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CSO/RP/CA/1831/9

Incomplete memorandum providing eye-witness account entitled 'Part of the Proceedings of a Meeting of the Fish Trade', held at the Arena, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin, chaired by William O’Brien, with verbatim transcription of speeches outlining a number of resolutions relating to repeal of the union, as well as the impact of the union on the fish trade. Mr Campbell, a boat owner, stated that despite his successful business, he was currently £500 worse than 5 years previously. [Daniel] O’Connell stated that all trades in Ireland had suffered since the union; where 200000-300000 artisans were employed in Dublin at the turn of the century, earning an average weekly wage of £1 5s, there were now scarcely 10000 employed, half of whom were not in constant employment, with an average weekly wage of between 12s and 15s. He argued that English noblemen who claimed to love Ireland nonetheless opposed the aid of its fishermen by raising salaries, and commented ‘I never knew a sprat or a haddock caught by talking’. He remarked that while the English enjoyed the benefits of the royal family and its various institutions, the Custom House in Dublin had ‘nothing but rats and mice to play in it’. He urged the assembly to refrain from violence in expressing their grievances, and declared that if they succeeded in doing this, an Irish parliament would meet in College Green by 1833. [Thomas] Steele reiterated O’Connell’s call for peace, and stated that any man engaged in violence was a traitor to old Ireland. He stated that he regarded the Lord Lieutenant, the Marquis of Anglesey, with ‘ineffable and immeasurable contempt’, and quipped that ‘the government may consider the Fishmongers met here today a kind of very odd fish but they shall not find us flat fish’. Speech by Marcus Costello [President of the Dublin Trades’ Political Union] arguing that O’Connell, a man ‘sent by God’, had through his ‘judicious system of agitation’ saved Ireland from a ‘torrent of blood’ in the assertion of its rights, unlike other uninformed nations that lacked such able leadership; having achieved emancipation, he would also soon secure repeal. Also speech by [John] Lawless concerning the growing support for the repeal movement – for instance, he noted that while [A Carew] O’Dwyer was not initially in favour of repeal, he had stated ‘I like much less laws taken out of the Statute Book of Henry 8th wielded against my unfortunate Country’. [Remainder of item not present. O’Connell left early to preside over another meeting at Morrison’s Rooms; memorandum contains note that the ‘short hand writer’ followed him there].

27 Jan 1831

1831

CSO/RP/CA/1831/10

Memorandum providing eye-witness account entitled 'Proceedings at the annual Dinner of the Trinitarian Orphan Society', held at Morrison’s Hotel, chaired by [Daniel] O’Connell, with verbatim transcription of speeches. O’Connell drew attention to the presence of government informants at the dinner to celebrate the thirty-fifth anniversary of the charity; he noted that such a practice would be ‘unheard of’ amongst Englishmen in England, but commented that informants were at least better than the police. Dominick Ronayne referred to the informers present as ‘reporting angels’ sent by the Lord Lieutenant, the Marquis of Anglesey, to watch over them lest they grow ‘too strong’ in their quest to rise from a ‘paltry province’ to an independent country. Note indicates that one of the government short-hand writers present offered to withdraw from the meeting, to which O’Connell replied that his quarrel was not with those who were merely performing their duty, but with ‘those who sent them here’. O’Connell outlined that while the Trinitarian Society had received no government money, almost £1 million had been donated to institutions such as the Foundling Hospital and the Charter Schools, whose level of care had since been ‘condemned’ by governmental inquiries for the production of a ‘species of blighted and blasted animal – a human being that never knew one word of kindness… not human beings but something like that imaginary being Frankenstein… in shape human but really without acquiring the human faculties’. Majority of proceedings dominated by lengthy speech by O’Connell on the current state of Ireland, who stated that ‘times like these are those that try mens sores’. Referring to his upcoming trial which was due to commence the following day, he commented that he would be ‘happier in Jail than… in London’, and argued that his conviction would only increase agitation in Ireland. He stated that he would not remind those present to refrain from violence in achieving reform, as such assertions were only necessary ‘for those who are not able to read the signs of the times’ for themselves, and declared that Ireland was currently at its most peaceful since the arrival of Anglesey. In response to a toast to the catholic hierarchy of Ireland and [Daniel] Murray, Catholic archbishop of Dublin, Rev Mills stated that while repeal was a worthy cause, he felt the catholic clergy should not support it publically, as it could encourage religious dissention and give the opposition an opportunity to reduce it from a political question to a religious one. Ronayne responded that Mills’ views did not speak for the entire catholic clergy of Ireland. Other toasts include those to the king; the people ‘the genuine source of legitimate power’; the electorate of counties Clare and Waterford; as well as to O’Connell, Thomas Steele and John Redmond, the President of the Trinitarian Orphan Society.

