abuse, as is every thing human- the poor was left to a benevolent but without such a stay, England few in the upper ranks, and to the with her present distress, could middle and humbler classes, while not hold together for three years the many among the wealthy longer. Do the gentlemen, who evinced no commiseration for, their would oppose or postpone the suffering fellow-men. The names consideration of this subject, con- of the persons included in the obceive that Ireland could remain servation were not to be found as unconvulsed for another twelve subscribers to any one of our bemonths? The frame of society nevolent institutions-were never would break to pieces under the to be seen as donors to any of our load of misery which presses it; charities-nor were discovered in -shall we wait calmly for the any way imparting a penny to the crash, or exert ourselves to pre- alleviation of human misery. The vent it? He anxiously looked object of his resolution was to forward to the adoption of a mo- reach these callous ones-to indified system of Poor Laws, at duce them to do for the love of the same time that every nerve themselves, what they would not should be strained for the appli- do for the love of God. Mr. B. cation of immediate relief. then proposed The first Resolution was then "That in ordinary cases of put from the Chair, when "public distress, we have been * Mr. JAMES MORGAN asked, if" accustomed to appeal, alone, to employment were amongst the "the humanity of our fellowmodes of relief which were thought" citizens; but, in the present inof? stance, we deem it right to urge Dr. MURPHY said, that, of a further incentive. Good orcourse, would be for the Com-" der is the rich man's safety, and mittee to decide. No doubt, if it" good order cannot be reckoned were found practicable to give" secure as long as there is a starve. employment, it would be very de-" ing population. That we, there"fore, call upon those most likely sirable. Mr. MORGAN thought it should" to suffer by a disturbed state of be an instruction from the meet-" things, to come forward and asing to the Committee to make em-" sist, suitably to their means, to ployment as much as possible the" avert the evil consequent upon mode of relief, and he thought" the multitude being famined many people would subscribe, if" into a forgetfulness of the laws." they thought the people would be Mr. FITZGIBBON seconded this put to work, who would otherwise Resolution. hold back. He enforced his opimions by several arguments, and finally his recommendations were adopted and embraced in the resolution, which was then put and carried. Mr. BOYLE begged to propose a Resolution. He had long observed, he said, that the relief of Mr. WILLIAM FAGAN considered, that though individuals may have been backward, the people of Cork generally had always done their duty on every charit→ able occasion, and this Resolution, if passed, would be an imputation upon them. He therefore moved as an amendment, that a Committee be appointed to so- Mr. D. CALLAGHAN thought. licit subscriptions from all per- the discussion was quite in order, sons able to contribute. and appropriate to the subject which they were assembled toconsider. (Hear, hear.) He had been of opinion for a long time, that some plan should be devised, A desultory conversation here arose upon the original resolution, and its tendency. Mr. Sheriff Spearing, the Messrs. Cummins, and the proposer, and seconder for making the support of the urged their different views of it, Poor fall upon those who, from: but it was eventually withdrawn, their fortunes and property, were in consequence of some very ex-able to bear it, (cheers,) and be cellent observations, on the effect thought they ought to petition Parit may have in endangering the liament to devise a measure whichsafety of individuals and of the would effect that object.-(Hear, public tranquillity, by Mr. SAUN-hear.) He would not enter into details, nor did he think that was DERS. Mr. JAMES DALY then came the place for it; but he was sure. forward and proposed a resolu-a plan ought to be struck out, tion to the following effect:- which would supply the grounds "That while we enter fully of a legislative enactment on the "into the necessity of raising a subject.--(Applause.) འ་ Mr. RONAYNE said he was as "subscription for the immediate Mr. C. SUGRUE was also of: "relief of the prevalent distress, opinion, that the present Meeting "it is our opinion that a modified could entertain Mr. DALY's Resosystem of Poor Laws is neces-lution consistently with the Requi" sary to prevent a recurrence of sition. "similar calamities.".. Another long and desultory anxious for unanimity on the preconversation now took place, on sent important occasion, as the the propriety of discussing this respectable gentlemen, Messrs. subject at the present meeting, Morgan and Saunders. But it and its connexion with the object was a species of unanimity of a: for which they had assembled. different character from what they urged. It would be too much for those gentlemen to expect that the Meeting should wait until they came to a decision and made up their minds. The unanimity he rose to conjure the meeting to come to was, to pass the Resolution without a dissenting voice.