Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-03-03
A MASTERLY DISCOURSE.
Rev. Myron w. Reed Upon s.Ere-
lands Cause..s--A Novel



Mr.. Reed is brother Of Prof.
Reed, Principal of the Graded
School at this place, and has con-
siderable renown throughout the
state and the northwest generally
as an attractive speaker of the pull
pit and lecture platform. He was
formerly resident Of Columbus,
this state. We are PLEASED to in
troduce him to our readers through
the following vivid and forcible dis
course:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN What
| am about to say suppose is a
twice-told tale to many of you who
have been familiar from childhood
up with the history Of Ireland
more familiar than | have been. 1t
is only in late years that my mind
was turned to the study of that
country and the history of it, and
tonight | have prepared some
notes in order that | might be ac-
curate and that everything ! said
here tonight might be taken as
fact. | shall not have time in the
brief half hour in which | speak
to prove everything state, but if
anybody will call on me any time
hereafter ! shall prove everything
that ! shall state.
A few months ago ] picked up
a copy of the London Times and
read the speech of a Noble Lord
on the Irish question. He inquiries
what business it is of ours, what
Americans have to do with it. In
the same speech, little farther on,
he says that one-third of the rents
paid in the county Of Kerry come
from America. We seem to have
a little something to do with it. In
the great famine in Ireland from
1876 to IS4o, we here i'll America
had something to do i'll its relief.
In the famine of 1870 and 1880 we
again had something TO do with it.
When the famine comes again we
shall have something TO do with it.
Now, when neighbor of mine
here in this city has no food or fire
and | supply him, and that hap
pens again and again, it strikes me
that it is my business not only to
relieve his necessities but also to
inquire into the causes of his COM
ing to such grief. Charity means
mot aims but friend" Charity
goes back to the causes. 1t is
well to feed the hungry but it is
better that the hungry be put in a
way to feed themselves. What we
have done for Ireland in the times
of her need gives US right to in
quire as to the causes of that
need. When these are found it is
our right and our duty to seek and
remove these causes. Between
1871 and 1851 the loss i'll popula-
ton in Ireland was $500, 900.
Where have these gone About
500, 900 have crossed the ocean
and 100000 have gone to the
grave. ia died in the Cork Work
House in a week-thatis, one died
every hour-14o bodies were scat
tered along the highway in Clef-
den whole families alive at night
were found dead in the morning
and buried without collins. Out
of one Parish in Kerry, Of 5000
people, 500 persisted in six months.
This, at the time, attracted our at
tention and brought their cause to
our notice. In the same IS47
there were 10000 eucted-that is
10000 heads of families. From
I84o to 1852 there were 22I,S45
evictions. While this is going on
Ireland is exporting to England
food sheep and cattle. What was
the action of the nonresident
landlords at that time? We saw
what it was. They flung the starv-
ing out to perish along the road
women with babies, the sick and
the old. Well might men inquire,
us God dead p OF the million
and half who fled from this fam,
inc to the ocean the death-ratc
was sixty to the thousand ] do
not know as there is any need to
look at this picture longer. With
the details of the famine of 1870
80 we are quite familiar
Under what Government does
all this happen? Well it could
not have been under any Govern
ment but one-England. | find
England has had this island 700
years and this is what she has made
Of it.
In 1879 three whole counties in
which there was not a laugh. One
visitor who had entered hut said
that the people did not even look
up at his entrance.
1t is not simply starvation Of the
body, it is of the mind and heart.
Nothing soingenious has even been
contrived as the English method Of
slowly killing the body and soul.
When a man is put under the tor
ment in Russia the surgeon stands
by and feels his pulse; it will not
do to let him slip out of his agony
in the peace Of death. Do not let
him die; keep him alive to suffer.
1t seems that England has stood
by Ireland 700 years. Hell can
not be much worse. In a good
year the wolf is at the door let
there be any failure of the crops,
and he is within the door, and
creeping toward the cradle. Moth
ing but potatoesand not even
third-rate potatoes. Can any diet
be contrived so exactly fitted to
kill the spirit, to make men object.
COVERING and helnlecc Mkt