The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-02-11
70 the Editors of the Dtspdtch :

TO the Editors Of the Dispatch:
Permit me through the columns OF your
valuable journal 10 state TO the generous
American people some remarks in connec-
tion with Irish famines Gin the midst OF
plenty" Some people think. and very er-
roneously. that Ireland fails to supply ample
support periodically" for her population.
This is gross mistake. In the three years
of famine in that down-trOdden and plum
dered cOuntry-1S45, '46, and '47-when the
inhabitants were swept off in thousands,
amounting to more than one million, as
also another million emigrated TO America.
leaving six millions Of all classes behind
them, and at this present time its population
amounts to little more than five millions.
Ireland produces more than enough for the
support OF forty-fye millions OF people.
In the dreadful famine OF 1S45, '46, and
and '47 there was OF grain alone, each year,
four-and-one-half million pounds sterling
exported from Ireland to England and
France, besides the millions worth OF
many other merchandises, &c.-cattle and
sheep, chickens and eggs, to fatten English
men.
Her gracious Majesty looked on calmly
I. e., the English Queen and when the Sui
tan OF Turkey arranged to send to the re-
lief OF the sufferers El0,000, "our sovereign
lady" instructed her ambassador at Con-
stantinople 10 communicate to the Sultan
that she was giving only two thousand, and
consequently il would be in bad taste for
him to give more, &C., thus losing to the suf-
ferers the balance.
This is the way British Queen rewards
the vaor Of the people whose actions on
the battlefield won renown for the British
army.
Next in order is how these $4,000 were
distributed amongst the suffering in'1S47-
viz: There were established throughout
the country soup-houses, and at the head OF
which were placed a certain class OF vipeIs
in human shape, who are known by the
name Of colporteurs, or tract-distributoIs.
TO entitle person TO membership at these
soup .dep0ts they must renounce the faith
OF their fatbers-i. e., they must become
apostates and deny the "Church OF Cod
That was the price OF becoming a member
OF the soup-house established by Queen
Victoria's $4,000. These poor creatures
were called brindled cats by the general
public. But when the famine passed away,
any OF them remaining alive returned again
TO the fold.
Next in order is the poor.house. Many
persons ask why these people did not 90
into the poor house. Another barrier im-
pedes their entrance TO that asylum. No
persons get permission to enter until they
surrender house and land, il you only occu-
pied single rood. Your house would then
be levelled to the ground, and you could
never return again to your old home. But
three or four months is about the length Of
time they lived after entering the slaughter
pen.
The money sent from the noble and gene
rous people of America to the hands OF the
mansion-hOuse gentry will render 1T neces-
sary for the distressed persons to apply to
the very class OF people who are anxious to
ret rid Of them one way or another. Should
any OF these funds remain on hand not dis
trbuted to the sufferers they cannot get
| into the hands Of the Land-League commit
tees, who would use them in behalf OF the
people against the landlords-that is, any
funds that might remain after the famine
passes away. This is the great objection TO
| the mansiOn-hoUse lords. They want the
people to emigrate or die. We say they
shall do neither.
This is very brief statement from the
hand OF person having witnessed the sad
ravages Of 1915. '46, and al in plundered
and down-trodden Ireland. A PATRIOT.