LORD AUCKLAND TO MR. BERESFORD.

Eden Farm, Thursday, 31st Jan., 1799.

MY DEAR BERESFORD,-I have been much employed with Mr. Pitt in looking into Irish accounts, preparing English accounts, motions, &c. We are by no means discouraged by what has happened among you. It was a momentary vexation, and I am seriously sorry that it has thrown some of our best friends into the fangs of the cabal. I feel no concern for Foster, and besides, he will contrive to turn it to his account somehow or other. Neither am I much concerned for Parnell. I am heartily grieved that your son should be in the scrape, yet I do not see how he could avoid it under the circumstance of being a popular representative, and probably also under the impression of acting from a genuine and rooted opinion. Mr. Pitt entertains a due and cordial sense of the very friendly and steady conduct pursued by you, and by your connections, and by Lord Tyrone and by his.

It appears clearly enough, that if a little time and more management had been employed, the point might have been carried with a good majority in Parliament. I much fear that the Castle communications are not well calculated for the meridian of the country.

However, the result may in the end be more beneficial than a victory in the first instance. The fermentation is subsiding and will subside, and plain truth and plain sense will come forward.

Mr. Pitt will probably exhibit both the one and the

other this evening, in the finest speech that he has ever made. Mr. Long and I are taking measures to have the best possible notes of it taken, that it may be printed and sent amongst you. It will open the whole question, and state his firm decision to go forward, in the reliance that Ireland will understand the question, and will then become ready to give a fair discussion to it. We are solicitous to have better accounts of your health, "quod rerum omnium est primum." We shall settle in

town next week. Who is that Mr. William Smith ? His

speech strikes me as most to the purpose of any that I

have seen.

Believe me, my dear Beresford, ever yours affectionately,

AUCKLAND.

LORD AUCKLAND TO MR. BERESFORD.

Eden Farm, Saturday, Feb. 2nd, 1799.

MY DEAR BERESFORD,-Mr. Pitt's speech on the Irish business surpassed even the most sanguine expectations of friends, and perhaps even any former exhibition of Parliamentary eloquence. It will be correctly

a The Right Hon. Charles Long, fourth son of Beeston Long and Susannah Cropp; born 1760; M.P. for Rye 1789; again 1790; for Midhurst 1796; for Wendover 1802; for Haslemere 1806, 1807, 1812, 1818, and 1820; appointed Secretary to Treasury 1791 till 1801; Lord of the Treasury 1804; Chief Secretary of Ireland 1805; Paymaster-General 1807 till 1826; created, 1826, Lord Farnborough; married, 1793, Amelia, daughter of Sir Abraham Hume, Bart.; died 1838.

published next week, and shall be forwarded to you for the fullest and most extensive circulation through Ireland.

As to other considerations I cannot write to-day. The weather is most abominable; we are occupied in packing up to remove to town, and we are this morning much grieved by a report, through Paris, of the death of Prince Frederic of Orange, for whom we felt most cordial admiration and respect, and with whom, as well as with his mother, we have been accustomed to live in great friendship. I just receive, also, the account that one of my nieces has lost her husband suddenly. He leaves her in good circumstances, but with seven infant children.

I enclose a

Yours affectionately,

AUCKLAND.

Morning Chronicle," that you may see

the Opposition account, which is not unfair.

MR. BERESFORD TO LORD AUCKLAND.

6th Feb., 1799.

MY DEAR AUCKLAND,-Yours of the 28th arrived with three packets on Monday. I do not wonder that you should have been mortified at the events of the 22nd and 24th ultimo, more especially considering the numbers which you were informed would support the measure, which when I was in London were said to be 200. With my utmost diligence I could make out no

more than 133, in which I included some placemen who voted against the measure; and 102 I concluded dead against it, 58 doubtful, and 7 absent-that is, vacancies.

There were many extraordinary causes which went to aid in your defeat. The prejudices and fears of the city of Dublin were against you; the public clamour was quadrupled by the bad treatment which the Yeomanry conceived that they had received. It does not signify going into the particulars, it is enough to say that they considered themselves ill used, and that the loyal inhabitants thought themselves also treated in like manner, and therefore, instead of endeavouring to keep peace and quiet, they either stood neuter or joined in the clamour. This I have from several citizens not illinclined to the measure.

The relations of the Castle with individuals in the country was much against you. Where there was no sort of communication, either convivial or on business, with gentlemen previous to bringing forward this measure, how could it be expected that there could be an advantageous commencement of negotiation in the first instance, and that, too, carried on by two men neither of whom are well adapted for the purpose? I have put the case too weakly; for there were circumstances which totally cut off all possibility of negotiation with some of those who, on this occasion, opposed, I may say, Lord Cornwallis, but who heretofore were steady supporters of Government. I mean in particular the Enniskillen and Kingston connections. The former brought nine, the latter five, votes against the measure. Thus :

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Thus fourteen of the friends of Government were transferred to the other side, making a difference of twentyeight. Look to the county Members. You had seventeen with you, against you thirty-four; just double. This was owing in a great degree to the fear, that if there was to be only one Member for each county, the present weaker Member must be thrown out, and at any rate the successful Member would be liable to be put to more expense than heretofore.

As to the boroughs, many of the proprietors are very poor, and have lived by the sale of them. Upon the late general election boroughs did not sell readily, and several of the proprietors were obliged to come in themselves. They cannot be expected to give up their interest for nothing; and those who bought their seats cannot be expected to give up their term for nothing. All these, and other circumstances, have concurred to defeat you. If, however, Mr. Pitt sets out upon a fixed and settled plan, and is content to work quietly and slowly, you will succeed, for you will be gaining strength every day, while clamour will be subsiding; and if at the same time Lord Cornwallis could be prevailed on to take measures to put down the rebellious, who are now

a

For Belturbet, Charles King and Th. Townsend; for Ballyshannon, David Babington and Sir W Richardson.