Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-24

.Frfgbtfai DestltufiCn in ireland.
The Catholic clergy Of Donegal. some
'time age, issued an appeal on behalf Of the
pcasantry of certain parts Of the county,
.amongst wilson, they alleged. great destitu-
'tion and distress 'sxistcd. In consequence
of the truth Of their.statements having been
questioned, a speeialsrepSrter. at the request
of the relief committee, ihasbcen sent down
ihy the proprietors Of the Dublin Evening
sl5est to make investigation on the spot, and
ina communication to that paper on Tues
:sfav, the 10th, We find the resaltcf his visit
land inquiries.
Gweedorc and Cloughanicly, the districts
in question, embrace territory Of mountain
and bog, with an questionable strip of ara
,hle land lying on the northwest Of Donegal.
The weather at the stinse Of the visit was
very severe, and the ground covered with
snow ion reaching the scenetf dcstitr-
ton, saysthc reporter, II perceived zone
'hnndred' cr one hundred aud sRfty persons.
male and female, waiting With their petit
tons a1ld.memorials in brand, to be present.
ed for relief. sOf these :tale rnss;crity were
matrons, bsrtfooted andwibhont stockings,
and Some Of tthose who'posscssed the luxury
of stockings had net-shoes or brogafs. The
bare limbs of these women appeared to be
swollen and covered with chilblaias" He
visited SOME Of their houses--if houses they
can be called. iKcre.is description: II
entered on all fours through a hole in the
wall, and there ffetsnd an aged matron.
Father Dcherty preceded handled the way,
or dare say shctld have been denied all
miitance to that abode .of smodesty and
destitution She szaes sestea before the FIRE
on the he arth, the turf Of which had been
dug by the male members of the family -
There was no window DIR aperture to admit
the light of day, save the hole by which l
entered. There, and elsewhere, there WIS
no time to lie lost Tte Inquiry Yves pro-.
-cce'led with by Father sD,'I,urty, who show
sed me the bed on which SEINE of the family
-iay. and here is true description:
1.-The head Of the bed was in the corner,
"a few sods Of earth at the head land feot to
support it board for the side, with a faaw
sticks thrown across. one eh,1 Inherited in
the wall, and the other end supported by
stones and turf There was no bedticE';
no clothing with the exception Of wooden
rag. which could not lear the nauin of
sblanket, norris it sufficient in size fora sir
sgie grown adult, certainly not fit to cover a
person Of full growth Here in this fhovel,
sun6t for the habitation Of single h'm n
creature, there were sever persons-I think
tthe number was seven.
Of their food fke>says-s LII another house
I'VE asked what thnir food was, and they ex-
Silibitcd metal Iret which contained the
t,ncal for the family. This was chopped or
ipoundcd potatoes in "a pnlp, and with this
IRE heated, with seale sen weed which they
sexhibtcd in a 1Reodcn vessel, called a nog-
sgin, they ,u,ade tie dinner and supper in
zone meal rfhcssysten regimen certainly
sc"nnot present. the idea of Baron Pcnnc-
isathcr's 'opalewee.' 7"
The following rirtarent q &C distress, he
ssays, apply toalsssidreds ofcsses:: ''The day
was awfully severe, and all who could re-
,nain inside doors 'witheat the pressing ne
scessity of going abtozu sEere,h Gddled about
the fire. In enevof the deu,;ciis- there was
a female, sad tsherwas enc of :snafsy in she
fifteen or twenty lhesses L ez plosea lie stl,;s
;part of Gwecdore Shesssssubout sixteen,
iarfd when called upon by Father sDoherty to !
fcone forward, she advanced w;th.an air of
confidence, perfectly a,,,iconscihs,s Of her
gracefulness and brauty5f 'slerffo-m This
poor helpless child was not clad, 'anlcss you
scall shapelcss garment. thrown over WITH
tout inner covering, clothing.
'Rut in this i34lse sthyre syessansther f.
male. older than the oneg have just now.in-
stro.!uccd The -eisl syas about twenty or
thcrcabouts Hhis poor creature had mel
'ttcr shoe nor stocking, and avoiding the:
presence of strangers, she shrlink away
il,ack into tie obscure corners;n the dark ;;
ifrom which she'fad been reluctantly drawn
by the priest she revcred"
In conclusion, .the report What
j have now said Of e few cases might apply
ITO all l have seen,of deplorable distress in
'this district Of the Gweedere, adjoilfing the /
'placc where the CHAPEL was burned, anu not
far from the residence Of Father Magee, the
!tarish priest. But was informed by many
that there are districts still mere miserable
land desdlate in tl.e remote and isolated
parts of Gwcedore." II