descent, and had ordered 6000 men to march to the western coast; so that I hope we shall soon have a good account of these gentry; if the country remain quiet, the attack will have been very lucky. We got through the Committee on the Bill of Attainder yesterday night, or rather this morning, as we sat until half-past five-the two preceding nights until past two, and Tuesday all night, until seven in the morning. Our funds, that is our Five per Cents., had risen above twelve per cent. in the last month; how this event may affect them, I cannot say. Our revenue continues to rise, and on the 10th instant was 204,3507. higher than at the correspondent period of last year. Yours ever, J. B. LORD AUCKLAND TO MR. BERESFORD. Eden Farm, Aug. 28th, 1798. MY DEAR BERESFORD,-Many thanks for your interesting billet of the 24th. Falstaff says, "I am afraid of that gunpowder Percy, though he be dead." I am not easy about these infernal French, though the sort of landing which they have made is precisely what in all reason and theory we ought to wish. There is reason to believe that they meant to send out other expeditions to other parts of the coast, which have hitherto been prevented from getting out by Lord Bridport's squadron. We know that they had given an order for all the Irish who were in Paris to go down to the sea coast. If they have not been able to attempt any other landing than this miserable handful under Kilmaine, you will soon give a good account of the business, and its effects may be serviceable in many points of view; still I shall feel a little uneasy till the result is ascertained—such strange things have happened in these strange times. Is it to be a measure not to bring forward Mr. Grattan's name, which I happen to know was mentioned by the witnesses before the Secret Committee, and in a way which, to my apprehension, is most nearly allied to misprision of treason? I certainly would have published the whole; and would take up and try Mr. Grattan, if the facts and the law will bear us through. What kind of character is Duigenan? His work is harsh, and occasionally in a bad taste; but it is acute and with great merit, and bears very heavily. We remain in the same eternal suspense as to Bonaparte's business. The corvette taken some weeks ago having given some notice of the Irish expedition, we shall be said to have kept a bad look out. I am, my dear Beresford, very affectionately yours, AUCKLAND. MR. BERESFORD TO LORD AUCKLAND. 30th August, 1798. MY DEAR AUCKLAND,—Last night an express arrived which brought us some important news, more comfort 175 able than the morning afforded. I find that the French had not gotten further than Castlebar; that Lake was at Tuam, and had been reinforced, but by what numbers I do not know; and that His Excellency was moving forward from Athlone, to join Lake. He is said to have 7000 men with him, so that I think by this time the French must be in his possession; the sooner the public knows this the better; I hope it may be soon announced, for the rebels are every day in conclave, plotting a rising. You will see in the papers an advertisement from Dr. McNevin, Arthur O'Connor, and Counsellor Emmett, published with the most mischievous intentions, in these words: "Having read in the different newspapers publications pretending to be abstracts of the Report of the Secret Committee of the House of Commons, we feel ourselves called upon to assure the public that they are gross, and, to us, astonishing misrepresentations, not only unsupported by, but in many instances directly contradictory to, the facts we really stated on those occasions. We further assure our friends that in no instance did the name of any individual escape from us; on the contrary, we always refused answering such questions as might tend to implicate any person whatever, conformable to the agreement entered into by State prisoners with the Government. "ARTHUR O'CONNOR. You may judge for what purpose this was done when I observe that the Report of the Secret Committee was made on Tuesday, 20th, was given in the newspapers on Thursday, and no observation whatever made on it. On Friday evening we had the account of the landing of the French, on Saturday it was publicly known, and it appeared in evidence at the bar of the House of Commons, that on Sunday the three prisoners, with other prisoners and some visiting friends at Kilmainham, drew up this advertisement, and debated whether it should be printed in handbills, and differed in opinion on that point. You may judge therefore the motive. The handbills were printed and dispersed everywhere. The "Hassard" has taken a 44-gun ship, armed en flute, with 400 soldiers from the Isle of France; and it is reported that a 74-gun ship, with men, was taken off Kinsale, but I believe it is the same ship. Yours ever, J. BERESFORD. LORD AUCKLAND TO MR. BERESFORD. Eden Farm, Friday night, Aug. 31st, 1798. MY DEAR BERESFORD,-We are watching with anxiety the arrival of further accounts from you; although there can be little doubt that your invaders must before this time be your prisoners. I suppose that our three frigates will have arrived in Sligo Bay on the 26th, which will have cut off all means of re-embarkation. On the whole, if the affair ends as it seems likely to end, it will have an useful impression. It appears from the French newspapers that other similar attempts are intended, and upon a larger scale. If they are so ill-contrived as this has been, we cannot have a more beneficent enemy. All the gazettes in Europe continue to bore us with vague and contradictory accounts from the Mediterranean. I believe nothing that I have seen or heard upon the subject. But our suspense is prolonged beyond all reasonable calculation; and there will soon be reason to fear that at all events our squadron will be in distress for provisions, stores, &c. Mr. Pitt has sent me a note this evening, that he is in town, and will be at Holwood on Sunday. I understand that he continues well. Will you have the goodness to send me an explanation of the enclosed paper?-Mr. Gough came on horseback to this place yesterday morning, and sent in the paper to me. From respect to the handwriting of John Lees I consented to see him, and I heartily repented it; for though I have had some experience in the chapter of importunities, I never met with so importunate a man. He declaimed, protested, apologized, wept, talked, wept again, &c., &c., &c. I in vain remarked to him that I could do nothing in his case; that there must be something more in it than I saw; that it was ridiculous to suppose the Commissioners of the Irish Revenue would at the time have persisted in taking his office from him without compensation merely because they had received a letter from the Chief Secretary in consequence of a supposed decease. He still repeated that you, and all the Commis VOL. II. N |