excellent mother: I, therefore, have seen nobody that knows anything, and so far as news may be interesting I can do no more than refer you to the news

to you,

papers.

a

I had already twice seen the Commandeur de Marcellanges; and our friend Rose was so good as to come to my house to meet him. Except that civilities are acceptable to all, and peculiarly so to the unfortunate, I can be of no use to M. de Marcellanges. He will go in a few days to join Lord Moira, who promises to be kind to him; and I will give him a letter to Lord Moira, merely to certify that I knew him at Paris in the happy days of France, and that I saw him much respected in the first and best societies. I asked if I could be of use to him in regard to money matters. He answered, with expressions of the strongest gratitude to you and to Mr. Clements, that he was amply supported by your bounty, and was only solicitous not to abuse it. He spoke in terms of high admiration of

tings 1802; created Baron Glenbervie (Ireland) 1800; appointed, 1794, Chief Secretary, Ireland; 1795, Commissioner of the Board of Control, to 1806; 1797, Lord of the Treasury, to 1800; 1801, Joint Paymaster-General, to 1803; 1803, Surveyor-General of Woods and Forests; 1810, First Commissioner, to 1814; married, 1789, the Hon. Catherine North, daughter of Frederick, Lord North, afterwards Earl of Guildford; died 1823.

a Francis Rawdon, second Earl of Moira, son of John, first Earl, and Elizabeth, Baroness Hungerford and Hastings; born 1754; succeeded his father 1793; and his mother 1808; M.P. for Randalstown 1781; created Baron Rawdon in Great Britain 1783; Marquis of Hastings 1816; appointed Master-General of Ordnance 1806; Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in India 1812; Governor of Malta 1824; married, 1804, Flora, Countess of Loudon; died 1826.

some letters from Mrs. Beresford, which he said were expressed with the utmost elegance and sensibility.

Let me know how you are going on in Ireland, both in and out of Parliament. I have no doubt that we shall do well in the great line of politics, provided that

can make head successfully against the nation of cannibals towards French Flanders, and upon the Rhine.

Ever

yours sincerely and affectionately,

AUCKLAND.

MR. MARCUS BERESFORD TO MR. BERESFORD.

Merrion Square, April 28th, 1794.

DEAR FATHER,-I went to Drogheda on Saturday se'night, to attend the trial of Thorn, and proceeded afterwards to Lifford. I only got to town last night; and the business which I am about to mention to you has kept me on foot for the whole of this day, and has circumscribed my time so much that I can scarcely write more than a few lines before the post goes out.

A man of the name of Jackson, who has resided for some time at Paris, came over here to correspond with the United Irishmen and Jacobins of this country, and to plan an invasion. He was to agree with some one of them to go over to Paris and confer with the Government there, and give them an exact account of the state of this kingdom. They were to go through England to Hull, thence to Hamburgh, and so find their way to Paris. He has had frequent interviews with Hamilton

Rowan in gaol, to concert who was to be the ambassa

b

dor to Paris. Tone was fixed on and spoken to; he declined it. Dr. Reynolds was next applied to, and he also refused. Tone was then a second time spoken to; and advantageous offers having been made to him, he consented to go. He would have sailed yesterday if he had not required money to settle his wife and family during his absence, and that delayed him. This morning Mr. Jackson was arrested on a charge of high treason, in bed at an hotel. Such was his imprudence that he left all his papers on the table by his bedside; they were secured at the moment of his arrest, and furnish most incontrovertible evidence of his guilt. It seems that he was known to the Ministry in England, and intelligence was sent over here to Government of his objects in coming to this country. They contrived that Dawes, the messenger, should travel from London in the same coach with him; and he has been continually watched since his arrival here. Among his papers are several notes from Tone and Rowan, which, though not direct evidence of their guilt, are strong circumstances

a Archibald Hamilton Rowan, son of Gawen Hamilton, of Killyleagh, and Jane, the daughter and heiress of Mr. Rowan; born 1751; married, 1781, Sarah Dawson; died 1805.

b Theobald Wolfe Tone, son of a coachmaker in Dublin; educated at Trinity College, Dublin; studied at the Temple; called to the Irish bar 1789; married Miss Witherington; went to America 1795. He did not remain there long, but proceeded to France; joined the expedition which attempted the invasion of Ireland in Bantry Bay; and accompanied the expedition, in 1798, which sailed from Brest, and was defeated off Lough Swilly by Sir J. B. Warren. Tone was taken prisoner, tried, and condemned. He committed suicide in prison.

of corroboration. Government are determined to hang Rowan, if possible, but have not yet shown any suspicion of any person here being concerned in the plot, in order to lull them into security. No person knows as much as I now tell you, except Lord Westmoreland, the Attorney-General, and Sackville Hamilton. The cause of Jackson's arrest is public; but that Tone, Reynolds, and Rowan have any hand in the business is not surmised. There is a fourth person concerned, whose name they did not communicate to me, and of course I did not ask, whom they hope will give evidence against them. If they should not be able to persuade him, they wish me to see Tone, and to endeavour to prevail on him. They will save him, and enable him to retire and live elsewhere. The prospect of getting the evidence through the channel which they desire has changed so often that I have been obliged to go to them two or three different times to receive directions how I am to act. I found some difficulty in discovering where Tone resided. I have just time to tell you thus much of this extraordinary business.

Yours, ever affectionate and dutiful,

M. BERESFORD.

a John Fane, tenth Earl of Westmoreland, son of John, ninth Earl, and Augusta Bertie; born 1759; succeeded his father 1774; appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland 1789 to 1795; Lord Privy Seal 1798 to 1806; again 1807 to 1827; married first, 1782, Sarah Child; secondly, 1800, Jane Saunders; died 1841. b Reynolds went to America, and died there.

MR. MARCUS BERESFORD TO MR. BERESFORD.

May 1st, 1794.

DEAR FATHER,-Tone called on Peter Burrowes, and having told him that he suspected that I wished to speak to him relative to other business than that on which I pretended to him, requested Burrowes to converse with me. He avowed to Burrowes that he had had two conversations with Jackson of a very criminal nature; that Jackson had pressed him upon the state of his circumstances, and had proposed to him to go to France, but that he had at once rejected that. He acknowledged that the object of several of his party had been to procure an invasion; but that he was positive there could be no evidence against him so as to affect his life, but he was well aware there was enough to blast his character. Under these circumstances, he made a proposal to Burrowes, which clearly shows the impression on his mind-that he wishes to quit Ireland, and migrate to America, under the imputation even of a traitor; that he hoped the Government would allow Hamilton Rowan should do so likewise. He wished to make reparation for his past conduct by giving such information to Government as might be useful, provided he was not called on to accuse Rowan, which no inducement could make him do, and he did not wish to appear as a witness in a public court. I desired Burrowes to hint to him that I thought I should be able to procure not only his pardon, but also the means of transporting himself to any part of the British settlements abroad, or to America, if he would consent to make a full disclosure