THE DISTRESS IN IRELAND.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 20 February 1880, Page 2

THE DISTRESS IN IRELAND.

# The Duchess of Marlbomug'i, wife of Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, has addressed the following letter to the editor of the London Times :— " Sir, — In the memorable year of the Irish famine the colmuns of your journal were open to subscriptions for the relief of Irish distress, and the ap» peal was nohly responded to by thegener* ous British rublie. Since that time your widely-circulated has often, and always successfully, appealed to the liberality of tlie benevolent. After anxious delibera* tion I have resolved to try to raise a fund in aid of the distressed poor of the West of Ireland, and I beg you to insert this appeal and to advocate their cause in your : ii fluential journal. In doing this I must ! explain — Firstly, the reasons that impel me to tins steo : secondly, the channels thrrugb which I propose the money shou'd he spent; and thirdly, the uses to which it should be applied. Firstly, as to my reasons. I .would not for a mom« ent compare the present distress, either ictual or probable, in Ireland to that of 1847 8, when famine raged in the land and there was a complete break-dosvn of all machinery for relief, I am thankful to say that things are very different, and the districts where severe distress and famine sire impending are comparatively circumscribed. Tbe Government has initiated certain measures for affording employment. The landlords in Ireland are in numerous cases nobly standing by the people. But, in spite of this, there is no doubt that in parts of Kerry, Galway, Sligo, Mayo, Eoscotamon, Donegal, and the South of the county of Cork-Mn fact, in most of the western districts of Ires ] an( 3 — there will be extreme misery and suffering imong the poor, owiDg to want of employment, loss of turf ioss of cattle, and failure of potatoes, unless a vigorous effort of priynte charily is got up to supplement the ordinary system of Poor Law relief. In this urgent necessity, then, I appeal to English benevolence. Secondly, with respect to the channels for tbe distribution of the fund: I propose to organise a committee of influential and philanthropic persons, to meet in Dublin once a week, or more, if necessary, to re* receive applications from the distressed localities, and to decide on the various claims for assisfance.^lt^lnotbed^ fficult to form loeij^^^^^B^^^^^H agencies to workjK^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B tnittee and supj^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H of money. Tljj^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H penditure °(^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H should be S J^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| es peci al ly^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H small suj^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^J the J^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^l tuod^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^l son^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H cav^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H any^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H videq^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H possil^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^J^^^^^^^H cessar^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H th^rn.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^f cribed "^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H fu'ly a wa^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H d i ffi cul t i esJU^Pm^^^^^^^^^^f faking ; but, knowing^W^flS^^^^^^H heme urgency of the case, and in a^^Bß the cevere weatlipr we have already had ]"5 shall probably have agnin, I cannot hesitate in making this effort to elicit the sympathy of my countrymen of the sister isle, and to entreat them generously to contribute to the relief of the miserable offerers by inclemency of the seasons :idded to the rainy climate and unceni-il soil of the West, has well, nigh pro Hired famine of 'rod and fuel. A committee U in course of formation whicli trill ponUin the most distinguished names in Ireland, and an account has been opened af the Hank of Ireland, where subscriptions will ' be received and placed to the credit of < " The Duchess of M\irlborou_'b's Eelief ' Fund," ami I need hardly say that I will , undertake to see that any sums c^ntri- , hufed to this fund slrill !<e judie'cusly es« prnJed and faithfully (licensed and an» (vmn'ed for withou' regiid to politics nr creed ; and now, having staled my case ' simp'y and without pny pretence to eloquence, and I am not or r sanguine in my confidence that I have tot made this appeal in vain. I remain, sir, yours faithfully, ' F. MAKLinROUGH. (