Such actions in themselves must bear off
More honour, than you are aware of.
But, as a people (be it spoken)
Oblig'd we give this golden token,
And what's more precious than the Box,
The motto was composed by C―x.

And now, Sir Sampson of the nation,
To close this eloquent oration,

Since truth, which only was, when told,
A simpleton in days of old,
Improved by modern devotees,
Admits, it seems, of three degrees,
The great, the greater, and the greatest,
We are, though somewhat of the latest,
With truth superlative, as bound
In duty to the very ground,
In State affairs deep Connoisseurs,
Votre tres humble Serviteurs.

VIII.-IRELAND 1775-1783,

AND SOME MISCELLANEOUS AND UNDATED PAPERS.

SIR JOHN BLAQUIERE to LORD GEORGE GERMAIN.

1775, Dec. 30. Dublin Castle.-Concerning the difficulties of the proposed scheme to use some of the Irish troops for the American service and to replace them with the brigade of Scotch Dutch, to be recruited, paid and placed on the establishment in Ireland.

COL. WILLIAM TONSON to THE SAME.

1776, Feb. 18. Rathcormuck near Castle-Lyons.-Soliciting Lord George's recommendations to procure him an Irish peerage. Has a clear estate of 12,000l. a year, which will eventually be increased to 16,000l. Offers to resign the Lieutenant-Government of Cork, to put anyone whom his Lordship names into the borough of Rathcormuck, and to purchase a seat in the English Parliament."

THE SAME to THE SAME.

1776, Aug. 4. Lisnegar, near Rathcormuck.-Renewing his request for a peerage.

GENERAL SIR JOHN IRWINEt to THE SAME.

1777, Jan. 31. Royal Hospital.-In relation to a military order (enclosed) issued by him as Commander-in-Chief (signed

Col. Tonson was created, 13th Oct., 1783, a peer of Ireland as Baron Riversdale of Rathcormack.

† Commander in Chief of the forces in Ireland, 1775-82.

J. Garden, Acting Deputy Adjutant-General), that henceforward all correspondence, returns, and reports of the cavalry officers, with certain exceptions, shall be sent to him through MajorGeneral Johnston.

THOS. WAITE to LORD GEORGE GERMAIN.

1777, Feb. 20. Dublin Castle.-"Lord Buckingham [shire] delivered to me his Majesty's letter for my being of the Privy Council publickly at his Levée, the first day of his arrival. It is rather too early to pronounce upon the sentiments of people concerning his Excellency and Mr. Heron, but hitherto the symptoms are as favourable as could be wish'd. The levées have been uncommonly well attended, and by the persons of the first rank and power in the kingdom, and my Lord Lieutenant's polite behaviour and great attention to them is not lost. They speak of it with much pleasure. He has a free open manner of conversing which makes more way than he thinks, and I hear from all hands, patriots as well as courtiers, that there is a general good disposition towards him and his administration, which will not be lessen'd when they find he has no new supplies to ask. Even Mr. Ponsonby told me that he foresaw no difficulties in their business, whilst Lord Buckingham continued to treat gentlemen properly, unless any should occur concerning the measures of the last administration. Mr. Heron is a very sensible man, ready in business, and treats gentlemen so differently from what they experienc'd very lately, that he stands very high in their esteem. For myself, I have every reason to be satisfied with his Excellency and his Secretary, and in return shall endeavour to shew them by my assiduity and fidelity, that I hope to preserve that impression which your Lordship has made upon their minds to my advantage.

"I understand that some disapprobation has been expressed on your side of Sir John Irwine's having left the business of inspecting the cavalry, and of the late augmentation, to General Johnston." The General arrived in April last, and, when Sir John Irwine came over in June, had already made considerable progress in his service, wherefore it was recommended to Sir John that he should be allowed to go on with it. "I have only to add, that from the first of his arrival here General Johnston was manifestly in great favour with Lord Harcourt, and I cannot say the same observation occurr'd to me with respect to Sir John Irwine." Major-General Cuninghame is to go over to England to settle certain military points conformably to the English practice for the use of the army in Ireland.

EARL OF BUCKINGHAM [SHIRE] to THE SAME.

1777, May 4. Dublin.-I had yesterday morning a long conversation with Major-General Cunninghame on the subject of his mission, but as his papers are not yet arranged we confined

ourselves to generals. "I think the official arrangement will not be difficult, something resembling but possibly not exactly in the mode stated by your Lordship. It is my inclination, as, knowing his Majesty's pleasure, it is my duty, to use every effort to carry the military arrangements into execution."

EARL OF BUCKINGHAM [SHIRE] to LORD GEORGE GERMAIN.

1777, May 24.-"I think it necessary to inform your Lordship how far we have at present determin'd to settle the military department in our office. Mr. Waite, upon consideration, declines accepting of it, and therefore it will devolve to Mr. Meredyth, with a Mr. Butler, who is an excellent accountant, and a Mr. Usk under him. The business of the Courts Martial is is at present carryd on in a most slovenly manner. The deputy judge advocate knows nothing of his business, which has produc'd some irregularitys, but I will take care that a more proper appointment may soon be made. The infantry here will never be compleat so long as they inlist any Irishmen. They should be confin'd to recruit in England, and the English regiments might procure numbers of men from hence if the recruits were sent away or at least put on shipboard immediately upon their being attested. It concerns me to find by the last monthly returns that the number of deserters is increased, the people of this country are but too much dispos'd to encourage and protect them. Everything here relative to myself continues to wear a favourable aspect, but I much fear that the bills which my predecessors have left behind them will scarcely pass without Parliamentary animadversion."

