I trust that the course I propose to
pursue will not be without its counterbalancing advantages: that it will
show the poorest among the Irish people that we are not insensible,
here, to the claims which they have on us in the Parliament of the
United Kingdom; that the whole credit of the Treasury and means of the
country are ready to be used, as it is our bounden duty to use them, and
will, whenever they can be usefully applied, be so disposed as to avert
famine, and to maintain the people of Ireland; and that we are now
disposed to take advantage of the unfortunate spread of this disease
among the potatoes, to establish public works which may be of permanent
utility. I trust, sir, that the present state of things will have that
counterbalancing advantage in the midst of many misfortunes and evil
consequences."[119]
The 15th of August was fixed for the cessation of the Government works,
as well as the Government relief, because it was considered that relief
extended beyond that time would be, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer
said, in reply to a question from O'Connell, "an evil of great
magnitude." When the relief was withdrawn, and the blight had manifested
itself in such giant proportions, the friends of the people saw nothing
but famine with all its attendant horrors at their doors.
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