36
99
[Continued]
a) AL to ‘My dear Friend [Condon], 4 pp (single folded sheet), inMeagher’s hand,
lacks continuation and signature, from Reform Club, Dawson Street, Tuesday
(probably January1847),numbered ‘1’ in a laterhand. ‘Youhave seenby thePapers
thatwe arenow atwork, and that out of the strife and suspicion anddespair of the
last fewmonthshas sprungup a fineBody, full of health and intellect andheroism,
todo thebusinessofRegeneration. The“IrishConfederation”haspitched itscamp,
andwe shall neither strike our colours nor our tents until the EnglishChannel di-
vides two freenations ..’, anddeclaringhis intention toaddress the ‘fine fellows’ of
Condon’s [Repeal]ReadingRoomwithaview to recruiting them, because ‘theyare
IndependentMen -menwhomakeuseofGod’snoblest gift - aMind - and scorn to
let others think for them ..’
b)ALS to ‘MydearFriend’, fromNationoffice,Thursday, 3pp (single folded sheet),
numbered ‘2’ in a later hand, somewhat scuffed, minor tears, no loss. ‘I felt great
pleasure in laying your letter before the Council of the Confederation .. the sug-
gestions you conveyed .. will receive theirmost attentive consideration .. In a few
days, thecardsof theConfederateswill be issued .. I shall beproud inproposing the
admissionof your excellent friends.’
c)ALS to ‘Mydear Friend’, from4MaryVilla,UpperLeesonSt.,Dublin, 8pp (two
folded sheets), nodate, numbered 7 in a later hand, had the proudpleasure of pro-
posing theWaterford Confederates at our meeting onWednesday, impossible to
have thenames published as they amount to3,000, refers to a [disparaging] article
inaWaterfordpaper: ‘The ideaof thatpaperpreachingpatriotism! MyGod, think
of ahangman sermonizing about the sympathies andduties of humanity. The idea
of that paper proclaiming nationality! Good heavens, think of a cannibal of Kaf-
fir-land patronizing the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and sending his subscrip-
tion of a human thigh-bone to theRelief Committee of Skibereen ..’, and so on in
typically florid fashion.
d)ALS to ‘My dear Friend’, fromColonnadeHotel. Haymarket, London, Jan. 25
th
’
[probably 1847], 8 pp (two folded sheets), numbered ‘3’ in a later hand. ‘ .. I have
alteredmy intentionof addressing theRepealers ofWaterford - Imentioned it yes-
terday toMr. SmithO’Brien, andhemost stronglyurged .. the propriety of having
theRepealers inWaterford .. to act spontaneously,without our giving the slightest
reason to justify a charge .. that we induced persons to join us .. The first battle
in which our Flag will fly, will be that of Galway - we intend to fight theWhig
official then ..’
e)ALS to ‘MydearFriend’, fromReformClub,Wednesday [1847], 5pp [two folded
sheets, apologising for adelay in acknowledging subscriptions throughpressureof
workdue to theGalway election. ‘I godownwithMr.Mitchel tomorrow morning
to thebattle-field - MayGodgiveus success ..’
f)ALS to ‘My dearCondon’, fromGilbert’s Royal Hotel,WestlandRow, Thursday
evening, postmarkedFeb. 10 / 111848, 2ppwithcognateaddress leaf, postmarked,
traceof seal. ‘Whatever is the consequence, andwhoever be the champion,Costel-
loemust be fought.’
g) ALS to ‘My dear Friend’, 2 pp (single folded sheet, part of blank rear leaf torn
away), datedFridaymorning (noyear, probablycircaApril1848), referring toanarti-
cle ‘in tomorrow’sNation…headed “TheRed above theGreen” frommy rebellious
pen ..’. This may refer toMeagher’s visit to the French revolutionary government,
March 1848, as an emissary from the IrishConfederation, fromwhich he returned
withaTricolour flag in the Irish colours (apparently the first appearanceof aTricol-
our in an Irish context).
h)ALS to ‘MydearCondon’, fromCouncil Rooms, 9D’Olier St. [Dublin], April 20
th
1848, 4 pp (single folded sheet), saying he plans to come toWaterford with Smith
O’Brien, say about Thursday or Friday next. ‘In the meantime, without an hour’s
delay, get up a splendidprocession - banners, band&c.&c. tomeet us at the steam-
er. Get out placards at once .. something in this way - [proposed text apparently in
another hand, or perhaps inMeagher’s disguised hand]: ‘Repeal!!! Repeal!!! Irish
Independence!!! The prosecuted patriots!!!! ..’ [remainder inMeagher’s usual hand
again] .. Don’t forget the IrishTricolour, theGreen,White andOrange - Get up a
combined committee for ameeting - procure theTownHall for anightmeeting&c
- set towork at once ..’
i) ALS to ‘My dear Condon’, fromRichmondBridewell, Dec. 10
th
1848, 4 pp (single
folded sheet), worn and soiled, written while under sentence of death (later com-
muted) after the failure of the ‘rising’ of July 1848, denying any suggestion that his
friendshipwithCondon is at an end, andpromising to support him in seeking apo-
sition (apparentlywithaCouncil). ‘As to theoldcause - I amnot the leastdepressed
about it -Not the least.My belief in its triumph, one day or another, is as deep and
passionate as ever .. Failures in aRevolutionaryMovement are notmortal wounds
- aNation can afford a terrible loss of blood, and still survive, and strengthen as it
survives. Besides, the strengthof the country has not beenbroken - has not as yet
been tested even…’
j) ALS to ‘My dear Condon’, fromMadison, Indiana, May 13
th
[18]53, 4 pp (single
folded sheet, tearing at fold, fragile), thanks him for his efforts on behalf of Mrs.
Meagher (who remained in Ireland), and complains at length about ‘bigotry’ among
‘these ultra-Catholics of America’, who apparently objected to Meagher’s support
for ‘the noblest institutions of theRepublic - namely, the Public Schools’, criticising
[ThomasD’Arcy]McGee, whomhe calls a ‘rascal’,McGee’s papers, etc. etc., a typi-
cally combative letter.
k) ALS to ‘My dear Condon’, marked Private, fromMadison, Indiana, May 14
th
[18]53, 6pp (double and single sheet), again attackingMcGee andurgingCondon to
hold ameeting inWaterford to repudiate him (McGee), ‘since I see that the ‘Nation’
isbecomingamereMcGeepaper, amere transcript of the ‘BostonPilot’ .. Fancy the
‘Nation’ all thiswhile sufferingme tobe abused like a pick-pocket, andnever utter-
inga syllable inmybehalf! Thatwasnot theway I servedDuffyandotherswhowere
placedunder a ban, for a time, through the suspicions .. of our country-men ..’, and
continuing at length todefendhis record and character, against charges presumably
made inMcGee’s papers.
As a collection,w.a.f.
