From Henry O’Neill (unpublished)
Turnay July the 28th: 1782
Please your Excellency:

I was credably informed that making my errand from Ireland to Madrid known to your Excellency Count Aranda and the French Minestry was the cause of no notice being taken of the Petition I presented for my Countrymen or my self, for the following reasons.

that your Excellency thinks it the interest of America the Irish should be ill treated by which means the more of them would Emigrate to America. that Count Aranda tho in aperance is a great lover of his Country he mortaly hates it on Account of some ill treatment he received before he was sent Ambasodor to France, which is a kind of Exile, as he can never return to Spain. that its the intrest of France, the Roman Catholicks of Ireland should be ill treated by England by which means they will be all ways disafected to England and the French will get the greater number of them to serve in there Army Navy and spend there fortunes in there education &ce in France.

The consequence of my returning to Ireland and aquainting my Countrymen with the reception I got and the motives for it the attempt made by the French to destroy the Irish in Spain the miserable situation they are reduced to and dispised in France that there is not an Officer so far Advanced as a Colonell an Irish man born in all thire service, the treatment I received my self whose family from being the most Antient Noble rich and flourishing Familyes of the kindom of Ireland has been entirely runed by their? Attachment to the French and Spaniards, that brough three com at regiments to France After the conditions of Limrick, and has deposseted a sum of money in the Irish community in Paris sufficient for two of the name and family to be educated on the intrest of [it] for ever. besides having numbers of his neer relations killed in this Service, and could not get even a Leutenants commission or the least notice taken of him, may be of more serious consequence than you imagine, and may make you feell it in America France and Spain, you will find the Catholicks of Ireland will be no longer Sacrafised under the cloak of religion, nor made dupes of to the intrests of France Spain or thire clergy, if I return and make known to them what I have learnt, but may induce them to joyn Sincearly with England and supply thire Armies and navy with numbers of brave Men.

I earnestly entrate your Excellency will let Count Aranda and the French minester know the contents of this letter, and be so Obliging as to let me know as soon as possible, if there is any thing to be done for me, or the business I came about, I shall wait your Excellency Answer a few days at Turnay, if your Excellency will condesend to write me, please to direct it under cover for me to Mr: Plunkett Student in the Hibernion College in Turnay. I am with the greatest respect your Excellency most Obedient Humble Servant

Henry O’Neill

Addressed: to his Exel: Benjemen Francklin / Ambasodor from the united States / of America at the Court of France
Endorsed: Henry O Neill July 28 1782.
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