Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-01-06
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.


mart, my eyes have been opened to the condition
of Ireland: her aristocracy and peasantry-her
wealth and poverty-her social, political and re-
ligious condition, more than ever before. Were
| to say that l had been disappointed in this
country would but be speaking as / actually
feel for the realization has been far different from
the expectation /; and am compelled to say that,
in the United States, the =. Emerald Isle,
through camera obseura. We there, with our
innate hatred of oppression, look upon this
try as land Of misery and wretchedness, made
! so by governmental tyranny. We picture the
/ Irish as oppressed and down-trodden race,
chatting in their bonds, and waiting bat for fa-
vorable opportunity to cast off those bonds and
/ become free, prosperous, and happy. But such
I is not true state of their condition. That they
have suffered from oppression, all will admit
that they were and are now the victims of despo-
tism none can deny but that they can, of them
selves better their position, politically social
I w. is not by any means as certain. The people
arc not in a condition for improvement. There
is too much bigotry-too much religious intoler-
ance--too much local prejudice and sectionaldis-
sension to admit Of any united and successful
movement for improvement.
! Strange as ii may seem, yet il is true that The
most intelligent and the most wealthy portions
of the people ardently and zcalousy attached
to the British government. When | say this, l
do not include in the classes named the nobility.
They, of course, cling to the power that created
and preserves them But to the mercantile and
manufacturing classes 40 | refer. 1t may with
truth be said that they hold the destinics of Ire
land in their grasp. Almost all the wealth of
the island is in their hands, and at least one half
of its population is dependant upon them for
tenance. Ofthis large and powerful portion of
the community you scarcely fins. one who is
not, as | have said, devotedly attachedto the .oy
ernment of Great Britain, and they shrink from
an outbreak tending to revolution with the ut
most fear.
To any one at all conversant with the condi-
ton of the pcasantry, the fact is apparent that
they are utterly incapable, of themselves, of
complishing anything. Although they are as
noble-hearted, brave, and generous a race as ever
/ lived yet ages Of oppression and suffering have
reduced them to condition below conception,
and even personal observation can hardly enable
one TO realize il. They feel this, and feel, that
their only hope Of ameleoration is in leaving their
native land and seeking refuge in America or
! Australia. Thousands OF them doing this
weekly, and the loss Of population is plainly per
! ceptible in most of the provinces.
The British Government with charity that
{. is commendable, is now transporting hundreds to
Australia at charge Of q pound each, (equal to
about 5000 BY this movement it nllcyiatcs
the miseries of this over populated island and at
the same time peoples its new and rich province
! of the Pacific.
! stated in my last that this was fine looking,
large and hourishing city. 1t is 50; but longer
residence has enabled me 10 discover portions of
it where misery reigns supreme. During walk
through the outskirts, one evening, ] entered a
district which, for squslid wretchedness and fl-
thy misery, excellcd anything | ever saw. The
buildings were mere hoves-the streets narrow
and dirty, and the people bcggar description
/ Poor, misera ble-ooking, unclad children throng
ed the streets, while drunken men and women
blocked up every corner. The stencil was al
most ntoerable, and hurried from it, feeling
relieved when several squares separated me from
a scene of misery, of which God grant may
yer see a fellow.
Our country is looked upon as an incorporate
one and an English traveller some years ago,
/ in his book detailing his opinions of American
morals, &c, said that the - Americans We're
nation Of drunkards ono half If them made IL
auor and the other half got drunk on it.' This
was bad representation, certainly, and itinerant
temperance lecturers proclaimed it in every har-
anguc to induce their fellow -countrymen to ab-
stain from strong drink. Many citizen of the
( Great Republic felt his check tngc with shame
as this epithet was dinncd into his ears and bla-
zened before his eyes and he almost trtshed that
{. his people could be compared with those of the
mother country for sobriety." Judge, then,
of my surprise when, on becoming domesticated
in one of the greatest cities of this mother coun-
try to find that the prevailing evil drlulkea
ness-that here in this island, which has produ-
ced the greatest apostle Of temperance the world
| ever saw, men and women should alike be seen
upon the streets reeling under the effects of
.e pothcer." Such is the fact, and to illustrate
| the kind of creatures whom one will meet here,
| let me tell an incident:
| was returning to my hotel rather late
evening and was accost ted at tho do <iie same
| oy pi0arco and ragged woman, of whose co,,di
ton YOU needed no better evidence than the fumes
of her breath.
'sWoald you plaze, sir, to give me a pcnny?"
was her first salutation.
''Give you a penny, replied, no, my good
woman, can do no such thing. You are drunk
now, and you would but spend it to buy more
liquor"
'By the holy jabers, no, your honor. would
Mt I'd never spend a arthing you'd give me
for the stuff. "
"Well, what would you do with it, then"
"An its what I'd do wild it your asking Sure,