The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-01-28

OF clothing. even their very beds, In Ordel
to bny little Indian meal, which they
could not &c; on credit. In fact, famine !,
Iapdl,' oyerspreading this province; and
the deb lity brought on by unwbolesome
| insnfiicie Mt food during the past months
VIII render its work OF death rapid and
irresistible.
For many years past we have bad In this
ilfaled cot ntry system vi poor. law re-
lief; but, as YOUR LOrdshi2 may be aware,
the man and tie family OF the man who oc-
cupies so much as one quarter acre OF land.
be it in the bog or on The mountain-side, is
excluded from all relief under this law,
either within or without the WOrkhOtisP.
The law viii allow HIM and his family 10
starye il he does not qualify himself for re-
lief by giving up his house and land and
becoming an inmate OF the workhouSe.
Now. Us over 30 per cent. Of those now suf-
fering or IapSing into destitUti9D are snail
landbOlders. pOor-law relief for them would
simply mean nat they should give up for
ever their poor but cherished bomes, and
that they should break the sacred ties OF
family life, separating, as they honld at the
workhOuse door, the husband from the
wife, the parent from the children. Ii
would mean, moreover, that they should
either ren'aIn for life, pining In idIenoss
within their dreary, unhealthy prison, or,
after leaving il, lead ever after the lives OF
helpless yagrants. But no; orr pure,
warm-hearted peasants will not abandon
the homes they were born in; they will not
separate from all they hold dear on earta;
they will cling to their homes and to each
other till death, and starye rather than sub
NIT 10 that lnhuman test OF destitutiOn.
oCf ~
ayOwedly, devised by the Landlord Legis- !
lature IN London for the cheap and easy
wholesale eviction OF the sma-tenant class,
which it thoroughly effected in 1S47. 1t is |
still maintained in The law, TO the eternal |
disgrace Of the English Government, for the |
same unhaIIowed purpose.
Her AIaieSty's government has been with |
in the last four months repeatedly called OF !
to provide employment, and through en- |
ployment the means OF support, for the |
people OF the destitute counties, by promo |
ting and undertaking drainage ana other |
reproductive works; but so FAR it has |
neither given nor promised such employ !
ment. 1t seems determined TO leave the |
lives Of the people dependent on the afore- !
said poor law act and It's relief system.
In this sad condition we have but one |
means OF saving our people from wholesale |
eviction and Stai yati0n an appeal to Chris |
tian sympathy for prompt aud generous |
aid. Great efforts will no doubt be made |
here IN Ireland by those who are themselves |
above distress. Several thousand pounds |
will also come to us from England; but all |
that will be inadequate TO mitigate the dis /
tre>s in one case out OF ten. Il j. on the |
eYcr-g generous offerings OF the millions OF |
our fcllow-countrymen in America that we |
mus chiefly rciy foT saving the lives Of our |
people. And even with your most abund- !
ant gifts the help OF the STATE win still he |
necessary il the people are TO be kept in |
their homes, and if their lands are to be |
titled and set ded this spriug in way to save |
them from another famine in the coming
year.
| therefore appeal with the fullest con-
fdence to your LOrdsLip and to your do
Cesc, in the name OF my destitute flock
and of all who need relief in our afflicted
country, and implOre OF you to come
speedily to our aid. In this diocese, and |
believe throughout this province OF Con-
naught, there is in each parish 4 relief COM
miitte, who undertake to inquire into all
cases OF dPstItutiOn before administering
relief. II is through those committees |
will distribute the offerings you will have
the charity to entrust to me.
The ferYent prayers oi Our suffering poor
and Of their clergy will bring down from
Heaven blessings hundredfo,d on all our
benefactOrs.
have the honor TO remain, my dear Lord, |
with most aflectiOn3te respect, your Lord !
ships devoted brother in Christ,
l.. GHLODLY. c. NJ,
Bishop Of EIphin.