Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1846-12-01
The Famine in Ireland.

We would respectfully suggest to the
members of the late Irish Repeal Associ-
alton of this city, that the present state of
the unfortunate country for which they
have eVinced sympathy, appeals more
keenly to the heart than ever. The cry
now is less for freedom than for food, and
the sums which have beer heretofore so
freely subscribed in aid ofthe one object,
might now, with positive and Immediate
effect, be devoted to the other. We think
that tic Irish associations throughout the
United States would act most beneficently.
byre organizing as charitable bodies, and
making collections for the purchase and
shIpment-of corn, to relieve, as far as
practicable, their starving countrymen.
There is not the same worldly eclat to be
derived from this movement that there
was from the other, but lis as trulynoble
more essentially pressing in its demand
and Irish all over in its generosity and
Christian kindness. Many thousand
bushels of corn might be sent from this
country for charitable distribution, with.
out the slight tax being felt, and when it
is known that ia spite ofall efforts, crowds
are literally famishing let it not be thought
that the heart cannot act independent of
mouth honorl The suggestion, it seems
toNIs, might be acted upon with instant
benefit, and We hope that others may be
of our opinion. The wretchedness of
Ireland, at this moment, is extreme, and
the misery which is accommodating it is
dreadfllto contemplate. At late meet.
ing in Dublin, as we see it reported in the
Nation newspaper, representations of the
most appalling kind were made; facts
were stated to change the thrill of patriot.
ism into chiilsof horror ereille.
Mr.. John Reilly said-"I did not come
here to-day with the view of seconding
this motion, for have been recently in ]
the west of Ireland, and the scenesI have
witnessed--the extreme, the awful state
Substitution to which | saw the people
reduced; have so weighed upon my spirits
and chilled my POLITICAL ardor, that can
think efnothing but the means offeeding
the people, of saving them from immedi-
ate death, from the horrors of starvation
Hear, hear. | saw young men walking
about the streets, who had been two days
without food, patiently hoping for relief
] saw men in bed, who had gone there
the day before to try to sleep away the
anguish of hunger, and had then become
unable to leave it, The Rev. Mr.. M Ma.
nus, ofCastlebar. told me there were ma
in the parish, and he expected
many deaths speedily to ensue; he point.
ed tothe crowded state Of the town, and
said that few had tasted food from the
day before, and their gaunt and famin.,.
struck appearance fully bore out his as
serlion. My heart sickens at the recol.
lection of the fearful misery / behold. I
was IN the kitchen of a friends house,
during the time of the servants breakfast,
when a.mother and six children came to
the dor their wretched appearance struck
the lady of the house, who desired that
some food should be giyenFto them. The
scene chat ensued was really appalling:
the wolfsh eagevness with which the chill.
dren rushed upon the food, tearing it from
each other, and in the struggle wasting
much oft; the savage joy they betrayed
as food was again given to them, had nos
thing human in it; and the utter. selfish:
ness Ofextreme misery was fully seen and
was only redeemed by the mothers love-
who, starving, and looking the most fam
ished Of the group, never stretched forth
her hand to touch one morsel, but stood
with an expression of joy upon herwzn
face that made the heart sick to lock Ep-
on; (deep sensationl saw these thinks.
The feeling in Ireland is food first and
agitation afterwards.
John Smith has said many good things;
among the rest. that . newspaper is like