to his Protestant friends, whether those doctrines of liberality and charity towards all men had not been uniformly inculcated by the Roman Catholic clergy in Korry.

"These doctrines were met, as he verily believed they always are, by a reciprocal liberality on the part of the other persuasions, and hence it was by the good sense and the good feelings of all parties that an uninterrupted cordiality and harmony prevailed in Kerry-and that, even in the worst periods of the rebellion, the county of Kerry had been pre-eminently distinguished by its loyalty, and had obtained the honour of being, in the fatal year 1798, styled by the then government of Ireland, The unstained county.' The excitement of religious dissension being taken away, there had been no difficulty in preserving the people in their allegiance; not a single soldier was quartered in Kerry during the worst periods of the year 1798; and the poor peasants of this county thus read a lesson to their rulers which ought to teach the inestimable value of religious concord and Christian liberality.

"For his own part, he claimed but a share of this merit-he had been countenanced and assisted by the highly respectable personages, the lord bishops of Limerick. He would boast of calling them his kind friends, and had ofter exchanged with them the endearing expression of brother bishop. The late lord bishop, Dr. Bernard, was an ornament to his age and country. As a classical scholar, as a polished wit, and as an accomplished gentleman, as well as a divine, he stood unrivalled. The present lord bishop, Dr. Warburton, whom he was proud to call his friend, possessed as liberal and as large mind as he had ever met with, and was a very sincere friend to religious concord, and inculcated by his precept as well as by his example, that harmony and Christian charity amongst men of all persuasions which did honour to his rank and station. Thus fortified, he said, that he trusted there never would be found any change in the sentiments of all Christians in Kerry towards one another, and that they would ever maintain towards each other, their present liberality, harmony, and affection. The worthy prelate concluded amongst the cheers of the entire company.

"Stephen Henry Rice, Esq., and the Pure and Impartial Administration of Justice.' (Three times three-great applause.)

"Mr. Rice returned thanks in an animated and pointed strain. He expressed his great pleasure that the gentlemen of Kerry should approve of his conduct. It was, he said, no merit to administer justice with impartiality amongst such He claimed no praise on that account. It was simply his duty, and those who knew him would easily believe, that he could have no inducement but the performance of that duty, to the best of his understanding, and according to his conscience. He begged leave to propose the health of

men.

"Colonel Barry and the Gentlemen of Killarney.'

"Colonel Barry returned thanks.

"The Chairman then announced as the next toast

"Sir Samuel Romilly and the persecuted Protestants in France.'

"Then followed

"The Patriots of South America and a speedy and eternai Extinction to the Inqui kidon,'

Both these toasts were drank with acclamations.

"The Bard of Erin--Thomas Moore.'

We cannot describe the enthusiasm with which this toast was received.

Amongst the remaining toasts were

*The Duke of Leinster, and the Resident Nobility of Ireland.'

"The Earl of Charlemont, the Hereditary Patriot of the Irish Nobility." "The Glorious and Immortal Memory of John Philpot Curran.'

**Our distinguished Countryman, Charles Phillips, and the Independence of the Irish Bar.'

"Sir Francis Burdett, and the Free Electors of Westminster.'
"The Hon. Douglas Kinniard, and the Reformers of Scotland.'
Beecher Wrixon, Esq., and the Friends of Freedom in Mallow.'

"Messrs. Carew and Colclough, and the Popular Interest in the County of Wexford'
Alderman Waithman, and the Independent Livery of London.'

Sir Robert Wilson, and the Friends of Reform in Southwark.'

The President and Free People of North America, may they be bound in Bonds of Eternal Unity with these Countries.'

Universal Benevolence.'

66 During the evening there were also the healthy drank of several of the nobility and gentry connected with Kerry. On that of the Earl of Kenmare being drank, Mr. Gallway returned thanks.

"Thomas Day, Esq., took occasion to propose the health, he said, of one of the most respectable gentlemen of the county,

"Maurice O'Connell, of Darrinane, Esq."

This toast having been received with distinguished applause, Mr. O'Connell returned thanks in a short and animated speech. He said he could answer for it, that his aged and venerated relative would be pleased and proud of the honour conferred that night on him and his family; delicacy restrained him from indulging his feelings in speaking of that venerable gentleman; but he might be permitted to say that he afforded an admirable specimen of the ancient Milesian gentleman -courteous and polite, without either flattery or familiarity, dignified, yet affectionate, with the strongest judgment and kindest heart he had passed through a long life of happiness and prosperity, and was now reaching his ninetieth year, with his faculties and reason as distinct and clear as ever-with what was more remarkable, his cheerfulness as unclouded, and his natural gaiety as undiminished as in his early life-and what almost exceeded belief, but yet was literally true, with the affections of the kindly heart as warm, as animated, and as tender as if he were still a youth.

