The Portland daily press., 1880-02-07
SUFFERING IRELAND.
A Relief Meeting in City Hal

A fair audience gathered at City Hall las
evening in response to the call of several OF on
prominent citizens to devise some means D.
| which the suffering of the famine stricken
| people of Ireland can be alleviated. Th'
meeting was called to order by Alderman Gun
| ningham, who introduced as chairman OF tht
meeting Mayor Walker.
Mr.. Walker made a very appropriate ano
| telling speech He reviewed the history OF the
land question in Ireland, and attributed to il
| the awful distress, misery and woe whlch ex
| lists there today. The land in Ireland, he SAID
| is held by few working aristocrats. line
curse of absenteeism was also reviewed and de-
nounced in severe terms. The duty OF us 10
day to contribute all we can to the people OF
Ireland-children of hereditary oppression.
At the conclusion of his address Mayor
Walker introduced Father Bradley.
The reverend gentleman was received with
great applause. Father Bradley in opening
expressed his surprise and disapprobation at
the small number This is time for action,
not for talk. A nation is in danger OF starva-
ton and stretches out her hands to us Tor ald.
The papers both in England and this country
TEEN with accounts of the distress in Ireland.
Inc aCtlOn OF tn6 DUCHESS OIL MaflDOrouSu q to
the New York Herald is proof Of the dire mis-
cry of the starving poor in Erin.
Father Bradley then read a letter from a
Bishop in Ireland, which drew a terrible PIC
ture of the famine in Ireland. The work OF
death is daily progressing, He also read an
house over three hundred starving people gath
cred asking for food.
Father Bradley stated that in person he Wis
tied the famine districts, and that no language
could describe the misery of the people. The
famine in Ireland cannot be attributed to a
want of energy or industry of the Irish people.
The destitution in ireland is not due to the
drunkenness of the peasant. There is less
liquor consumed in Ireland than in either Eng
land or Scotland Statistics show it. do not
propose to discuss the trxe cause of Irelands
distress. l leave that to the politician. Of
one thing we may be sure, and that is large
number of the Irish people are starving. Eng
land to her lasting disgrace has neglected to
give succor to the distressed peasantry, but
now it appears from the Queens address that a
vague and indefinite plan is proposed to ale
viate the wants of Ireland.
Father Bradley then spoke in scathing terms
of the maternal interest, so-called, OF England.
In the hour of her dire distress Ireland appeals
to the great republic across the ocean and to
the generous, sympathetic republic of France
He then described the poor-houses of Ireland
a system devised mainly for few, In order
to be admitted into these charnel houses one
must give up home and family, there to be sep
arated from all he holds dear. No man is ad-
mitted who has home, therefore ninety per
cent of the people are excluded. In one poor
house which visited, over two thousand out
of the five thousand inmates were in the hos
pital Is it to be wondered at that the Irish
people refuse to enter these houses of death.
In conclusion Father Bradley appealed to
the citizens of Portland to aid those dying of
starvation in Ireland. When the fire-fend
swept over this, our Forest City, other cities
generously came to her aid. Irelard calls to
us for aid. Let us give noble reponse, and the
return will come soon.
After Father Bradley's address Mr. Edward
buddy moved that com nittee be appointed
to solicit subscriptions. The motion was put
by Mayor Walker.
Mr. T. f. Donahue then addressed the audi
ence in favor of the resolution. Mr.. Donahue
made an eloquent appeal for Ireland. He con-
cluded by seco nding the motion, which was
then carried unanimously.
Mr.. d. O'C. O'Donoghue then made a few
remarks He expressed surprise that so few
were present saying that it was disgrace up
On the Catholic Irishmen of Portland. Mr..
O'Donoghue then gave an interesting account
of the land system in Ireland. Under that
system there is no justice for the tenant farm
er. He closed by an earnest appeal for aid:
A committee was then appointed to solicit
subscriptions on the floor, and reported the
following subscriptions.