[284]
In the spring of 1847, a gigantic emigration scheme was launched. It was
said to have emanated from, and was certainly patronized by members of
the so-called Irish party, which, with so few elements of cohesion, was
inaugurated at the Rotundo meeting; but the father of the scheme seems
to have been Mr. J.E. Godley. By it, two millions of Irish Catholics
were to be transferred to Canada in three years; it being a leading
feature in the scheme to send none but Catholics. It was, the promoters
said, to be an Irish Catholic colony, with a distinct and well marked
Irish nationality,--in fact, a New Ireland! There was a memorial on the
subject which extended over fifty one pages of a pamphlet, and which was
prepared by Mr. Godley with much ability. It went very fully into the
whole scheme. This, accompanied by a short explanatory letter, was
presented to the Prime Minister on the last day of March.
The memorialists assumed that the cultivation of the potato could not be
persevered in, and that Ireland, in her existing condition, could not
grow enough of corn food for six millions of people. Hence the necessity
for an extensive emigration. They are not, they say, to be ranked among
those who believe Ireland incapable of supporting its existing
population in comfort, under other circumstances; far from it.
Pages:
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792