ellent landlord, built
comfortable houses for his tenantry, and did what he could for their
improvement. Without solicitation, the Government appointed him a
justice of the peace and a Deputy-lientenant for the county of
Tipperary. Everything that he did seemed to thrive. He was honest,
straightforward, loyal, and law-abiding.

On first taking possession of his estate at Longfield, he was met by a
procession of the tenantry, who received him with great enthusiasm. In
his address to them, he said, amongst other things: "Allow me to
impress upon you the great importance of respecting the laws. The laws
are made for the good and the benefit of society, and for the
punishment of the wicked. No one but an enemy would counsel you to
outrage the laws. Above all things, avoid secret and unlawful
societies. Much of the improvement now going on amongst us is owing to
the temperate habits of the people, to the mission of my much respected
friend, Father Mathew, and to the advice of the Liberator. Follow the
advice of O'Connell; be temperate, moral, peaceable; and you will
advance your country, ameliorate your condition, and the blessing of
God will attend all your efforts."

Bianconi was always a great friend of O'Connell. From an early period
he joined him in the Catholic Emancipation movement. He took part with
him in founding the National Bank in Ireland. In course of time the
two became more intimately related. Bianconi's son married O'Connell's
granddaughter; and O'Connell's nephew, Morgan John, married Bianconi's
daughter. Bianconi's son died in 1864, leaving three daughters, but no
male heir to carry on the family name. The old man bore the blow of
his son's premature death with fortitude, and laid his remains in the
mortuary chapel, which he built on his estate at Longfield.

In the following year, when he was seventy-eight, he met with a severe
accident. He was overturned, and his thigh was severely fractured. He
was laid up for six months, quite incapable of stirring. He was
afterwards able to get about in a marvellous way, though quite
crippled. As his life's work was over, he determined to retire finally
from business; and he handed over the whole of his cars, coaches,
horses, and plant, with all the lines of road he was then working, to
his employes, on the most liberal terms.

My youngest son met Mr. Bianconi, by appointment, at the Roman Catholic
church at Boherlahan, in the summer of 1872. A