Transcribed & submitted by Rob Doragh from “The Tyrone Constitution”, Omagh, Friday April 3rd 1846.
The Irish Famine: Scene at the Gate of a Workhouse
John Cassell’s illustrated history of England. Vol. VII New & Revised Edition. from the Ascension of George IV. to the Irish Famine 1820-1847 by Cassell, Petter & Galpin 1865 Google Books
https://www.google.ca/books/edition/John_Cassell_s_illustrated_history_of_En/t0gBAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22irish+famine%22+illustration&pg=PA618&printsec=frontcover
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
DESTITUTE POOR IN IRELAND. – On Saturday, the bill now in the House of Commons, prepared by Mr. Poulette SCROPE and Mr. Sharman CRAWFORD, “for the better relief of the destitute poor in Ireland,” was printed. There are ten clauses in the measure, framed in a concise and intelligible manner. It is expressed by the preamble, that the law should provide as fully in Ireland as it does in England against the danger of any destitute poor persons perishing through want. This theory is worked out in the provisions. It is proposed that the poor law commissioners shall empower the boards of guardians in Ireland to take order for relief, either by admission into the workhouses of the unions or otherwise, of all such destitute persons, at any time being within the said unions respectively, as may be unable to support themselves and destitute children by reason of old age, infirmity, or defect. It is likewise proposed that the board of guardians shall relieve able-bodied poor by setting them to work, either in the workhouse or elsewhere, on public works, with a penalty for neglecting or refusing such work. Guardians may assist to emigrate poor persons who have been chargeable fourteen days, and to provide the necessary funds for for the act, rates are to be levied equally in the several unions. The following provision has been framed to prevent mendicancy in Ireland: – “And whereas much waste, immorality, and other bad effects result from the mendicancy and vagrancy that prevail to a great extent in Ireland, and provision being made for the due relief of all such poor persons as are really destitute and in danger of perishing from want, it is expedient to prevent and punish the begging for alms, for which there will no longer remain the excuse of necessity; be it enacted, that from and after the passing of this act every person who shall beg, or whose wife and children shall beg for alms in any union, shall, upon proof thereof before any justice of the peace, be committed, at the discretion of the said justice, to the jail or house of correction of the county or city in which such offence shall be proved to have taken place, for a term not exceeding one calendar month, with or without hard labour.”
A NEW FEVER COMMISSION. – The Mail of Monday evening announces that the government has issued a new commission for Ireland. The members are Sir Philip CRAMPTON, Bart., Doctor CORRIGAN, and Sir Robt. KANE, Knight. The new commission is appointed under the provisions of the measure, recently introduced by government, for the arrest and prevention of fever in Ireland.
PARLIAMENTARY SUMMARY.
In the House of Lords, on Thursday, the Duke of WELLINGTON said, that on the 7th of April, he should propose the adjournment of the house till the 27th; and that the corn law bill would not likely be brought from the Commons before that day.
In the House of Commons, the adjourned debate on the corn bill was resumed by Mr. FINCH, who delivered an able address in favour of agricultural protection, and was followed by several members on the same side. On the motion of Sir James GRAHAM, the debate was adjourned until the following evening.
In the House of Commons, [on Friday] the adjourned debate, on the second reading of the corn law bill was resumed by Sir James GRAHAM, who attempted to reply to the arguments used by Lord G. BENTINCK, regarding the fluctuation in the prices of grain if protection was removed. In the course of his speech he made a most bitter attack on Mr. SHAW, the recorder of Dublin, and ascribed the opposition which Mr. SHAW had given to the government measure to his disappointment in not having been brought into office as secretary for Ireland. Mr. STUART replied to the arguments of Sir James GRAHAM, and strongly denied that public opinion was in favour of a repeal of the corn laws. Sir R. PEEL, in an address of considerable length, endeavoured to exculpate himself from the charges of inconsistency, abandonment of trust, and desertion of party which had been so often urged against him since the introduction of the corn law bill, by the members in favour of protection. He also entered into a general defence of his proposed measures. It was evident, however, that he smarted severely under the castigations to which he had been so often subjected, and under a sense of the justice of the charges so repeatedly made against him. After several members had spoken, the house divided, when the second reading was carried by a majority of 88; and Thursday next was fixed for the committee on the bill. Sir James GRAHAM stated in answer to Mr. C. BULLER, that the first reading of the protection of life (Ireland) bill would be taken on Monday.
In the House of Lords, on Monday, the Marquis of LONDONDERRY moved for a return of the ejectments in Ireland, on occupiers of land during the years 1841 to 1845, inclusive, and remarked upon the late evictions of tenantry in the county of Galway, as being the means of creating disturbances in Ireland. After some conversation on the subject the noble marquis withdrew his motion, stating that he would remodel it and bring it before the house at a future time.
