The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-01
Sir Boyle ksO' he's Fam Gus Letter.
(Cbambers' Journal

iNbohiDcio Jpuiiihi ]
The most notorious bull-perpetrator
was Sir Boyle R,che, who was elected
member for Ira ee in 1775. H had a
regular blundcring reputation. He was
known upon one occasion, after q wither-
ing exposure or patriotic denunciatiOn of
Government, to say, with solemn grav-
ity: "Mr. Speaker, it is the duty of
every true lover of his country to give
his last guinea to save the remainder of
his fortunes" Or, if the subject of de-
bate was some national calamity, he
would deliver himself thus: "Sir,
single mi>fortunes never come alone, and
the greatest of al national calamities
is generally followed by one much
greater"
Sir Boyle Roche BELONGED to the
anc 'ent family of De La Russo of Fer
NOV; he was created Baronet in 1882,
and was married tc the eldest daughter
Of Sir james Caldwell, but had no heir.
He used to account for his lack of prog-
eny by saying ''that it W $ hereditary in
his family to have no children" Another
of his blunders was made when speaking
of the fish hawkers. "They 60 down to
Ringsend," he Observed, "buv the her.
rirgs for half nothing. and sell them for
twice as much" A letter supposed to
have been written by Sir BOYLE Roche
during the Irish rebellion of '98, gives
an amusing collection of his various
blundes. Perhaps he never put quite 20
many on paper at time; but his pecu-
| liar turn for "bulls'' is here shown at one
view.
The letter was first printed in the
Kerry Magazine, now out of print:
"DEAR SIR-Having now little peace
and quiet, I sit down to inform you of
the busle and confusion we are in from
the blood-thirsty rebels, many of whom
are now, thank God, killed and dispersed.
We are in pretty mess; can get nothing
to eat and no wine to drink except
whisky. When we sit down 10 dinner
we are obliged to keep both hands armed.
While write this letter I have my sword
in one hand and my pistol in the other.
| Concluded from the beginning that this
would be the end; and I am right, for it
is not half over yet. At present there
are such gningson that everything is at
n standstill. I should have answered
your letter fortnight ago, but | only
received it this morning; indeed, hardly
mail arrives safe without being robbed.
mo longer ago than yesterday the
mail-coach was robbed nenr this town;
the bags had been very judiciously left
behind, for fear of accidents, and, by
great good luck, there was nobody in the
COACH except two outside passengers,
who had nothing for the thieves to take
Last Thursday an alarm was given that
gnng of rebels in full retreat from
Droyheda were advancing under the
French standard; but they had no colors
nor any drums except bagpipes. 1mme-
diately every man in the place, including
women and children, ran out to meet
them. We soon found our force great
deal too little, and were far too near to
think of retreat NO. Death was in every
face; and to it we went. By the time
half our party were killed we began to be
all alive.
fortunately, the rebels had no guns
except pistols. cutlasses and pixies; and
we had plenty of muskets and ammuni-
ton. We put them all to the sword; not
a soul of them escaped, except some that
were drowned in an adjoining bog. In
fact, in short time nothing was heard
but silence Their uniforms were all diff
ferenl-chieAy green. After the action
was over we want to rummage their
camp. All we found was few pixies
without heads, a parcel of empty bottles
filed with water, and bundle of blank
French commissions filled up with Irish
names. Troops are now stationed round,
which exactly squares with my ideas OF
security. Adieu. / have only time to
add that am yours in haste. B. r.
'P. S--If you do not receive this, OF
course it must have miscarried: therefore