-To William Sullivan from O’Mahony-September 1, 1859

Sept. 1, 1859. 6 Centre street, New York. Apologizes for long delay in replying, was ill and so could not answer letters, including the one that Sullivan's brother handed to him, but has better news now than he had then. 'I had just sent off my friend O'Leary [John O'Leary] a few days before with despatches acquainting Stephens of the exact state of our affairs here and telling [him] that though we had [beaten] our enemies temporily [sic] out of the field it was needful that prompt measures should be taken by him and by the prisoners themselves to follow up the victory so as to prevent the wretches from rising [sic] their heads ever again.

'I have since found that this is about being accomplished. A deputation is about coming out from Ireland for the dual purpose of abating [?] our apathy to the wishes of our Brothers and of crushing the would-be sympathizers of the Irish prisoners at this side. This I learn from a letter from Stephens to O'Leary which reached [him omitted] this Tuesday last. In the same letter he tells me that his own diplomatic movements have been sorely checked from the want of the sinews of action, .... of the remittances so slowly and inadequately furnished from this side. A great opportunity (what, he leaves me to guess) has had to be postponed on this account. He has had frequent and satisfactory communications from home. Everywhere the movement holds its own and in some places large and unlooked-for accessions have been made to the strength of our forces. The last messenger, whom [he omitted] calls one of the best of the lately liberated, reached him in August. In the district from which he had been taken and incarcerated he reported that five new regiments had been added during the time of his incarceration. The accounts from other quarters are equally hopeful and, he adds, it is soley [sic] the fault of the American branch that a brother is not within call of a brother from one end of Ireland to the other by this time. This I myself believe to be the fact. He reproves our trusting to our European post and promises a detailed account by hand.

'Now I do not know that there will be money enough found among them to send out the deputation as soon as requisite. I had but little money to send by [John] O'Leary and since then I remitted but sixty dollars. I can make up the few hundred dollars by next week. I would remit it by hand as the surest way. The draft for the largest of our remittances did not reach him through the post. It was only when our messenger arrived in Paris with the duplicate that he received the cash. The men about to come out are practical and intelligent, with a certain degree of prestige to recommend them to our public — by prestige I suppose he means that acquired by trial and imprisonment. If so they will not come a moment sooner than they are wanted.

'Another good piece of news I have for you is that I have had a long and very satisfactory interview with [John] Mitchel upon the subject of his going to Paris. I approve of it highly though I had much rather he would stay here and help to organize the American Irish for some time yet. I am not at liberty to say more upon the subject further than my firm trust and belief that he will be found in the right place at the right time. Till then we can but hold on our way with redoubled zeal and thousandfold effect.

'Ryan has not written to me yet. Such men as he want spurring up and for that I have no time. Kenny is doing his duty though there has been some opposition lately in the city of St Louis. Fitzgerald is also doing his duty but not very regularly. Six [seven crossed out] very fine young fellows have now left Cincinnati for active service and one rather indifferent man that I had rather they kept at home. [Remainder of letter missing}.

Endorsed: John O'Mahony's writing — Rossa.