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The Marquis of Anglesea's departure from Ireland

Anglesey was the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; Dr Curtis had sent a copy of the Duke of Wellington's letter of 11 December, together with a copy of Curtis' reply to the Duke. Anglesey's reply was also printed and he was recalled to London shortly thereafter.

The following report is taken from the Edinburgh Review of January 1829; the Review reproduced reports from other newspapers.

Dublin, Saturday 17 January 1829.

This day, a deputation from the Metropolitan parish, headed by Archbishop Murray, and another from the united parishes of St Andrew's and St Mark's waited on his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, at the Phoenix Park, with an address on his departure. The Archbishop read the address from the Metropolitan parishes, to which his Excellency replied in very eloquent and emphatic terms. That from St Andrew's and St Mark's was read by Mr O'Connell, to which his Excellency was pleased to return following answer: —

I thank you most sincerely for the feelings which you have been pleased to address towards me. Believe me, that I meet them with the warmest affection for Ireland — with an earnest zeal for her prosperity, and with the deepest gratitude for the generous kindness, which I have experienced from the people. The sentiment to which you express of loyalty your Sovereign, and devotion to your country, will, I trust, be ever united in the hearts of all classes of his Majesty's subjects. The interests of the King and those of his people are inseparable. The attachment of the people is the true strength and glory of the Crown — the due maintenance of the Royal authority, the best security for the rights and liberties of the subject. In conducting the government of Ireland, it has been my constant object to act with strict impartiality — to soften political asperities — to allay religious dissensions — and to promote peace and good will amongst all denominations of men. The spirit which breathes through the address with which you have honoured me, shows that your feelings correspond with mine. In proportion as I wished to see the general concord established — the union of the empire cemented — Protestants and Catholics incorporated and rendered, as in other countries they are, one happy people, and thus that the king may be enabled to wield their united energies for the public good, so do I feel anxious that the great question to which you refer, should be set at rest, by a wise, liberal, and conciliatory adjustment. I am sanguine enough to hope, that this wished-for consummation is at hand; and that to insure it, it is only necessary for the people of Ireland to preserve their loyalty unshaken — to obey the law — to respect the constituted authorities of the state, and constantly to bear in mind, the parental admonition of their Sovereign, when he departed from their shore. Although I must now take leave of you, my heart will ever be with Ireland — my humble services at their command, and her happiness will be mine.

After his Excellency read his answer, the most Rev. Dr Murray, and Messrs O'Connell and Shiel, had the honour of a private interview with him.

We understand that this gentleman expressed to his Excellency, the universal feeling of regret, that pervades the people in all parts of Ireland, on the subject of his departure — and, in his reply, he expressed his determination to exert, on his return to England, his most strenuous efforts for a fair and conciliatory adjustment of the question of emancipation — which would be, in his opinion, to the full, if not much more, beneficial to the Protestants done to the Catholics. He stated, we are told, that although he was not able, from the want of the habit of public speaking, to be as useful in the promotion of the adjustment of the question as he could desire, yet his unbiased opinion of the views and intentions of those who sought for that measure would be done to justice to by him, and the importance of the empire of tranquilising Ireland would be pressed by him in every quarter within the sphere of his influence.

See also The Greville Memoirs Chapter IV