen-
tary documents the increase of exports of provisions from
Bettina in the coarse of a few years, and said the distress of
the poor of Ireland was occasioned solely by the excessive
rents paid to the landlords, and the only way of reduciug
those rents was by poor laws. (Cheers.)
Mr. Ev ERA RD mentioned, that landlords who were exor-
bitant in the demands of their rents, were always unwilling
to contribute to the maintenance of the poor.
Admiral OLIVER proposed the next resoiution. He said
he did not come there to talk, but to pay his subscription.
(Hear and laughter.)
Mr. O'CONNELL said—l rise to second the motion of
Admiral Oliver. I came to this room to protest against the
idea of limiting the relief which was required by the Irish
peasantry to a portion of the county of Mayo. lam son.),
to say that distress is not confined to the western coast of
Ireland. You have already heurd from a distinguished
officer, authentic details of its existence in Donegal, front-
ing the north. I have, as a member of the legislature, rea-
son to know, that it has penetrated the county of London-
derry, and almost every district of the north—let me ad,
too, this single fact, that in the city of Waterford, in the
month of November, which month is always considered the
cheap time in the potatoe market, the price was as high as it
was in the month of June preceding, which month is re-
garded as the dear month in the potatoe market. The dis-
tress, then, is not local ; it is not confined to the western
coast ; it has come round to the city of Dublin, through
the south ; and if you pass on to Newry, you will find

that there I:, moniteitv (hers v.-•• 1:, thrown open--
that the iithibitants became so itur.iver:slied as w be linable
to support a ii:endicity ont , i,ut wine obliged to let
loose the beggars on the public at huge, to look for their
support from them. The distress is tioversal—it is exceed-
inti;•ly appalling, and it has commenced this year four months

earlier than usual. The country tii 'ins' recollection,
been fast increasing in destitution, povcity, misery, and dis-

• -
tress. It was considered at one intik, a common matter to

bear of dietress in July ; June afterward_ wl.: regarded the

common month for distress—it vas c lied " the buying
month," which is in fact synouinious with the greatest dis-
trei,s, for the Irish peasant has not money to buy potatoes
with. Distress next spread to tLt nieuth of May, mid now
we have famine at the commencement of the month of

April. We have three long months to look forward—foul
months, indeed, should the season prove backward; if then
something decisive be not done—if, as it is to he supposed,
individual subscriptions should fail, we must expict to see
the country desolated, and the people starving. Assuredly,
this is a subject on which we ought to speak out. '(Hear,
hear.) Fifty thousand pounds, which ;:rcs propose,l to be
given, will not be enough, and these Cftv thousand
have, I am certain, been ofiered with as benevolent

Lions as ever animated human beings. (Hear, and cheers.)
When it was proposed by Lord Althorpe, and I know no
man so little capable of deception as he is, to lend fifty thou-
sand pounds upon pod security, he knew so little of the
real state of Ireland, u 3 to suppose that it could mitigate the
distress here. Fifty thousand pounds upon good security
Why I could easily raise 200,0001. in Dublin alone upon
good security. (Hear.) Recollect, too, what security the
government can only take. The parties borrowing must enter
into a recognizance, for which their estates are liable. As to
offering security upon public works in Ireland, upon what
public works in Ireland could security be given ? NVliat
are we, then, to do ? I hope this meeting will not :.epnrate
without appointing a committee, which will report from week
to week, to thegovernment, and that it will, under your lo.d-
ship's directsons, point out the means necessary to keep
the people of Ireland alive, and prevent them starvirig
this year. (Hear.) I shall be frank upon this subject. I
do think, that not less than one million of money will be re
quired for such an object. It may be thought to be an im
mensely large sum, bet one less than that, 1 am certain, will
not keep the people from famine. (Hear, hear.) Is it nor
most melancholy to reflect that famine should pervade such
a country as this ?—a country the most productive of any on
the face of the earth. There is no country, the surface of
which is so small, that is capable of producing one-tenth so
much of the necessaries of life, and yet this is the country in

