The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1822-08-09


oiateh known, and on the morning the
distribution was to have taken place, more
than two thousand wretched beings, with
every appearance Of hunger and disease,
collected in the streets, to demand with
greediness, the smallest portion. The
few who were fortunate enough to get
any devoured it ON the spot. lmmedi-
ate relief may now save some. hundreds
from starvation /; but thousands must Pc
rish from disease. Nothing can stop the
progress of fever, dysentery. u dropsy."
- A letter from the committee as Ros-
I carbery, says, "Many families have been
known frequently during the last two
months TO have existed upon one scanty
meal during 4S hours, without the pros
pect, at the end OF that time, OF obtaining
another. The gentlemen of the country,
who are, must say, exempt from the
calamitous oppression of the times, have
already by their exertioDs relieved in
small degree, the excessive want and mi.
sery of our surrounding poor yet, much
as may have hitherto been done, still it,
bears a small--frightfully small proper
ton to the thousands who are around u.s."
e A letter from E. Dowing, Of Kermarc,
says, sI will not attempt to give you an
adequate idea of the wretchcdness of the
poor here, which you are aware Of from
the public prints but which do not paint
IN its proper colors, halt the misery OF
the Vanishing population in the south
and west of this kingdom. Groups of
starving, mendicants are to be seen dali
ly, parading the streets and highways,
clamorous for food.'
5 A letter from the parish priest OF the
island of Innisturke, says"My Easter du
ty has been over in this island. Required
no money OF the people, seeing & know
ing their calamity and misel able starving
state. would make application to you
relative TO the distressed state of those
several individuals and poor families, in
whose frames and features, sickness and
hunger are combined. Before left the
island had administered the rites of the
church, unto several without pain or sick.
ness, but in want of the necessaries OF life,
and, unless present relcfis extended, ma
ny will be snatched off the face of the
earth'
A letter from Mr.. Cliff, on behalf of
the parish oil Ross, Galway, says, "The
district for which now solicit your kind
consideration is wild and mountainous,
quite unimproved, and never sufficiently
cultivated, any year, TO produce provision
TO support It's inhabitants, whose number
amounted, by the late census, to above
$500. | am rot able, have not language,
TO describe tho deporable state to which
this wretched people are reduced many
OF them are subsisting solely on weed
gathered on the sea shore, and carried
many miles on their backs, perhaps SO
far as twenty or twenty FIVE miles. This
but barely supports existence; but for
that what will not man do; what labour
will not parent undergo to still the
piercing cries of his furnishing children
looking to him and calling on him to pre-
serve that existence he was the cause OF
siving.'
Y A letter from Mr. Clair O'Malley, Of
hawthorne Lodge, near Castelar,, says.
--"Ihc noble liberality and feeling, e.
ylnced by England to the distres ses Of
her suffering fellow subjects in ireland.
emboldens me also TO apply to your COM
Inittee, praying you to take into considera.
ton large trac, of mountain, which not
within the range of any fund as yet estab-
iIshed IN this county,and which it would be
impossible tor the few proprietors( who
nave received no rents this ycar}t relieve.
1 ne mountains lie between the new line
road into Erris and the gap near the
mountain at NephIn. There are, literal
y speaking. thousands people starving
III these districts without the least hope
OF relief; many, who have enjoyed lucra-
tive tcnures, and hitherto considered
comfortable people are now reduced to
the deepest distress. | am every day
surrounded with numbers oFthose unlor.
tuDate persons who plainly tell me, they
arc come TO die at my door if not reliev-
ed to such, as far as lay in my power,
have afforded relief, which can be tenn
porary without assistance. They are hid
Gen IN the mountains, remote from conn
try towns, so that, if possible their dis
trcsses are more affecting than others.
without even the consolation of hope
TO sustain them. beg leave also to call
your attention to the cries OF the numerous
starving inhabitants ct the island of Innis.
turke, the third largest island in Clew
Bay. The only support of those unfor-
tunate people, at present, is boiled sea-
weed, and the fish they occasionally take.
There have been instances of some who
have put their potatoes in the ground be-
ing Obliged to take them up again to a2-
peasc, tor moment, the hunger of their
starving famiIiee