The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-04-13 00:00:00

THE IRISH CLERGY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SlR,—While great has been the sympathy evinced, and im-
mense the sums contributed and forwarded, on every side, to
the sufferers from the dire calamity in Ireland, I much fear that
one class has been entirely overlooked—l mean the hard-
worked, ill-paid, yet patient and most zealous men, who, dur-
ing this season of woe and desolation, have not shrunk from
the danger and fatigue, mental and bodily, of providing and
distributing, to the utmost of their power, what means they
could obtain to relieve the poor and sick, naked and hungry—
I mean the Irish clergy, who, if dependent on their rent-charge
or produce of glebes for the necessaries of life, must ere long,
if not at present, be in almost as bad a state as the poor they
have been relieving. The greater part of their income, i. e.
of the rent-charge, able be deducted as poor rate. This is a
subject which I hope persons will take up.
Few words are necessary to prove that this state of things
exists. Facts are more convincing than reasonings, and as
secretary to the St. Jude's Irish Relief Committee, the dis-
tressed circumstances of many have been communicated to me
by friends unknown to the suffering, vet uncomplaining,
labourers in their Alaster's's vineyard.
Would you bring this before a Christian public, and advocate
their cause ; should any feel anxious to assist in alleviating real
distress, I shall be most happy to he the means either of the
transmission of funds, or of imparting such information as
may be desired relative to particular cases, where it may be
more convenient to communicate directly with the persons to
be assisted.—Your obedient servant,RISTOPHER BELL.
Hall-lane, Liverpool, April 8, 1847.

THE DESTITUTION IN THE SCOTTISH

HIGHLANDS.

From every account which reaches us we are assured
that the condition of the poor cottiers of the highlands
and islands of Scotland is becoming worse day by dad•.
The population in many parts are hopelessly dependent
upon the supplies of food dispensed to them by the hand
of charity ; and when these fail them, even for a day, the
consequence is distressing in the extreme. Yet in the
midst of all this suffering it is gratifying to witness the
patience displayed; and that very patience, and the con-
sciousness which it imparts to us that thousands may be
sinking into untimely graves, giving no sign, uttering no
wail, ought to stimulate the exercise for their aid of indi-
vidual and national charity. The following connnunica-
tion, which appeared in the London Times of Saturday,
displays a lamentable picture :

" EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE ISLE OF SKYE,

DATED MARCH 31.

" You never saw or heard anything more distressing
to the feelings than the state the poor people are in in
this part of the country for want of food; and some for
want of clothing. I have actually been told, for I did not
like to witness it, that a number of the poor were on Sa-
turday last weeping like children when they saw that the
meal store was done, and no more to be given till the
next supply should come, which, perhaps, would not be
for a week, or perhaps more; and what makes it doubly
sad is, that they don't see nprospect of getting seed to
sow the ground, nor potatoes to plant. The latter is the
principal food of the very poorest. It is delightful to see.
with what resignation the poor people bear with their
wretched state, when we contrast them with the wild cla-
morous Irish,—when so many contributions are made for
them, and so much meal sent to their relief. There has
been a government frigate lying in the bay of Portree for
several months back with meal for the people, and other
steamers are coming with supplies to them, but they
never give less than a ton, or•half a ton, and the poor can-
not buy so much should they die for want. It may-be
said with truth, that • the 'proprietors do all they can for
them in giving the ableliodied'men work, to enable them
to support their .families, hut• such as cannot work are
miserably off.!,'