12 
topic. On Friday a letter was 
left at Merrion-square, for Mr. 
O’C. during his absence at the 
Courts. Its direction was differ- 
ent from the former one which 
came from Mr. D’Esterre, and 
Mr. James O’Connell, who had 
instructions to open any commu- 
nications that were directed to his 
brother, in his absence, ascertain- 
ed. the quarter from whence it 
came. He sought merely for the 
signature, and on perceiving it to 
be Mr. D’Esterre’s, he immedi- 
ately closed the letter, and stated 
in a note to Mr. D’Esterre the 
circumstances under which he 
opened it. He said he was igno- 
rant of, its contents, not wishing, 
after the request his brother had 
made on the day previous, to 
know any thing more: of Mr. 
D’Esterre’s epistolary messages. 
He added, that his brother did 
not expect to hear a second time 
from Mr. D, through the medium 
of a letter. Things remained in 
this condition until Sunday last. 
On this day Mr. James G’Con- 
nell. received, a note from Mr. 
D’Esterre, containing disrespect- 
ful observations on himself and 
his brother. Immediately after 
the receipt of it, he sent his friend 
Capt. O’Mullan to Mr. D. to say, 
that after he adjusted his affair 
with his brother he would. bring 
him to account for his conduct to 
himself peculiarly. Capt. O’Mul- 
Jan at the same time intimated 
that Counsellor C. was astonished 
at his not hearing in what he con- 
ceived the proper way from Mr. 
D’Esterre. Nothing further hap- 
pened on Sunday; and on Mon- 
day morning Mr. Lidwell, who 
remained here several days, to be 
the friend of Mr. O’C. though 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
some members of his family were 
seriously indisposed, left’ town 
for home, despairing of any issue 
being put to the controversy.— 
Monday passed on, and on Tues- 
day considerable sensation was 
created by a rumour that Mr. 
D’Esterre was advised to go to 
the Four Courts to offer Mr. 
O'Connell personal violence.— 
Neither of the parties came in 
contact ; but it seems that Mr. 
D’Esterre was met on one of the 
quays by Mr. Richard O’Gorman, 
who remonstrated with him, by 
stating that he conceived he was 
pursuing a very unusual sort of 
conduct. This occurred about 
three o’clock, but no challenge 
followed. About four it was un- 
derstood that Mr. D’Esterre was 
on the streets, and Mr. O’Con- 
nell paraded about with one or 
two friends, but did not come 
across his antagonist. A multi- 
tude soon collected about him, 
among whom there could not be 
less than five hundred gentlemen 
of respectability, and Mr. O’Con- 
nell, then, had no other resource 
left than to take refuge in a house 
in Exchequer-street. In a short 
time Judge Day entered in his 
magisterial capacity to put him 
under arrest. The Hon. Justice 
said, he would be satisfied if. he 
had the gaurantee of Mr. O’Con- 
nell’s honour, that he would pro- 
ceed no further in the business. 
‘It is not my duty, Mr. Justice,’ 
said Mr. O’Connell, ‘to be the 
aggressor; I will, therefore pledge 
my honour that I will not be the 
aggressor—further, however, I 
must tell you, that no human 
consideration will induce me to 
go. The Hon. Judge then re- 
tired, and Mr, O’Connell shortly 