"From his precepts and example his family could derive no lessons but those of integrity and honour; and his family, notwithstanding his advanced age, might look forward to enjoy many years of those precepts and that example, and when his career should draw to its close, there never lived a human being over whose grave would be poured such sincere tears of filial piety, reverence, and love. "Amongst the other toasts given were those of the high sheriff, Charles Herbert, Esq., which the Chairman prefaced by some pertinent remarks on the independent manner in which he had called the county meeting, to petition against the window tax.

"On the health of John Collis, of Barrow, Esq., being given, that gentleman returned thanks in a short speech.

"JOHN O'CONNELL, of Grenagh, Esq., begged leave to propose the health of a gallant young gentleman who had fought and bled in the service of his country, and who was likely to be at the head of a splendid fortune in Kerry, which, ha was certain, he would do honour to by his liberality and independence.

466 Captain Mullins'

was then drank with three times three.

"The CHAIRMAN having proposed the health of the Vice-President, Joha Stack, Esq., the latter returned thanks, and said, he availed himself of that opportunity to propose the health of an officer of high rank in foreign service, of whom Kerry Lad the honour to boast,

"Lieut.-General Daniel Count O'Connell.'

"MR. O'CONNELL said, he again felt himself called upon to express his sense of the honour done to his respected relative.

"General O'Connell had left his native land at an early age, and had, before the revolution in France, risen from the rank of second lieutenant, to that of a general officer In his progress he was rot aided by influence or patrorage, and, even his nephew may, without delicacy, be permitted to say, that he had riser, by the mere force of his talents and his virtues. He did, indeed, afford a bright but melancholy instance of the miserable impolicy of the penal code, which forced into the service of foreign and adverse states, the genius and the virtue of Irishmen. "Never did any man more bitterly regret than General O'Connell the necessity which drove him from the service of his legitimate king, and his beloved country He always speaks of that necessity in the language of sincere sorrow; and Ireland and Irishmen are only made more dear to his heart by absence. Never, indeed, did any man possess a more genuine Irish heart. His countrymen who met him in France would readily testify, that no human being ever possessed a more generous heart or ready hand. There was a benevolence around him which exceeded all his other brilliant qualities; and he rejoiced in his elevation, first, and principally, because it enabled him to be useful to numbers of his relatives and of his countrymen.

"This is not a picture drawn by the exaggerating hand of friendship. It is a mitigated sketch of a man who lives in the hearts of his friends, and is the most endearing of relatives. His country has, at length, reclaimed him, and he has at least this consolation, that he will die in the service of his native land, and that the good sense and the good feeling of the present day have for ever opened that service to Irishmen of every class and persuasion. Yes, my friends, we have this consolation, that whatever of genius or virtue arises in Kerry in future, they will no longer devote themselves to France or to Spain, but be consecrated to the service of Old Ireland.

A UNION MEMBER.

Ar the general elections which occurred in this year, Mr. O'Connell exerted himself stren uously in Kerry to procure the return of the Right Honourable Maurice Fitzgerald, the Knight of Kerry, and an incident of the election is thus alluded to by the latter gentleman, in a letter dated 6th November, 1818, published in the papers. We quote an extract from it as the testimony of a “Union member," and one yet living, to the broken promises, and evil operation of the act for which he unfortunately voted :

"Mr. O'Connell having expressed an opinion much too flattering of my conduct, with the exception of my vote on the Union, I am made to say, 'that I thanked Mr. O'Connell for explaining my conduct on the Union, that Lord Cornwallis had shown me a distinct promise, written and signed by Mr. Pitt, by which the Union was to be followed by a total and unqualified Emancipation of the Catholics of Ireland.'

"I did say that I thanked my friend Mr. O'Connell (not for explaining), but for giving me an opportunity of explaining the motives which induced me to Vote for the Union. I did not say that Lord Cornwallis had shown me the

paper, nor did I mention the name of Lord Cornwallis or of Mr. Pitt, or of any other person whatever, as connected with that measure. Neither did Mr. O'Connell say that he knew I longed anxiously to repeal the Union. None of these things were said, and therefore, though I may not respect more than you do the reasoning powers of the writer, and must allow that he may have been misled, as to his facts, it is necessary to destroy the foundation of his calumnious insinu

ations.

