You will observe that I have charged the amount of the quit rents, viz. 64,7007., in the amount of interest, because in the annual revenue of 1,940,000l. this sum is included, and when sold, the income will be decreased by this sum.

Yours ever,

J. BERESFORD.

MR. BERESFORD TO LORD AUCKLAND.

Dublin, Aug. 9th, 1798.

MY DEAR AUCKLAND,-I received yours of the 1st on Tuesday. The account which you give me of Mr. Pitt pleases me greatly, as there have been letters here, for three or four days, saying that he was extremely ill. I send you a copy of the first account furnished to you

of our Debt and Revenue, as you desire, and, with the last account which I sent you, it will furnish you with the knowledge you desire.

I am very happy that Mr. Pitt is thinking on the subject of Ireland, the great misfortune of which country has been that for many years Ministers have never thought of her, except when she became extremely troublesome to them, when by some temporary expedient they have patched up a temporary quiet, and left things to chance until another crisis called upon them again to think. The mischief which has been done is great, and the evil deep rooted, and how it will be set right, God only knows.

The Ministers of England are extremely ignorant of the situation, nature, and disposition of the people of Ireland. To enter properly into that subject, and minutely, would require a quarto volume; but be assured that the whole body of the lower order of Roman Catholics of this country are totally inimical to the English Government; that they are under the influence of the lowest and worst class of their priesthood; that all the extravagant and horrid tenets of that religion are as deeply engraven in their hearts as they were a century ago, or three centuries ago, and that they are as barbarous, ignorant, and ferocious as they then were; and if Ministers imagine they can treat with such men just as they would with the people of Yorkshire if they rebelled, they will find themselves mistaken.

Again, the Dissenters are another set of enemies to British Government. They are greatly under the influence of their clergy, also, and are taught from their

cradles to be republicans; but their religion, which is as fierce as their politics, forbids them to unite with the Catholics, and to that, in a great measure, is owing that we were not all destroyed in this rebellion; for I believe that if the Wexford people had not broke out so early into horrid acts of massacre as they did, the North would have risen, and who knows what the event might have been? The third sect, viz. the Church of England men, are all loyal subjects to the King, and true to the British connection, but their minds, at present, are inflamed to a great degree of animosity against the Papists, and this is one reason why the latter so reluctantly submit to any acts of lenity held out by the Government. This day it is expected there will be some debating in the House of Commons: the Act of Attainder is to be read a second time, and it is thought that some discontented persons mean to contest the Act, and to introduce the subject of lenity. As usual, I am the object of abuse. I am said to have quarrelled with Lord Cornwallis for not hanging Bond, and he is said to have turned me out of his closet; and that I am off to London to persuade Mr. Pitt and the King to recall Lord Cornwallis. Now the fact is that I was the first person that attempted the system of lenity, and I, with the approbation of Lord Camden, in the month of May,

a

b Charles Cornwallis, first Marquis Cornwallis, son of Charles, first Earl, and the Hon. Anne Townshend; born 1738; succeeded his father 1762; appointed Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in India 1786 to 1793; Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland 1798, and Commander-in-Chief; second time GovernorGeneral and Commander-in-Chief in India 1805; married, 1768, Jemima Jones; created Marquis 1792; died 1805.

on the 23rd, went down to Coolock, assembled all the country, persuaded them to give up their arms, pikes, &c., and take the oath, and confess their crimes; and except a very few, the whole of that county has been quiet ever since: 1342 took the oaths, and I gave them protections. It is true that this plan has not succeeded as well elsewhere; many who took protections one day were killed or taken in arms the next with the protections in their pockets. I hope, however, in general it will do good. We are pretty quiet in most parts, except Wicklow and the parts of Wexford and Carlow adjoining Wicklow; there are in them parties of banditti who burn houses and murder Protestants, but I trust they will soon be destroyed. They are taught to believe that Government show them lenity only because they are afraid of them, and that very few rebels have been killed, while vast numbers of the King's forces have been slaughtered. These deceptions have been effected by the influence of the priests. I hate change as much as you do, but some change must be made, upon deliberate consideration, as well in our financial as our political situation, or we shall be lost. What you say of the low priests appears to me wise and proper. The Dissenting clergy ought to be looked to as well; there is a large fund paid by Government for their support, which ought to be seen to.

I cannot now give you the information you ask respecting tithes and church revenues. If I can pick it up I will send it to you.

Yours ever,

J. B.

MR. BERESFORD TO LORD AUCKLAND.

Dublin, 24th Aug., 1798.

MY DEAR AUCKLAND,-An express is just arrived, with an account of four French frigates having arrived in Killalla Bay, and landed 600 men, with General Kilmaine; it is said that they have no more men on board. They have seized upon the Bishop and his two sons. We shall now see the disposition of the people; I suppose they have arms and ammunition.

I know no more at present.

Yours ever,

J. BERESFORD.

MR. BERESFORD TO LORD AUCKLAND.

25th Aug., 1798.

MY DEAR AUCKLAND,-The account of this day I had from Lord Cornwallis, and it is that not more than 300 of the country people have joined the French; and General Hutchinson writes that the country is quiet.

General Lake* set off yesterday evening to take the command, and Lord Cornwallis goes down to-morrow; he had previous information of the probability of a

a Lieut.-General Gerard Lake, second son of Launcelot Lake and Letitia Gumley; born 1744; second in command of the army in Ireland under Lord Cornwallis; Commander-in-Chief in India under Lord Wellesley; created, for his services there, Baron Lake 1804; Viscount 1897; married, 1770, Elizabeth Barker; died 1808.