Carlow, Tuesday1 evening
Forget me not.
My dear John
Your motto I am sure from experience does speak the sentiments of your mind, and now Jack before I go any further allow me to tell you that I have just eaten my dinner after which I took a drop of the Barley2 and upon my s--l3 I am now 4s 11d <word(s) illeg> So Jack you must take pot luck in this epistle.
I received your wished for letter4 this morning it afforded me much comfort in knowing that you were settled in mind, respecting your uncle Caleb Believe me when you feel pain I take a share in it, and when you rejoice I rejoice. I am glad that you did not let your landlady5 run the old soldier on you, that’s right boy nothing like ‘shaving close’ The election commenced yesterday the vagabonds commenced coming in very early but that brave and gallant officer (Col. Jackson) knew their movements. He is the boy that soon settled them no less than a band at the head of every County. The Queen’s County boys were coming in they arrived at Graigue Bridge6 but to their great surprise and mortification there they met a fine piece of cannon staring them in the face. Blast the one of them Jackson allowed to cross the Br.7 So they had to return just like so many – what – I cant compare them to anything that will answer so well as the Big beggar man himself8 on his arrival in Carlow after loosing the City9 John he was in an awful way.
Well Sir, | The election was to commence at 10 o’clock and from the regulations made by the military and police all Dublin St and the vicinity of Court House10 was as free from mob as if there was no such thing going on in the town everything quite peaceful tickets were given at both sides to the amount of 200 for admission into the Court House the gates were now opened and those and only those who had a ticket were admitted (fine regulation Jack) on this eve (Monday) the radicals sent a proposition requesting no speeches on either side, this was agree’d to, so the Members were proposed and seconded and the proceedings closed until this day. I was in court this day and saw all the Barony Boys 160 in number (all RC.11 to a man, polling for Bruen and Bunbury. John I saw one glorious sight a voter coming up on O’Connell’s tally and voting for Bruen and Bunbury, all from the looks and power of his landlord who was standing at my side. immediately after voting his landlord was crossing the table to fold him in his arms as the prodigal son)12 when he was stopped by one of the opposite party – now Sir the fight commenced now you might behold John Alexander, Sir T. Butler, Newton,13 to fighting like men for the cause, nothing serious occurred but the conservatives came off victorious. Hurrah for Carlow! In another Barony three voters came up on O’Connell’s list and voted in their teeth,14 every thing went on yesterday very quietly, there was a great number of people in town yesterday. Jack it is very near post time, so you must be content with a short letter in lieu of a long one I send 30 as compensation. I have seen Barlow15 one Friday and delivered your message he said he would write to you. He has surveyed a foundry in Graigue. He and I go to examine it tomorrow. I believe I will give the [title] a bat for him John the Sentinel16 you wrote to me for I could not get for love or money in Carlow. they were all picked up as soon as they came out of the press. My uncle sent his to Scotland and I got him to write for it he got an answer that it was sent to America, but I now send you (per this post) the Sentinel of last Saturday.17 John write soon and give my love to Tid,18 Ginty and anyone else you like. It is post time.
Yours P.D.E.
RI MS JT/1/11/3565
LT Transcript Only
Tuesday: LT notes ‘probably 13 July 1841’.
a drop of the Barley: whisky.
s—l: soul.
your wished for letter: letter missing.
your landlady: not identified.
Graigue Bridge: The bridge on the River Barrow linking Graigue (on the west) with the rest of the town of Carlow.
Br: Bridge.
the Big beggar man himself: Daniel O’Connell.
loosing the City: Daniel O’Connell had been defeated in the City of Dublin election a few days earlier.
Court House: Carlow’s impressive Courthouse, built to a classical design, was the venue for counting the votes. As the ballot was public, not secret, the audience could see how each person voted and the opposing parties usually responded with cheers or jeers, and sometimes with violence.
RC: Roman Catholic. Evans reported that contrary to expectation Catholics voted for Bruen and Bunbury, the Tory candidates. The ‘Barony Boys’ in this context appears to refer to the band of local Catholics.
the prodigal son: see letter 0043, n. 2.
Sir T. Butler, Newton: Sir Thomas Butler (1783–1861), 8th Baronet of Ballintemple, Tullow, Co. Carlow, was a Captain in the 6th Dragoon Guards, Colonel of the Carlow Militia and had served as High Sheriff of Co. Carlow. It is not clear which member of Newton family was present; probably either Beauchamp Bartholomew Newton (1798–1850) of Rathwade, Bagnelstown or his younger brother Henry Newton (c. 1800–63) of Mount Leinster, Borris.
voted in their teeth: voted in public against the Repeal candidates.
Barlow: Possibly Robert Barlow (1813–83), a private contractor who undertook surveying work for the Ordnance Survey before emigrating to Canada in 1855.
the Sentinel: the Carlow Sentinel.
last Saturday: 10 July 1841.
Tid: John Tidmarsh.
Please cite as “Tyndall0076,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0076