arge intestine. Is of opinion that deceased came by his death from
inanition, or want of food. Verdict: "James Byrne came by his death in
consequence of having no food for some days; and died of starvation."

"With every disposition," writes W.G., "to make allowances for the
difficulties of their position, let me ask, Sir, how have the gentry
acted? They have seemed to think that the whole relief question just
split itself into two sides, one of which belonged exclusively to the
Government, the other exclusively to them. One side comprised the duty
of providing for the lives of the people, and this was left to the
Government; the other, the duty of providing for the safety of the
estates, and this the gentry took upon themselves." "They [the
landlords] have complained much of the character of the works; they have
strongly urged the Government to undertake something else; _at all
events to give up what they were doing at the moment_; but when did
their indignation take the shape of complaining that what the Government
was doing was inadequate for coping with the starvation that was
abroad?"

The penetrating mind of W.G. led him to forecast tremendous results from
the potato failure, exclusive of its immediate effect--death by
starvation. Having expressed his opinion that the extent of the
destitution was fearful, he makes the following observations, which time
has completely verified. "As regards the effect," says he, "of the
present calamity upon the relations of landlord and tenant, believe me,
that terrible as are the immediate and direct effects of the calamity,
you will find a set of collateral results springing out of it, tending
to the EXTERMINATION of the smaller tenantry by the landlords, that may
lead you, ere many months, to regard the secondary stage of this scourge
as scarcely less terrible to our unhappy peasantry than the first." And
again: "Symptoms of a WIDE-SPREAD SYSTEMATIC EXTERMINATION are just
beginning to exhibit themselves. I am not speaking under the influence
of any prejudice against the landlord class. Let none of your readers
set down to the account of such a feeling my present warning as to the
wholesale system of ejectment that is now in preparation." "The potato
cultivation being extinguished, at least for a time, the peasant
cultivators can pay no rents; sheep and horned cattle _can_ pay rents,
and smart rents too; therefore the sheep and cattle shall have the
lands, and the peasants shal