There
were no stores, nor mills, nor granaries. Then why (the noble Lord
continued, with much vehemence) don't he give us the information, if he
don't shrink from it? Never before was there an instance of a Christian
government allowing so many people to perish--(oh, oh)--without
interfering (great confusion and cries of 'oh, oh'). Yes, you will
groan; but you will hear this. The time will come when we shall know
what the amount of mortality has been; and though you may groan, and try
to keep the truth down, it shall be known, and the time will come when
the public and the world will be able to estimate, at its proper value,
your management of the affairs of Ireland (murmurs and confusion)."
CHAPTER XI.
Lord George Bentinck's Railway Scheme; he thought the finishing of
the railways would be useful; he was a practical man, and wished to
use the labour of the people on useful and profitable work--The
State of England in 1841-2--The remedy that relieved England ought
to have the same effect in Ireland--Under certain arrangements,
there could have been no Irish Famine--Tons of Blue Books--No new
Acts necessary for Railways--1,500 miles of Railway were
passed--Only 123 miles made--Lord George Bentinck's Speech--Waste of
power-traffic--Great Southern and Western Railway--Principles of the
Railway Bill--Shareholders--What employment would the Railway Bill
give?--Mode of raising the money--L20,000,000 paid to
slave-owners--Why not do the same thing for Ireland?--Foreign
Securities in which English money has been expended--Assurances of
support to Lord George--The Irish Members in a dilemma--The Irish
Party continue to meet--Meeting at the Premier's in Chesham
Place--Smith O'Brien waits on Lord George--The Government stake
their existence on postponing the second reading of Lord Bentinck's
Bill--Why?--No good reason--Desertion of the Irish Members--Sir John
Gray on the question--The Prime Minister's Speech--The Chancellor of
the Exchequer's Speech a mockery--Loans to Ireland (falsely)
asserted not to have been repaid--Mr.
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