420

LETTER TO MR. BERWICK.

[CHAP. XI. pation. Take notice, that Neilson, at the time he is stated to have called on me accidentally, (for it was not an appointment or interview,) was closeted by Mr. Pelham on the question of restoring the North to tranquillity, by reforming the Parliament; that Bond and Hughes never called upon me the whole of the year 98 but once, and then made no proposition whatsoever, their visit being that of acquaintanceship merely, without any confidential communication whatsoever. Hughes is almost entirely false, and where not false, perverted. I might go into particulars; but, I must repeat it, I should be sorry anything like a justification of me should appear, because I had rather be thought guilty of the charge, than of the condescension to explain to a set of men whose conduct I think criminal, and whose opinion contemptible.

My love to all. I send you my letter, lest the printer should have omitted it.-Yours,

H. G. Thank Hardy. Tell my Lord Pery once more, I love him; he is almost the only man from whom I never differed in opinion without trembling.

MR. GRATTAN TO THE REV. MR. BERWICK.

Nov. 15th, 1798. MY DEAR DOCTOR;-Name the French Sermons, and I will send them. I differ from our most excellent corpulent friend; it were to give too much importance to the charge, and to them who make it, to proceed by law. I deny that such men are competent to arraign. I go farther, I deny that our juries are competent to convict or acquit me. I don't concur with our most excellent lean friend on the attendance on Parliament. The state of the press is a reason against departing from the principle of secession on the subject of Union. That question will never come before the Parliament of Ireland until it be carried; and if ever there was a mock debate in the Irish Senate, it will be on the subject of the Union-no press to publish—a garrison without-and a court majority within.

Tell the young doctor I thank him for his letter, which I received this day.

They talk much of the renewal of the combination against France-there are some who doubt it. We got a

* Francis Hardy.

† Joseph Preston (the poet). Reverend Richard Bermingham, who had written to him respecting the communication from Mrs. Neilson.

CHAP. XI.]

LETTER TO MR. M'CAN.

421

kind letter from Tom ;* but Tom gives too much importance to the opinion of a successful faction. He may rely on it the opinion don't signify one farthing. I ought to lose it in order to deserve yours, and that of valuable men. Were that opinion formed on the evidence before the Lords, that could be satisfactorily refuted; but I will explain_nothing to criminals who would not acquit me, because I am innocent of the particular charge, but would convict me because I am innocent of other charges, of which they are guilty. Recollect, Doctor, that if those slaves make an uncommon rattling, it is because they are in chains. I had for a moment thought of going to Ireland for a week, or so; but to go out of my way in any degree, to move an inch to the north, where I intended to stay, an inch to the south, would be to feel such attacks. I do so far attend to them, that I remain within the reach of danger; but to make a move to seek the opinion of a set of poor slaves, would be a compliment to folly in a state of servitude, which it did not deserve in a state of liberty. Yours, &c. HENRY GRATTAN.

MR. GRATTAN TO MR. M'CAN.

London, 18th Nov. 1798. MY DEAR M'CAN;-I got your letter: had they not abused me so unjustly on account of Hughes's evidence, I might, perhaps, have sent a statement in which it would appear what they make treason, was an innocent breakfast. But this is not the moment-they have used me too illI will set them at defiance ;-besides, I will not stoop to flatter power, by abjuring a discomfited party studiously, or pusillanimously. It is unnecessary to go over to Ireland, because I am within the jurisdiction of his Majesty here. I am within the reach of every thing here, and shall postpone my visit to the Continent to remain here, and encounter any thing, of any sort, that may be intended.

I wish you would give a woman of the name of Ann Malone thirty shillings. She was a pensioner of our family, and has a poor mother near Tinnehinch. Direct to No. 30, Duke-street, Manchester Square. God bless you. Yours, H. GRATTAN.

* Colonel Fitzgerald, his brother-in-law. He was serving at that time with his regiment in the South of Ireland.

422

DERRY CORPORATION.

MR. GRATTAN TO MR. BERWICK.

[CHAP. XI.

Nov. 30th, 1798. DEAR DOCTOR, --I write this in the dark, and if you can read it 'tis more than I can.

I have the French Sermons in my eye, but remind me of them by letter. I enclose a note in the Courier; show it, for they probably won't print it.

Love to Ann*-to all.

The news to-day is, that the Emperor has made peace with France, and it is believed by wise people. I have received several affectionate letters from Ireland; so that the fools that abuse me, only prove the friends that love me. There will be no Union.