SIR JAMES CALDWELL to THE SAME.

1777, June 15. Castle Caldwell.-Enclosing a paper on the smuggling of wool, particularly from Ireland, with a scheme for its prevention.

REV. JOHN HOTHAM to THE SAME.

1777, July 19. Dublin Castle.-Mr. Knill, private secretary to the Lord Lieutenant, has resigned, on the plea of ill-health. I have scarcely yet quitted the Castle, and begin to long to get away from the smoke of Dublin. I receive great civilities from everybody, and am well pleased with my situation, but cannot yet accustom myself to the "inveterate sloth and shocking poverty of the lower class of natives. Nor, to confess the truth, am I enraptured beyond measure at the obstinate longevity of the Bench; because, most certainly, the immortality which I wish them is by no means a terrestrial one."

EARL OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE to LORD GEORGE GERMAIN.

1777, Oct. 31. Dublin Castle.-"My own original sentiments suggested to me that at the first blush my acquiescence in the omission of America might not be agreeable, but I flatter'd myself that the arguments stated in my letter would have been deem'd conclusive. It has prov'd otherwise, which, notwithstanding the consciousness of having acted upon the whole to the best of my judgment, affects me with real concern. It appear'd to me unnecessary to mention to your Lordship the unusual circumstance of meeting a new House of Commons in which there are ninety untryd members, nor did I chuse officiously to state the favorable spirit towards the Americans so generaly prevailing amongst a particular sect in this kingdom, which must influence the votes of members representing countys and populous citys, whatever their private opinions may be, when the subject is directly before them. My own sentiments are fully known and must evidently appear when the questions relative to the troops, &c., are agitated. As to the gentlemen lately in opposition, whose support Government has reason to expect, they none of them express'd a wish that America might not be mention'd in the speech, but even those of the persons consulted who judg'd it expedient to introduce the subject, were, from the present circumstances, inclin'd to treat it in terms more exceptionable perhaps than total silence. Having no instructions to offer new propositions, it appear'd to me expedient, when so advis'd by the most respectable counsellors, to carry on his Majesty's measures upon the line in which I found them as quietly as possible, and not to add fuel to a flame which, particularly in the North, as I have lately learn'd from very good authority, is ready to break out, when the army is barely sufficient to preserve tranquillity and, frequently with difficulty, to inforce the law.

"Your Lordship will recollect that since the last Parliament his Majesty has lost three most respectable servants, in Mr. Malone, Mr. Clements, and Mr. Tisdale, men not easily replac'd. The last, who has long been the principal support of Government, at the most critical moment, when that time was necessarily given to the settling of consequential arrangements which ought to have been dedicated to the preparing business for the Parliament; and it realy appears to me that without the new connections the business of the publick would with difficulty have been carryd on, and it would have been impracticable, as it now may not be easy, to prevent very disagreeable retrospective resolutions relative to some arrangements previous to my arrival in this country.

"The state of the Treasury speaks strongly, and when quieter times will admit of a thorough investigation of the situation of this country it will be found that Government cannot long be conducted upon the system which for some years has prevail'd, and if persevered in will absolutely prevent the parent kingdom from deriving that assistance from Ireland which, when it can be

given, ought to be required. Do not suspect me of ambitioning the character of an Irish patriot; I reason as an Englishman who, with a proper attention to the interests of a kingdom in some sort committed to his care, cannot be unmindfull of his first great duty, the carrying his Majesty's measures into execution, and in them furthering the prosperity of his native country.

"What your Lordship mentions with regard to the sentiments of Lord North and Lord Weymouth gives me some satisfaction, but my primary wish must be the King's approbation, and the loss of your Lordship's cannot but be sensibly felt by," &c.

Postscript." Your last favor will only be communicated to Mr. Heron, but it is impossible that his Majesty's sentiments and yours should not in a degree transpire and influence disagreeably upon my situation here."

EARL OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE to LORD GEORGE GERMAIN.

1777, Nov. 1. Dublin.-"I will trouble you with a line just to mention what pass'd this morning in the House of Commons. Mr. Daly mov'd that accounts of the provisions exported from this country for two years past might be laid before Parliament. The Prime Serjeant observ'd that the motion in itself was so unexceptionable that he was ready to second it, but if it was meant to lead to any question relative to embargo's, he was happy to take the earliest opportunity of pledging himself to defend the legality of them. This business will be agitated in a committee."

THE SAME to THE SAME.

1777, Nov. 4.—“ That my speech has not quite pleas'd in England is a matter now known to many. The Prime Serjeant lately mention'd to Mr. Heron that the omission of America seem'd to him in that instance expedient and judicious, but that he should think he deserv'd to lose his head if, in his present situation, he did not zealously support his Majesty's measures for the reduction of the Americans, and that he was determin'd to take the earliest opportunity of declaring his sentiments in the most publick and the most explicite manner."

THE SAME to THE SAME.

1777, Nov. 28.-Concerning the failing health of some of the King's Ministers in Ireland and the difficulty of replacing them. Mr. Waite's retirement is certain, and Mr. Meredyth is also about to resign. With regard to Mr. Waite's successor "he must be an Englishman; a gentleman of this country, however honourable and well-intentioned, must carry an imperceptible bias into every transaction.

* Walter Hussey Burgh.