Let it not be considered an unpardonable enormity that the poor Irishman runs a little riot when suddenly and wholly freed from the heavy clog by which the exhibition of his opinions has been restrained at home. It is not surprising that those who have been for life hoodwinked should fail to see clearly for themselves in all cases; or that, falling upon interested guides, they are occasionally led astray.
Wayward and wilful I will admit them sometimes to be, and in evil hands their misdirected energies may for a time become the instruments of evil. Mistaken in judgment they may often be, for such is the lot of humanity, but regardless of right and justice they seldom are, and ungrateful or ungenerous they cannot be. The evidence of their native spirit of enterprise is found in their daily braving destitution in the hope of bettering their hard lot. Their hatred of oppression is proved by their ill-directed, but constant struggles for equal rights; and, if kind-heartedness and charity cover a multitude of sins, no people on earth can justly claim a larger stock. In illustration of which I will present one proof out of the many I possess, because it will at once serve as an illustration of my assertion, and gratify those who love to contemplate the bright side of poor humanity.
The following statement was enclosed to me by an excellent Quaker, one of the partners of the house from whose books the document is extracted, with a letter which I need not insert here, but will add, that the statement is incontrovertible.
"From the 1st of January 1834, to the 1st of May 1835, Abraham Bell and Co. of New York have received from the working classes of Irish emigrants, that is, from common labourers, farm servants, chambermaids, waiters, &c. to remit to their friends and kindred in Ireland, the sum of fifty-five thousand dollars, in amount varying from five dollars upwards. The average amount of the whole number of drafts sent is twenty-eight and a half dollars each."
New York, May, 19th, 1835.
There is not a part of the country to which I have wandered, where I did not find that a like gentle recollection of the destitute left at home prevailed. In every large city is some one or more Irish house, which becomes the popular medium through which these offerings of the heart are transmitted to the miserables at home. When it is reflected that the donors are themselves the poorest of the poor, and that often at the close of their first summer, they are found transmitting their earnings to some mother, or aunt, or sister, without providing against or thinking of the severity of approaching winter, no eulogy can be too strong.
"Well, but look, David," remonstrated my kind friend H—— in New Orleans, to a poor fellow who, after three months' hard labour, brought him forty-five dollars to send home, "let me recommend you to keep back ten dollars of this to buy yourself a warm coat; we have a cold month coming, man, and you are ill off for covering."
"It's true for ye, sir," cried Davy, scratching his head, and glancing down at his ragged garments, "bud it's only for a month you'll be havin' cowld here, and the poor crature at home has a long winter to get over, and her as bare as myself, and less able for id. The clothes cost a heap o' money here, too, I find; and if you plase, sir, in the name o' God, send all I have home, and I'll keep off the cowld, when it comes, by workin' the harder."
Instances are constantly occurring of labourers, landing at a good season, going to work though hardly able from weakness, and at the end of their first week bringing three or four dollars to be sent home.