which the people are starving,and entire families are perishing
from famine I My friend (Mr. H.) has mentioned that the
exports have enormously increased, and that this too has
happened in seasons of the greatest distress—in such times
there has been a great export trade. Why ? The reverend
baronet has explained the mystery. Wb At have been the
exports ? Cattle, corn, and every kind of provisions, have
been sent over to pay the landlords, who never came near
their estates. This is the kind of tribute which the Irish
are obliged to pay to landlords, not one of whom comes
amongst us, and who never yet have looked their tenants
in the face. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Such are the
men who drain this ceuntry of its wealth, and who, when
misery assails their tenantry, lave them to perish, and
will not advance one shilling to preserve them. (Hear.)
1 hope that this meeting will have a good result ; here I
find a generous rivalship in benevolence, and a praiseworthy
conjunction of charitable feelings—do you then tell the go-
vernment that a small matter of relief will not do even for a
brief period—that it is a question of life or death—that there
is now an accumulation and encrease in the quantity of misery
that require extraordinary means to relieve them, and that if
they wait for one month longer before they give that relief, that
there will be ten times the quantity of distress. (Hear, hear.)
I look around me, and I see many respectable gentlemen,
certainly, in the room ; but where are the peerage of Ire-
land? Where are the titled men of the /and ? (Hear,
hear, and cheers.) The Duke of Leinster has certainly sent
vs an excellent apology for his absence—still, however, on
such an occasion, I should wish to find him present ; but
where are the rest ? Ido not see one of them, nor hare
yet heard of their subscriptions. (Hear, and cheers.)
The honourable Colonel Gout mentioned that his brother,
Lord Tyrawley, had procured cheap provisions for his te-
nantry, and, as his representative, he was about to pay his
subscription.
Mr. O'Connell : I hope lam not misunderstood. Ido not
mean to reflect on any one who has dune his duty to his ten-
antry. (Hear.) The committee should first look ler sub-
scriptions, and see in what way the distress of the Irish pea-
eaniry can be best relieved. In inquiring into the cm.le of
poor laws, such as would be fitted for this country, 1 ti list the
committee will be as cautious upon the one hand, as it rill be
determined on die other; it will be best ab:e to voint out how
those laws eau bLi most emphatically appiied to die absentees.
• I cannot be an acting member of that committee—my duties
will oblige me to be elsewhere; but if your lordship will allow
me, I shall feel great pleasure in being a correspoildin6- mem-
ber of it. (Hear.) I see that the distic:s is infinitely gloater
than has been vet described, and that we have to encounter
some months of the most appalling distress, if 'chef be not
promptly given. (Hear.)
A committee was formed, and several sz:bscriptions paid.

PARLIAMENTARY REPORT ON TILE STA fE OF THE
IRISH I'UOR.

The Report of the Select Committre of the House of Commea.s on
the State of the Pootcr Classes in Ireland, and thr bes: means of im-
proving their condition, which, with the Minutes of Evidence, fill*
four folio volumes, cot :,,inn an excellent summary of facts and opi-
nions bearing upon the ;pert dielb10:111 of the subject ; &tn, ttie actual
state and condition of the poorer classes in Ireland; secondly, :::e laws
which affect them, aid the charitable inatitutitnib both public and
private ; and lastly, the remedial measures proposed by thlßrent wit-
In considering the last branch of the subject, the Comm:Hee strongly
recommend the extension or public works and inland navigation, upon
.the principle f loans repayable ..ad adequately secured; and they oh-
m tee that 6• if tl'e syb.cr, in of local funds be ado!ned on
the Ilighland road precedent, it n.ay be aniieipated, tiorn the exeerience
ot the past, that an increase ur V QC. ar et the supper: ion e,f sinui gi mg,
will afford to the state an indirect return."
On the subject of emigration, the committee coesida that it offers
one remedy for the disproportion between the number el labouring
clas?es in Ireland and the amount cf capital which can be profitably
employed in cleating a demand tor I :boor; and although they are not
prepared to reconinteild any canpithory system of taxation far the pur-
pest:, the "do not cnter:ain the sli;;lnest doubt that colonisation night
be ceiried on to a very peat extent tathed, if taciliti.s were afforded by
the government to those Irish peasants who were disposed voluntarily
to seek a settlement in the colonies " and they speak with apparent
apvrobation of a very simple but most effectual ninde by means of
public works, of raising Wads to enable the pr or to emigrate—namely,
by reserving, with the consent of the patties, a pentien of the wages of
labour wire public works are carried on, for defray Mg the expanses of
emigrativn.
•.* We really feel astonaz.hioeut at the cool way innhick
this emigration scheme is discussed, and at ;he flippant way
in which poverty is always, and as matter of course, allied
to labour. Restore the ancient rate of wages, by reducing
rents, and taxing large farms, and in two or three years we
shall hear no more of starving population, of •• labouring
pcor," or cf sending abroad, to perish in woods and swamps,
the muscular strength of the country. Send away the do-
nothings, and there wiil be wisdom in the plan ; but it is
not necessary to send away any. stop exchequer bills, and
restore small notes, and there will soon be capital enough
for every purpose of industry. No more capital is wanted
at home than abroad.