Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Autograph letter signed : Dublin, to William Brownlow, 1798 December 31.

BIB_ID
193053
Accession number
MA 4314
Creator
Charlemont, James Caulfeild, Earl of, 1728-1799.
Display Date
1798 December 31.
Credit line
Purchased as the gift of Mrs. Landon K. Thorne, Jr., 1986.
Description
1 item (3 pages) ; 23.3 x 19 cm
Notes
Charlemont addresses his correspondent only as "My dear Brownlow." Based on the contents of the letter, it seems most likely that the correspondent is William Brownlow, who served in the Irish House of Commons representing Armagh County between 1795 and 1797.
Accompanied by a note reading "Received this Autograph from Dr. Halliday of Clifton near Belfast, who was a warm and intimate friend of the Volunteer Hero."
The bottom edge of the letter has been damaged and a small amount of text is missing or illegible.
Provenance
Purchased at Christie's, February 7, 1986, lot 318.
Summary
Writing of his present quandary: "To wish ardently to expatiate on a Subject which interests all my Feelings, and to be scarcely able, thro' Weakness of Sight, to write a few incoherent Lines, is my present unluckly [sic] Lot, and I must therefore hasten briefly to explain my Reason for straining my Eyes, and troubling you with this Letter"; urging opposition to the proposed legislative union between Great Britain and Ireland: "You have undoubtedly heard of the detestably important measure which is but too likely to be brought forward at the commencement of the approaching session -- no less than that legislative union which has so long been deprecated by every Irishman to whom the Constitution and interests of his Country were dear -- yet will this nefarious project be most certainly attempted unless the sentiments of the People against it be publickly made known"; entreating Brownlow to contribute his "powerful and most respectable Influence towards bringing forward a moderate, but firm Declaration of the Freeholders of our Country against a measure which in my opinion, involves in it utter Destruction to our constitutional independence, at the same time that it aims a fatal blow at the Liberties of the Empire"; adding that he has already expressed his sentiments on this matter to the Lord Lieutenant; referring to an individual (possibly his son) who has just arrived in the county of Armagh, "where He will have the Pleasure of seeing and conversing with you"; emphasizing that "[t]he best and most moderate method by which the Freeholders may express their Sentiments, will, in my opinion, be by instructing their Representatives"; adding that "[n]othing but an Impossibility proceeding from the lamentable State of my Health should prevent me from waiting in person on you, and on my other Friends --".