The Irish CrisisTrevelyan, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
History
The Irish Crisis
Trevelyan, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
Ireland -- Economic conditions; Ireland -- History -- 1837-1901; Ireland -- History -- Famine, 1845-1852
“The destitution of our poor at this season will certainly
curtail the amount for Ireland, and it is used as an excuse by
those who feel called upon to assist them at their own doors
first. But I am happy to say that the poor labouring Irish
themselves are doing their duty fully. Without any public
meetings or addresses, they have been silently remitting
their little savings to their relations at home; and these
remittances, be it remembered, go to every parish in Ireland,
and by every packet. These drafts are from 1ℓ. and upwards;
they probably average from 4ℓ. to 5ℓ. In my letter to J. H.
Todhunter I told him I had ascertained from five houses here,
that within the past sixty days, they have received and
remitted from the poor Irish 80,000 dollars. I had not time
to send round to the other houses that day; but since the
steamer sailed, I have collected further returns, although not
yet all; and to my no small delight, the sum total remitted
since November the 1st amounts to 150,000 dollars or 30,000ℓ.
sterling. I am now collecting an account of the sums remitted
through the same houses by the poor Irish for the year 1846,
and I have received returns from the five principal houses, and
the sum total is 650,000 dollars, or 130,000ℓ. There are yet
four houses to hear from, which will swell the amount. This,
however, is enough to astonish everybody who has not been aware
of the facts; and it is but right that credit should be given
to the poor abused Irish for having done their duty. Recollect
that the donors are working men and women, and depend upon
their daily labour for their daily food; that they have no
settled income to rely upon; but with that charming reliance
upon Divine Providence which characterizes the Irish peasant,
they freely send their first earnings home to father, mother,
sister, or brother. I requested J. H. Todhunter to have the
facts I gave him published, and I make a similar request to
thee, as they are still more cheering. A publication of the
kind may stimulate the rich to do their duty, where they have
hitherto neglected it; and it will give evidence to those who
have no faith in Irishmen, that whenever they are able to get
good wages, they never forget their relatives and friends who
are in want.”
[52] The emigration for each division of the United Kingdom
during the first three quarters of 1847 was as follows; but
it must be remembered that those who embarked at Liverpool
consisted almost wholly of Irish. There can also be no doubt
that the Irish helped to swell the tide from several other
ports of Great Britain, and especially in the west of Scotland.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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