the British government; I believe that many such may be found in the south of Ireland also. But if they have in general a dislike to protestants and to British government, unkindness cannot remedy the evil. I choose not at present to enter into this subject farther, than to add, that some objections to certain measures with respect to the Romanists of Ireland seem to be removed with the local parliament of this island.

In the above quoted page Sir Richard has made a mistake, which probably himself has corrected before this. He reckons Messrs. Codd and Walsh, of Enniscorthy, among the rebel commanders, and tacitly fixes the censure on William Codd, who is well known to have behaved with loyalty, and to have had no connexion in this business with Walsh. In the next page, he has made a trifling mistake in considering John Henry Colclough as the only Romanist of his family, and a person debased by religious bigotry. The branch of family to which he belonged were all Roman catholics; and he was certainly in an uncommon degree liberal in religious matters, and a foe to bigotry.

We are not to consider all as indubitable facts, which have been sworn by the lower sort of people against prisoners on trial; some evidences of this description being, on these occasions, far enough from being unexceptionable. Thus, that Thomas Clooney, as was sworn on his trial,

1

ordered the church of Old Ross to be burned, and when he saw it in flames, exclaimed, that "the devil's house was then burning," appears to me very doubtful.

The facts asserted in the affidavits and narratives of respectable persons, such as Mrs. Heydon, (see page 95-97 of the appendix) are absolutely unquestionable: but other facts might also be related, which in some cases would give a somewhat different complexion to affairs. Thus the massacre of thirty-six protestants on Bloody Friday, affirmed in the affidavit of James Pippard, deputy sovereign of Gorey, (page 147) is unquestionable: but we are not informed in this affidavit, that a considerable number of Romanists had that day been put to death, in and about Gorey, some of whom were kinsmen of those who were most active afterwards in this massacre of the protestants. But, perhaps, the reader will say, these Romanists who had been slaughtered were rebels. Doubtless some of them were, and well deserved their fate; yet the feelings of rebels and their kinsmen may be similiar to those of loyalists, and they may in like manner endeavour to retaliate. That all, however, were guilty, may be doubtful, since a few, who were brought into the town for slaughter, were liberated at the intercession of some humane yeomen, who knew them to be innocent. One Toole, who was one of the most active in this massacre of the pro

testants, has since been acquitted in a trial by jury from the circumstances of the case. This unfortunate affair, in which some of the best and most inoffensive protestants of the country lost their lives, originated from a mistake in general Needham's express, and the temerity of a few, as I have already related. Notwithstanding the fury of the rebels on this occasion, they spared the lives of some who fell into their hands, particularly John Nun, Esq. of Gorey. The execution of revenge by one party, excites a spirit of revenge in the opposite; and if both protestants and Romanists would attend, as much as I wish them, to the essentials of Christianity, they would exchange complete forgiveness mutually, and live in that harmony which their common Redeemer has in his doctrines recommended.

COPY OF A LETTER OF DOCTOR CAULFIELD, TO JAMES BOYDE, ESQ. WEXFORD.

SIR,

WITH equal surprise and concern I have lately been told, that it is whispered about, you have many grievous charges against me, as many as would hang fifty men. If this report be founded in truth conscious innocence presses me to request, and I expect from your candour, that you will have the goodness to let me know it; for I do not, nor will I skulk, or fly from justice, or the laws. I shall be here, or in the neighbourhood,

openly, and ready to answer any legal or fair call: I hope you will believe me, when I assure you, that I shall, by many degrees, prefer innocent death to inglorious and wounded honour.

That I have been foully calumniated, and most grossly insulted, is too notorious; and that I bore it in all meekness and patience is not less so; nor is it a secret, though since overlooked, that during the horrid rebellion in Wexford, I did every thing in my power to serve and save my protestant neighbours and their property; and if I did not more, it was unfortunate for them and painful to me, that I could not effect it, being myself in constant terror for my life. The fabrications and false tales of the ignorant and prejudiced, I can, I thank God, despise; but charges of treason or felony are too much for a Christian innocent man to bear.

This consideration, I hope, will make my apology for giving you this trouble; and humbly requesting you will inform me how I stand in that respect,

OTHE

I have the honour to be, with great respect,

SIR,

your most humble,

and most obedient servant,

Balliane, May 11, 1800.

JAMES CAULFIELD.

The Doctor, says, that he never received any answer to the foregoing letter.

The following letter, concerning Doctor Caulfield, has been sent to me with a request that I should insert it.

SIR,

Dublin, 30th March, 1798.

I AM directed by my Lord-Lieutenant to desire you will make a proper acknowledgement to the titular bishop, who lives in your neighbourhood, for the active and zealous part he is taking in preserving peace and good order among his flock. Exertions of this nature are more particularly called for, when every artifice is employed to seduce the lower orders from their allegiance, to inculcate the spirit of distrust of their protestant brethren, and to goad them to acts of outrage and insurrection. Those are not the paths to public improvement, or happiness, and it is, therefore, in such times as these, that those men deserve the best of the community; who, regardless of intimidation, and sensible alone to the call of duty, impress the obligations of obedience, morality, and religion, in proportion as endeavours are made to dissolve those ties of society. I am sure you will continue that line, which you have adopted, for preserving the good order and harmony of your neighbourhood,