urtis inserted in the newspaper. He took it to
Shiel, who agreed to write as good an article as he could to go
with it, and then he went to Dr. Murray to inform him (as Dr.
Curtis's friend) of the intended publication, as Curtis himself
was absent, and his consent ought to have been previously
obtained. He went afterwards to the Phoenix Park, and Lord
Anglesey laid the whole case and correspondence before him. Some
time ago the Duke wrote to Lord Anglesey proposing that O'Gorman
Mahon and Steele should be removed from the Commission of the
Peace on account of their conduct to the Sheriff of Clare. Lord
Anglesey wrote word that the subject had engaged his attention,
and he had laid the case before the law officers, who had
reported to him that there were no grounds for any legal
proceedings against them. 'How, therefore,' said the Lord-Lieutenant,
'could I degrade men against whom my law officers advised me that
no charge could be brought?' This was one offence; and another,
that he had countenanced Lord Cloncurry, who, being a member
of the Association, was unworthy to receive the King's representative
and the Chancellor. Lord Anglesey warmly defended Lord Cloncurry
as a magistrate and a man, and appealed to his known loyalty and
respect for the King as a proof that he would never have done
anything derogatory to his own situation. The Duke's letter
he described to have been overbearing and insolent, Lord
Anglesey's[22] temperate, but firm. Lord Anglesey declares that
these were all the grounds of offence he had given. Five weeks
elapsed, during which he heard nothing from the Duke, and at the
end of that time he received his letter of recall, conceived
nearly in these words:--'My dear Lord Anglesey,--I am aware of
the impropriety of having allowed your letter to remain so long
unanswered, but I wished to consult my colleagues, who were out
of town. I have now done so, and they concur with me that with
such a difference of opinion between the King's Minister and the
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland the government of that country could
not be conducted by you with advantage to the public service. I
have therefore taken the King's pleasure on the subject, and he
commands me to inform you that you will be immediately relieved
from your government. I will give you the earliest information of
the arrangement which will be made in consequence. Believe me,
&c.' This is nearly the letter.[23] From Lord Anglesey George
Villiers went