To John Tyndall, Snr   Nov. 18th, 1843

11 Butler Street, Preston | Nov. 18th, 1843.

My dear Father

Your letter¹ of this day helps to account for the reception which our Memorial² has met among my Carlow friends. Their regret is founded on a misapprehension of my conduct, and you write under the same misapprehension. I dare say the partial view I gave you of our proceedings has led to the mistaken view which you take of them. You tell me ‘for God’s sake to give up all further opposition to the Government’. Why the idea of opposing the Government was the very antipodes³ of my intentions. Opposing the Government! Do you deem me mad? Think you that I am so presumptuous as to imagine that my puny opposition, even if I had the will to exert such, would be successful? Do you think that the whirl of agitation has reduced my intellects to a state of phrensy? I have been impelled by no passionate appeal, nor have the dreamings of young ambition had any influence on me. You deem me the pliant instrument of a designing villain, who perchance has painted in glowing colours the importance to be acquired from a contest with the powers that be, and decked out to suit my young imagination a visionary bauble which operates on my actions as the moon upon the infant that would pluck her from the sky – Believe me, I have not been so duped; I never raised my voice in opposition to the government, but I did raise it, in a respectful tone of remonstrance, against the arbitrary proceedings of an individual who acts without reference to the government. You are not aware perhaps that we are employed under the Board of Ordnance, that the Master General⁴ is our highest officer. To him we appealed, knowing that he was unacquainted with our condition. We did not even appeal directly to him, our Memorial was first forwarded to Lieut Stanley our Division officer. He handed it to Captain Tucker, the latter forwarded it with his own notes and comments to Colonel Colby. Col C. put an extinguisher on it with the Master General. Had we acted in a less courteous manner had we not afforded to Capt T. an opportunity to blacken our proceedings – had we appealed the Master General without reference to his subordinates, the result would I dare say have been more favourable. We did not deviate from the strict line of propriety. Captain Tucker himself has given us credit for this. He expressed his approval of the straightforward mode of proceeding which we followed; and so he ought. He had plenty of time to digest his cogitations and to nullify all we had done. The Memorial did not leave his hands for three weeks after he received it. The right of the men to petition the Master General was asserted by Col Cunningham, the Master General’s private secretary, during a late investigation in Liverpool. This however was only a recognition of the abstract principle, and Capt T. has found means to connect our proceedings with objects foreign to our intentions and which it appears render our use of the privilege worthy of punishment. I have not abused my abilities ‘to please a wolf in sheep’s clothing’;⁵ I have done nothing, which, if you were acquainted with its attendant circumstances, would not receive your approbation. I would wish you particularly to remember that our movement had nothing political in it. We have conventional laws of our own – laws manufactured by Captain Tucker without any reference to the government. It was for an alteration of these laws we petitioned; the most influential of those concerned were staunch protestants, and some of the best men on the Survey, whose dismissal, inasmuch as it seriously injures the progress of the work, would not I’m sure be sanctioned by Sir Robert Peel. Religion or politics however had nothing to do with our proceedings. You speak of submission. I am not stubborn, but what do you want me to do? Is it to unsay what I have said? I have said nothing but truth shall I then crawl like a guilty reptile to the knees of Captain Tucker and stain my conscience with a falsehood by telling him that I am sorry for what I have done? Does my father tell me to act thus? No, from you I inherit the principle which guided me, if I be wrong, you should not have taught me to be honest, as honesty and truth have been my guiding light in this transaction.

You ask me to calm the storm I have raised. A figured contained in my letter⁶ to Mr Conwill may lead you to suppose that such was raised – I now speak literally – there was no storm. All our proceedings were calm and tranquil nor have I been the originator of these proceedings there were older and cooler heads than mine connected with them I am one of the youngest concerned. I may have lent my humble aid in the expression of feelings which were entertained by all, but those feelings were not of my creation.

There are but two reasons why I should be sorry for what I have done – one dwelling in the consciousness of having done wrong; the other drawn from the consequences resulting from my conduct, without respect to its propriety or impropriety. The former I do not feel, and the latter I do not fear. I have thank God, a steady hand, a clear head, and a sound constitution, and with these I will launch fearlessly upon the ocean of life, cheered by the hope that though rough weather may sometimes attend me, still I shall eventually be able:–

‘To beat the surges under me

And ride upon their backs’.⁷

A word in conclusion, remember I have not opposed the government. My highest wish at the present moment is to have our conduct investigated by the government – being assured that such an investigation would result in a manner creditable to us and satisfactory to every well-wisher of

Your affectionate son | John Tyndall

My next from London

Don’t forget the letter from Mr Alexander. It is most important. I expect one or two from a nephew of the celebrated Mr Edgworth,⁸ son of Major Edgworth,⁹ Edgworthstown Co Longford. I made his acquaintance in Cork. We have exchanged several letters since

J.T.

RI MS JT/1/TYP/10/3309-3310

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