[107] Statement of Lord Cloncurry to Mr. O'Neill Daunt. [108] Stewart of Acton, Tennent, McGuckin, Hamilton, and many of the twenty others, were all, like Turner, belonging to the Ulster branch of the organisation. [109] Froude, iii. 418; see also p. 20, _ante_. [110] _Castlereagh Papers_, i. 163. [111] _Lives and Times of the United Irishmen_, ii. 13. [112] Birmingham Tower, Dublin Castle. [113] _The English in Ireland_, iii. 288. The above passage serves to show that the important arrests made by the Lord-Lieutenant in Ireland were largely due to 'the person' who whispered in Downshire's ear. [114] See this list, p. 7, _ante_. [115] Camden to Portland, December 2, 1797. CHAPTER VI THE MASK TORN OFF AT LAST Mr. Froude, quoting from the betrayer's letter to Downshire, writes:--'I went to Harley Street, where Fitz[116] told me of the conduct of the Catholics to him and his friends. He said he would prevail on O'Connor, or some such,[117] to go to Paris; if not, he would go himself, in order to have Lewins removed.' Lord Edward came to this decision obviously on the representations made by his false friend regarding Lewins. The false friend will be found impugning Lewins on every opportunity. Turner and Lewins, it may be repeated, clashed as rival envoys; Lewins, a Catholic, represented the Leinster Directory, while Turner claimed to represent the Northern. Turner worked his pen and tongue to such purpose that he at last succeeded in convincing Lord Edward of Lewins's treachery. Binns, in his narrative, states that 'O'Coigly had been commissioned by the Executive to supersede Lewins in Paris, _whom some suspected of betraying the interests of Ireland_.'[118] The letter from Hamburg (first revealed by Mr. Froude) continues:-- Mrs. Matthieson[119] has just heard from Lady Lucy that O'Connor is come. I supped last night with Valence, who mentioned his having introduced Lord Edward[120] and O'Connor to the Minister here[121] in the summer before the French attempted to invade Ireland.[122] They both went to Switzerland, whence O'Connor passed into France, had an interview with Hoche, and everything was planned. I feared lest Government might not choose to ratify our contract, and, being in their power, would give me my choice either to come forward as an evidence or suffer martyrdom myself. Having no taste for an exit of this sort, I set out and arrived here safe, and now beg you will let me know if anything was wrong in my statements, or if I have given offence.... One of the many unexplained letters in the Castlereagh Correspondence finds its keynote here. In August, 1798, Wickham, of the Home Office, writes as follows to Castlereagh, who then held O'Connor a prisoner in Dublin.[123] Wickham's object, though shrouded in mystery, was no doubt to check the accuracy of 'Lord Downshire's friend,' and to weigh the marketable value of his services:--