(Loud and continued cheering.)— That the City of Cork may have the credit of originating a call on. Parliament for a measure of justice as well as policy-a permanent provision for the poor, the want of which was the reproach of the country, and an exception: The Messrs. CUMMINS, though favourable to the principle of a Poor-rate, were of opinion that the present meeting could not en tertain the subject. Another meeting may be summoned for that purpose. Mr. SAUNDERS and Mr. Morgan coincided with those gentlemen, on the informality of the proceeding; besides, the introduction of Poor Rates was a matter on which opinion was divided, and the consideration of it required more time than it could obtain there. to the civilized world. Nor, did ger away their lives upon mere he, he said, sustain the principle eleemosynary grants?--The workof a provision for the poor and un-ing classes have been the greatest employed, from expediency or sufferers by the pernicious changes mere policy-he urged it as a in the value of money. The reright, an imprescriptible right-ward of their labour has never (Hear, hear.)-Who can deny that kept pace with it. You have made in a state of nature, the savage laws, waged wars, erected public state in America, for instance, was works, by deductions from the one of ease and comfort, a holy meals of the millions, from the day life, compared to the preca- wages of labour. Make some rerious lives of the great bulk of the paration, then, and call for a meapeople here in civilized Europe. sure to rescue them from mere -Such a state of things ought beggary., Reflect on the state of not to exist. What, exclaimed Society, which this abject dependMr. R., is the cultivator of the ance creates-arrogance and pride soil-the Artizan, the Tradesman, on the one side, meanness and who are the primary cause of all servility on the other.-Concede our enjoyments and comforts, who then the right, and let it be so have enriched many of us, and considered and demanded; thus still sustain us, and with them are will you uphold the dignity and the old, the feeble, the widow and independent feeling of the National the orphan, the decrepit, to be character. How else but by a left any longer to casual charity compulsory law will you reach and commiseration, and barely, the unfeeling Absentee-the cold hardly kept from starvation, by and callous miser-the Church the benign and generous souls Establishment? Let me, therewhose bounty cannot always last, fore, implore you to call, unanior afford any thing like adequate mously call, for this measure, I relief? The land we inherit is wili repeat it, of right, as well as not exclusively ours, nor the mo- sound policy. ney we have amassed. The dis- The discussion now became tressed have a claim upon both quite desultory. It was contended for support, when they cannot, by some gentlemen that the resofor want of employment, or inabi-lution submitted by Mr. Daly, lity to labour, support themselves. would pledge the Meeting to an Your resolutions and discussion opinion on a subject which the-have not embraced the real causes did not come prepared to discuss, of the present privations of your and which they wished to have people. They have arisen from more time to consider. But even local and general taxation; from those who wished for delay, exthe drain of your wealth to Absen-pressed themselves favourable to tees, and, above all, from the de- the principle of a modified system structive effects of the fluctuation of Poor Laws, and only objected in the value of money-this last is to the moment at which the propothe main cause of all the miseries, sition was brought forward, and to and will you doom the victims of the precipitation with which it was these causes, of these acts, over sought to dispose of a subject that which they had no control, to lin- required the greatest considera DISTRESSES IN THE NORTH.. tion. To these objections it was] The routine of business was then replied that nothing could be more gone through, and a list having fair or candid than to take the op- been opened, upwards of 1,2007. portunity of so large and respecta- | was subscribed on the spot. ble a meeting being assembled, in order to collect what was the general opinion on the subject, and if it were favourable to a system of Poor Laws, why not express it? If on the contrary it were unfavourable, the matter would be got rid of. Besides it per people of the North do not was not intended to take advan-talk tage of any opinion that may be pronounced in its favour, but merely to lay the foundation for a requisition to the Mayor, to call a meeting on the subject, when it may be fully