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CSO/RP/CA/1827/11

Memorandum providing eye-witness account of a meeting of the ‘New Catholic Association', held at the Corn Exchange, Dublin, chaired by [Dominick] Ronayne, with verbatim transcription of speeches. [Frederick W] Conway argued against suggestions that catholics should abstain from petitioning parliament as it would ‘hurt their cause’ – he stated that following the recent appointment of Lansdowne [Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd marquis Lansdowne, as Home Secretary], it had become more ‘incumbent on the Catholics of Ireland… [to] press their petition for Emancipation without consideration or regard to any other consequences’. Letter received from Rev Peter Reilly [O’Reilly], County Cavan, detailing the census return for his parish, the poor financial circumstances of the area, as well as the prosecution of forty shilling freeholders by the Adams family. Also letter from James Allen [Secretary of the New Catholic Rent Committee], County Waterford, regarding a dispute between the freeholders in Graigueshoneen, their landlords the Beresford family, and their agent Mr Tandy. Also letter from [Edward] Dwyer to [Robert] Logan, Catholic Bishop of Meath, and Rev O’Sheehan [Sheehan] of Youghal, County Cork, requesting copies of depositions outlining ‘the abuses of the Irish Society’. Remainder of proceedings relate to [A Carew] O’Dwyer’s suggestion that a speech by Rev Montgomery, a ‘Presbyterian of the North’ and a catholic sympathiser, be printed and published at the expense of the association. O’Dwyer highlighted Montgomery’s arguments for civil and religious liberty, as well as his arraigning of ‘those who are advocates for the indiscriminate circulation for the Scriptures and… select from them what Doctrines they please’. Conway objected and stated that while he agreed in principle with the speech, he did not wish to ‘put an authentic seal’ on its tenets. Word received during the meeting that Montgomery’s speech was already in circulation, and motion was withdrawn.

8 Sep 1827

1827

CSO/RP/CA/1831/8

Memorandum providing eye-witness account entitled ‘Proceedings at a Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Manor of Grange Gorman’, held at the School Room, Phibsborough, Dublin, chaired by Mr McDonnell, with verbatim transcription of speeches outlining a number of resolutions relating to the repeal of the union. McDonnell remarked that recent proclamations by the Lord Lieutenant [under the Dangerous Assemblies (Ireland) Act, 1829] had created rather than supressed public assemblies, evident in the formation of the current meeting as well as the meeting of inhabitants of the parish of St Audeons held the previous day. In reference to his recent arrest under the act, [Daniel] O’Connell stated that his only crime was contriving not to commit a crime, and recounted his arrest in the presence of his wife: ‘for once in her life a tear occasioned by me stood upon her eye – Oh Lord – Anglesey I swear by that virtuous woman’s tear – do you know the value of a virtuous woman’s tear?... I swear by that tear… [Anglesey] will stand for impeachment for issuing that warrant’. He remarked further that his wife had made him who he was: ‘[she] has made me a Patriot for I do assure you that often and often when my heart flagged at the base ingratitude of the Catholic Aristocracy it required her still and cheering voice to tell me I must succeed’. He summarised the 4 recent proclamations made by the ‘hair-brained’ Lord Anglesey, which prohibited the display of orange and green flags and ribbons; the use of the catholic rent to aid the tenants of Ireland ‘ground down’ by absentee landlords, rack rents, tithes, cesses and ‘Grand Jury Jobbing’; political meetings held over breakfast [at Home’s Hotel, Dublin]; as well as all past, present and future ‘dangerous’ societies. He argued that these were illegal actions, and noted that no such proclamations had been issued in Newark in England when its people plotted to murder the Duke of Newcastle [Henry Pelham Fiennes Pelham Clinton, 4th Duke of Newcastle]. In reference to the meeting’s venue, he commented that the education of children, who possess ‘the natural instinct of Reason’, was vital in ‘putting an end to the contest between Catholic and Protestant… bringing all within one bound and teaching them that knowledge is rational power and that Education is the first branch of the Sacredness of holy Religion’. He mused that Ireland ‘was once the Repository of Learning – the Island of Saints’, and expressed a hope that such days would return to the country, and that a domestic parliament would sit in College Green, protecting catholics, protestants, Orangemen and presbyterians ‘equally and impartially’. He stated that the question of repeal was the ‘last trial’ of the Irish – ‘let us act as Christians... let there be no illegal meetings, no illegal oaths, no secret societies, no violence… this is but a small storm, let me steer the helm of Irish liberty and I promise you there is a beacon light before me’. Also speech by [Thomas] Steele, describing O’Connell as ‘something more than human’ and referring to his ‘transcendent superiority’. Also speech by Mr Stokes, who outlined his fear that Ireland was not yet ready to rule itself as its people remained deeply divided. O’Connell responded that the call for repeal had nothing to do with religious dissention, nor did the repeal of the union mean absolute separation from England. Contains unidentified handwritten annotations throughout the text, highlighting particular passages where individual words were omitted from transcription. [Appears as if page[s] of transcription of O’Connell’s speech are missing; pages consecutively numbered 46 and 47 do not appear to correlate].

19 Jan 1831

1831

CSO/RP/1831/98

Letter from Hugh Stewart, Ballygawley House, [County Tyrone], to Edward Geoffrey Smith Stanley, Chief Secretary, expressing support for the claims of Rev Andrew McCulloch, minister of the Presbyterian [seceding] congregation of Caledon, County Tyrone. Enclosing two memorials from McCulloch to Henry William Paget, Lord Lieutenant, asking that his congregation be ranked at the highest class rather than the current lowest one for payment of regium donum; appealing to the increased number of families under his care and of the enlarged labour resulting from that extra responsibility.

