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Valentine Browne Lawless (2nd Baron Cloncurry), Lyons, Celbridge, to Henry William Paget (1st Marquis of Anglesy), 11 July 1830
Luaigh an doiciméad seo Amharcóir IIIF
Bailiúchán Browne Lawless Letter
Title Valentine Browne Lawless (2nd Baron Cloncurry), Lyons, Celbridge, to Henry William Paget (1st Marquis of Anglesy), 11 July 1830
Description Valentine Browne Lawless writes to his friend Henry William Paget of the general distress the people are suffering, unlike anything he has witnessed in thirty years as a resident proprietor and over twwnty-five years as a magistrate. He mentions that 1816 and 1822 saw severe want in localised districts but nothing on this general scale throughout the country. He states that the canal boats were plundered en-route to Dublin (which only occurred once before to his knowledge) and "the baker's carts rifled in KIldare for the first time in the memory of man, mills and stores attacked in Limerick by the starving wretches in the very presence of compensating soldiery". He claims that the suffering could have been mitigated, if not prevented, with Government foresight and provision at small expense, which he had warned of the previous November and that only for the people's unparalleled forbearance there would be a general insurrection. Only the charity of resident proprietors and the prospect of a good harvest keeps hope alive but he admonishes the Duke of Wellington's "sneer [...] and silly hostility" which has alienated everyone and that the people instead look to America "and a future day in a manner that should alarm an able stateman". He notes the price of produce is so low with potatoes being four times higher, so rents cannot be paid. He prevails on Paget to see to the management of the country including money for useful public works, abolishing the Kildare St. converting society, with enlarging education and freeing Catholics from paying for Protestant churches. He encloses notices he received from some Co. Meath parishes and a circular from the "perfectly useless Royal Dublin Society". [Letter is addressed to Henry William Paget, 1st Marquis of Anglesy; Maritime, which suggests he was at sea].
Date 11/07/1830
Date Issued 27/03/2023
Cineál Acmhainne Text
Archival Record Id p155/69/18
Publisher University of Galway
Extent 4pp
Topic Browne Lawless Letter
Geographic Lyons Hill,Kildare (county),Ireland
Temporal Nineteenth century,Eighteen thirties
Genre Transcript
Note Handwritten transcript prepared by Dr. Bruce D. Boling (collaborator of Professor Kerby Miller). Title and description by University of Galway.
Creator / Author Name Valentine Browne Lawless