Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-23
The Irish Landlords and their Victims

The Irish Landlords and their Victims.
Could we take glance at all the high
ways that lead from the interior of Ire
land to the seaport towns. on the Eastern
coast, and behold the thousands that
crowd them every week while leaving the
country, after looking for the last time at
their native fields, we should have some
correct idea of the dark deeds practised
every day in Ireland, and the sufferings
endured by the confiding, but ill-used
peasantry. England has given US over to
the care Of her garrison, the landlords
In other days this class encouraged the
people to outbid each other for land, till
rents were raised to figure which no in
dustry could pay, unless the tillers of the
soil wore rags for clothing, and lived on
! the lowest food the land could supply
The food was potato; and in order that
enormous rents might be paid, the small
farmers could afford themselves nothing
better. They should give the corn and
cattle to the landlord, for he laid claim to
them as his portion.
Whether by the decree of Providence
or in the order Of nature, but at all events
by one or the other, the potato rotted and
became unfit for food. Who could de
scribe the miseries that followed9 The
artificial state Of things at once crumbled
to ruins and famine, pestilencc, and death
swept over the land destroying viii.
their blight the feeble and the INDECENT ::
thinning the populat ton, and giving warm
ing to thousands that they should bring
their masters under the rule of equitable
laws, or seek homes and subsistence for
themselves in another country. 1t was
then the Exodus commenced exhibiting
a spectacle which the world had never be-
fore witnessed.
For four years more than a quarter Of
a million annually left the kingdom fed
| from their native land without striking
or attempting to strike blow for the
cause handed down to them bv their
siIcs. They ran in hot haste, as if they
fed from q powerful army; flung them
selves into the emigrant ships, and COM
mitted themselves to the fury of the
elements, in their desire to escape from
their enemies and reach the shores Of
America. That many thousands of this
vast multitude have regretted leaving
Ireland there can scarcely be a doubt.
They will never feel happy in America
Its climate is different from that Of Ire
land, warmer in summer and colder in
winter, and the manners and customs Of
It's people are different from what the Irish
saw at home. But there they find relief
from insolent tyranny, from grinding and
despotic landlordism and bcggarlv
aristocracy does not offend them by its
| insolence.
And still the Exodus proceeds. Thous-
ands are still leaving Ireland every week,
and as they embark at the different ports,
thereis no weeping or wailing as in other
| days, but they are saluted with heavy
cheer as they depart from this trampled
country to the land of promise.
Do the Irish landlords regret the de-
| partule of the population On the con-
trary, the hard hearted creatures amongst
them rejoice. Are they not England's
garrison here, and are they not reducing
the Irish enemy
| If the bad landlords are not fighting
with the sword they are doing so with
other weapons. The ''notice to quit"
the 'ejectment decree" and the "crow-
bar-brgade," are doing England's work,
and scattering the ranks of Ireland.
We have repeatedly asked the exterm-
inators to pause in their career. We have
told them that the country was losing its
strength, and that if a rupture should take
place on the continent, they, for want Of
a people to guard our shores, might be-
come the serfs Of Louis Napoleon's Gene
rails. But Irish landlordism has become
mad, and in its insane condition it knows
not where tostop IN its hostilityto the pee :
! pie. Weknow the bad landlords Of Ireland
/ havenomercy, but they have much selfish
ness, and they will understand US when we
tell them that their interestwill soon be to-
tally ruined if they much longer persist
in banishing the people.-Dm1dalk Demo
! cyat.
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