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honor, so that it is absurd, if not impossible, to enter into any justification of a character so proudly unimpeached.

Your memoralist therefore requests, that all further persecution may cease. And though the world is not rich enough to make him any compensation for the injuries he has sustained, he may be allowed, as far as possible, to forget the past, and to return to his country, in order to join his family, after a separation of near four years, and take measures for his future establishment, &c.

Paris, November 13, 1801.

WILLIAM SAMPSON.

Thus the matter stood when Lord Cornwallis left Paris for Amiens. The memorial contained such facts, such proofs, and such references, as left nothing to doubt. It would have been insulting Lord Cornwallis to have offered him proof, had it been possible, that I did not arrest myself in Portugal, and imprison myself in the house of the corrigidor of Oporto, and in the dungeons of Lisbon. But I had long ago referred to Mr. Walpole, who knew it all. With respect to what I had not done in France, it was scarcely to be expected that I should have proofs of that. Yet fortune seemed to favor justice in that respect. For the General (Musnier) now sent to command in the city of Amiens, was an officer of unquestioned honor, and a man of high consideration in every respect: and this gentleman had commanded at Bordeaux when I was there. Having had the

good fortune to form a friendship and intimacy with him, he knew my whole manner of life in that town, until his departure for the army of reserve; a short time before, I myself quitted Bordeaux. I therefore wrote a letter to General Musnier, and begged of him to testify what he knew: and I wrote also by the same post to Colonel Littlehales, to apprise him of this fact.

From this latter gentleman, I received the answer subjoined:

Sir,

I RECEIVED the honor of your letter of the 8th instant, last night: and in answer to its contents, I have only to assure you, that I sealed and forwarded the letters, which you transmitted through me, to Mrs. Sampson, the day it reached me.

In regard to your memorial to Lord Cornwallis, I likewise submitted it to his Lordship, and by his desire transmitted it to one of the under-secretaries of state for the home department, to be laid before Lord Pelham.

I shall enquire, .on my arrival in London, which will probably be very soon, whether or not your memorial has been duly received: but it is not in my power further to interfere in your case.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your most obedient

Humble servant,

E. B. LITTLEHALES.

W. Sampson, Esq.

And from General Musnier, I had the following

letter written in English:

à Monsieur William Sampson,

Hotel Bourbon, Rue Jacob,

à Paris.

I DELIVERED, dear Sir, your letter to Col, Littlehales; and I have the satisfaction to tell you, he received it in a very obliging manner; and assured me that the Marquis Cornwallis had written to the Irish government in your favor. He promised me also to inform you of the answer, and to continue his endeavors for the success of your desires. Be assured nothing on my side shall be wanting to prevent their forgetting to forward this affair.

I am ever yours,

Amiens, 22d Frimaire, 10th year.

MUSNIER.

Thus things remained until the latter end of January, when I heard from my wife that Mr. Dobbs had been told, by Mr. Marsden, that I could not be permitted to return home, but that there was no objection to my family being permitted to come to me.

This Mr. Marsden is the same gentleman of the law, who so candidly arranged with Lord Castlereagh the recognisance I was obliged to sign, before I could quit bride well. After what had passed in Paris, I did not expect to be turned round again to Mr. Marsden to ask for an answer. It was to Lord Cornwallis, and not to Mr. Marsden, I had addressed myself. As to Mr. Marsden, I think of him just

as I did before: as to him and his associates, they could never deceive me, for I never trusted them: nor could any thing they could say, either wound or injure me-for,

"Insults are innocent, where men are worthless."

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But Lord Cornwallis's honor was at stake: it became him to have redressed me, and he has not done it.

Here then was at length something that appeared to be decided-at least there seemed to be a relinquishment of that monstrous idea of separating me from my family. My friends and I were now assured, that passports would no longer be refused to my family to come and join me: but the venom was not yet assuaged. My persecution had not reached its term: for my wife, about this time, having written to the duke of Portland, in her impatience, to know her destiny. He answered her, and promised to lay her letter before Lord Pelham: and after some time she received the following letter from Mr. King:

Madam,

I AM directed, by Lord Pelham, to acquaint you, in answer to your letter to the duke of Portland, of the 5th instant, requesting permission for your husband to return to Ireland, that his lordship is very sorry it is not in his power to comply with your request.

I am, Madam,

Your most obedient humble servant,

J. KING.

Indeed the letter, by which my kinsman, Mr. Dobbs, announced Mr. Marsden's answer to my wife, was of very bad augur for any view either of humanity or justice towards me; towards my unoffending wife and children; or my wretched country. In it are these expressions, "I received a letter from your husband a short time ago," and then it concludes, "I would have written to him, but I do not feel that, under the existing circumstances, I ought do so." Now, this Mr. Dobbs is my near kinsman. He is a man whom I myself recommended, and prevailed upon to be the agent of negociation between the state-prisoners and the government, at a time when it entered little into my thoughts or his, or those of any other person, that I was to be the dupe of the generous part I acted. As to my kinsman, he could not be accused of any but the most natural and inoffensive motive for corresponding with me, and the circumstances he stood in as an agent in the bargain I made, called upon him imperiously to communicate with me. Judge, then, by these expressions in his letter, of the terror that still broods over this newly, united kingdom, so degrading to those who live under its iron sway, and a thousand times more dreadful to an honest mind, than death.

END OF THE LETTERS WRITTEN IN FRANCE.

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