Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-05-21
STAUNTON, VA, WEDNESDAY. MA
IRISH ATTACHMENT TO THE POTATO.

brother of Theobald Mathew had plant
cd field of twenty-seven acres in almos
certain faith that they would not be blasted
for weeks they Aourished, and promised T
WELD an abundant crop. The poor peopl
IN the neighborhood were blessing the goo'
God for the beautiful patch OF the "Kln,
gentleman, and seemed as happy as though
thew were ripening for their own use
Tbev have been known to go and look int
thc field and take off their hats, and II
humble alteration bless the name of God, TO
his great mercy in sending them the po.ale
again. This was their usual pracuce wner
thew saw field looking vigorous, But II
one night the spoiler came-this oeaueiu
field in the morning had, in isolated spots
the whitening touch of the fatal disease. II
few days the rich extensive crop woult
not paw the laborer for his toll in gathering
#. All was over and in silent desponden
CIV each one submitted to the stroke. The
"still small voice" seemed to say, "Be stlll
and know that | am Cod" 1t was some
thing for which man could not reprove MS
brother and he dared not reproach his God
"And what" said the old woman, sitting by
her vegetable stall, "would become OF us
miserable bodies, if God Almighty had sent
The blast on US, and left the potato
This was in the Autumn OF l845, when
but partial failure took place-the blast
had not then fallen on man but it did fall,
and swept them down as grass before the
rnorer,s mo-, ccvtbe. vet not one of the victims,
tbronob long months of starvation, was
heard to murmur against God. They thank
ed his holy name, both when they saw the
potato growin luxuriance, and when they
saw it dried, as by scorching heat. 1t
was one of the most touching, striking tea-
tures of the famine, to see family looking
into withered patch, which the day before
looked promising, and hear the exclamatlons
of wonder and praise, weeping and thanks
giving mingled together. Giles sent the
the blast, blessed be his holy name !" "Hls IL
blessed will be done-and we'll die with
hunger and praise God; we're all poor sim
ners," SC. They literally and practically
carried out the principle Of one in anclen:
days, who said Though He slay me, yet
will | trust in Him." for though year after
wear they saw the root on which they ana
their fathers had lived, melt away, yet they
would not be persuaded but that the good
God would give them the potato again; and.in
1946-7-S-9 when each successive year had
produced the same if not worse effects, they
vet persisted in saving, ,oftentimes by stealth,
some part of sound potato, okeep it from
the hungry children, that they might put 1T 1t
in the ground, and "Plaise God we will
have the potato again" would be the per-
severing reply to all expostulations. So wed
ded are they to this root, that notwithstand-
ing many know and deeply feel that it has
been their rod of oppression, yet they en-
phatically "kiss the rod, and him that hath
appointed it," and could decree now. 60
forth that the potato should be restored to
its pristine soundness and health, and that
the present generation and their posterlty
forever should feed on this root exclusively,
and have work six days week, at four
pence or six pence day, there would be a
universal jubilee kept through mountain and
glen. and bonfres would from hill top to bog
extinguish the light of moon and star, for
many a ioyful mig hit. And let it be expect
ed by those who would do good to Ireland,
and elevate her in the scale OF being, that
it will be many long year before the SIC
kle will be as joyfully and heartily worked as
the spade. This spade has thousand as
sociations, entwining in and about the hearts
of parent and child, which no other instru-
ment of husbandry can claim; 1t has cut the
turf that lighted the mud wall cabin, and
boiled the ''blessed potato" it has dug the
pit in front of the cabin for the duck pond !;
it has piled the manure-heap at the corner,
mountain high; it has planted the ridge
which furnished their daily bread; it has
made the ditch, and repaired the road, it has
stood by the hearth or door through many a
dark and stormy night, to guard the little
stack for the COW against the 1.-THE gatherer;
it has been freside and field companion (;
and above all, and over all, it has measured
and hallowed out many last sleeping bed
for darling child, beloved husband or
wife, and in the dark days of the famine it
has often been the only companion to ac-
company the father, mother, husband, wife
or child, who has had the corpse of hunger
stricken relative in a sack or tied to the back,
to convey it to the dread uncofined pit,
where are tumbled, in horrid confusion, the
starved dead of all ages.
The sickle has not that claim to the al
fections of what is genteelly called the Glow
er ORDER" tits more aristocratic in its station
and occupation. 1t has been used in the
hands of the poor, to reapdown the fields of
the rich "for naught;' it has cut the wheat
and the barley for the tax-gatherer who
"reaps where he sowed not, )" and "gathers
where he has not strewed. Mfrs. A. Mich
olson.
WEALTH OF VIRGINIA.-Mr. Jos. c. g..
Kennedy, Superintendent of the Census,
has furnished to Mr.. VIM. Selden the fol-
lowing estimates, (made up from official
sources,) of the value of the real and per-
sonal property in Virginia:
Value of real estate $278, 900, 900
Value of slaves 147000,000
Other personal estate 1O5,000,O00