Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-04-14
THE FAMINE IN IRELAND

Ahat suHerlng and restitution exists in Jre,.i
all our readers are aware; but few we presume ~
aware of the full extent of it. The extracts VII
follow, will convey pretty full idea of the anr,n
ing condition of things Is there man, a wor,..
or child that can read it, without feeling, and mos,
deeply, for their suffering fellow moralsa s,,n
these poor creatures be permitted to suffer to w.s.
and to die, whilst there is food in the land ,,h;o,
will save theme Shall not for once the hone and
idea of gain be cast aside and every hand be sers,
ously extended, with all it spare to save fror
the grave these otherwise doomed mortals9 Thu
farmers of the west are particularly appealed TO-
| Whilst Providence has stricken with blight ,b;s
i-fated land has blessed them with most fruitful
and filled their granaries to overlooking. While,
this is the case shall the peculiar commands ofhi,
bountiful Providence, to help and assist our Attic.
ted brethren be disregarded Let us fear 50 to a.,
but one and all give freely of our abundance 10 saw
from suffering and death our brothers
Will not the farmers, under whose eye this comes
think of this matter? All can give something. =
erumb, mite, may save from death perishng
mortal. All that is contributed and brought or
sent to this place will reach its destination vithon,
any charge for freight. Let every farmer who
comes on business to our town, put something in
his wagon for the starving poor of Ireland South.
port has contributed liberaly-the country is
equally able Let her come up to the rescue
Who shall be first in this Godlike enterprise; but
first or last confidently hope and believe, that
every farmer of our land will extend his charity
to the full extent OF his abilities.
The committee appointed by the citizens Of South.
! port to receive contributions for Ireland are Dr.
Mckinley, j. Noble, r. H. Deming, c. Briggs, P
Cosgraye j. Lake, J. r. Phelps, n. r. Allen and j.
V. Quarles Either of these gentlemen will take
charge of any donations which may be brought or
| forwarded.
The letters and extracts which give are from
the pen of that big-hearted philanthropst, Elhu
Burritt. His pen, powerful and graphic as it is
can convey no more than a iantidea of therellity
but faint though it be- it is enough to make the
feeling heart bleed.
| ,Shs5bsrecn, Feb 20. Rev. Nr
! FritzpatIick called with several gentlemen oi tie
town, and in their company took my first wlk
| through the potter's field OF desttution and ceal
AS soon as we opened the door, crondo haGgari
creatures pressed upon u.s. and with agouzing pIAY
ers Tor bread, followed us to the soup kitchen Ono
poor woman. V hose eHtTeates became lI1es;sIbly
| lmpoT,unate mad watched all night il the grave
yard lest the body o her II,s band should be stolen
from his last resting place to which he had been
consigned yesterday. he had LETT five chill
drcn SICK with tie famine e, in her hovel, and
s1e salsed exceeding bitter cry for help. A man
with swollen icet pressed closely upon us. and
begged or bread most piteously. lie had pawned
his shoes iot ODD, which he had already consumed
! The soup kitchen surrounded by cloud OF
tncse famine specifies, half naked and standing or
sitting IN the mud beneath cold drzzllng rain
! The narrow dedlc 10 the dlspensary barw2s cEoked
with young and old of both sexes. struggling for
ward with their rusty tin and iron vessels .or soup
some o. them upon all tours like ialn.shed beasts
There cheap bread dispensary opened IN one
end OF the building and The principal pressure was
| u, the door OF this among the atenuaeG aIr&rl-
tions o. humanity dat thronged hs gate OF stnet
| charity, enc poo! man presented hlmscil under CT
cunstances that en- distinguished his case from
| he rest lie lived several miles from Tic centre Of
| the town, in one of the rural districts where he
lound himself Oh the eve OF persuig Wh hls family
q seven small children. Lie worth the last
| struggle of nature, and the miserable skeleton OF
|
| and with four more bY his side, had staggered upto
inc door lust as we entered the bread department OF
| tie establishment lie hair upon has 'aca was
| }eary Is long as that upon his ned IL c..ae>5
| ,cle ailen in, and his jaws so dstcnGed tt.n re
| could scarcely art!culate word. I..s joar tfAe
| children sitting upon the grould b. h l5't
aoztl,ng together, aEd trying 10 hide their na.fd
| limbs under their dripping rags i!o" these poor
things could stand upon their ieet and walk, and
rats 1--WE miles as they mad done, could not con-
| ceive.
Their appearance, though common to thousands
| in this region OF the shadow Of DEATH was ndescr.
| 5abIe Their paleness not that of common
| sickness. There was sallow tinge in it. They
did not look newly raised from the grave and 10
| lie before the blood mad begun to eli their VEINS
anew but as if they had just been thawed out o.
! the ice, in which they had been imbedded until
| their blood had turned to water.
| Leaving this battlefield of life, ! accompanied
| Mr. Pritzpatrick, the Catholic minister into one
OF the howell lanes OF the town. We found IN every
I tenement we entered enough TO slcken the stouteS
heart In one we found shoe maker who was al
work before hole in the mud wall of his hut
about as large small pane of glass. There
We're five in his family, and he said when he could
get any work lie could earn about three shillmgsa
week. In another cabin we discovered mailer by
the small light OF his fire, working IN space ilo'
three feet square. He too had large family hall Oh
! whom were down with the fever; and he could earn
but two shiiings week. About the middle o.
! this filthy lane came to the RUN OF ho'u
which had fallen during the night and killed man ma,
| who had taken shelter In it with his wife and chi'
lie had come in from the country; and ready 10
perish with cold and hunger. bad entered this falling
house of clay. He warned of his danger ou'
answered that die he must unless he found she'tf
before morning. He had kindled small IRE f''h
some straw and bits of turf and was crouching over
it. when the whole roof and gable end oi earth anu