"Mr. O'Connell stated, and so did I, at I regretted my vote on the Union. I regret it, because all the predicted ls, and none of the promised benefits have resulted from it. I stated at thes me time, that I had never given a vote with more honest intentions. That grows delusion had been practised to carry the measure, as the event proved. These delusions were more formally and authoritatively embodied in the speech of Mr. Pitt on that occasion. All this I have repeatedly stated in parliament, and in much stronger language than I ever used at a public meeting.

"If Lord Cornwallis had shown me a paper signed by Mr. Pitt, it must have been of a private nature, and it would have been a breach (not of a privy councillor's oath, as insinuated, for I was not then a privy councillor, but) of the honour of a gentleman to have betrayed it.

"Lord Cornwallis did give to me, not in confidence or secrecy, but expressly for circulation, a document which has been since frequently published and quoted, as containing the declaration of the then retiring cabinet. This also I have stated in parliament, but did not mention it at my election.

"I shall ever shrink from avowing the motives, which, under the circumstances in which Ireland was, induced me to vote for the Union. I voted for the Urion, to guard against the possible re-enactment of the penal laws, which was contemplated. To procure the extinction of mischievous political and religious distinctions among my countrymen, and to obtain a safer support and more dignified character to the Protestant Church, than is compatible with the present tithe system, more injurious to its clergy than even to the Catholic farmer."

CATHOLIC MEETING.

WE come to the year 1819. The first occurrence of note in which Mr. O'Connell's name appears was at a meeting of Catholics to express their gratitude, for a very well got up demonstration by the liberal Protestants of Ireland, at the Rotunda.

The Catholic inhabitants of the parishes of St. Andrew's, St. Anne's, and St. Mark's, assembled yesterday (Wednesday, 27th January), pursuant to public notice, in the committee-room of Townsend-street chapel. P. Curtis, Esq., in the chair. It was found necessary to adjourn to the body of the chapel.

After the preliminary forms had been gone through,

Mr. O'Connell offered himself to the attention of the meeting, and in a temperate, elo quert, and sensible speech, proposed the following resolutions, introducing each by remarks appropriate to itself:

"RESOLVED-That we deem it our first duty to offer the tribute of our most grateful thanks to our esteemed and respected brethren, the Protestants of Ireland, who have come forward with such distinguished liberality and cordiality to petition for our Emancipation.

"RESOLVED--That encouraged by their example and support, we do renew our application to the legislature, for the total repeal of the penal laws still affecting our body.

"RESOLVED-That a committee consisting of the following gentlemen be appointed to prepare the draft of a petition to the legislature, to be submitted to the meeting, namely

"Mr. P. Curtis, Mr. O'Connell, Mr. J. Weldon, Mr. T. Fynn, Mr. Kernan, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Thomas Hay, Mr. James M'Auley, Mr. Terence Hughes, Mr. Nugent, Mr. William Ryder, Mr. Edward O'Rielly, Mr. Donelan, Mr. Michael Hughes, and Mr. Gordon.

"The draft of a petition having been prepared and read "The following is the draft of the petition :

"PETITION.

"That your petitioners have repeatedly and respectfully, in their humble petitions, solicited the attention of this honourable house, to the multitudinous exclusions and disabilities by which his majesty's faithful subjects, the Roman Catholics of Ireland, are afflicted in this their native land.

"That in our present application to the wisdom of the legislature, we are equally encouraged and delighted by the cordial co-operation of great numbers of our beloved countrymen, the Protestants of Ireland.

"That may it please this honourable house to understand those Protestants, in seeking for relief on our behalf, do thereby on their parts tender a sacrifice of the monopoly of the emoluments, powers, and honours of the state; a sacrifice that must be attributed to the purest motives of such Christian charity and exalted benevolence, as entitle those Protestants (so we most humbly and respectfully submit) to great attention and consideration from this honourable house.

"That it is the anxious and earnest desire of your petitioners to live on terms of reciprocal charity and benevolence with our respected Protestant fellow-countrymen, and we desire the repeal of the excluding and restricting laws still in force against us, first, and principally, because those laws have a direct tendency to create and continue a spirit of irritation and ill-will, and to prevent that combination in affection and interest of all classes of his majesty's subjects, which must, upon every emergency, afford the most sure defence to the throne, and most durable and stable support to the constitution.

66

May it, therefore, please this honourable house, to take into consideration the unmerited privations and sufferings of the Roman Catholics of Ireland, and the benevolent petitions of the Protestants of the land; and, by granting the prayer of the Protestants of Ireland, to restore the Roman Catholics of Ireland to the full and equal participation of all the privileges and franchises of the constitution."

Mr. Kirwan seconded the resolutions, and they were all passed with perfect unanimity.

Mr. O'Connell spoke in the most animated and enthusiastic terms of the liberality and beneficence of those estimable Irish