The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-05-10
Irish Deaths in New Orleans.


last Tuesday, we find that there were 225 deaths
in the city of New Orleans for the week ending
the 9Th of May at IL O'Clock, M OF these US, l27
were white and SO colored and SO of the 1T
whites were born in Ireland So that more than
fiye.twelfths of the white persons who died in New
Orleans during the last week were lrish-Dorn.
Strange as this fact is, it is not at all singular.
The bills of mortality for every week of the year
present us with nearly the same large proportion of
Irish deaths. Why is this! The fact is too unvary-
ing to be accidental, and there must be some cause
adequate to producing the effect. The answer to
our question may, we believe, be found in the
=" Researches - lately published by DR.. Bowler on
the vital dynamics of civil government.
DIR. Bowler maintains that government influences
health and longevity, not only indirectly, but d.
rectly-not only by increasing diminishing the
physical comforts of people, but also by the i'm
mediate influence it exerts over the passions and
minds of men. This is undoubtedly true. 1t can
not be denied that spiritual or mental agencies
call them what you will-control life, and may to
considerable degree the coarser and more palpable
particles of which our bodies are composed. As
long as the breast heaves with Indignation or the
cheek bushes with shame, or the heart beats with
hope and Joy, SO long will mental emotions infu-
But these passions, by which we are swayed, are in
turn controlled by the governments men have
framed for themselves or had others frame for
them. Hence, by regular sequence, we arrive at
the conclusion that government has silent but
all-potent influence over the health of the people
under its control.
We need but point to Ireland in ORDER to Illus
trate most forcibly the truth of general propo
IL &c 81.
of the sea-" made as if for the abode of happier
and purer than those which nhabit the sterner
and more rugged regions of the earth-what is Ire
land now but a vast charnel-house, filled with
corpses sacrificed to selfshnes, folly, and political
and social Encouragement The children OF the
soil, who cling to the maternal breast In hopes OF
getting subsistence-no matter how miserable
from the land in which they were born, perish of
hunger or fall beneath the sword of the irrtated
conqueror who calls their efforts to be free rebel
lion; while the exile from the land of his nativity
finds sad and mournful pleasure in illustrating
the country of his adoption, instead of being able
to add another to the bright galaxy of names which
already adorn the history of Ireland. But, alas
he is not always permitted to do service for the
country he has chosen for the home of his children
and his children's children. Released from the
chain which bound him in Ireland, the CALLING of
the fetter yet remains. A bad government has
sown the seeds of disease that is to cause his
death in foreign land.
What terms of execration can be found strong
enough for the Government that thus pursues with
rod and a curse the man who flies from its perse-
cutions The emigrant escapes from the grasp of
the tyrant that has held him and his ancestors for
ages he filings from him the wearying weight of
Government which only makes itself felt in its
expressions. At length he resolves to leave the
land that with all its mseries is dearer him than
the apple of his eye. He stands upon the deck
that is to bear him to land of freedom and of hap
piness. For while the bracing sea-air exhiarates
him. He seems to have new life-new vigor-
new strength for now he has hopes, now he has
prospects Of exercising the faculties with which
God has endowed him. But all 4! poor victim of
Engand's misrule, you cannot so easily escape the
evil consequences of a tyranncal Government.
You may raise your body and stand erect, since
/ you have thrown off burdens too heavy to be
borne but l see the hectic in your cheek your
eye is too bright and shining that cough of yours
is dry and husky, and the weakened muscles seem
unable to make the cough loud and strong. You
go abroad but to die; you get glimpse of light
and liberty only to sink into the gloom of the grave
And it is thus, and thus only, that we can ac-
count for the large number of Irish deaths in New
Orleans. Bad food bad lodging and bad laws
have, in Ireland, originated disease to which the
emigrant succumbs after he has reached the land
of hope and promise.