27 Jan 1831

1831

CSO/RP/CA/1831/11

Memorandum entitled 'Proceedings at a Meeting of the Commercial Clerks of the City of Dublin', held at the Swan’s Rooms, Batchelor's Walk, Dublin, chaired by John Browne, with verbatim transcription of speeches [some passages include later additions] outlining a number of resolutions relating to repeal of the union, as well as the impact of the union on the commercial clerks of Dublin. Start of meeting delayed by 15 minutes to wait for the arrival of a reporter from the ‘Freeman’s Journal’. Browne explained that although it was ‘unbecoming’ for religious men to meet on the Sabbath, it could not be avoided as the attendees were required to work the other 6 days of the week. Speaking on the success of the campaign for emancipation, he stated that the late King [George IV] and the parliament had conceded in 1829 ‘that which was treason to contend for’ by the United Irishmen some 30 years before – he argued that a similar situation now surrounded the issue of parliamentary reform, which would eventually succeed through the will of the people. Contributions made by a number of speakers. Roderick Martin stated that the administration was opposed to repeal as they felt that the Irish were not fit to govern themselves – he argued that this was true, as they had kept Ireland in a state of fever for the past 30 years, ‘dreaming when asleep and thinking when awake of how we could get back that which they robbed us of’. William Myhan described the Bank of Ireland as the ‘closest of all close boroughs’ as only 4 of its 300 clerks were of the catholic faith, and stated that the economic downturn was particularly hard on clerks as ‘from the education they get they are obliged to mix with persons who have better means and are obliged to dress as Gentlemen, and when out of employment they are sometimes very badly off’. Mr Daly noted that this was the first time commercial clerks had come forward as one to address grievances such as the monopoly of the Dublin Corporation, low wages, and their exclusion from various positions including the Bank of Ireland, the Stamp Office, the Law Room and the Custom House. [Thomas] Steele admonished [John David] Latouche [La Touche], a member of a prominent banking family in Dublin, for his late arrival to the Catholic Association – ‘when the fight was just won he came in to take his share of the spoils of honor’. Referring to a recent letter printed in the paper by Nicholas Mahon which apparently contained a misrepresentation of a recent conversation with Daniel O’Connell, Steele declared that in light of Mahon’s old age, O’Connell had given him until the following morning to print a retraction, at which time he would publish his own version of events. Steele also commented on O’Connell’s strategy which focused first on emancipation and only then moved on to address the issue of repeal, stating that he was ‘a man who knows how to do work… he does not leap to the top of a flight of stairs in his way because he might fall and stumble back… [he said] give me a [fulcrum] for my lever and I will raise the world give me catholic emancipation and we will carry the Repeal of the Union’. In a lengthy analogy, John Buckley depicted O’Connell as medic tending to a sickly Paddy’s bedside, telling him he was ‘too weak for bleeding’ and prescribing him five words written in ‘plain English’ rather than Latin; ‘The Repeal of the Union’, a cure that could only be attained in a shop ‘across the water’. To cries of ‘shame’ from the assembly, Robert Delahoyd[e] lamented the ‘desolate state’ of Dublin city since the union, ‘our Manufactories decreased the houses of our Nobility are Tenements or Rooms and the House of his Grace the Duke of Leinster [Augustus Frederick Fitzgerald, 3rd Duke of Leinster, also known as the Marquis of Kildare] has become what? It has become a receptacle of stuffed Birds and Beasts (and Monkeys)… I hope the Proprietor of it will do us the favor at all events when his Grace pay[s] the debt of Nature to stuff him and place him there’, although he stated he did not know which class of animal the duke would belong to, ‘he has not the common honesty of an ass… I tell you what, we will place him among the reptile tribe’. [John] Lawless remarked that certain members of the catholic aristocracy had been bribed by either money, flattery or the ‘novelty of sitting at a great man’s table… [and now wore] the livery of their Brother Protestants’, in response to which the assembly cried ‘Sheil, Sheil, a groan for Sheil’ [Richard Lalor Sheil]. In light of the many speeches made at the meeting, Mr Montgomery remarked that in his opinion, there was ‘not an era of European history on record what can furnish such material for the future Historians patriotic page as the present’.

30 Jan 1831

1831

CSO/RP/CA/1831/12

[Incomplete] memorandum providing eye-witness account of case heard before the King’s Bench entitled ‘Rex vrs O’Connell & others’, over the course of two days, with verbatim transcription of speeches and reference to previous court rulings. At the opening of the hearing on 31 January, the Attorney General, Francis Blackburne, outlined the parties in the case brought against [Daniel] O’Connell and 6 others; one of the accused, [John] Redmond, pleaded ‘not guilty’ to all charges; [Thomas] Steele pleaded ‘nul tiel record’ in relation to the proclamation of the Lord Lieutenant, and ‘not guilty’ to all remaining charges; and the remaining traversers demurred counts 1-14, 30 and 31 of the indictment. [Louis] Perrin, and [Robert] Holmes argued that not enough notice had been given for the hearing, as cases requiring the preparation of books for the judges carried a period of 4 days’ notice, with the possibility of an extension in special circumstances. O’Connell, acting as counsel for the other traversers, requested that the court meet again on the following Thursday to give sufficient notice for the hearing. Blackburne objected to such an extension, stating that the notice period began on the day of their arrest and that ‘the magnitude of the question involved… is such as that it cannot with safety remain undecided’. [Remainder of item not present].

