The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-04-08

IN THE Of COunONS,
On Lord John Russell's Motion of En-
quiry into the State Of Ireland.
Mr. O'CoSNELL then rose and said-I hope, sir,
there is not an individual in this house who will
suppose have risen TO say anything about myself,
or one gentleman in the house, who, when have
concluded, without other knowledge, will have
discovered that have any personal interest what
ever in the trials which have been SO often alluded
to. have come here, sir, for another purposes
have come here to make protestatlon, and TO
ask SIMPLE question. clear, hear) To, protest,
sir, on behalf OF my countrymen, against the coni-
mission of wrongs Inflicted by England upon US,
and TO ask the simple question, how is iIeIdhu 10
be govemedl (Cheers.) don't ask VINO Is 70
govern u.s. may have my preferences ihneeu
have, but on the present occasion ask the Simple
question, how is ireland 10 be goVerned' PIT,
there is fact which no man can denyIit Is
this, that country In the wofio ever lhii'c'eu
so much OF persecution, or committed so many or
such gross crimes, as England has upon Ireland.
That Is incontrovertibe truth, which 1t did not
require the splendid talents of the Hon. Member
for Edinburgh (Mr. Macaulay) to elucldate that
fact-it g one now admitted on all sides Now,
sir, do not mean TO carry you through the his
tory of Ireland. will not carry you further back
than the unlon. From that time, sir this Parlia-
ment is clearly responsible. Now, sir, propose
to show you what was the situation of Ireland at
the time OF the union, and compare il with what is
Its present unfortunate state. II Ireland could be
proved to have been in state OF restitution; if her
people We're III a state OF deplorable misery ut the
time Of the union and since then that she had risen
TO state OF prosperity and her people to happiness,
why then applaud your government. But If il
be proved that the reverse is the case that size
not risen from want and misery into tranquility
and comtort-let me ask what is the state of facts
before the world! Sir, directly the reverse. AT
the period OF the union there very consider
able prosperity in Ireland. For eighteen years pre-
ylous TO the unsn, she had all the benefit of self
government, and it is well known historical TACT
that no county ever rose so FAST eve prospered SO
quickly as Ireland did during that period. In 1900,
when Mr.. Pitt proposed the union, what were the
arguments he used! He did not Affirm to the house
that Ireland was in state OF want. that her COM
merce was languishing, and her people miserable,
and tn I consequently connection with England
must prove beneficial. Many who now hear ME,
have doubt, think either that those were his ar
guments or that they should have been so. But,
sir, the state Of facts which then existed would not
permit him to do so. Let honorable gentlemen
look at the reports OF the day, and they will find
that previous to the uaon Ireland exported over
5000, 900 OF manufactured goods while her imports
OF manufactured goods were under I,0o0,0'0 her
prosperity having accumulated during the period of
self government. The arguments used in support
OF the union were, that Ireland was prosperous;
but let her become connected with wealthy and
commercial England and her prosperity would be
multiplied beyond the powers of calculation. Mr.:
fitt admitted, aga lnst his own case, that ireland
was IN state OF prosperity; also did Lord Glare;
both concurred in the material prosperity Of Ire
land but, not contented to let well alone, both
prophesled that our prosperity would be exceed
lngly augmen ted by the connection with England
believe that very few who now hear me are
quainted with the fact that MIR. Pitt Wanted of the
prosperity OF Ireland, and propiesed that
nection with England would multiply that prosper-
ty. Have the facts of the case proved his prophe-
cy to be true-s Ireland now in state of prosper-
V! am not here now TO talk about political
grievances. DO not mean to say one word at pre-
sent about the franchise, or the municipal griev-
ance. l speak OF no fancifu rights. ] am speak
ing OF our m itera prosperity; What Is the condi-
ton of Ireland You talk Of demagogues in Ire
lar thu tnyI.tA
The poverty and the distresses Of the country
(cheers.) Some Of you | have no doubt have read
the Times OF yesterday IN Il there WAS an article
Sshlch pants Ireland as she Is and can assure
the house that II wls through Influence of mine
that It obtainei insertion "a laugh) There was
there an article upon book written by foreigner
who has travelled throughout all Europe his name
Is Kohl. He Is man wholly unconnected with
lreland-havIng no synpathies with her, or with
the asitators or repealers which abound in the
country. Well, in giving his opinion upon Ire
land, he says that IN no other country in Europe
had he seen so much distress nor so much misery
ash had witnessed in Ireland (hear, hear, hrar.)
That is the description an Indifferent person gives
OF the state OF Ireland after, fo:ty-four years
enjoyment OF the blessings Of the union. EIear)
But have another witness still-a man who re-
Jolces IN the enph0nlous name of Virgins, the
agent of Lord Hesdiey and many other landed pro-
prietors. AT one time he was OF opinion the union
was going 10 be very useful to Ireland. He was
examined before committee in 1929, and he then
said, as there was prospect of tranquility in Ire
land Ia consequence otthe passing of the Emanci-
patton Act, he had no doubt but Ireland would be-
come prosperous. Now, Is years after that pro-
phecy OF his, and being familiar with all connected
with the landed interest," he declares now that the
poverty OF the people, their misery, is hardly pro-
nounceable Surely, then, you will see that these
are the ingredients on which popular men become
powerful Blu that is not all. The poor law com
missioners, having evidence taken upon oath, re-
port the appalling fact that 2,3o0000 of the people
OF Ireland are IN state Of desttution during con
siderable part OF the year. There is one-third of
the population IN state Of the greatest destitution
II is not alone Kohl, or Mr.. Virgins or any two or
three Individuals who have borne testimony TO the
great misery existing amongst that people, but
every single individual that was examined on their
state have concurred in their evidence as to the
TACT have stated. You enumera ed the population
Oh Ireland III the years 1881 and lS4i; and Captain
Larcom, OF the artillery, under whose manage
msnt these census were taken, has made report
oil the state OF the country as discovered by the
taking OF those enumerations. And what are the
facts stated In that reportl Out of the entire agf-
cultural population of Ireland, Captain Larcom
says that ~ per cent are living in state Of the
greatest restitution, entire families occupying but
single room theaD; aud OF the population in the
towns, there were 30 per cent in similar condition
nay, IN some instances, more than family in
a single room. There is another fact, also, which
he gives that will convince you of how horrible
must have been the destituton and distress in ire
land. 1t has been proved that, from the time of
censu which was taken In 1921 TO 1881 there had
beea an average increase IN the number of souls to
a considerable am ,unt but from the period inter-
venng between 1881 and 1871, when the lest census
was taken, the falling off the increase was ac-
cording to the calculations which have been made,
to the enormous amount of 7O0,O0O souls (hear
Thus there was positive loss OF TOO 900 people in
Ireland more than woul1hlvc been had il progressed
for the last tea years in the ratio that 1t had
IN the ten preceding years. Can any man deny
these iactsl Can any I'm deny that they are the
effect OF the union! II is for these consequences
that you are responsible. But how will you govern
1relaadl e. hear, hear, irom.thc o,posion) You
may take your legal proceedings---you may send
your armies there, (hear) but will they remedy the
the distress that Is admittedl (hear.) What will
they do to relieve the poverty of the countryl
(hear) How little would care for the personal
consequences to myself OF this late trial il | could
rouse this house, If could induce the worthier and
better portion OF the people of this country to give
uni anIrn C4.alIr