discussed. Dr. LYONS, with the view of meeting the wishes of both parties, proposed the following Resolution: 66 I PERCEIVE, that the newspa so vigorously as they did about grants of public money to feed their poor with. It has been discovered that such grants would be most abominable robbery committed upon the rest of the nation, in order to ease the purses of the land-owners and house-owners of Lancashire and Yorkshire. Here is this little village of East Everley, in Wiltshire, in which I am "That it being evident that now writing: why should it be "Private Charity is unequal to taxed, to keep the poor of Man"the relief of the existing distress, chester from falling upon the landa Requisition be now drawn up owners and house-holders of Man"and signed by those present, re- chester and its neighbourhood questing the Mayor to call a The Government has done foolish "Public Meeting to consider the and unjust things enough; but it "propriety of petitioning the Le-will not do any thing so abomina"gislature to frame a modified bly unjust and foolish as this. If, system of Poor Laws for Ire-indeed, the poor people in the "land." North would be benefited by the This proposition met with gene-robbery of the South, I would alral concurrence, and being put most consent to the robbery; but, by the Mayor, it was unanimously the contrary would be the case: adopted. A requisition was then they would be injured by the beprepared, and in a few minutes, nefit conferred upon the proprieobtained the signatures of a great tors in Lancashire; for, as long number of the persons present, in-as the Government, or as private cluding the names of a great por- persons will send money to supply tion of the most respectable and the place of poor-rates, so long wealthy individuals in the City, will those who ought to pay the Merchants, and Landed Proprie-poor-rates act towards the poor, tors. It was immediately presented just as if they had no right to any to his Worship, who fixed Tuesday relief at all. There is nothing next for the meeting, which is to like coming to the law at once: be held in the City Court House. the law has pointed out how the necessitous shall be relieved: let the law be obeyed, and all will be well there will be no riots; there will be no need of shootings or of hangings, if the poor-laws be duly carried into execution. in the twenty-second line from the top of that page, instead of “A True Friend, by J. K.", read "A few Friends, by J. R.” Between the time of making up the account of the SubscripI have not read in any of the tion and the time of publishing it, Scotch papers any account of the subscriptions were received from answer which they got, from the the gentlemen whose names folMinisters, to their no very modest low: Mr. JAMES, Myrthyn Tydfil; demands of grants of money! Mr. HICKLING; Mr. MANN; Mr. They set the working classes to CoSSENS, Tonbridge; Mr. J. R.; meet and to petition the King for Mr. JONES, of Derby. And these grants of money. I have seen no-names are now inserted in Subthing of the answers which they scription-list now open. OAK-CASKS. I have for sale about 50 or 60 An have got; but, I hope, and I certainly believe, that they have got the same sort of answer that they received in 1819, when they complained of distress, and when Lord Liverpool told them that their best Oak-Casks. They are quite new way was TO APPLY TO THE and perfectly sweet, never having PARLIAMENT FOR POOR had in them any thing but dry LAWS; for that, he never could seeds. They are made of Amethink of taxing England to keep rican white oak, are clean and the poor of Scotland, while the clear, and very stout for their Scotch landlords and other holders bulk. They have hoops of hickof real property paid not a farthing ory or white-oak, and each cask towards keeping the poor of Eng- contains about thirty gallons, land. Precisely the same will be, Winchester corn-measure. I dare say, said to the applications English eighteen gallon cask, from Manchester, if any such made of very slight stuff, costs come. He will say, to be sure, fourteen shillings. I will sell that he cannot tax Hampshire and Wiltshire for the sake of relieving..... NOT THE POOR .....but the RICH of Lancashire and Yorkshire. Oh, no: every county must keep its own poor; and Scotland and Ireland must make provision for their poor; or those who own the lands and the houses must take the consequences. SUBSCRIPTION LIST. these for eight shillings each; and to any one who takes the whole lot, for five shillings each; and, at that price, they are cheap for the making of the tops of high fences, in which capacity they would last a couple of good long life-times. For beer barrels, their present wooden hoops would, with care, last many years, but, these may be exchanged for ironhoops at a very trifling expense. Any person, wishing to purchase them, will please to apply at Kensington, where the casks are, and where they can be seen at any time. |