-To O’Mahony from J. Hamilton (Stephens)-March 3, 1865

3 Mar. 1865, Dublin. 'My dear nephew, I have barely time to write a few sentences by this post. All your letters, with the orders, have been received. The third money-¹ See below (ix) and item 18, x (c).order (amount ^346—three hundred and fortysix pounds) came to hand yesterday morning. It has given me much relief and will enable me to work satisfactorily till the end of this month. Heavy calls will be made on me next month, and still heavier calls for May and June. You shall hear from me at length on these points in due time. One word for the present: now more than ever our wants should be met. Every effort should be made on your side to forward the largest possible supplies. Your doing so will not only enable me to increase the business of the house and keep it in thorough order, but will give such confidence here that investments equal at least to any made yonder are sure to be made by the home partners. On the other hand, a falling off at your side now would be certain ruin here.

'It must be needless to say how much I regret the state of your health. All who know you here are anxious on this head, and to hear that you could not attend to business would have a very bad effect. Much as we require your best exertions, I feel bound to advise you to care for your health. With your ability however I know you can do a great deal for us without endangering your life. Be prudent, dear friend, yet active as you safely can be.

'The party referred to in my letter to John [John O'Mahony] was brought up yesterday.² We had a lawyer engaged and he did his business so well that his client was simply bound over to keep the peace. But I could give you no notion of Mr Q.'s [—— Quinlin]² indiscretion. Even in court his conduct was most indiscreet. On this account we have been compelled to act with much precaution. We could not allow any of our known friends to go security for him; and so, in order to be safe, he will have to remain in till tomorrow or Monday. I sincerely wish he were at your side once more. His conduct will be a lesson—will show you the absolute necessity of employing reliable parties on such missions. And by the way never send tools and documents by the same person at the same time.

'I wish to remind you of another matter. Send the money orders alternately to the two parties whose names I gave you, and always under envelopes to themselves. The duplicates should be sent under cover to me, addressed to George [George Hopper], Joe [Joseph Denieffe] or anybody you think well. But I alone and the parties to whom the orders are sent should know what comes. Yours ever affectionately.' Endorsed: Doc. "B 5." No. 5. C.E. March 3 1865. (x), J. Hamilton [James Stephens] to [John O'Mahony]. 4pp. Saturday, 18 Mar. 1865, Dublin. 'Brother, Mr R. [——Regan]³ arrived here safely with the papers last Wednesday. He said he had been instructed to give the papers into my hands only and, if he did not see me, to bring them back. As he held literally to his instructions I did not see the papers till I met himself on Wednesday night, and so a post was lost. I commend Mr R. for his strict adherence to duty and am glad to have met so staunch a friend once more. Still I feel bound to request that no such instructions be ever again given to anybody. In the case of Mr R. they have turned out harmless; but at another time they might occasion irreparable evil. For instance, had Mr Q. [—— Quinlin]⁴ been so instructed, many a good man—myself probably among the number—would now be captives. Henceforth, friends coming over should be instructed not to expect to see me. Of course I will see as many as possible when necessary; but anybody coming will be safe in giving any documents whatever to more than one party known to you here, who will at once communicate with me.

⁸ See preceding footnote. ³ See below, item 18, x (c).

'The time has come for much prudence on our part. It is to be regretted that at your side anything like reticence is almost impossible. To realise our requirements you must, however reluctantly, write, speak, and act very openly. But while regretting this we neither blame you nor complain, convinced that you will do your very best to spare as well as aid us.

'Apropos of Mr Q. [——Quinlin].⁴ He was bailed out on Wednesday week and left the same evening for Liverpool. He seemed very much ashamed of what had taken place and tried to explain away some of his imprudence. Feeling for him, the party to whom he spoke did not like to prove- to him that this could in no way be done. There are circumstances connected with his conduct of a nature to make one feel for him very much. This we do while deeply regretting his want of self-control.

Folder Seven (1865 January-July ):Continued

'I have read with great interest the ms. report of the action of the C[entral] C[ouncil], embodying as you state the sence [sic] of the late Cincinnati] Congress [Jan. 1865]. You need not be told that such a document could not be answered in a hurry. As a matter of course I shall give it my best and promptest consideration, but I am bound to consult most if not all the As before sending you the result of our common deliberations. I may say even now however that your suggestions have to a great extent been anticipated; and that had we been supplied with anything like adequate funds every wise suggestion you could possibly make should have been long since accomplished facts.

'In your letter of the zist ult. you state the total amount of money forwarded to me (through O'L.) [? John O'Leary] since the 30th of January. The sum is £1158. 5. lo. I hereby acknowledge and confirm the correctness of this statement. I have pleasure in adding that compared with previous receipts (excepting those from the Chicago Fair) and for the time the sum is a large one. But it has been barely equal to our necessities; and it has required and will still require nice management to be able to work effectively with it till the end of this month. Our requirements are increasing with the great extension of trade. To make this clear I have only to state that our assets are now £112. Next month our calls will be so heavy that unless the sum now coming by hand be large you will have to remit again so as to reach me by the r3°]th April. Still heavier will be the calls for every month from May till we wind up. I trust you have foreseen this and shall be able to meet everything. I don't see that you can have much difficulty in doing so, my nephew having informed me that you do the sole business of a city numbering 40,000. At five a head this number would give double what we want for this special purpose. To work, brother, with a will and in the good cheer with which I conclude this. (In haste). Yours fraternally.'

Endorsed: (i). Doc "B 6," No. 6. C.E. March i8th 1865. (ii), March 18, 65 (across text, p. 4).

Enclosure: Business envelope of Guion Line⁶ endorsed: James Stephens to John O'Mahony and Council, America. The despatch I was sent to America with in June 1865. Rossa. Printed in United Irishman of Feb. 23, 1899.

The date—June 1865—shows that the reference is not to this letter and that the envelope should be with document iv above.

* See preceding document.

⁵ Guion Line. United States mail steamers. For passage to or from New York, Queenstown, and Liverpool. Apply to Williams and Guion, 29 Broadway, N.Y., or to O'Donovan Rossa, Broadway, cor. Fifth Street, Williamsburgh, L.I.