The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-08
THE Irish EYnfsus

IRON the Pars Journal des Dsbats, July o.
Whilst all looks are fixed on the Eaht--Whlst the
crowded and feyerish populations o. old Europe
are preparing to dispute the finest country under the
sun-there is on the other side profound current
silent and irresistible, which carries millions Of men,
a whole nation towards the West, and towards the
unoccuped and unlimited soil OF the New World
When thrones ial--when royal families wrest the
sceptre from each other-when dynasties elnigrate.
we call such changes revolutions. BY what name
should we then call this emigration en- mdsSe of
whole nation, this simultaneous transportation Of
an entire race this sudden Disappearance Of whole
society, which shifts oil at once like the scene OF
theatre name FOR this mysterious anu proyi-
dental movement has been sought for in the Bible
it is calieG the exodus. 1t is now customary TO
say the Irish exodus, or the Celtic exodus--the
going forth of the Irish and the Celts, as the Old
Testament gays the going forth OF the Jews. And
it is in fact migration like that OF the Hebrew poo.
pie with women, children, and chariots: il Is q
journey in pursuit Of the promised land Of the land
OF abundance and plenty it is one OF those impul-
sions which seize the popular mind, and which
nothing can check. In few years the IrieEnaa will
have disappeared from the land OF Ireland. And
yet that land is not TO him what Egypt formerly was
TO the israelite; it is the country, the native
soil, the paternal inheritance. it was country az
beautiful, and as iecund as any ia the world gifted
with all natural riches, with the most beautiful
waters, the finest ports and the greenest mountains
it was the island called the green isle brilliant
emerald which God let fall from his celestial diadem,
and which poets lovingly called the first 1ower Of
the earth, the first gem of the sea- And on this
privileged soil there was people az happily gifted
hy natuTe-brliant, anliate, witty, full OF imagina
ton, and eloquence--a people Of artists But
with all these presents, all these largesses OF Prov
dence, Ireland has only succeeded in representing in
modern history the most complete type Of human
misery. For centuries she has been an object OF
pity, Of scandal and OF terror, Tor the whole world
che has foeted on her ocean as q wrecked vessel
with the black heg hoisted Whenever it il de-
sired to symbolic popular misery Ireland is named.
Even out Of his own country, the Irislnuan car
les with him this fatal inheritance; and in the
great towns Of England there 10 always q Sc.
parate quarter called Little Ireland, which is the
chosen kingdom OF poverty, famine and death
But nevertheless, however abandoned, furnished and
wrctched they were, the lfishman and Ireland a.
between the man and the soil; they SO strongly re.
sembled each other--they were SO well adapiel for
one another Both OF them were, so 10 speak
lying falow-both lived from hand TO mouth and
warmed themselves in the sun, doing nothing and
without care Tor the morrow But now this old
alliance s broken; and what specialiy characteiizes
the great movement Of which we speak ia the sort
OF enthusiasm with which the emgrlnt bids al
eternal adieu TO his country. Formerly the Irish
man only tore himself with tears from his native
soil and now he iee from it az il 1t were poisoned,
and shakes its dust from his feet. How has this
change been accomplished How has this great
divorce been efectedg To understand It, il is neces-
sary 10 know that within the last Eve or six years
yeiltable agralian revolution and new division OF
territorial property, almost as complete as that ei-
fected IN France by the revolutions have been slowly
and silently accomplished in Ireland. We VIII not
go back to the time Of the Celtic kings, nor even OF
Cromwell we will content ourselves with going
back to the year Of the famine and OF typhus, that IS
to say, lS47. This date Is one OF the most SIMS
tr Of ireland about two millions of persons died
Of famine and pestilenee. We remember having
visited Dublin at that tGpe--t wac only great