Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-04-22
Elihu Burritt on Ireland.

Il ~~~~~~->~~~~>>>~-,
Mr.. BuRRirr, better known perhaps
as the "learned blacksmith" has been
making tour OF Ireland, for the purpose
OF invesiig ating the real condition of the
people of that afflicted country. The
N. Y. Commercial, in publishing the
subjoined accounts from his journal, o
the inconceivable misery prevailing in
some parts of Ireland, feelingly remarks
"We have read many dreadful things
in the course of our editorial experience
- dreadful tales Of human suffering by
wars, and pestllence, and shipwreck-
awful disasters by flood and fire, tor
mehts inflicted on men by other men -
hut never anything that so cruelty ap'
peuled TO the shuddering compassion oI
human nature as these simply narraie
details Of what MIR. Burritt saw. And
we do not suspec, him Of exaggeration,
or others Of suppression we entertain
no doubt that what he describes he
beheld, or that what others have be-
held they also have endeavored to de-
scribe. The difference is caused, we
presume, by generalization on the one
hand, indiyidualiz alton on the other
Others have placed before US masses
and groups Of suffering f; Mr.. Burrilt
paints single figures. Just as Sterne
gave an infinitely more touching pic
ture Of slavery by setting before US one
solitary captive, pining in his bondage,
than could be formed in the delinea alton
of an enslaved multitude.
Mr.. Burri,t says his own Observable on
and the remarks OF others have convin-
ced him that one hundred dollars worth
Of food from America would be as valu-
able as two hundred dollars in money +;
and that clothing, shoes, Sc, however
old, will be the next seasonable dona-
ton TO food.
A week in IrcIand--Lenvcs from,
an Editors Journal.
Rev. Mr.. Fitzpatrick called.
W th several gentlemen of the town, aud In
their company took my first walk through
the polter's field Of destItution and death. -
as soon as we opened the door, a crown Of
haggerd creatures pressed upon us, aud with
agonlzlng cries for breud, followed Us TO the
soup kitchen. One poor woman. whose On.
treaties became irresisiIbly importunate, had
watched all night IN the grave ward. lest the
body Of her husband should be stolen from
his last resting place, to which he had been
consigned yesterday. She had lch Fl i've
children sick with the famine fever in her
hovel. and she raised an exceeding bitter
cry for help. A man with swollen feet
pressed closely upon us, and begged for
bread most plteously. He had pawned his
shoes for food, which he had already con-
sumed The soup kitchen was surrounded
by cloud OF these famine specires half
naked and standing or sitting In the mud.
beneath cold drIzzllng rain. The narrow
defle 10 the dlspenssry bar was choked with
the young and old of both sexes, struggling
forward with their rusty tin and IRON vessels
for SOUP; some of them upon all tours like
ia Dsbed beasts.
There was cheap bread dispensary open.
I'd in one end Of the building and the prln-
cipal pressure was at the door Of this. A.
mong the a,Jenuated apparilons of humanity
that thronged this gate Of s,in,ed charity,
one poor man presented himself under Cur.
hut hicti sIaI
from the rest. lie lived several miles from
the centre OF the town, IN one OF the rural
districts, where he found himself on the eve
of pershng with family of seven small
children. Lille was worth the last struggle 10
of nature, and the miserable skeleton Of
father had fastened his younge.; child to his
back, and with four more by his side, had
staggered up to the door, just rs we entered
the bread department of the establishment.
The hair upon his face was nearly as long as
that upon his head. HIS cheeks fallen ~,
and his jaws go Jistended that he could scarce.
Iy srlicuatc word. His iour little chl.
dren were sitting upon The ground by his feet,
nesting together, aud trying to hide their
naked limbs under their dripping rags. How
these poor lule things could stand upon
their feet and walk, aud walk five miles as
they had done ! could not conceive. 4
Their appearance, though common to thou.
sands in thus region of the shadow OF death, .
was indescribsbe. Their paeness was no,
that of common sickness. There was no
sallow tinge IN 1t. They did not look MS #
newly raised from the grave and to life be. /
fore the blood had begun to q their veins
anew but as If they had just been ,hawed
out Of ice, IN which they had been mbedded
until their blood had turned TO woter.
Leaving tins battle field OF life. ] accom-.
panied Mr.. Fitzpatrick, the Catholic minis.
ter. into one OF ,he hovel lanes Of the town.
We found in every tenement we entered
enough TO sicken the sloutest heart. In /
one we found a shoemaker at work before q
hole IN the mud wall OF his hut. about az large
as a small pane OF glass There were five
in his family and b. said when he could
get work he could earn about three shilllugs
a week. In another cabin we discovered
mailer, by the light OF his small fire, working
in space no, three feet square. lie too
had a large family, hall Of whom were down
with the fever and he could earn but two
shIlings week. About the middle Of this
filthy lane we came to the ruin of a hovel
which had fallen during the night ond killed
a man who had taken shelter IN II with his 4
wife and child. lie had come IN from the