To John Jay from Edward Newenham, 1 September 1795
From Edward Newenham
[Dublin— 1st Sept 1795]
My Dear Sir—
I congratulate you on the Treaty, which does honor to you & both Nations; some Malevolent People here, abuse it in Print & Coffee house Conversation—they say that Mr Pitt deserves impeachment for Signing a Treaty so disadvantageous to these Nations—they hint that he was bribed to do it— for my Part I have Carefully read it, & consider it as an honourable & advantageous Treaty to both Countries; I received the first Impression of it from Philadelphia & had it immediately printed here—1
This Letter will be delivered to your Excellency by Isaac Weld Esqr. son of a particular friend of mine; he is going to Visit your Happy Continent on a Tour of Pleasure and Amusement; he has no acquaintance in America, therefore I beg leave to Introduce him to your Protection & advice for his Travelling, with such Letters of Introduction, as you may honor him with to other states, as I suppose he will visit a great part of the 17 states2—
It is said, that many persons have fled from this Kingdom to America; if such should ever get into your Company, do not give much Credit to the Account they will give you of the present state of Ireland; for we are flourishing in Trade & Agriculture, & the Defenders are nearly Quelled; the riots are only among the Lowest order of the People, who are soon made obedient to the Laws; no Protestants are concern’d in these riots— We have a Good Lord Lieutenant & a Spirited Council—upright Judges & honest Juries; bold & Zealous Magistrates, & Union among all Protestants of Property in Land or Trade— our Harvest has been great & well saved— our fruit has also been in plenty except Apples; Mrs: Montgomery sent me some of your New York Apples, which were a Treat to us;—
I do not talk of Politics, as you have them more authentic, than I can give them; My wish is a good Constitution to France, & a safe & honourable to England; I do not Entirely approve of the Constitution agreed to by Convention; it never can stand as now worded— & this Executive Council will become a Band of Tyrants. The Proclamation of him that Calls himself Lewis the 18th is ill Calculated to make Friends; He ought have in the first Instance declared for a Limited Monarchy—& promised a Reform of all Abuses—this might have Effect3—
Lady Newenham joins me in Sincere respects to your Excellency & Mrs. Jay, whose Civility, in France, she does not forget—I have the Honor, to be, My Dear Sir with sincere Esteem Your most faithfull & obliged Hble Servt.
Edward Newenham
PS— I have just got a Letter from my Daughter at Marsailles— She & all her family are safe & well—4 Last Night my youngest Daughter was married;5 I have now 5 Daughters & 3 Sons Married—I hope soon to hear from you, with a few New York Papers— I congratulate you on yr Honourable Election— Mr Welds father & Grandfather were warm friends to American Freedom—6
ALS, NNC (EJ: 09593).
1. Newenham informed GW in mid-August that he had seen the Treaty in Bache’s Aurora General Advertiser of Philadelphia (29 June) and then published it “in one of our Irish papers.” 15 Aug. 1795, , 18: 551.
2. Isaac Weld (1774–1856), the Dublin-born topographical writer and artist. His purpose, aside from adventure, was to “ascertain whether in case of future emergency, any part of those territories might be looked forward to, as an eligible and agreeable place of abode” for the Irish. Weld wrote about his journey to America in Travels through the States of North America and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the Years 1795, 1796, and 1797 (London, 1799). It is not recorded whether or not he visited JJ. Weld visited TJ and GW, and wrote an unflattering account of his visit to Mount Vernon. See Anthony Gerna to TJ, 2 Sept. 1795, , 28: 441–42; Bryan Fairfax to GW, 28 Apr. 1799, , 4: 29–33.
3. Following the death in June 1795 of Louis XVI’s son Louis Charles, whom French monarchists considered Louis XVII, Louis Stanislaus Xavier, Count of Provence, younger brother of Louis XVI, was declared Louis XVIII by the French princes in exile. He prepared a manifesto, known as the Declaration of Verona, which called France back to the traditional monarchy. During his long exile he did espouse more moderate policies, and in 1814, after Napoleon’s defeat, the great Powers placed him in power. He was deposed in March 1815 after Napoleon’s escape from Elba, then restored again in July 1815, and reigned until his death in 1824.
4. Newenham’s surviving children were Sarah Elizabeth (1757–c. 1825), married Major Alexander Graydon (1734–1812); Margaretta, married Francis Philippe Fölsch von Fels; Edward Worth (1762–1832), married Elizabeth Persse; Elizabeth (b. 1763), married Rev. John Wallace c. 1784; William Thomas (1766–1843), married Barbara Lynam c. 1787; Grace Anna (b. 1768), married John Browne c. 1789; Robert O’Callaghan (1770–1849), married Susanna Hoare on 24 Mar. 1795; Rachael (1775–1832), married Rev. John Hoare on 31 Aug. 1795; Alicia (1774–1855), married Rev. Walter Shirley on 26 July 1796; and Burton (1776–1858), married Maria Burdett c. 1797.
Newenham had been concerned for the safety of his daughter Margaretta, whose husband was the Swedish consul in Marseilles. He asked JJ for help in ascertaining her situation. See Newenham to JJ, 15 June, ALS, NNC (EJ: 09589); JJ to Newenham, 26 June, Dft, NNC (EJ: 09591); and Newenham to JJ, 7 Dec. 1794, ALS, NNC (EJ: 09592). See also the editorial note “John Jay’s Mission to London,” JJ to James Monroe, 28 Aug. 1794, and JJ’s Memorandum to JT, 5 Feb. 1795, all above, for other cases of JJ making inquiries about foreigners detained in France.
5. Newenham refers to Rachael’s marriage.
6. Isaac Weld’s father (d. 1824) and grandfather (1710–78) were also named Isaac, after Isaac Newton, a friend of his great-grandfather, Dr. Nathaniel Weld (1660–1730). Both the elder Isaac Welds were dissenting ministers, and Weld’s father was a friend of Charles James Fox. ODNBO.