31 Jan - 1 Feb 1831

1 Feb 1831

CSO/RP/CA/1831/13

Memorandum providing eye-witness account of case brought before the King’s Bench entitled ‘The King v Lavelle & Staunton’, with verbatim transcription of speeches. The Attorney General, Francis Blackburne, outlined the parties in the case brought against two newspaper proprietors; Patrick Lavelle and Michael Staunton were both accused of deserting their usual places of abode as well as their places of business in order to avoid prosecution. He explained that under the various stamp acts, newspaper proprietors were required to file a signed copy of their paper at the Stamp Office. He stated that Staunton had submitted a signed copy of a paper which contained a copy of the conditional order issued against him – he argued that as he had signed the paper, he must have been acquainted with its contents, and was therefore aware of the order. The Lord Chief Justice [Charles Kendal Bushe] noted however, that as Lavelle had not signed the copy of his paper submitted to the office, his awareness of the order against him could not be presumed. Blackburne conceded, and agreed to only substitute service on Staunton.

1 Feb 1831

1831

CSO/RP/CA/1831/14

Memorandum providing eye-witness account of case brought before the King’s Bench entitled ‘Rex v O’Connell’, with verbatim transcription of speeches [some passages include later additions, and some passages are omitted] and reference to previous court rulings, concerning the rights of Daniel O’Connell and his co-accused to demur the charges brought against them, and the setting of a date for the trial. The defence counsel argued that they were not given enough notice of the hearing and thus had little time to prepare. [Thomas] Wallace, on O’Connell’s behalf, withdrew his demurs with regard to counts 1-14, 30 and 31 of the indictment brought against him, and thereby submitted to go to trial. The counsel for the defence requested that the court retire until Monday, at which time the demurs of the other 6 traversers, who were not present at the hearing, could be argued; if, at this stage, the court dismissed their right to demur, the counsel moved that the defendants would then also enter a plea of ‘not guilty’ and submit to enter a full trial. The Attorney General, [Francis Blackburne], summarised that counts 1-14 of the indictment related to the violation of a proclamation of the Lord Lieutenant, a power given to him by law [Dangerous Assemblies (Ireland) Act, 1829] to declare illegal certain meetings and assemblies considered ‘dangerous’ to the public, while counts 30 and 31 related to unlawful assembly ‘for the purpose of exciting in the King’s subjects disaffection and discontent against the Laws and Constitution of the Realm’, as well as exciting disaffection and ‘hostility’ against the Lord Lieutenant and his government. He opposed the defendants’ right to demur, as well as the subsequent delay in the trial, as it went against the ‘prerogative’ of the crown in prosecution cases such as this. He noted that if the court ruled in favour of O’Connell, it would be a precedent case; it would significantly reduce the power of the act, and effectively signal its repeal. The Lord Chief Justice [Charles Kendal Bushe] described the case as both ‘novel’ and ‘important’, and observed ‘I dare say the traversers will be… willing to have the case stand over for a trial at Bar next term’. Court adjourned until the following Monday.

5 Feb 1831

1831

CSO/RP/CA/1831/15

Memorandum providing eye-witness account of case brought before the King’s Bench entitled ‘Rex vs. O’Connell & others’, with verbatim transcription of speeches. Speaking for [Daniel] O’Connell, [Louis] Perrin applied to the court to withdraw his plea of ‘not guilty’ to the first 14 counts of the indictment. [Robert] Holmes, speaking for the other defendants, requested likewise. The Attorney General [Francis Blackburne] ruled that such a judgement was ‘sufficient to answer all the objects of this prosecution’ and declared ‘nolle prosequi’. He congratulated the court and the country ‘on being spared the labor and the distracting agitating conflict which such a trial would necessarily have produced’.

12 Feb 1831

1831

CSO/RP/CA/1831/16

Memorandum providing eye-witness account of case brought before the King’s Bench entitled ‘Rex v Steele’, with verbatim transcription of speeches and reference to previous court rulings. [Dominick] Ronayne requested that the libel trial against Thomas Steele be postponed, as Edward Geoffrey Stanley [Chief Secretary], a material witness, was currently in England. The Attorney General [Francis Blackburne] and Solicitor General [Philip Cecil Crampton] objected to the postponement. They noted that Stanley had left Ireland on 28 January, and that notice of the trial was given on 4 February. They argued that the traverser and his legal advisors knew the trial was imminent before Stanley left for England. Furthermore, Stanley remained within the jurisdiction of the courts while in England, but no attempt had been made to serve him with a subpoena there, which would have compelled him to return to attend the trial. Case postponed until Monday week.

