Robert Peel to John Wilson Croker [undated], to accompany 'a collection of choice documents'
on Ireland:
'The little volume called "A Sketch of Irish History" is a more infamous work than Cox's
magazine [Irish nationalist publication described earlier in letter, a copy of which also
enclosed]. I have the volumes from which it contains some excerpta. They contain a regular
history of Ireland, and on the first page are these words, printed at the bottom, "Intended
chiefly for the Young Ladies educated at the Ursuline Convents. By a member of the Ursuline
Community at Ash."
'This work is written with great care -- most mischievous and inflammatory -- and yet it is
thought to be impossible to convict the printer for libel.
[...]
'Perhaps the most noteworthy and extraordinary document of all is the letter which I send you.
It was written by a priest in Longford to one of his flock, whom he suspected of giving
information. He admitted the writing of it to Major Wiles, a police magistrate, but he has not
been convicted yet, and therefore names must not be used. Pray read it, it is very curious --
an admirable example of the purposes for which the priests of Ireland exert their spiritual
influence.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Peel Manuscript: Letter
