The Big Beggarman

King Dan the pauper is again on his rounds, soliciting "charity", that is as the world charity in his Liberal language means money to make the Pope monarch of Ireland and himself his Lord Lieutenant. "The big beggarman" is so busy picking up crumbs elsewhere, that he cannot come personally to Galway; but he has sent his potato-bag hither, and few of his "children" have held a meeting in the course of the week to consider how they may best get it frilled from the id supplied baskets of the "pisintry" Dan is both a greedy beggar and a proud one, - greedy when he dares to grasp at the poor potatoes of the shivering creatures who can get nothing else to eat, and proud when he presumes to call his half extorted alms a tribute. What has he ever, yet done for "the people" except to keep them from their work by making them crowd together to huzza him, and to keep them from their dinner by eating it himself! When his "tribute" was first demanded in Sligo, no creature however poor or starved was allowed to enter the Chapel without giving Silver, and we cannot doubt that the same unfeeling oppression was practised in many other places; but when did Dan ever give a six pence or the value of one in return? Had he left Ireland alone she would at this day have been worth millions, which his starving work of agitation, has made her lose.

Even himself must confess that as yet, even in spite of his boasted "emancipation" bill, his mean sure and proceeding have brought money only to himself; and that all interests of the poor, the farmers the manufacturers and the merchants of Ireland are in the far lower and more unpromising state than before his career began. If money must be paid to him, let him first give value for it; and when it is paid, let him not speak of a "tribute" but of his hired wages. These are yours.