O'Grady, Martin - tells of Irish woes - Putnam

Martin J. O’Grady, nephew of our fellow-citizen Patrick Grady has arrived from Ireland, having come by way of West Indies and some time in Baltimore. Educated gentleman, trained in mercantile pursuits. His father an old gentleman is still following his profession of school teacher in the Old Country.  From a pleasant interview we learn many interesting facts about Ireland.  Conditions in several parts are deplorable. Counties of Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo and Galway as well as Kerry, Clare & Donegal present a heart-rending spectacle. Landlord are obtaining rents at bayonet point and evictions are numerous and inhuman.  Many left homeless to find their way to the work houses which are already overcrowded to die on the roadside or depend on the charity of their already unfortunate neighbors.  Deaths from starvation are reported but few compared to what he expects.  Crops last year best seen in Ireland for 40 years but carried off by the landlords.  Potatoes however are worthless due to the wet season.  Rents are ridiculously high and when the share farmer pays then there’s nothing left for his family. Rights of the people are not respected, public speech restricted and if people get together to protest they are imprisoned, bayonetted or shot down.  Coercian or repression is the Government’s motto.  People starve by the wayside, press is gagged, leaders imprisoned – Ireland needs its parliament restored.  Many are coming to America and other places and none remain but those unable to get away.  Mr. O’Grady says when he came here he could not act with the party which tried to destroy the Union, therefore he is a Republican which he regards as the party of liberty, equality and loyalty to the best government in the world!”