Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-24
TIE cos DlrIoN cP rHK IRISH In
IRBLAED.

The Consular reports on the condition of
the people in the south and west of Ire
land DO not sustain the previous reports of
great distress in that island. Hardly off
as are the people, the official reports do
not show that they have been reduced TO
starvation levels. One of The ConsuIs, j.
J. Piatt, reports that a gentleman Of Cork,
an intelligent and kind hearted man, who
is well acquainted with the westerly eec-
tions, denied TO him fatty that such dis
tress exists as rumor bias credited TO those
regions. re cites the experience of the
relief chips cent from England and Amer
lea within the past four years, when even
greater distress was claimed to exist. Il
then developed that the very people who
it had been claimed were starving, and for
whose relief The ships were sent out, re-
fussd TO unload fron the vessel the provis-
ions sent for free distribution among them,
except they were psid extrsvsgans wages
for their labor, and when Indian meal was
served TO them TO take to their homes they
turned from it with conteInpt, declaring 1t
fl food for pigs only. 1t is but fair to say,
however, that the Irish peasantry had not
then been taught the food value of meal, for
IL wiitbe remembered that in one great fam
ine they refused TO touch it, and died of
starvation in preference. 1t is just pos-
sible that the Consuls have not considered
the facts in their true relation. The con-
ditien of the Irish peasantry has bsen, By
gradual processes, brought so low that their
mode OF lie. judged by the standard
of their habits for many years, may seem
to be not greatly worse than heretofore
Bat measured by the American standard of
living fer even the poorest of our people,
the Irish condition viii reveal squalid
poverty OF which Americans can scarcely
sorn true conception. Ahjscs poverty
has 80 long prevailed there sast It has be-
come the normal condition, and the natu-
raj ambition, in very many cases, to do
better and be better, has completely died
out, and some human beings have absolutely
turned backward to the path of savagery
and tbs habits of beasts. The ship.loads
of DETECTED emigrants sent to. US during
the past three months give evidence of
this fact, The wretched people tbat are
lsndsd in New York and Boston, we are
told, clearly indicate that their lives have
been passed in degraded condition I'M
known to poverty rs VIC understand it;
condition Shat has eruzhed out intelligence
AID hope and desire, end substituted for
them content with crust, hopelessness,
and only tho feebless ambition to secure
food enough 70 keep life in the body Il
Is easy TO reconcile with such state of ex.
istence the fact recised that the greed for a
pitifuI coin arose at one time superior to
sentiments of gratitude. Passing from
Consul Pistt's report to that of Consul
General Merritt, We find that it is based
upon the reports of the consular corps,
which agree that the prevailing distress is
not exceptional in character, and that the
published accounts are exaggerated. Both
of the statements are undoubtedly correct.
The Consul. General, however, tells us
much of "the abject destitution of the
peassntry," and says that the misery of
poverty has become the normal condition
of life with them. The plain English of this,
as we understand MIR. Merritt, is that
the Irish peasants have endured poverty
for SO long time that they are Injured TO
it, and therefore there is less occasion for
sympathy for them. That "the present
condition Of the Irish viii act as power.
full ssimulant to emigration is fHal
abatement OF General Merritts that car
RES with IL the whole quest'or, and coz
vinees us our estimate Of the coadi-
Hon of Thousands of the Irish in Ire