you shall know it. The Portugal business is really all afloat;
nor do Ministry see daylight; and I know, from undoubted
authority, that France, Spain, and Portugal mean to offer their
trade to Ireland upon lower terms, if you will dispense with the
Alien Duty, or, in so many words, with the Navigation Act,
which, _entre nous_, I fear is no longer binding upon you, as we
have partially repealed it in favour of America, and therefore,
under Yelverton's Bill, it is now void. This idea, I know, has
been proposed to some of your Irish factors, and I have reason
to believe that Government know nothing about it. The
information which I gave you upon the subject of the Treaties is
likewise authentic; it is certain that the commercial system
with any of the contracting parties is not advanced nor
advancing: so much then for your commercial code. As to the
ideas of protecting duties, East India trade, and such, &c., as
Ministry affect, and I hope with truth, to hold them cheap; as
to the Absentee Tax, I do not hear what they propose; but from
many circumstances I should not wonder if they gave way; and if
they do, the mortal blow is struck to your landed interest. I
wish you would be so good as to inquire privately what became of
the prosecutions I had ordered against the Kilkenny Rangers for
their riot with Talbot's Fencibles, and against a Mr.
Hetherington, Lieutenant of the Lowtherstown Volunteers near
Inniskillen, for firing with his corps upon a party of the
105th, who came to seize his stills; for I very much suspect
that Yelverton (who was very much averse to them) has smuggled
them all. I rather think that you must see Grattan in
opposition, as I do not see how he can fight under Scott or
Fitzgibbon, who have clearly undertaken the House of Commons. If
so, the restoration of Lord Carlisle's Administration is
singularly perfect in all its parts, except Sheridan, _vice_
Lees, which you will agree with me is not quite enough to
constitute an essential difference. If the Post-Office gives
only one Post-Master you will see Lord Northington completely
puzzled, as I have reason to think that the Duke of Leinster and
old Mr. Ponsonby have both asked for it. What do you suppose is
in contemplation about your Chancellor? I cannot think that Lord
Lifford will continue, and yet his ter