Peace, Tranquility, & Prosperity of Ireland [Charlemont, Lord] A collection of 23 Autographed Letters signed and 2 Addresses from James Caulfield, First Earl of Charlemont to Thomas Prentice of...

Peace, Tranquility, & Prosperity of Ireland [Charlemont, Lord] A collection of 23 Autographed Letters signed and 2 Addresses from James Caulfield, First Earl of Charlemont to Thomas Prentice of Ennislare, Lieutenant in the First Armagh Company of Volunteers, covering a ten year period from February 1787 to August 1797. All written in his role as Commander-in-Chief of the Volunteer Army in Ireland in a very neat forward-slanting hand. Quarto, mostly written on two sides, some folded. Professional paper repairs, with occasional miniscule loss. Bound in a large quarto album with each letter tipped in and mostly chronological order. Also included is a letter dated 1866 from Henry Prentice of Caledon detailing the contents (laid on front paste down); and a note by Sir Graham Balfour, dated 1922, (great grand nephew of Thomas Prentice), detailing provenance by descent. In excellent condition. A unique collection of the utmost historical importance, hitherto unknown. James Caulfield (1729 - 99), was born in Dublin, but the family estates were in the counties of Tyrone and Armagh. Due to his delicate disposition he was educated at home, where from an early age he exhibited those strong literary and artistic tastes that remained with him throughout his life. From 1746 to 1754 he went on the 'Grand Tour.' He formed a life-long friendship with the historian David Huane when visiting Turin. In France he visited the philosopher Montesquieu. In June 1754 he returned to Ireland, in this twenty-sixth year endowed with the most refined intellectual tastes and a greater love for his native land. A great liberal, he was on terms of intimacy with Burke, Johnson, Hume, Goldsmith, Beauelere, Reynolds and Hogarth. When France allied herself with the American States against Great Britain in 1778, an invasion of Ireland as feared, this gave rise to the volunteer movement, which was spontaneous and patriotic. In July 1780 Lord Charlemont was chosen Commander-in-Chief of the Volunteers, a position he held during the whole period of their embodiment. The famous resolutions passed at the Dungannon meeting of 15th February 1782, are said to have been drawn up at this house, and with his approval. These letters cover the most tumultuous period in the history of County Armagh. Prentice was a frequent correspondent over a ten year period and he kept the Earl informed of the state of the county. The 'Peep-of-Day Boys' association was already widespread in Ulster at the commencement of these letters. No one but members of the Established Church were enrolled in its ranks, and it avowed hostility towards the Presbyterian's and the Catholics. Its attacks, however, were wholly directed against the later. Catholics were prospering in the weaving, in the silk and poplin trades. This stirred up the animosity of the Protestant Ascendancy. The special pretext of the 'Peep-of-Boys' was to search for arms in the houses of their Catholic neighbours, which gave rise to a counter society, under the name of 'Defenders'. Charlemont's first letter to prentice is dated 12th February 1787 and in it he acknowledges with delight the proceedings of his company of Volunteers and his disappointment with the Lurgan Company whom he hoped ''had, pursuant to your invitation, joined with you in your Resolution, and had determined to pursue the same laudable line of conduct - such a Union would certainly be important, and I trust it will yet take place.'' In the second letter he refers to the disturbances in the county and refers to his address which ''if you and Campbell judge that it would be in any degree useful. I should wish to be copied, and given to the commanding officers of whatever new corps have been, or shall hereafter be, raised in our county.'' In the address be states: ''Whereas the County of Armagh tho' now, I trust well recovered from her late dangerous and shameful disorders, must however still be, (as in the case with all convalescent Bodies). In a situation delicate and critical, and whereas some now Corps of Volunteers have been recently formed in said county, who, from the Novelty of their Association, may be supposed not yet thoroughly acquainted with the Principles and Discipline of the respectable Body in which they have enrolled themselves. I think it my Duty, as their chosen General and peculiar Colonel, to remind them that their Association is founded upon the Principles to both of which they are bound equally to adhere, namely, Defence of their Country against invaders, and the Preservation of internal Peace and