followed. Dr. Curtis, in his
reply to the duke, told him plainly, that the proposition to bury the
question in oblivion for a time was inadmissible, and would only serve
to exasperate those who were already excited. After this he sent a copy
of the duke's letter, and of his answer to it, to the lord-lieutenant,
the Marquis of Anglesea. His excellency's reply showed that he
entertained different opinions on the contents of the duke's letter
to those which the Catholics had deduced from it. At the same time he
showed himself to be strongly in favour of the Catholic claims. The
great agitator himself might have written the following sentences
contained in his reply. After expressing his ignorance of the duke's
intentions, and advising the Catholics to make much of him, to avoid
provoking him or any other member of the government by personalities,
to trust to the legislature, and to avoid brute force, he remarked:--"I
differ from the opinion of the duke, that an attempt should be made to
bury in oblivion the question for a short time; first, because the thing
is utterly impossible; and next, if it were possible, I fear advantage
might be taken of the pause, by representing it as a panic achieved by
the late violent reaction, and by proclaiming, that if the government
at once and peremptorily decided against concession, the Catholics would
cease to agitate, and then all the miseries of the last years of Ireland
will be reacted. I therefore recommend that the measure should not for a
moment be lost sight of; that anxiety should continue to be manifested;
that all constitutional means should be adopted to forward the cause,
consistent with the most patient forbearance, and submissive obedience
to the laws: that the Catholics should trust to the justice of their
cause and to the growing liberality of mankind, but should not desist
from agitation." For this advice the lord-lieutenant was extolled to the
skies by the same lips which three years before had denounced him as
an object of execration. The next wind, however, that blew from England
brought the mandate which deprived him of office and recalled him from
Ireland. This recall furnished him with an example of the value set
on the advice which he had tendered to the Catholics not to insult and
vilify any one, and especially the Duke of Wellington. At the first
meeting of the Association after the recall of the Marquis of Anglesea
was known, Mr. O'Connell remarked;--"In my own