The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-03-26

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From the Washington Union.
CONDITION OF IRELAND.-The last Now
York Albion draws fearful picture of the
famished condition of Ireland, according 10
the accounts received by the Toronto. We
lay the extracts before our readers Accor-
ding to these elements Of ofcalculation, there
are at least four millions Of the people of
Ireland who are fed exclusively upon the
potatoe; but that the rot, which has seized
upon this article of food, has destroyed i'm
mense quantities of it, and, in its consequent
ces, threatens to visit the people with famine
and with pestilence:
"We lament to say that, from the contents
Of the London journals, received by the
present arrival and the last, there is every
reason to fear that at this moment the people
of Ireland are suffering under the accumula-
ted horrors of famine and disease. We have
given such extracts on this distressing subject
as our limited space will admit, and in con-
firmation would remark, that one efthe prom
inent causes assigned by Sir Robert Peel for
his recent resignation, was disagreement
sary to arrest or mitigate the calamity. He
says:
"I will now call your attention to Ireland,
where so large portion of the people sub
sist on potatoes. There is report to tho
government by Mr.. Lucas, Sir R. Routh,
and Professor Kane, stating that the numer.
cal portion of the Irish population that may
be considered practically to live exclusively
upon potatoes, includes certainly 100000.
And | would ask, would the government bs
justified in acting carelessly in reference to
calamity which threatened 100000.
On the I7th October, Lord Heytea-
bury writes TO the secretary Estate: "Ths
evil will probably not be felt in all its inten-
sity till towards the month of February or
!he beginning of spring. l am informed
there is no stock whatever of last years po-
tatoes in the country" And SO deep on
him, who is chiefly reponsible for the tram
guilty of Ireland, was the impression of
alarm, that not a day scarcely passed that ho
did not reiterate the warnings he had already
given. y On the 9th Lord Heytes-
bury writes: "We are most anxious for the
result of the deliberations of the cabinet up
on the state of the potatoe crops in Ireland.
The reports from various country gentlemen
and public bodies continue to be of SO alarm
ing nature, that it seems desirable that
something should be done, fit be only TO
tranqulize the public mind"
"On the 9Th ofNovember he says: "The
danger may be upon US before we are aware
of its being near; for as | said in former
letter, The sudden decay of potatoes dug up
in sound state, sets all calculation at def
ance. Some precautionary measures must
be adopted-and adopted momptly-for
there is danger in delay; and regret to say,
that Professor Lindley when he took leave
of me yesterday said that he doubted very
much whether the potatoes would keep
throgh the winter" Lord Monteagle writes
"Take it, at the least, | do rot recollect
any former example of calamitous failure
being anything near so great and so alarming
as the present. Generally, we have seen
the means of carrying our people forward at
least till summer approaches, and till wo
were within two or three months of the new
crop. The case is very different now, and
in some places | know not how the peasantry
will get through the winter in very many
cases. On the 3lst of October, the Duke
of Leicester presided at meeting in Dublin,
where the following resolutions were pas
sed:
"sThat the committee do respectfully rep
resent to the lord-lieutenant that it has now
been ascertained beyond doubt that famine,
and consequent pestilence, are immediate
ly imminent, unless the government shall,
without hesitation or delay, take the most
promp. measure to provide food for the peo-
pie, and to organize means for the distribu-
ton ofsupport in each locality throughout the
land, That we respectfully call upon his
excelency the lord-lieutenant forthwith to
order the ports of Ireland to be opened for
the importationof Indiancorn, rice, and othe'
articles suited for human food"
The British ministry foreseeing the dan
ger of starvation, had, I" in November last
when the fear Of famine became alarming,
directed purchase to be mSde in the Unit.
ed States of quantity of Indian corn, or
maize, for distribution to the people Of Ire
land. Our last letters (says the New York
Albion) from Dublin announced that these
supplies had begun to arrive; and we were
also informed that the pamphlets which We
sent to England by the steamer Of the lst oi
u January, had been received"