good Order...'' In 1791 he resigned the Lord Lieutenancy of Armagh, in consequence of the executive having made changes in the government of the country. ''I think it right to tell you that, without any previous intimation to me, Lord Gosford has been joined in the Lieutenancy of Armagh - my first knowledge of this event was from the Gazette, and, tho' not much addicted to any display of family pride, I could not help deeming this one of those few occasions. In which it might be my duty to asset my own dignity - I therefore immediately sent in to the Lord Lieutenant my resignation - the appointment of more Governors than one to a County has always appeared to me a political solution.'' There is also a very important address by Charlemont to the Freeholders of the County of Armagh dated April 19th, 1791 in which he graciously acknowledges their loyalty and support after his resignation. Prentice makes reference at this time to the decline of volunteers attending reviews, the ''Dublin Evening Post'' reported that ''the Volunteers were declining in Dublin and in the country generally.'' Another letter (dated 21st March 1793) refers to the legislation restricting movement of arms and the suppression of Volunteering: ''Tho I did not vote for the Act by a Clause of which the keeping of cannon without License is prohibited, yet as it has ever been my Opinion, when enacted, every Law ought punctually to be obeyed.'' Even upon a man of Lord Charlemont's liberal principles the French Revolution began to tell, and we now find him opposing Catholic Emancipation. The most serious affray between the ''Peep-of-Day Boys'' and the 'Defenders' took place at a cross-roads called the Diamond in the County of Armagh, between Richhill and Portadown on the 21st September 1795. This 'Battle of the Diamond' as it was called, left forty-eight of the Defenders, who ere unnamed, dead on the field. Their adversaries, jubilant in their triumph, inaugurated on that day a permanent Association, under the name of the Orange Society. It is estimated that approximately four thousand Catholics migrated to the West of Ireland after this event, and were largely on the estate of the Marquis of Sligo, around Westport. Charlemont expresses his deepest concern in a letter to Prentice some days later 'a matter of such melancholy importance ... if I could conceive any possible means by which it might be in my power to be in the smallest degree instrumental towards obviating the accumulated evils with which my country is harassed and threatened - but what can I do?'' He further states in relation to this atrocity: ''not having ever been at the Castle since Lord Camden's arrival... The Removal of the present Garrison at Armagh might possibly be of some service, but your very sensible remark that it would be wrong to do this in such a manner as might make these disturbers of the country suppose that anything respecting them had given occasion to such measure.'' This long letter he concludes by stating he can not write any more as his eyes are weak. In a letter dated November 1795 he states: ''Yet when we consider what is now pending in the British Parliament, we ought not, I think, to let slip the opportunity of an address to say something which may tend to avert from this country the measures now pursing in England.'' In a long letter dated 9th June 1797 he sets forth his wish for the future of Ireland which has reunifications to this day: ''that my only wish, in our present lamentable situation, is for the Peace, Tranquillity, and consequent Prosperity of Ireland.'' In due course there appeared in Armagh the Orange Society and reference is made to them in this letter: ''With these sentiments which are universally known, it is utterly impossible that I should be supposed a leader in any party which may tend to disturb the public peace .. as it only imitates that we are such from the Corps under our command being principally composed of Orange Men: a fact which, for ought that I know, may be true, but against which, and against every possible imputation, we are completely guarded by the Oath administered.'' Reference is made to his failing health in his finial communication with Prentice. Literature and the arts were a constant source of pleasure to him in his final years, as they were throughout his life. The rise of the United Irishmen and the Rebellion of 1798 caused him deep anguish. Writing to his friend Haliday he says: ''I need not may how ardently I have ever loved my country. In consequence of that love I have courted her, I have even married her and takes her life, and she is now turned out a shrew - tormenting herself and all her nearest connections.'' (1)

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