Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-01-28

| wholesome kind-halfrotten potatoes, cabbag,
leaves, (turnlps are quite treat,) the refuse o
Y mills, &c, &c, and | understand in some o.
the districts near the sea-coast the people are
using the sea weed as food. In our own i'm
mediate neighborhood, the distress is far be
yond what am capable OF describing, and the
public works in our barony have not giver
employment to more than one-third Of the able
bodied labourers, heads of families. Shoult
this state of things continue | really ~canno
tell what the result may be, but it certainly
cannot but be fearful In the town of Moats
we have taken measures to get up a soup es
ENLISTMENT; but our funds are 80 limited, thai
! fear we cannot do much without help"
Another correspondent in a midland
county, thus describes the condition o
numerous class Of helpless persons,
widows, sc. who have hitherto
"worked for little more than their mainten.
ance, among the neighboring farmers--the lat
ter having NO potatoes, are not now employing
them, and they are suffering very great dis
tress. Our poor-house is nearly full of such,
and the appearance of hunger in the applicants,
especially among the children, is very plain
The Government regulations are sufficient for
the able-bodied and their families but that class
must either get some gratuitous support or
perish. They are very numerous about here.
They are very willing and grateful for work,
but they are not adapted for hard labour, and
we have no manufactures to employ them
believe the number of such, scattered over
Ireland, far exceeds what is generally sup
posed" He adds, "The distress is increasing,
and if cold or wet weather sets in, will be
frghtfully aggravated. Our poor rates are
doubled. On the whole, the prospects are so
alarming, that any measures taken will be Of
increased value if not delayed"
The following lucid statement, from a
correspondent in Waterford, dated Goth
OF Eleventh month, affords not only q
correct view Of the state Of the poor in
that city, but NAV be received as de-
scriptive Of the state of most, If not all,
the towns and adjacent districts in the
south Of Ireland. 1t exhibits also the
judicious measures Of relief which are
now in operation there.
"The existing distress is so extensive, there
is considerable difficulty in devisng remedial
measures, but if a judcious plan can be laid
down, should not despair of the good work
being carried forward, for where there is a will,
a way is generally found. There are two
rural population and as each may require
distinct mode of relief, it is well to consider
them separately. This city may be fair av-
erage of the former, and from the labours of
our visiting committee we may class the dis
tressed and destitute under several heads
The first comprises the aged, nfirm, and wild
ows. This class have been accustomed to
subsist partly on the produce of little knit
ting, but principally on 'the charity of the
neighbors and this latter source being now
from the pressure of the times wholly dried
up, they may be looked upon us really the
most destitute, and consequently to them the
attention Of Friends here has been in the first
instance directed Another class comprises
the poorest of the peasantry, compelled by dire
necessity to seek refuge in the towns They
mostly consist of women with children, the
husband being perhaps employed at distance
on some of the public works, and whose week
ly stipend is insufficient to support them. For
these classes gratuitOuS relief seems the only
for they possess no means for paw
ment, and good soup with portion of bread
will, perhaps, be found the most economical
The remaining class consists of the families of
the men employed in public works, whose
earnings Zone shilling per day. are inadequate
to provide sufficient food at its present high
prices for their large families. Very many
OF these our visiting committee met with,
their clothes, bedding and furniture almost all
IN the pawn-oiice, and when demonstrated
with for such imprudence at the commence
ment OF winter, the reply uniformly was, how
could they do otherwise with their poor little
ones around them crying for food and in
deed the wan features and sharpened counte-
nances of the children bore ample testimony
that theirs was no exaggerated tale These
people eagerly buy up the 'fiumnery' or refuse
material from the starch yards, at one penny
per gallon, and so anxious and urgent are they |
for this poor watery substance, that at one Of
those establishments here, the police were
yesterday obliged TO be called in, to maintain
order and the peace among those who were
struggling to obtain portion. If good soup
could be sold to them instead, at something
under its cost price, large amount of benefit
might be accomplished at a comparatively
small expense.
"Great, however as may be the distress and
suffering in the towns, fear it will be much
exceeded in the country parts, especially in |
The mountain districts, where the cottier popu-
atlon contrived to exist on the produce of their
potato garden, the pig, and few fowls The
number of fowls and half fed pigs now coming
% market, together with the enhanced price of
'ggs, though circumstances apparently trihing,
clearly indicate that the tide of distress has al
'eady strongly set in,-and how is it to be al
eviated The giving Of soup in those places
would be impracticablc, and probably the best
would be the weekly issue of meal,
which might perhaps be done at the different
,olice-stations and as the police force were
employed in taking the late census, their
,nowledge of the severa! districts may prove
,cry serviceabe
"Our issue of food commenced on the 2Ist
Instant: it is given out four times per week
Ind consists of one quart Of good soup and half
| pound of bread, and costs about two pence
arthing per ration. We give no relief until
he parties have been visited by two of the
and their cases reported on and
considered. We have now selected about 18O
,ases, and expect, in the ensuing fortnight,
hat number may be increased to 800 or COOL
The visiting, as may be supposed, is somewhat
and the scenes of misery witnessed
ruly affecting; but trust those engaged in
he undertaking already feel that their iabour
las not been in vain. Some articles of cloth
ng were also prepared but we are discouraged
rom doing much in that way, for so great is
he want of food, that after a very brief inter.
'al the article usually finds its way to the
'awn-office. We hope, however, to give out
traw for bedding This is very much wanted,
md cannot be pledged. II