n whicli these
benefactors had extended. However painful it may be to relate the story
of such turpitude, truth constrains it: the Irish peasant begged, that
he might arm against the charitable hand that succoured him. Persons
actually perished leaving some, money, with which surviving relatives,
in the depths of their misery, purchased arms. It was thought that no
other opportunity so favourable would arise to turn the gold of the
Saxon into steel, which might be pointed against his own breast. The
object most at heart with the famishing crowds was the ascendancy
of their religion, to be accomplished by the subjugation of British
authority; for this they famished and bought muskets and horse-pistols,
powder and percussion caps, old swords and bayonets. To such an extent
was this carried that in Clonmel, a town of about 18,000 inhabitants,
and where the people rioted for food, as already recorded, nearly twelve
hundred stand of arms were sold in a few days. These were purchased
by the silver which the government Board of Works had paid in the
charitable employment of the people on non-productive labour.

Much difficulty arose, in the distribution of gratuitous supplies
of food, from the routine of the public offices. So complex were the
details which the under-officials were obliged to observe, that men
actually perished while a useless routine correspondence was being
conducted. It was satirically said by an English observer, "the delivery
of a few quarters of English corn to those who want it requires as much
correspondence and documentary forms as a chancery suit."

The refusal of grand juries to "present" was another obstacle to the
prompt relief of the people. They were unwilling to carry into force the
presentment act, because the money advanced should be one-half repaid,
and, while held as a loan, be chargeable with interest. These bodies,
which refused presentments on grounds that it was not desirable or
necessary to make them, were amongst the most clamorous in the kingdom
for their share of patronage in dispensing the money and food for which
no repayment was to be made.

POLITICAL AGITATION.--YOUNG IRELAND.

During the progress of all this misery and turbulence, and while the
government required to put forth all its energies to mitigate the one
and suppress the other, Ireland was torn by political factions, and
the voice of party was never for a moment silent. On previous pages the
reader will find