Lot 248
[Ireland] Duigenan, Patrick (1735-1816), Irish lawyer and politician, violently opposed to Catholic emancipation. Autograph Letter not signed four pages, 8 x 12½ Dublin, December 15, 1806. To Reverend Doctor Clark, Mountstreet, Berkeley Square, London. Tremendous historical content regarding the rebellious situation in Ireland toward British control, in part:
"I need not tell you that whenever any disaster befalls the British station it is sure to be accompanied by a corresponding insurrection in Ireland - look back for the last forty years - When Cortland sailed to invade Ireland & Thourot made a diversion by landing in the North - the White Boys arose - after them followed the Steel Boys & then during the Americas War - arose the Right Boys under Capt. Right in Munster - at that time Grattan in his place in the House of Commons - told the Nation that nothing could be expected from the generosity of Britain - whatever was to obtained must be from her weakness and from her fears - those Ruffians were however put down - & Soon after the breaking out of the Present Rebellion - the Society of United Irishmen - was instituted in correspondence & connexion with the French Rebels - & then it was that their army - called defenders were first called into action - some efforts were ineffectually made to put down those Rebels. I myself when high Sheriff entered their Assembly & pistol in hand dispersed them - the efforts of Loyalty were however useless. Grattan told the Papists that they must extinguish their Tyrants i.e. the Government or they would extinguish them - immediately upon this Idea being made public - the Lord Chancellor was attacked in his coach coming from a council at the castle & only saved by the dexterity of his coachman and the fleetness of his horses…"
There likely was a fifth page, with the conclusion to this letter and a signature, but it is not present. Integral address leaf in another hand with proxy free-frank signature "Free Patk. Duigenan" and three partly legible postmarks. Seal tear affects couple words of closely spaced text, otherwise Fine.
Estimate 300 - 400
Henry Grattan (1746-1821), member of the Irish House of Commons and a campaigner for legislative freedom for the Irish Parliament who opposed the Act of Union 1800 that merged the Kingdoms of Ireland and Great Britain; Lord Charles Cornwallis (1738-1805), as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland argued for Catholic emancipation; John Claudius Beresford (1766-1846) Banker and Tory Member of Parliament representing Dublin City and Waterford County; during the United Irishman rebellion of 1798, led a yeoman battalion which fought against the rebels with a particular ferocity; kept a riding school in Dublin, where floggings were used to extort information from the United Irishmen; rebels deliberately burned banknotes issued by his bank.
|
| |
| Realized $160 |
