Note 20 — Chapter IV

[The Duke of Wellington had corresponded with Dr. Curtis, the titular Roman Catholic Primate of Ireland, for many years. Indeed, as appears in the text, he had known him long before at Salamanca, when this prelate was at the Irish College there. Several excellent letters by Dr. Curtis to the Duke are published in the second volume of the Duke’s ‘Correspondence,’ New Series. The letter adverted to in the text was that in which the Duke said (not very wisely) that ‘if men could bury the subject (of Catholic Emancipation) in oblivion for a short time, it might be possible to discover a satisfactory remedy.’ Curtis put a copy of the letter in O’Connell’s hands, and he read it aloud at the Catholic Association. Curtis sent a copy of the letter and his own reply to the Lord-Lieutenant, who answered him in another letter, in which he said that ‘he did not before know the precise sentiments of the Duke upon the present state of the Catholic question.’ This letter was also made public, and added fuel to the flames.]