Gentlemen,--

It gives me the most sensible concern to find that my vote on the
resolutions relative to the trade of Ireland has not been fortunate
enough to meet with your approbation. I have explained at large the
grounds of my conduct on that occasion in my letters to the Merchants'
Hall; but my very sincere regard and esteem for you will not permit me
to let the matter pass without an explanation which is particular to
yourselves, and which I hope will prove satisfactory to you.

You tell me that the conduct of your late member is not much wondered
at; but you seem to be at a loss to account for mine; and you lament
that I have taken so decided a part _against_ my constituents.

This is rather an heavy imputation. Does it, then, really appear to you
that the propositions to which you refer are, on the face of them, so
manifestly wrong, and so certainly injurious to the trade and
manufactures of Great Britain, and particularly to yours, that no man
could think of proposing or supporting them, except from resentment to
you, or from some other oblique motive? If you suppose your late
member, or if you suppose me, to act upon other reasons than we choose
to avow, to what do you attribute the conduct of the _other_ members,
who in the beginning almost unanimously adopted those resolutions? To
what do you attribute the strong part taken by the ministers, and, along
with the ministers, by several of their most declared opponents? This
does not indicate a ministerial job, a party design, or a provincial or
local purpose. It is, therefore, not so absolutely clear that the
measure is wrong, or likely to be injurious to the true interests of any
place or any person.

The reason, Gentlemen, for taking this step, at this time, is but too
obvious and too urgent. I cannot imagine that you forget the great war
which has been carried on with so little success (and, as I thought,
with so little policy) in America, or that you are not aware of the
other great wars which are impending. Ireland has been called upon to
repel the attacks of enemies of no small power, brought upon her by
councils in which she has had no share. The very purpose and declared
object of that original war, which has brought other wars and other
enemies on Ireland, was not very flattering to her dignity, her
interest, or to the very principle of her liberty. Yet she submitted
patiently to the evils she suffered from an attempt to subdue to _your_
obedien