3 Jan 1831-18 Jan 1831

1831

CSO/RP/1831/376

Memorial of Rev John Brown, pastor of the Presbyterian congregation, Aghadowey, County Londonderry, to Henry William Paget, Lord Lieutenant, seeking an extension of financial relief from government on account of their place of worship having been severely damaged by a hurricane; noting their appreciation of the local Church of Ireland community who lent their premises for services; emphasising the loyalty of his congregation: ‘not one of their members would countenance a repeal of the Union’ and claiming to be a descendent of one who ‘aided in the gallant defence of Londonderry’ in 1688; and noting they are politically aligned with those who opposed the rebellion in 1798.

8 Feb 1831

1831

CSO/RP/1831/637

Memorial of the members of the Presbyterian congregation of Newry [Synod of Ulster], County Down, to Henry William Paget, Lord Lieutenant, seeking payment of the regium donum in support of their newly constituted assembly; explaining they became a congregation in June 1828 and have contracted with Rev James Shields to act as minister; adding they are 600 in number, orthodox in belief, having recently separated themselves from ‘an avowed Arian Ministry’; adding they have erected a new church building and undertaken to pay their pastor £100 per year; signed by eleven members of committee.

[1831]

1831

CSO/RP/1831/679

Letter from William Abbott, register, House of Industry, Dublin, to Lieutenant Colonel Sir William Gosset, Under Secretary, confirming the admission of William Smith to the ‘aged and infirm department’ of the House of Industry; adding the vacancy has come about on account of the recent death of ‘one of the old men’ in the institution. Enclosing memorial of William Smith, late shoemaker, 12 Capel Street, [Dublin], to Henry William Paget, Lord Lieutenant, requesting a place in the House of Industry; complaining he is now old and ‘reduced to dire want’ and has no financial reserves to fall back upon following loss of £300 in the Royal Canal Company; signed by Rev Samuel Simpson, Presbyterian minister, Usher’s Quay, and three elders.

13 Mar 1831-28 Mar 1831

1831

CSO/RP/1831/685

File of documents concerning a contested application from a Presbyterian probationer seeking to officiate at a funeral service. Includes letter from Thomas [Elrington, church of Ireland bishop of] Ferns, Palace, Ferns, [County Wexford], to Lieutenant Colonel Sir William Gosset, Under Secretary, enclosing a communication from Rev Richard Radcliff of Enniscorthy in County Wexford [not present] in connection with an issue raised by Rev FW Geddes’ attempts to preside at a burial service; includes annotation on back on matter by Richard W Greene, law officer. Also includes letter from Elrington to Gosset indicating that he advised Radcliff to obtain from Geddes a certificate of ordination to act as clergyman; also encloses copy letter from Edward King, moderator, Synod of Munster, Cork, to Radcliff, stating that as a probationer Geddes has no authority to solemnise marriages nor to officiate at funeral ceremonies.

21 Feb 1831-29 Mar 1831

1831

CSO/RP/1831/948

Letter from [Maj] Thomas D’Arcy, Inspector General of Police [for Ulster], Holly Hill, [Strabane, County Tyrone], to Lieutenant Colonel Sir William Gosset, Under Secretary, requesting advice on a ‘novel’ matter involving an application for use of the police ‘to prevent the entrance…into a Place of Worship’ at Ballynahinch in County Down; with annotation on reverse giving legal opinion of Richard W Greene. Enclosing copy warrant signed by four magistrates of County Down requesting the assistance of the constabulary in maintaining peace at the Presbyterian meeting house of Clough and Drumcaw; explaining that a severe disagreement has erupted between two parties over ownership of the meeting house building; warning that if the parties are permitted to clash ‘the Public Peace will be endangered and lives lost’; signed beneath by William Frederick Ebhardt, Chief Constable of Ballynahinch.

19 Jun 1830-15 Apr 1831

1831

CSO/RP/1831/1133

Petition of the minister, elders and committee of the Presbyterian congregation at Kilrea, Londonderry [Derry], to Henry William Paget, Lord Lieutenant, seeking the advance of a measure of pecuniary aid to enable the repair of a church roof damaged in a recent storm; explaining the congregation were in process of enlarging and renovating their meeting house, but the ‘awful storm’ of last November destroyed the roof, and left them ‘in a state of grievous embarrassment’; signed by Hugh Walker Rodgers, minister of Kilrea Presbyterian Church [General Synod of Ulster].

6 May 1831

1831

CSO/RP/1831/1294

Letter from Rev David Watson, Presbyterian clergyman, Clough, County Down, to Lieutenant Colonel Sir William Gosset, Under Secretary, enclosing a memorial of the session of the Presbyterian Church at Clough under the care of Watson, to Henry William Paget, Lord Lieutenant, reflecting on a legal dispute between his own party and another over the use of the meeting house; complaining of the conduct of the ‘minority’ party whose repeated attempts to take possession of the house has led to confrontation and a breach of the peace; requesting that local magistrate [Clifford] Trotter and the police ensure that the compact not to enter the contested house remains intact until such times as the matter is resolved by law or arbitrage; signed by Watson and seven other members of session. Also letter from Robert Parke, Moderator, General Synod of Ulster, Ballymoney, [County Antrim], to Edward Geoffrey Smith Stanley, Chief Secretary, acknowledging receipt of letter from Gosset warning that unless the parties concerned at Clough settle their differences, payment of regium donum will be withdrawn; indicating he has communicated the contents of the letter to Rev Francis Dill, Presbyterian Minister of Clough, who is a representative of one of the contending parties, and discusses the impasse and necessary steps for resolution.

6 May 1831-29 May 1831

1831