Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-03-27
From the London Times of Feb. q
Mr.. OConneIi's letter to the Freeholders
of the { ounty OF Clare.

OF the OuntyV SSHe-
Mr.. O'ConnelI has published the following
letter 20 the freeholders Of the county OF Glare,
respecting the mode in which he intends to as
scrt his right 10 his seat in Pariament:-
-AASxKIuN-sx~..p,.yS Jun.
E,ieemed and beloved Friends II bad in
tended 10 assert, on the FIRST day Of tn now ap.
2rosc hing session, your right and mine, that /,
as your chosen representative, should sit and
vote in Parliament. This intention was coun-
trrac,ed by he request communicated 10 me
from you, tho, should not take my seat until
after - days should have elapsed from the com
mencement of the session. That requesr, Was
of course, to me as command; and my obedi-
ence wosld have been full and explicit had mat
ters remained in the same state as they were
when that request was made.
Your objec' was to give the friends Of Mr.
Fitzgerald The full opportunity to prove the
truth oil the charges-,he foul and calumnous
charges-against: he Catholic clergy Of Clare,
which were contained in their petition against
my return. You ;hus publicly challenged them
10 the proof Of tha, which they know to be as
false as j, was malignant, but which they as
serted on the records of Parliament to he true.
How has your challenge been answered? Why,
by timid shrinking from inves,igalion;-by a
base abandonment Of those cslumnios asser-
lions, without the msnlness 10 acknowledge
their falsehood. Mr.. Edward Hickman, the
agent Of Mr.. Vesey Fitzgerald a, the late con-
test, and Of he petitioners against my return,
has served me with notice, stating in subs
stance, tia, none of The matters in the petition
would be insisted on, save what relates to my
aIedsed personal disqualification
Was there ever conduct like This? Was there
ever any thing SO cruelty aurocious towards
the Catholic clergy? They are held up by Mr.
Fitzgerald's f'iends to contempt and execra-
ton, before Parliament and the world, for Sc
ven long month; and when The moment for tri-
al comes, then the calumniaors are challenged
to their proof, then they shrink from the con-
,roversy, depriving us Of the opportunity to
preve-what We could have doIe-!he mega
tive; and they thus baseiy inaic, wound which
they themselves are too vile 10 heal, and which
they will not permit US totally TO cure. After
this, will you ever allow Mr.. Vesey Fitzgerald
tn be called '..the friend oil the Ca,holics" If
he be, "the Lord protect from such friends!"
This Abandonment Of the calumnies against
the Catholic clergy has taken away the cause,
aud, oil course with the cause has aunihilated
the mandate Of your request. am, therefore
Tree 10 repair to London on the earliest day that
may appear best suited to the purpose Of ul,i''
ma,eiyirying that experiment on which SO much
OF the fate and fortunes of our unhappy country
depends.
| intend TO leave Dublin on the 5th Of Febru
airy, or at the latest, on the 6th. shall not
reach London until after the discussion on the
Kings speech shall have closed.
1t is my fixed intention 10 repair to the House
OF commons 90 soon after my arrival in Lon
don as will allow me sufficient time to make
those preliminary arrangements, in point Of for
NAL detail, as shall prevent me from being en-
trapped by mere matter of form, and as shall
bring the question Of my right to sit and vote
in deliberate manner before the House VI com,
mons.
contend for IL, that the house has no pow