Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-02-12
Condition of Ireland.

Mr. Cummin. of Ann Mount, in the county OF
Cork has addressed the following letter TO
"roHls GRACE FIELD MARSHAL THE DUKE WELLINGTON
"My Lord Dake-wiiho 1t apology or preface pre- >
snm 10 trrsp1sS far your Grace as to state to
YOU and by the Of your llustrious name, present
10 th. British public the following nj OF what
have uvselt s'cn within the last three llys
Having iur man, years been intimately connected
with the western portion OF the county OF Cork and
possessing snail property there, thought il right
pers nay investigate the truth OF the several amen-
table accounts which had reached of the appalling
OF misery 10 which that part oi the country was
reduced.
Il accordingly went on the 18th instant to Skbber-
cen, and to give the instance OF one townand which
visited example OF the state of the entire coast
district, shall state simply what | there saw Ii is
situate the side Of Casehavcn harbor and is
named South Rcen, in the parish of Myro>s. Being
aware that should have to witness scenes of inhtll
hunger, provided myself with much bread ms five
men could carry and on reaching the spot was sur
prised find the wretched hamlet apparently deserted
entered of the novels to ascertain the cause and
the that presented themselves were such ms no
tongue pen convey the sightes, idea Of In the
first, six tamshcd and ghasty skeletons, all appear
ance dead, were huddled in "A on some hlrhy
straw their sole covering what seemed a ragged horse
cloth their wretched legs hanging about, naked above
4 tn, knees. approached in horror and found by low
| moaning they were aliye--thcy in fever touI
/ children, n woman and what had once been man
Ii is impossible 90 through the detail suffice IT tC
say that in few minutes was surrounded By at leas,
200 OF such phanlons, such ightiu spectGes, as nc
delrious either from famine or rom fever Their de-
moniac yells still ringing in my ears and their hor-
ribe images are fixed upon my brain. My heart sick
! ems at the recital but must go on.
In another case dccency would forbid what follows
but it must be told My clothes were nearly torn of
in my endeavor escape from the ihrong OF pestlence
around when my neck cloth seized from behind
by a grip which compelled me to turn. ! found my
self grasped by n woman with an infant apparently
Just born in her arms, and the remains OF filthy sack
her oinsthe sole covering Of herself and babe
The same morning the police opened house on the
adjoining lands, which was observed shut Tor many
days aud two frozen corpses were found, lying upon
the mud floor halt dcvouredby the rats.
mother, herself in fever, the same day to
draw out the corpse of her child girl about H. per
ecty naked and leave II hall covered with stones In
another house within 500 yards of the cavalry station
at Skbbeeen, the dispensary doctor found seven
wre,ches living unable to move, under the same cloak
/ One had been dead many hours but the others wer,
unable to move either themselves or the corpse.
/ To what purpose should | multiply such casesl /
these he not sufficient, neither would they hear who
have the power send relief and dono', even though