The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-15


numbers Of the most industrious of the mid
die classes to transfer their energy, and a
considerable amount Of capital, to other
countries, which offer lreer scope for ex-
ertion.
The paupers are merely kept alive, either
in the crowded warehouses;, or, in alarming
numbers depending on outdoor relief; but
their health is not maintained. Their ply
steal strength is Mathematician mental
capacity is lowered--ther moral character
is degraded, They are hopeless them
selves; and they offer no hope to their coun-
try, except in the prospect SO abhorrent to
humanity and Christian feeling, Of their
gradual extinction by death. Many families
are now suffering extreme distress, who,
three years since, enjoyed the comforts and
rehnements Of life, and administered to the
necessities Of those around them. Thus we
have seen the flood Of pauperism widening
more and more, engulfng one class after
another, rising higher and higher in its eff
iects on society, until it threatens, in some
Of the worst districts, to swallow up all ranks
and all classes within its fatal vortex.
Meanwhile, there is much land lying
waste which was formerly cultivated, while
the strength Of the country is standing by
idle; anxiously asking for work, and willing
to accept the lowest wages, but finding no
one to employ them because the owners OF
the ground have not the money to pay
them--and the dread OF underlined taxation,
and uncertainty as to the future, prevent
others from taking the land on lease.
Residing as we do, for the most part, in
the large cities, or in the comparatively pros
porous districts of the east and north, we see
little more Of the extreme distress Of our
countrymen than the people Of England. -
But we find our poor rates increased by the
influx Of country paupers; we see them beg
ging in our streets; We witness the effects
Of the gradual reduction Of the means of the
country in the diminution Of its trade; our
constant intercourse with various parts Of
Ireland makes US acquainted with the pro-
gress OF restitution, and the question invo-
unfairly arises, When and how is the end
to come :" To trust to the poor law and do
nothing--to wait until pauperism is extin-
guished by the death Of the paupers-is to
wait until the country is stripped Of her
strength by the loss of her people To con-
vert Ireland into one large union is to bind
the living to the dead.
In abiding to the course pursued BY us in
the administration OF our trust, our object is
to show the extensive intercourse we have
had with all parts Of the country, and the
opportunity thus afforded us of forming a
correct opinion of its present state, and o.
the means most likely to contribute to its
Improvement. The propriety OF making
such q statement Of our views has on seve-
raj occasions been urged upon us, but we
have hitherto been unwilling to obtruds our
selves on the public attention, Our conyic-
ton Of the urgency Of the present crisis must
plead our apology--a crisis which affects not
Ireland alone, but the whole empire. Pau
pers from our western districts crowd the
cities Of Great Britain as they do those of
Ireland, and are even now depressing their
laboring population by an undue comperi-
ton. The distress moves onward day by
day, and unless checked in time threatens
ultimately to involve both counties III one
common calamity,
We have long felt that the chief ground
of hope, the main source of improvement is
the improved cultivation of the soil and
that the surest means of efecting this object
is by affording security to the cultivator.
That this security does not generally exist
in Ireland is admitted On this point there
is scarcely second opinion among thinking
men IN this country. The laws which reg
ulate the title to, and the conveyance Of
land, require to be changed, so as to give
the utmost freedom to its sale and transfer
so as to pass those estates, whose proprietors
are irretrlevably ruined, into other hands
and to enable those who are partially en-
numbered to free themselves from their diff
culties, by dsposing of part Of their landed
property. Until this be etiected-until the
soil Of Ireland be held by clear and mark
etable title-until the the owners be enabled
to sell the whole or any part Of their proper
ty without the rrinous delays and the heavy
costs which now prevent them-until the
creditors OF landowner have those facilities
for enforcing payment Of their debts by the
sale OF his property, to which justice entities
them,-we are convinced, and we feel our
selves bound thus publicly to state our deci-
ded conviction, that it is vain to hope that
Ireland can raise itself from a state of pow
erty and degradation. The potato may
grow again, and by lis assistance our coun.
try may be enabled to escape from the i'm
mediate pressure olits difficulties but with
out those changes in the laws relating to the
tenure and conveyance Of land, which shall
open free scope for the employment of its
capital and its industry, and give ample Sc
curity to the cultivatofs of the soil, we can
not hope for general aad permanent improve
ment.
An enormous expenditure Of money has
failed TO relieve us. 1t could not do so un-
less free scope were opened to the energie.
OF the country. The partial remedies which
have been applied, have served but TO tight
EN- the net which tramlnels the exertions Of
the great mass Of our pc population Measures
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