ittee [he names a particular committee] has fallen into the hands of
a class who insist on '_Universal Relief!_' who will not think of
scrutinizing lists to prevent fraud, and who are eager to have brothers,
cousins, and dependants employed in the distribution." Alluding to the
violence on the part of the people, another inspector writes: "I have
spoken to the Roman Catholic Clergymen on this subject, and take this
opportunity of stating that I have received great assistance from those
gentlemen." Another says: "The people who ought to have an interest in
checking abuses are mostly absentees, and the few who are living in the
country try all they can to provide for their own tenants." Another:
"All jobbing and intrigue here." Another: "A day or two since I found
the wife of a coachman of a magistrate of L2,000 a year on the relief
list." The Commissioners, however, were strongly of opinion that the
introduction of cooked food was a great means of checking fraud.

Up to the 17th of June there were 570 electoral divisions which had
received neither grant nor loan; some of these were the richest, and
some were the poorest in the country. Perhaps, says the Report, the rich
ones had other means, and the poor ones could not get the loan, and may
have had the remains of subscriptions. The Commissioners had much
difficulty in getting the accounts from committees; the clerks in rural
districts were, for the most part, totally inefficient, and the weekly
stipend of twenty-one shillings was not sufficient to induce any person
accustomed to keep accounts to quit the towns and undertake such duties.

Ireland, it would seem, was destined at this time to have sorrow upon
sorrow; her great Liberator, O'Connell, died in May, 1847. For some time
his powers had been evidently failing, and no wonder, after the life of
hard work he had gone through. Besides, he was in his seventy-second
year. Many members of his family lived to be much older, and he used to
say, good-humouredly, that they had a trick of living till ninety. But
they did not labour as he did. The writer heard him in Conciliation
Hall, shortly before he went to England for the last time, and his
feebleness was painful, especially to any one who remembered his proud,
defiant energy in earlier years. The quarrels and dissensions, which had
arisen amongst the national party teased, and depressed him, and must
have affected his health. It was observed, too, by his friends, and
ind