12 Feb 1831

1831

CSO/RP/CA/1831/17

Memorandum providing eye-witness account entitled 'Proceedings at a Meeting of The Wine Porters of the City of Dublin', held at the Swan's Rooms, Batchelor's Walk, Dublin, chaired by William Davis, with verbatim transcription of speeches outlining a number of resolutions relating to the impact of the union on the wine trade, and calling for repeal. Lengthy speech by [Daniel] O’Connell largely concerning to his return to parliament following his recent prosecution at the King’s Bench and a number of grievances he would put forward for debate in the House of Commons. He noted the misrepresentation of his court case in the ‘Dublin Evening Post’ the previous day, which stated that he had pleaded ‘guilty’ to the first 14 counts of the indictment – O’Connell claimed that he would rather cut off his own arm than plead guilty to one of the charges against him. He claimed that he was accused of 'taking up the question of the repeal of the union' because he failed in the House of Commons; his reply was met with laughter from the assembly: 'I made no great way there that is not my fault. I brought 3 or 4 measures and I had fifteen or Sixteen to support me and I had 2 or 300 against me and I think that is odds even at foot ball'. He stated that while he previously had to alter his ‘sentiments’ on repeal for a time while he sought catholic emancipation as he knew that it was not possible to campaign for both at the same time, he would now seek to convince the English that repeal would be ‘as useful to England as to Ireland’. He acknowledged that while he was ‘the spoilt child of popular feeling’ in Ireland, his views would not be as well received abroad. Although he stated that this was his last opportunity to speak at an Irish meeting for many months, he reminded the assembly that he would write often, ‘for when my tongue is absent my fingers shall be going’. Also speech by [John] Lawless referring to recent comments made by Lord Althorp [John Charles Spencer, 3rd earl of Spencer] that he would ‘recommend blood to be shed’ in Ireland before he would agree to the repeal of the union, in contrast to the Duke of Wellington [Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington], who stated that having been witness to much human suffering in the field of battle, ‘I as a soldier will sheath my sword, I would rather surrender… than have one hour of civil war’. Lawless stated that the Irish people wished for no such battle, but rather ‘a moral peaceable tranquil contest’. However, he remarked that if violence was to break out, repeal could be achieved within 6 months. Gratitude of assembly expressed to O’Connell, and motion carried that the meeting’s resolutions be published in the ‘Morning Register’ and the ‘Freeman’s Journal’.

13 Feb 1831

1831

CSO/RP/CA/1831/18

Memorandum providing eye-witness account entitled 'Proceedings at a Meeting of the Brick and Stone Layers', held at the Chapel of Kingstown [Dun Laoghaire], County Dublin, chaired by Mr O’Brien, with verbatim transcription of speeches outlining a number of resolutions relating to the impact of the union on the brick and stone trades, and calling for repeal. Noted that [Thomas] Steele and [Patrick] Costello could not attend the meeting as they were presently in County Kilkenny, agitating for the election of Col [John] Butler over Lord Duncannon [John William Ponsonby, 4th earl of Bessborough, known as viscount Duncannon]. Refers to the decline of the industry in Kingstown over the previous 30 years as a result of unemployment and emigration. Lengthy speeches made by a number of contributors concerning the current state of Ireland; William Rattigan, who wore a medal of the Order of Liberators adorned with a green and orange ribbon, stated that rather than quenching agitation in Ireland, the Lord Lieutenant, the Marquis of Anglesey had ‘like a little drop of water thrown into the fire… only raised the blaze higher’, while [John] Lawless commented that meetings such as these demonstrated that ‘the days of agitation are not over’. Lawless referred to his recent arrest, along with Daniel O’Connell and 5 others, stating that the Attorney General was not aware of the ‘excitement’ and ‘inflammation’ their prosecution would create among the people of Ireland. Mr Curran remarked that he would refer to Dun Laoghaire only by its ‘true and real name… Kingstown! Psha!’ He argued that the fact that the indictments brought against O’Connell and his co-accused were outlined on a mere ‘33 yards of Parchment’ was evident of the weakness of the argument against repeal in the face of ‘numberless arguments’ of the Irish who sought to show the world ‘the slavery and degradation and misery and wretchedness it is suffering from an unnatural connexion’. Resolutions passed to express the gratitude of the assembly to O’Connell and to issue a petition to both Houses for the repeal of the union.

20 Feb 1831

1831