The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-13

history Of these times, that America was indifferent to
the present suierings OF Ireland We owed her deep
debt of gratitude Who could rightly appreciate how
much of our prosperity attributable to the NUM-
Der of her sons who have crossed the Atlantic with
their gwives, and children, and household gods have
held up example, initiated by other nations; have
built our cities, cultivated waste domain, and
become happily blended and Incorporated into the
great American family, Why, in point Of capital,
taking that word in its broadcast in point of
merce interior and foreign IN point OF the facilities for
employing that commerce to the best advantage in point
of agriculture and the subusaton OF the soil to the rule
of the husbandman, OF peopng the deserted wastes OF
nature with crowds OF cultivated e IN point, hnally, OF
the increased population, wealth and resources OF these
United States, indebted 10 other cause, to the
extent that OF emigraon encouraged at eve
~ period by the enlightened policy OF government,
and large portion OF which had proceeded from Ire
land He said he American citizen, not by adop-
ton; he was born among the constituency who had sent
him to this city to represent their wishes and interests
He could not forget that he passed through the
great thoroughfare oil his native city without his rest
ing upon the monuments which public gratitude had
erected the service and to perpetuate TO
distant times the virtues OF Emmett and Montgomery
These were claims, inappreciable he knew to some
minds, but they We're nevertheless claims, and strong
ones, upon II ii were possible there were any pres
ent unnfluenced by considerations like these, he would
appeal to their humanity, since he could not awaken
their gratitude Had they read the accounts OF suffering
brought by the last steamer Great God, think OF
thousands and thousands of starving willing, ay
anxious (hop anxious he hoped we might never know
to labor for their bread, yet without the employment
which could yield to then-wthout the means OF es-
Gaping from the misery that surrounded them, and with
the melancholy consciousness that must sooner la
| ter engulf them Think OF whole families perlshlng OF
hunger! Think of manhood wthered, struck down IN
its prime Did they love their own offspring The heart
of the poorest peasant the meanest clay cabin In Ire
land, beat warmly towards his Think, oh! think OF
the mothers who, with eyes unwet," glare DER their
perishing children.
Ii we can do anything to relieve these horrors we
not without guilt pass by upon the other side The same
Being who in his mysterious aotments, had apportoned
misery and restitution to them and happiness and plenty
to u.s. had accompanied it part with the conscious
ness of what is our duty.
He did not believe there was one in that meeting, no, if
he could swell his voice until it pierced the OF every
man in this land he did not believe there would be one
so base as to shut himself in his own dwelling, IN his
own seshness, while he knew that his neighbor was
perishng for lack of food God had made the suffering
men and women and children of Ire and our neghbors
Act worthy OF the relation Let voice go out from this
hall tonight, with power to awaken the sympathes OF
the whole nation.
! Some time ago Mr. Maclay said that his father had
cason visit Ireland One of the acquaintance, re-
spectacle clergyman, he had then made, had addressed
him letter. which contained in the paper he held IN
his hand, and which he had Just received The meeting
would pardon him for reading an extract:
"cooAsy, {near Sligo lreland,) Dee II, 1876
! 81 shall be understood when say that some
of my brethren, the people to whom minister, and their
children, the Of starvation! One of thena man
who both Intelligent and respectable, and who to beg
would be ashamed'cane to tell me yesterday thar in the
course ofaa month, his head often dizzy from hunger
and that his children had To fast some days Mt time
Let the meeting indulge him with one word OF com
ment Ii intelligent and respectable men, "who to beg
would be ashamed, are reduced to tins extremity what
must be the condition of those who subss upon aims,
who to beg not ashamed since no other resource is
left hem'
Another extract addressed itself to u.s. 1t says:
''Iapiess people that we are whittier shall we turn
American brethren, turn You with confident expecta
lions True, we are widely separated from you--he broad
Christian brotherhood to nuy claims or 10 ann
hate you obligations. The kingdom of Lord
m the head a. people peep OF nam" Would or io sa~
|
concluson that written this by the earnest request Of
the needy brethren and in their would say TO the
Bapsts Of America, brethren Godhas blessed you with
both flour and money, send small share We need it,
we crace it. We are besieged by famine"
While this is the wretched state of Ireland own
land, rejoicing in fruitful seasons is blessed beyond all
Others in the gifts of nature,
The basin of the Mississippi contains 1,O30Q0 square
geographical miles, and is declared by writer upon
population that if eoped in the same proportion as the
British isles, i would have three hundred and nifty mi
lions of inhabitants. Let the rich products with which
! this noble extent of surface teens be waited swiftly
across the Atlantic; lei show to the world that our
charity well our liberty abounds So shall we ap
many who are ready perish shall upon us, and
the hearts of thousands shall leap for JOY at the very
of America
Hon ROBERT DALE OWEN, representative in Congress
from the State of Indiana, followed and said
Mr. PRESIDENT Even on the invitation of the COM
mee to lend my aid in so good cause scruple to say
single word on subject and an occasion Ike this
II speak to those who have not read the hearlrendmg
details that make up the present history OF the people OF
Ireland what words of mine could replace that simple
narratives If TO those who have heard, even what was
contained in the address which this evening read to
the meeting, what eloquence, if eoquence had, could
add feathers weight TO the power of its dreadful
eyelatonsi There expression in that address
which struck upon my heart was read. Contrbu-
tons made in Ireland for the dead, not Tor the
living. "The collections, such believe were the words
used care to provide collins for the destitute" Else
where, other countries where Hope yet survives Char
iy furnishes bread clothing comforts for those who
1--WE Collins for the destitute are provided in Ire
land! A commentary how terrible on the work OF hun
yer and of death!
Perhaps may not be wholly useless say few words
in reply to the current objections cast forth by the I'M
thinking: for to object emlnenty humane, so
holy this, objections will be made.
Charity begins at home. That ls the most common
form of encouragement Charity begins at home There
lis truth in the axiom cold its spirit is. If, at our
doors in the of this city, dying for lack
Fof food our duty would be frat to relieve them before
we extended relief to a distant nation If instead OF
the plenty and comfort that with few exceptions, are
found throughout favored country cold and famine
and misery were doing their fatal work. it would be
wrong to pass by these perishng counymen TO help
strangers Charity then, begins at home; but should IT
end there
Ii these Irish were only neighbors, ah then ii
might be duy-such is the admission of the capous
and the indiilerentto give them aid Our neighbors
Was it the whose heart felt pity for his msera-
bic condition, who tended his wounds, who mnisered to
This necessities We shall be- in the best sense OF the
term the neighbors of the Irish, if in their extreml-
ty of distress succor and relieve them.
The matter of neighborshp, too changes its character
from day to day 1t is but three DAYS since Mr. Morse,
the inventor OF the telegraph, informed me that gentle
man, having the command of large capital, called upon
him TO ascertain on what conditions company could OBJ
tain from him the right TO construct telegraph across