Although my Name may be unknown to you, it is not so to many of your Countrymen whom the chance of War threw into Captivity at Kinsale and here during the late War, so unnaturally waged and persisted in by a weak, wicked Ministry. In the early part of it some few warm Friends to America assisted me in collecting a handome Sum to buy Cloaths and other Necessaries for 33 American Prisoners who had been taken near Montreal in 1775 and send to England from Quebec. These poor Men were brought here onboard the Solebay (one of Sir Peter Parker’s Fleet) in Decr. 1775 and had comfortable Supplies of every thing suitable provided for their Winter Passage. From July till Octr. 1781 there were several Hundred Americans captured in those Seas and confined in Kinsale Prison: their Treatment was not good, and I applied to Government for their relief, but under the Administration of Lord North little or no attention was paid to any Distress of this kind, however, I availed myself of the change that happened in April 1782 and on the Duke of Portland’s Arrival at Dublin as Lord Lieutenant I wrote him concerning the hard Treatment (in many respects) endured by the poor Americans at Kinsale; and a Correspondence on that Subject continued some Months between his Secretary Col. Fitzpatrick and me, as you will perceive by two of his letters to me, now enclosed. A great many of the Prisoners escaped from Kinsale to this place and were maintained by me and a few other Friends to America for Months, until I could get them Passages to different parts of France and the Continent.

I have been severely reflected upon during the American War for my open and avowed Attachment to your just cause. I have been threatened with the vengeance of Ministry and was once obliged to appear before the Mayor of this City to answer a charge brought against me by Robert Gordon Esqr Commissary: no less a charge than that of assisting the American Rebels which however had no effect, for I told both Gordon and the Mayor; that I abhorred the American War; that I must ever wish Success to a People who bravely opposed “the tyrannick Attempts of a vile Ministry, and that if the Americans were reduced to their last Province, I would still adhere to their Cause, believing it to be a just one and them an oppressed People.”

Though my Fortune is but moderate and I have 10 Children, my Feelings for the poor ill-clothed Prisoners from New England, Pennsylvania and other parts of America (whose Fate cast them amongst us) were so prevalent that I have expended large Sums of my own Property, besides the Subscriptions and Collections that I made, in maintaining, cloathing, and Paying Passage Money for those Prisoners, the Truth of which you’ll have confirmed by living Witnesses, when you shall happily return to your Native Country. I was a principal Person in effecting a Remonstrance and Petition against the American War so early as 1776 which was signed by about 600 respectable Inhabitants of Cork, and delivered to the King by Lord Middleton the 10th of May following. At that time an Address for carrying on the War and ending the Rebellion (so called) in America was set on foot here by Commissary Gordon, Paul Benson a Contractor and other who were immediate Gainers by this War, but it was only signed by Men of that Stamp, Revenue and other Crown Officers, together with the Mayor & Corporation, in the whole 150.

I don’t expect by thus acquainting you with the little Services which I have done for the Cause and People of America to receive any Emolument, but I hope for your Friendship in recommending me to the Congress, should they think proper to appoint any Person here or in other Ports of Ireland as a Consul, for managing Matters of Commerce: Sufficient Security should be given, and my Character will bear the test of Enquiry.

Your Consequence, Gentlemen, in different parts of America must give great weight to your Recommendation of me as a Merchant and I flatter myself that you will be so kind as to mention my Name to your Friends at Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Charlestown, Maryland, Virginia &c &c that I may be favoured with some Business from a Country, for whose Welfare and Independence no Person has been a more strenuous and steady Advocate than Your very sincere Friend