tem of United Irishmen—a circumstance totally devoid of truth, as no kind of communication existed between them. In order that the meeting of the general committee should be publicly attended, proposals were made to hire different public places, which could not be obtained, so that no other place but the Taylor's-hall, Back-lane, could be procured. This precluded the possibility of being able to admit any but the delegates, as it was scarcely sufficient to contain them, and thus was the committee frustrated in having their assembly publicly attended. The first meeting of this general committee took place in December, 1792, for seven days only, which you mention to be many weeks. The second and final meeting for eight days in April, 1793, and the meeting ended in a dissolution, beginning on the 16th and ending on the 25th, as Saturday the 20th was taken up by the attendance of all the delegates in the court of King's Bench, to take the oaths prescribed by a late act of parliament. The collections made by the Catholics of Ireland to defray the necessary expenses attendant on the pursuit of their emancipation, were voluntary subscriptions, and not in any degree assessments. It is evident the entreaties, by no means orders of the sub-committee, were not attended to, as two-thirds of the counties of Ireland never produced one farthing. I paid the collection of the county of Wexford to the treasurer in 1792, and no second collection ever was made there. The statue of the king could not be erected, although voted as a monument of Catholic gratitude, which along with other honorable engagements, were superseded by the general and calumnious outcry raised at the time against our collections. The petition of the Catholics of Ireland might be supposed to escape animadversion, when his majesty was graciously pleased to signify his strongest approbation in his recommendation to the parliament of Ireland, who, in consequence, repealed the greater part of the penal statutes against Catholics. The late Earl of Clare did assert, as you have done in your history, "that the Catholic petition was surprisingly fraught with misrepresentation." On this assertion being made, the petition was republished, reciting the statutes on which the allegations contained in the petition were grounded, prepared by the Hon. Simon Butler, whose reputation as a lawyer the chancellor was too well acquainted with, to attempt to expose his error a second time, and gave up the point. So that I imagine this public document will be equally convincing to you, which I send, along with all the proceedings of the Catholic committee relating to this event, for your perusal, as I would wish your avowal to proceed from the most perfect information on the subject. Although I profess the Roman Catholic religion, I should not be of that communion a single hour, were their tenets as they are represented, through that baneful prejudice, so prevalent in Ireland, that proves such an effectual drawback to the otherwise infallible prosperity of my country; and I cannot sufficiently lament to see such so industriously circulated, as it only serves to keep alive those prejudices that all liberal men see through and reprobate as a pest to society. A sloop which had been fitted up by the insurgents in Wexford, but had been twice condemned as totally unfit for that service, was hauled on one side in the harbor, where she sunk within a foot of her deck, and remained in that situation for a month, when she was pumped out. I was the same day, without trial or inquiry, put on board along with those that had been tried and sentenced to transportation. The wet straw was left in her hold, and a little dry straw shook over, which our walking on soon made as bad as the rest; so that it was not possible to sit or lie down without imbibing the wet, nor had we even the satisfaction of resting against the sides of the ship, as the planks were water-soaked. The effervescence of the putrid malt was so strong as to turn money black in our pockets in the course of a few hours. We had also a profusion of rats that bit some of the prisoners. My health has been greatly impaired by five weeks' confinement on board this sloop, and I fear it will never be perfectly re-established. I should detain you too long, to enumerate the various hardships I suffered during the period of thirteen months that I was confined, which I was at last released from by an honorable acquittal, at the summer assizes in Wexford, in August, 1799, independent of the amnesty bill. Whereas, my persecutors could be punished by the fundamental laws of the constitution, had they not the indemnity bills to screen their base and tyrannical conduct towards me. I have confined myself merely to the facts stated in your history, in which I have been in some degree concerned, and an eye-witness, which precludes the possibility of cavilling or contradiction. I hope you may be kind enough to set them in their proper colors. I request the favor of your answer, as I am anxious to learn your determination on a subject you have hitherto been so uninformed about, as I do not mean to let such transactions go uncontradicted to posterity. I have the honor to be, with great respect, reverend sir, your most obedient, humble servant, EDWARD HAY. Dublin, 6th July, 1802. To the Rev. Mr. Gordon, Boro Lodge. Answer of the Rev. Mr. Gordon. Sir-I have received your documents, and think you much aggrieved; I am satisfied of their veracity; they remove a mistake in my history; I shall publish them in my next edition with suitable acknowledgments. I remain, sir, your very humble servant, Boro Lodge, July 18th, 1802. While my work was at press, an edition of the Rev. Mr. Gordon's history was published in London, in which he certainly has noticed my communications, but not in the extent I think I shall be able to point out, deserving his attention in the supplement he has promised to the public. From the pursuit I am at present engaged in, I consider it my duty to seek and unravel truth, and shall be happy to elucidate any circumstances that may be considered more useful in promoting public knowledge. In consequence of the progress I have already made with the Rev. Mr. Gordon, and in consideration of our communications being hitherto very circumscribed, I have offered him my services, and hope for his co-operation in the pursuit of my intention-THE UNION AND HARMONY OF ALL DESCRIP TIONS OF OUR COUNTRYMEN. This object is extensive enough to engage the attention of many. The public have already anticipated their favorable opinion of gentlemen employed in researches, that are so likely to increase the high opinion entertained of their superior talents. If an humble individual can recommend himself by the sincerity of his cooperation, I shall hope to be included among those who are willing to point out the means of general happiness. Dublin, December 14, 1802. Sir-I return, with my thanks for your polite attention, the manuscripts you were so kind as to leave for my perusal. I am exceedingly glad to find, through the whole of your compilation, so strict an observance of facts, which chiefly came under my cognizance as brigade-major. It is with pleasure I observe, also, your adherence to truth and impartiality, free from the rancorous spirit of party fabrication; which is the true criterion that exalts the historian above the class of party scribblers, who dissipate as rapidly as unerring truth unveils itself-strongly exemplified in the past and present times. I give you much credit in not retorting as you might for your unmerited sufferings, by exposing the crimes of some respectable persons; for, indeed, if they are not very forgetful and very insensible, the compunctions of their consciences must be suf ficiently tormenting. There is little doubt of your labors meeting their due reward from an unprejudiced public, which is the wish of Your most obedient humble servant, TO EDWARD HAY, Esq. THE END. |