Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-12-16
[From the Philadelphia Press, 18th inst. ]
No Famine I'm IRELAND.


There are some reasons for believing that the
reports of such deficient crops in Ireland as
would cause famine there are greatly exagge.
rated. Sir Robert Peel, who was appointed
Chief Secretary of Irelspd, some four months
ago, and evidently entered into efice with the
in ,ention of doing his duty, conceived it desir-
able and even necessary for him to visit remote
parts of the island, in order to become person
ally acquainted with the wants and wishes of
the people, their characteristics and position,
their modes and means of living, and their
condition and prospects. His tour, which was
commenced in Galway and extended thence
along the coast, all round the north Of Ireland
to Belfast, enabled him, he says, to derive from
person al observation more information than
could be collected from whole files of parlia-
mentary reports.
TOnchipg the apprehension that ireland was
likely TO bs afflicted with famine this winter,
Sir Roberts opinion is entitled to considerable
weight. At Londonderry he said:
81 have, in company with my honorable
friend ard most valued coa6jutor, the In {.
spector General, (Of constabulsry,) Sir Henry
BrOFrrigg, traversed, during the last few
days, a very large and extended district. 1
have gone through Galway; I have passed
through CoDnemaIa, JoJcs's country, to the
islands of the West; I have gone through
Mayo, Sligo, part of Letfim, Oavan and Fern.
and loyal city-aDd I have by that means,
from sources of Information which have been
within my grasp, obtained most interesting
knowledge. I have, ladies and gentlemen,
tTaversed the less favored districts of ths West,
where the humid Influences Of the Atlantic re.
taid, to some extent, the development of agti.
culture, and check, as it were, tho exertions
and energies of the people,
A few days later, at Belfast, now the com.
mercial capital of Ireland, Sir Robert Peels
words were:
"I can confidently assert that the reports
and rumOrs which have been circulated about a
famine In this country haDe been greatly esag-
9erafed L speak on the authority of personal
observation. 1 leave those who can write in
the secluded districts Of Connaught the task Of
refuting, if they can, what know TO be true.
In Sligo, in Donegal, hear very different sc-
counts fIOm those which had been led to be .
Ieve, and from personal observation in Mayo
end Galway, and from letters I have received,
am assured that nothing Of the kind that
was alleged exists. OF course, am ready to
admit, with every gentleman in this room, that
there has been a comparative failure in the po-
tato crop, and that food will be dear, bat a
scarcity of food is not necessarily a famine,
and it is very easy to understand the interested
motives of some who are anxious to gain public
applause by a feigoed zeal for the public in
spreading about these exaggerated rumOrs.
Now, must say, as far as self am con
cerned, do not find that these apprehensiOns
are in any way likely to be realized"
TskiDg this as an official declaration, it will
he seen that the Chief Secretary of Ireland
VIRTUALLY its ruler, for the Viceroy is only
lay figure in the pageant strongly denies that
famine is at all likely this year. There has
beer a comparative failure in the potato crop,
whereby the price of food has can advanced,
hue Peel treats the idea of famine in Ireland
as pIeposterous and falfe.