An indemnity fund of several thousand pounds was however collected in subscriptions; one gentleman, the late Major Bryan, of the county of Kilkenny, giving, with a munificence for which he was distinguished upon all public and especially on charitable occasions, no less a sum than 500%. Many poor fellows who suffered for their honest votes were relieved; and if a little more judgment had been exercised, scarce one would have ultimately suffered. But to save one farmer alone, over whom an enormous arrear of rent was hanging, more than a thousand pounds were most injudiciously spent; and the collections which my father had succeeded in causing to be set on foot in other parts of Ireland to come in aid of the Carlow men, were checked and finally stopped by the unfortunate resolution adopted by the local agitators of that county, not to let the result of their own efforts for the same purpose be generally known.

I have been thus minute in describing the occurrences of this election, because they afford a striking proof how utterly misplaced the charge of intimidation, so frequently brought against the popular party in Ireland, would often be found if the facts of each case were known. There was

intimidation certainly, and gross and flagrant intimidation; but it was exercised against the people: and there was persecution; but the poor creatures who voted for their country were its victims, and not those who submissively bowed to the arbitrary will of the local squires.

The Conservative party had succeeded in the election contest of the preceding year, by a majority of upwards of 150. In the interval, circumstances had occurred to strengthen them still more; new registries of sure voters having been made, and the tenure of what they called rebellious, that is to say, conscientious voters, having expired. And yet, we not only beat down their majority, but would have gained the victory only for the chance defection of a few men at the last moment.

Mr. Kavanagh, one of the Conservative candidates at this election, had a strong hold upon the clannish affections of the people. He was reputed (I believe with justice) to be a lineal descendant of the O'Kavanaghs, Milesian princes of Leinster; and his large property included a good deal that his family had held in fee from time immemorial. Throughout the penal laws the family had

remained Catholic, preserving their property by virtue of the antiquity of the title; that iniquitous code not having had a retrospective operation. At length, when the storm was some time blown over, and the sun beginning to shine out once more upon the Catholics, (they having not only been freed from some of the more cruel restraints and penalties, but also admitted to a portion of their political rights,) the then head of the family, frightened by the passing cloud of the occurrences of 1798, abandoned the faith of his forefathers, and became a Protestant.

This circumstance weakened, but could not entirely counteract the old traditionary devotion to the family, that made the canvassing of his tenantry at the election of 1841 one of our greatest difficulties and impediments.

CHAPTER II.

LETTERS OF MR. O'CONNELL TO HIS FRIENDS, REFERRING TO VARIOUS PERIODS OF HIS POLITICAL CAREER.-MR. HENRY GRATTAN.-ANTIPATHY SHOWN BY GEORGE THE FOURTH TOWARDS MR. O'CONNELL.FURTHER EXTRACTS FROM MR. O'CONNELL'S CORRESPONDENCE.

In these loose, disjointed memoranda of political matters in and out of Parliament, it will not be considered out of place to give other letters of Mr. O'Connell, besides those which he happened to address to myself, and relating to other and interesting periods of his protracted and arduous political career.

The following, then, have reference to the great event of the year 1829, the carrying of the Catholic Relief, or, as it was generally denominated in Ireland, the Catholic Emancipation Bill, as also to the circumstances of his own rejection by vote of the House of Commons, when first elected for

Clare, and seeking to take his seat for that county in the year just named.

Many of these letters were addressed to James Sugrue, Esq., a relative of Mr. O'Connell's, and one of the kindest, truest, most devoted friends that man ever had. In addition to his personal kindness and devotion towards my father-whose private affairs he may be said to have managed, as it were, during upwards of fourteen busy years, gratuitously, and at exceeding trouble to himself, James Sugrue had been also singularly useful and efficient in working the details of the Catholic agitation in the Committees at the Corn Exchange. This respected gentleman is several years dead.

The other letters were addressed to the late Edward Dwyer, Esq., the very able and truly estimable Secretary of the Catholic Association.

Of his merits it can scarcely be necessary to speak, to those who have taken any interest in Irish affairs during the "Emancipation" struggle. He rendered the most important, and indeed, invaluable service to the Catholic body, and to the cause services such as could not be surpassed. Mr. O'Connell ever held him in the very highest estimation, and frequently declared that he con