Where are Foster and Beresford? What's doing I can't hear. They say Foster has resisted a Union, the Times says otherwise.

I have not seen Lord Moira; he was out when I called, but I shall see him before he leaves London.

Lady Charlotte Rawdon† wrote to Mrs. Grattan-she is to be with her to-morrow. I have been confined with a cold, or should have gone there yesterday or to-day. The weather has been very severe-coals very dear-if coals had been as dear in Dublin, when I was representative, as they now are in London, I should have been hanged. I have tired you-you write so like Richard Bermingham, and Richard Bermingham writes so like you, that I know the letters of both, by not being able to read either.

Ever remember me to Lord Pery. I cannot get another newspaper, and, therefore, I wish you to circulate the enclosed. You can get, and give copies of it, as I suppose they will not publish it in Ireland.

MR. GRATTAN TO THE EDITOR OF THE COURIER.

SIR, I was forced to charge certain persons, calling themselves the Dublin Guild of Merchants, with gross and recorded falsehood. How sorry am I to be obliged to extend the same unqualified indignity to certain other persons, calling themselves the Corporation of Derry! In the pain which I feel to write in this manner to any description of Irishmen, nothing consoles me, except a thorough conviction, that they have departed from the † Lord Moira's sister.

*His wife.

CHAP. XI.] NEILSON'S VINDICATORY LETTER. 423

generous qualities of their countrymen, and have forfeited the character of truth and honour.

To have enemies, is the general lot of public life; not to have deserved them among the people of Ireland, is the singularity of mine. HENRY GRATTAN.

Duke-street, Manchester-square.

Indignant at the gross perversion of his evidence in the Report of the Lords' Committee, Neilson was not satisfied with the private statement made to Mr. Grattan, but he sent a letter to the English press, publicly denying its accuracy.

SAMUEL NEILSON TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING

CHRONICLE.

New Prison, December, 1798. SIR;-It appears to be the occupation of a certain party to calumniate the State prisoners. So far as these calumnies regard myself, I smile at them for the moment. Time rolls on, and truth will one day be heard. In the meantime, I am, however, particularly called on by some recent publications, in vindication of a truly respectable character, whose conduct and principles have been basely vilified, to state thus publicly, that not one word can fall from me which could, in the most remote degree, tend to support the accusation made against him,* as the committee of the Lords and Commons well know; and I cannot but say, that the coupling my name with that of a common informer,† whose testimony was in direct opposition to mine, even as given in a celebrated Report, is but a clumsy pretext for the traduction of virtue.

SAMUEL NEILSON.

The conspiracy of the Government spy had failed, and the perjury of the party would have been more publicly exposed, and properly punished, if the press in Ireland had not been almost extinct, if any liberty had been allowed to exist, and if pains had been taken on the subject by Mr. Grattan ; but his letters show that he was not inclined to proceed in the matter, for what + Hughes.

Mr. Grattan.

424 BIRD'S DISCLOSURE PREVENTED [CHAP. XI. chance would he have had of obtaining justice?— or what hopes from a jury in Ireland? He therefore patiently awaited the development of any further malignity on the part of his enemies, and set them at defiance. A discovery, however, was now on the eve of being made, which would have greatly embarrassed them; perhaps have covered them with shame, and have fully exposed their iniquitous proceedings. The informer Bird, of whom mention has been made already, and who had renounced their friendship and escaped from their protection, had about this period been apprehended in the county of Louth, and happened to be imprisoned in the same place as William Dowdall, and to him he made a communication of great importance, (as he represented it,) to Mr. Grattan's personal safety. Dowdall told this to Mr. Curran, who, being often applied to professionally by the state prisoners, was fixed upon to receive Bird's statement. Unfortunately, some accident or misadventure prevented him from procuring it at the time, and I well recollect, when Mr. Grattan afterwards was alluding to that period, he said that Curran had been guilty of a very great omission in "not obtaining the information in a matter which might have proved so very material to his character or perhaps to his life." Whether it may have occurred through neglect or not, the critical opportunity was suffered to pass, and Dowdall's note to Bird being found by the Government retainers, the latter was instantly hurried away. The clue to the business was lost, all further discovery in the attempts against Mr. Grattan was at an end; and the danger being over, he did not seek to act upon the communication. It was said by some, that Government had connected themselves in the proceedings of Hughes, and that they had planned them. It was by others