The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-17
Travellers Guide.
gheQntelliaeurer.
The Condition Of Ireland

Their honey JOYS and destiny obssuie
Scr Grandeur near with q disdAiniul smile =,
The short and simple annals Of the poor.
s.!.ors OF the lnteligencer:
10 your publication Of Thursday last
here is u column and half OF an editorial
suggested by an interview with Mr.. John
L Wilson, who has recently returned
from u four months trip 10 Ireland. EV.
rry one acquainted with Mr.. Wilson
Knows that he Ia incapable OF williul
misrepresentation. Bot q foreigner 10
liable to fall into many mistakes In his
travels, and differences drawn By second
party upon such mistakes are frequently
ridiculous.
A gentleman once inquired OF Daniel
OConnell in London, how 1t was that
visitors 10 Ireland gave such contra
diCtOry accounts OF the condition Of the
country. The great orator replied, with
twinkling OF hum0r: English tourists
navel through the country In Irish jsunt
Ing cars. The passengers thereon are
seated back to back, and consequently
view tho country in opposite directions
M part Of the scenery beheld by o pas
s,nger is ever seen by bis fellow traveller
who is seated behind him. Hence the
contradictory statements" Any one
who visits Ireland for the purpose Of
seeing the nakedness Of the land, can
bg gratided to his hearts content. II he
desire to see destitution and misery in
that country, he can obtain his desire
without difficulty. But one need not
travel so far and mako an ocean voyage
10 fad Equslid poverty and want. Not
over a days journey from our own city,
IN secluded places, and in remote settle.
nents, hundreds OF families resides who
grow up and pass away from life in
condition Of want and wretchedness, not
exceeded by that existing in the darkest
places in Ireland. "The poor We have
with US always" is an adsge, applicable
10 every land, and to every age.
/, is much more delightful TO visit
.o!egn regions, for the purpose Of seeing
tue beautiful and sublime, and oil contem.
plating whatever is noble and good. The
IVY mantlcd mOnastries Of Ireland; the
crumbling Sbbeys; the old:teudsl castles;
tie ruins Of Gothic churches; and above
Ill the ancient gray round towers found
DO where but in that country, furnish
prolific theme for the GrchGologist. The
bright waters and romantic scenery Of the
lakes OF Killarney aud the exquisite
beauty OF Dublin bay, will be long re-
membered by every visitor who admires
whatever is lovely. The Giants Cause
way teaches the geologist more Of his
lavOriiG science than years CT close study
could impart Surely these scenes are
p!easanter to dwell upon than anything
10 be found in the haunls OF wretchedness
and vice.
The condition OF the laboriug classes Of
Ireland is neither go hopeless nor so des.
ptrate as you imagine. A shilling day
m4y be laborers' wages in the county
Monaghan, but it is more than that IN
other parts Of Ulster. I have been in
many humble cottages in the North Of
Ireland, but never saw one nor heard Of
one destitute Of bedstead. Every farm
l3borer has generally comfortable cot
lage with two or three rooms. a good
sized garden Is generally attached. He
has usually a milk COW a couple Of hogs
and about dozen Of domestic fowls.
Thus his family is Abundantly supplied
with milk, butter, bacon and eggs, and a
small surplus to dispose Of. The manure
70 carefully preserved. Any neighboring
farmer will permit him to apply that ms
Hure upon his land for a potato crop, rent
free, IN consideration Of the preparatory
cultivation which ID given 10 the ground
Tor q wheat or oat crop. Thus the laborer,
AZ little expense, hiss potatoes enough TO
supply food for his family during
the entire year. The garden yields a
constant supply Of vegetables for his
house. The price Of tat hog sold In
winter, pays the annual rent OF his little
holding. In winter his COW is fed on
turnip's and straw, which he has no
difficulty in procuring. II his cottage
hlor Is not boarded, 1t is made by q
composition Of pulveriz,d stone and
cslcareous earth, which when dried and
smooth Ia deemed preferable to boards
have often passed lsborer's cottages
An d admired the solid comforts OF these
humble homes. The gardens in summer
are blooming and gay with the hollyhock
and the lily; and are fragrant with the
rose and cowslip. The walls outside
are whitewashed, and tho interior is
clean and neat Many Irish cottsgerS
would not exchange their native plains
Tor the position OF President OF the Unit
cd States. People in this country may
sueer at shilling or fifteen pence a day
~ compensation for labor. But It
IN ust be borne in mind, that money Ia
valuable only in the proportion OF what
II will purchase. II Patrick can buy
Ans, Of bread in Cork for sixpeucc; and
ifthe same weight oil bread costs iona
than twelvepence in Philadelphis; the
siXpCnCe Of Patrick is Just
IS good as the Shilling
ofJonSthau. II is well known that q
house can be rented in Ireland for s.
year, and one oil the same description in
this country could not be rented for five
times that amount. Clothing OF all kinds
is not more than half the price II Is In
this country.
But slOth and dissipation will bring
want and distress there as well as here
and when destiIutlon and misery exist,
generally attribute them to those causes
II 10 not In every case, as you suppose
1.-The hopeless condition Of poverty in thu
lAborinG classes that prompts them L
emigrate to this country" The great In
ducement that causes 80 many 10 conn
here, Is to find for their families hom
on the virgin soils Of our western prairie
and forests. The surplus population
the old world flock to the great West
from the same motives that inspiret
Horace Greedy in his famous advice "G
West young man." Ireland has no west
ern territory Tor her increasing popula
ton to so 10, hence that population mus
seek other shores. Many people emigrat
in consequence Of mistaken ideas OF thi
country During tho past summer nc
lesS than 10000 people returned 10 thel
hopeless poverty and servitude" in Ire
land, believing on the whole II was bet
Ter than anything within their reach here
There are a few unintentional mistake
in your article, which will try TO set 20