Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-02-25
SUFFERING IRELAND--MR. Claws
SPEECH.

pirate and touching remarks made hy HExRy
CLAY al the town meeting recently held IN
New Orleans, 10 devise measures for the relief
of the suffering poor Of Ireland:
"Mr. CLAY, having been invited by thu
COMMITTEE OF arrangements 10 attend the meet
ing. took 4 seat near the Governor. An on.
Ithusiasiic, loud and apparently unanimous e,1
for him was made by the audience, and. slow
" rising from his seat, be approached the foo,
of the platform and addressed the meeting
nearly as follows
Mr. President and ftlle,c- Citi-ens--I hes
liated cacceptthe invitation which has brough,
me here beng mere soiourner and moi a
member Of this community, doubted she pro
ptie'y OF my presence and participation IN the
proceedings of this meeting. and apprehcndcd
'la' my motive might be misunderstood But
In consulting my pillow, and considering
u," uie humanity Of the object Of this assem-.
oiy IS bounded BY no latitude nor locality, and
ought 10 be co-exiensive with the whole hu-
llah iamliy--H seemed 10 me that all consider
at'ohs OF iasudlous delieaey and etiquette
shoulu DC waived and merged in a generous
and magnanlmous effort 10 contribute 10 Tho
relief OF the sufierings which have excited opr
feelings. If should be misconceiyed or mis.
represented, the experienced Of a long life has
taught me, that the best response TO misron-
Icepuon and misrepresentation is the fearless
and faithful discharge OF duty, in all the con.
ditons of life in which we may be placed
and the best answer 10 traduction and calum,
ny, is conscious rectitude and the appreciation
of ones own heart.
".Nr. Presideat-If we were TO hear that
large numbers Of the inhabitants Of ASA. or
Africa, or Australia, or the remotes, part Of
the globe, were daily dying with hunger and
hat al.
their religion, or what their ciyilizaton--we
should deeply lament their condition, and be
irresstably prompted, if possible, to mitigate
their sufierings But il is not the distrtsses Of
any such distant regions that have summoned
us together on this occasion. The appalling
and hearirendng distresses of Ireland and
lrishmen form the object of our present consul
taton.
THAT Ireland, which has been in all the
issitudes Of our national existence our
friend, and has ever extended TO US her warm
est sympathy lrishmen, who, in every
war IN which we have been engaged, on every
battle field, from Quebec to Monterey, have
stood by US, shoulder 10 shouder, and shared N
all the perils and fortunes of the conflict
The imploring appealcomes to us from the lrish
nation, which is SO identified with our own.
as TO be almost part and parcel of ours, bone
Of our bone and flesh OF our flesh. Nor is II
any ordinary case OF human misery, or few
isolated cases of death by starvation, that we
are called upon 10 consider Famine is stalk
ing abroad throughout Ireland; whole towns.
countes-countless human beings Of every
age and of both sexes--at this very moment
are starving, or in danger Of starving TO Geata
for bread OF all the forms Of dissolution Of
human lie, the pangs and agony ofthat which
| procppdc finn famine fhe freaiftI
If one dies fighting glorously for his country,
he is cheered, IN his expiring moments, by the
patriotic nature OF his sacrifice. He knows
that his surviving relations and friends while
lamenting his loss, will be gratifed and hon.
ored by his devotion 10 his country. Poets,
painters, sculptors, historians-wlll record his
deeds OF valor and perpetGate his renown. II
he dies by the sudden explosion Of the boilers
of steamboat or by storm at sea, death is
quiet and easy, and soon performs It's mission
A few piercing shrieks are uttered. he sinks
beneath the surface, and all is still and silent
| But a death by starvation comes slow, I'm.
gering and excruciatlng, From day to day
the wretched victim feels his flesh dwndlng,
his speech sinking, his friends falling around
! him, and he finally expires IN horrible agony.
Behold the wretched Irish mother, with bag
gard looks and streaming eyes-her furnished
children clinging 10 her tattered garments, and
gazing piteousy in her face begging Tor food
| And see the distracted husband and father
| with pallad cheeks, standing BY, horror and
despair depicted in his countenance-touurtd
with the reflection that he can afford no sue
cor or relief to the dearest objects ofhiS heart.
about TO be snatched forever from him by the
most cruel of all deaths This is no fancy
picture but, if we are 20 credit the terrible &C.
counts, which reach us from that theatre Of
misery and wrechedness, is one Of daily oc-
| currence. Indeed, no imagination can con
| ceive-no tongue express-no pencil paint
the horrors of the scenes which are there daily
exhibited.
'Ireland, in respect TO food is differently Sit
uated from all the other countries Of the world,
Asia has her abundant supply OF rice Africa
her dates, vans, and rice Europe her bread
of wheat, rye and oats America double re
source in the small grams, and never failing
supply Of Indian corn--ihe great supporter Of
animal ife--for which we are not half CRATE
full enough TO bountiful and mercifu Proy
dence. But the staple food Of large parts Of
poor Ireland is the potato, and when It fails
pinching want and famine follow. tits among
the inscrutable dispensatons OF Providence that
the crop has been blighted The last two years.
and hence the pryaton Of food, and this APP
peal 10 the Sy InpdtHl Vi hihtilC"i h' t''''.
Shall il be in vain Shall starving Ireland
the Young and the old-dying women and
children stretch out their hands TO US for Bread
and find no relief2 VIII not this great city,
the worlds storehouse of an exhaustless sup
ply of all kinds Of food, borne to It's overflow
ing warehouses by the Fathers Of Waters, act
on this occasion IN manner worthy OF rs
high destiny, and obey the noble impulses Of
the generous hearts OF its blessed inhabitants
ave are commanded, by the common Sa-
vor Of Ireland and Of us, 10 love one another
as ourselves; and on this, together with one
higher obligation, hang all the law and propb.
cts of our holy religion. We know, that Of
all the forms Of humanity and benevolenee.
none is more acceptable in the sight Of God
than the practice Of charity. Let us demon
strate our love, our duty, and our gratitude to
Him, by liberal contribution to the relief OF
His suffering Irish children.
"Fellow- citIzens-No ordinary purpose has
brought us together This is no political gath
ering. If it had been, you would not have
seen me here. have not come here TO make
speech. When the heart is full and agllaied
by its own feeling emotions, the paralyzed
tongue finds utterance difficult. Ii is not fer,
we'd eloquence, not glded words, that Ireland
needs--but substantial food. Let us rise TO the
magnitude of the duty which IS before us, ana