In the House of Commons, a very warm and animated debate took place on the motion of Sir James GRAHAM that the orders of the day be postponed to permit the house to proceed with the first reading of the protection to life and property in Ireland bill. Sir W. SOMERVILLE moved an amendment in direct negative to the motion, seconded by Mr. S. O’BRIEN. Mr. SHAW, in an eloquent and most powerful address, triumphantly disproved the charges brought against him by Sir James GRAHAM on the previous Friday, regarding his disappointment at not obtaining office, and defied the Home Secretary to prove a single statement which he had advanced. After having most satisfactorily refuted the accusations which had been advanced against him, he turned the powerful lash of his eloquence on his assailant, to whom he administered a justly merited exposure, amid the vehement cheers of the house. Sir James GRAHAM has never, during his political existence, received so severe a chastisement, or one so damaging to his public character. The proposed measure of the government, for the prevention of assassination, was supported by the protectionist party, and violently opposed by the combined force of the Radicals and Repealers. The debate, which was adjourned after a warm discussion, promises to effect a considerable delay in the settlement of the corn law measure.
THE CORN LAWS
It will be seen, from our parliamentary report, that the ministry have carried the second reading of their free trade measure by a majority of 88, the number present being 516. The majority on the first reading was 97, in a house of 577 – so that the proportions which the majorities bear to the minorities are equal. The third reading was fixed for Thursday (yesterday).
A meeting of Protection Peers was held at the Clarendon hotel, last week, when, the Morning Post says, “it was unanimously resolved to oppose, by every constitutional means, the progress of the government free trade measures in the House of Lords.” An able article in the last Quarterly Review on this subject, concludes with the following sentence: –
“After all, the responsibility of the House of Lords is simply to do their own conscientious duty; to maintain their own dignity, the integrity of the constitution, and the cheap and steady supply of food for the people,which can be ensured by no other human means than by protecting domestic industry of all classes, and by preserving our population from a precarious and perilous dependence on foreign countries for their permanent subsistence; and, in fine, we implore the members of both the Houses of Lords and Commons to recollect,and to act upon this short , but we believe, indisputable truth, that – do what they will – they cannot save the ministry, but they, perhaps, may save the country.”
THE PROTECTION TO LIFE BILL
The ministry at length seem determined to pass this bill into law, but it is still rather doubtful, now that they have placed themselves between two fires, whether they will really persevere with it, and refuse to sanction such amendments as will satisfy the Radicals that O’CONNELL’s will not be damaged by it. The bill was introduced on Monday night. It was fiercely opposed, and the debate adjourned to next evening, to allow O’CONNELL a three hours’ harangue against it. Such measures as are contemplated are imperatively called for by every man, having the peace and welfare of the country at heart, and should the bill become the law, we may yet hope for some security to life and property in Ireland. Protection to life has been too long withheld – the government should now fearlessly press on the bill without farther delay, or the “wild justice of revenge,” carried out by Ribbonmen – the agrarian legislators of Ireland, will soon leave the most sceptical without the slightest pretext for refusing to support even a much more stringent measure. Lord John RUSSELL is reported to have said on Monday night, “if Sir James GRAHAM could make out a case, justifying the bill like the present, he should feel at liberty to give his assent to it.” Well, with such a catalogue of crime as has been detailed to him by the Home Secretary – with the cool blooded and daring murders which the press are everyday publishing – with the evidence of the demon DARMODY, the approver at the late Tipperary assizes, surely Lord John will be content. A few days will determine the point, and also satisfy the country if there be either sincerity or firmness in our present rulers.
Note: Sir James was Home Secretary (equivalent to Minister of the Interior) September 1841 to July 1846. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_James_Graham,_2nd_Baronet#Free_trade
Note: 1841-1846 the UK government was led by the Conservative Sir Robert PEEL. The repeal of the Corn Laws split the Conservative party and led to Peel’s resignation.
Note: 1846-1852 Lord John RUSSELL, Whig party, headed the UK government. See the paragraph headed Ireland –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Russell,_1st_Earl_Russell#Prime_minister:_1846%E2%80%931852
Note: Known as Sir William SOMERVILLE, Bt, between 1831 and 1863, an Anglo-Irish Liberal politician. Served under Lord John Russell as Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department from 1846 to 1847 and as Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1847 to 1852 during the worst of the Great Famine. Born 1802, died 1873.
Note: Ribbonmen, a 19th-century popular movement of poor Catholics in Ireland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribbonis
http://www.lurganancestry.com/ribbonmen.htm