subjects: he was a friend to the present administra-
tion; every Catholic in the land, who had a prin-
ciple of gratitude in his heart, should be friendly
to it. The present ministers were the most sted-
fast, zealous advocates, that ever supported the
Catholic cause.
From what had appeared to the
public, and from communication of high and un-
questionable authority, he was convinced, Mr.
Fox and his friends could not during the present
session with any prospect of success, and without
the country's being deprived of the benefit of their
great and splendid abilities, bring forward the dis-
cussion of the Catholic question. It would there-
fore be impolitic and ungrateful to agitate a mea-
sure, the result of which would be ruinous to their
cause, injurious to their friends, and disgraceful to
themselves. He would therefore oppose any per-
son's taking the chair. Thereupon great tumult
arose, which ended in Lord Southwell's taking
the chair. Mr. M'Donnell then moved, that a let-
ter written by Mr. Fox to Mr. Ryan on the sub-
ject of Catholic claims, should be read, which was
objected to with great vehemence by a gentleman
of the law, who insisted, that Mr. Ryan had
without any authority assumed the character of
agent for the Irish Catholics, and acted as their
organ in corresponding with the minister. Such
conduct he would not.mark by any term of aspe-
rity, but would call it assumption. He felt him-
self bounden to reprobate it, as unwarrantable,
and establishing a precedent, derogatory from the
dignity, and injurious to the interests of the Ca-

1806.

1805.

Result of

tholic body. Mr. Ryan was not less censurable in assuming an authority to convene a Catholic meeting, and calling together several gentlemen from their concerns, for the purpose of reading a letter, written to an individual by the English Secretary for Foreign Affairs. It became the dignity of the Catholics to reject such correspondence, whether public or private. If public, Mr. Ryan had transgressed against the rights of the body, in assuming a character, which the body alone could confer. If private, he had violated the sacred ties of friendship in communicating to the public, the contents of a private correspondence. In either case it would be most highly improper to suffer the contents of the letter to be read in a public assembly.

Mr. Ryan said, he had a right to correspond with any person he pleased. Mr. Fox had long since honored him with his friendship; he had corresponded with him as with an individual, not as agent for the Catholic body; and as Mr. Fox's letter contained matter of vast importance to the Catholics, he felt it an imperative duty to communicate it to the public. In this and in every other instance, his friendship for individuals, however high their rank and consequence might be, should yield to his zeal for the Catholic cause. had consulted several gentlemen, (particularly Mr. M'Donnell) upon whose good sense and judgment he had the utmost reliance, on the propriety of calling the present meeting: and acting under his advice and authority, he felt himself fully justi

He

fied. The question being then loudly called for, 1806. Lord French most earnestly conjured Mr. Ryan and Mr. M'Donnell not to divide the Catholic body, which must be the case, if they persisted in carrying the present motion. Division would disgrace and utterly ruin the Catholic cause; and he therefore conjured them by every tie, that connected them with the present generation or posterity, not to press the motion then pending. A general cry of Question ensued, and Lord French, aud about twenty, chiefly of the uninvited gentlemen, quitted the meeting. Part of the letter was then read by Mr. Ryan; the remainder, he said, was of a private nature, and did not concern the Catholics. Mr. M'Donnell drew out of his pocket a list of some Lords and country gentlemen then absent, and of a number of his own friends, dependants and relatives, whom he proposed, as persons proper to compose the committee, and they were accordingly named.

the new

at Mr. M'

On the Tuesday following, this new committee Meeting of met at Mr. M'Donnell's house in Allen Court, and Committee there resolved, with the exception of two dissent- Donnell's. ing voices, that it would be inexpedient to press a discussion of the Catholic question, during the present session of Parliament; and that it would be proper to present an address on behalf of the Catholics to the Duke of Bedford, congratulating him on his appointment to the chief government of Ireland, and expressing their confidence in the wisdom and abilities of the illustrious personages, who composed the present administration. The

1806.

Catholic

Earl street.

two dissenting gentlemen protested against the legitimacy of this self constituted committee, and the irregularity of its proceedings..

On Saturday the 8th of March, another meetMeeting in ing was summoned to attend at the Coffee-house in Earl-street. Lord Southwell having been called to the chair, Mr. M'Donnell entered into a detail of the proceedings of the last meeting, lamented that any division or difference had taken place, which he insinuated was owing to the mortification some gentlemen felt at not having been summoned. Mr. Ryan had sent notices of the intended meeting to all the Catholics of respectabily in Dublin, whom he could recollect; and a most respectable committee had been appointed, who unanimously approved of a resolution, of unlimited confidence in the present ministry, and that it would be inexpedient for the Catholics to press a discussion of their question, during the present session of Parliament, which he accordingly moved. Mr. N. Mahon seconded the motion. A gentleman, who opposed the resolution, moved an adjournment to Thursday the 13th of March. Lord French rose, to vindicate his conduct in seceding from the meeting of the 1st of March. He had. He had supported Mr. Ryan on former occasions, because he thought him active and zealous in the cause. To his personal advancement he could have no objection; he wished him joy on his appointment to a lucrative situation at the same time cautioned him in private, not to call any more meetings. Yet notwithstanding his remonstrances and entreaties he had called

a meeting on the preceding Saturday, which he (Lord French) attended, and there used his utmost exertions to prevent the reading of a letterwritten by Mr. Fox to Mr. Ryan, but in vain. Conceiving it disgraceful, to sanction such proceedings by his presence, he and some other gentlemen had withdrawn. Mr. Ryan nearly repeated the speech he had made on the preceding Saturday, adding, that he expected, but had not solicited an appointment. He insisted on the purity of his motives, and said, if he had copies of the letters he had written to Mr. Fox, they would bear testimony to his upright and honorable conduct; he would write to Mr. Fox for them, though he did not think himself bounden to produce them, as gentlemen would not agree that Mr. Fox's letter to him should be read. He concluded by giving friendly advice to the meeting to pass the proposed resolution, and to negative the adjournment. The clamor for adjournment became violent, and was unanimously carried.

1805.

Meeting at

tory.

On the 13th of March, above 800 Catholics as- Agregate sembled at the Repository in Stephen's-green, and the ReposiLord French having declined taking the chair, Mr. Val O'Connor was unanimously called to it. The publication of the resolutions proposed at that meeting will open the eyes of the public to the true cause of the dissension, which then divided the Catholic body. It was not a factious spirit, but a sense of honor; a high feeling for Catholic character and Catholic interests, that induced some men, who were supported by the independence of