at Bandon—­Lord Bernard—­Inquest on Jeremiah Hegarty—­The Landlord’s “cross” on the barley—­Mary Driscoll’s evidence; her husband’s—­Post-mortem examination by Dr. Donovan—­The Parish Priest of Swinford—­Evictions—­The Morning Chronicle on them—­Spread and Increase of Famine—­The question of providing coffins—­Deaths at Skibbereen—­Extent of the Famine in 1846—­Deaths in Mayo—­Cases—­Edward M’Hale—­Skibbereen—­The diary of a day—­Swelling of the extremities—­Burning beds for fuel—­Mr. Cummins’s account of Skibbereen—­Killarney Relief Committee—­Father O’Connor’s Statement—­Christmas Eve!—­A visit to Skibbereen twenty years after the great Famine, 243

CHAPTER X.

The Landlords’ committee—­A new Irish party—­Circular—­The “Great Meeting of Irish Peers, Members of Parliament and Landlords” in the Rotunda—­The Resolutions—­Spirit of those Resolutions—­Emigration—­great anxiety for it—­Opening of Parliament—­Queen’s Speech—­England on her Trial—­Debate on the Address—­Lord Brougham on Irish Landlords—­Lord Stanley on the Famine—­Smith O’Brien’s speech—­Defends the Landlords—­Mr. Labouchere, the Irish Secretary, defends the Government—­The Irish Agricultural population were always on the brink of starvation, and when the Blight came it was impossible to meet the disaster—­The views of the Morning Chronicle on the Government of Ireland—­Mr. Labouchere quotes the Poor-law Enquiry of 1835 and the Devon Commission—­Change of the Government’s views on the Famine—­Griffith’s estimate of the loss by the Blight—­Extent of Irish Pauperism—­Lord George Bentinck points out the mistakes of the Government—­The people should have been supplied with food in remote districts—­He did not agree with the political economy of non-interference—­Mr. D’Israeli’s manipulation of Lord George’s speech—­Letter of Rev. Mr. Townsend of Skibbereen—­Fourteen funerals waiting whilst a fifteenth corpse was being interred—­Quantity of corn in London, Liverpool and Glasgow—­Lord John Russell’s speech—­He regarded the Famine as a “national calamity”—­Absurd reason for not having summoned Parliament in Autumn—­Sir Robert Peel’s view—­The Prime Minister on the state of Ireland—­His views—­His plans—­Defends the action of the Government—­Defends unproductive work—­Reason for issuing the “Labouchere Letter”—­Quotes Smith O’Brien approvingly—­Mr. O’Brien’s letters to the Landlords of Ireland (Note)—­Confounding the questions of temporary relief and permanent improvement—­Fallacy—­Demoralization of labour—­The Premier’s “group of measures”—­Soup kitchens—­Taskwork—­Break down of the Public Works—­Food for nothing—­Mode of payment of loans—­L50,000 for seed—­Impossibility of meeting the Famine completely—­The permanent measures for Ireland—­Drainage Act—­Reclamation of waste lands—­Sir Robert Kane’s “Industrial Resources” of Ireland—­Emigration again—­Ireland