Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-04-01
Ireland's Suffering.


fore. Below are two or three extracts from the
news brought over by the Hibernia, that will give
some faint idea of the dreadful ravages which
famine is making -
Famine and pestlence are sweeping off the popua-
ton in several of the western and southern cuunties
The reports received this day still more horrible
than any that have yet appeared. In the extent of
mortality Sligo now appears to surpass any other
county, and it is asserted that the police, finding the
deaths from starvation numerous, refuse to send for
the coroners probably because it would be physically
impossible for those iunctonarles TO hold nquests
so many cases and in different localities. And yet, in
this very county of Sligo, the local Journal the Sligo
Champ on, makes most startling exposure OF an IN
famous system OF jobbng on the public works by land
lords for the employment it is alleged, of their rela-
tons and dependents al high salaries to the exclusion
of the destitute and furnishing laborers.
The reports from the county of Cork describe the
restitution becoming daily more desoIang, extend
ing to the better class of farmers who 1t is stated, al
te paying their rents, are now consuming the grain
they had reserved for seed, whilst the peasanty, all
through that extensive county, are dying by hundreds
The police throughout the county, have received IN
stuctions to furnish returns of the deaths from
ton and disease | have learned that the number
ported up to the close Of the last week, at the cOnstab
ulary Office in Dublin, was .f1y thousand But there
are OF course, many deaths from want and disease of
which the police in the country could have he'd no
knowledge. The actual number of deaths from starry
alton is probably much larger than the amount report
ed by the police.
| FIFTY THOUSAND-and more probably
SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND human beings,
actually starred to death, in the midst of the
nineteenth century, and in the very heart Of
Chistendom Good heavens have we begun
to think Of the awful reality Our whole COM
munity was shocked, and Justly too, a few days
since, with the intelligence that three stlge pas
sengers had been killed in neighboring coun-
ty, by sudden casualty but what is this, COM
pared with fifty or scoenty-fve thousand-neary
one third the entire population cf Vermont
actually starved to delth and their livid corpses
consigned, in most instances to cohinless and
shroudless grave, or yet unburied, spreading
pestllence and de1th en- every hand Nor is this
all: FOUR MILLIONS more are on the very
threshold, if not in the incipient stages, of dis
ease, starvation and death
We rejoice in the noble responses which our
people are making all over the land to the m-
Iploring appeal of Ireland. They are worthy of
Amerlca-her institutions and her religion. But
we have hardly begun to appreciate the wants
and wees Of that starving nation, or to estimate
the extent of that necessity which we should,
yea, we shall, make our opportunity. More than
four millions Of people, it is said are in desti-
tute and starving condition. These must all be
sustained by foreign contributions until another
haryest-say five months 1t is estimated that
four cents worthof Indian meal will support one
f individual for day. At this estimate, more
than TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS
worth ofprovisions must be exported to Ireland to
} save her inhabitants from the awful horrors of
starvation Have the American people begun to
consider this subject in all its living reality .
Have they ever dreamed of the extent of their
duty, as the almoners Of Gods rich bounties p
Have the devotees of fashion and luxury realized
that the cost of their extravaganza might save
scores of precious lives from the most horrible of
death!
Since the above was prepared, we have receiv-
ed an Olive Leaf for the American People,"
from Elhu Burrit, commonly called the
F" Learned Blacksmith" who is now visiting the
scenes of flmine and de nth in Irellnd in order to
make the rcl truth known to christendom His
revelations are horrible beyond pqrallcd, and his
appeal most thrilling. We shall publish it next
week.