L30/14/281/1

Sent from Dromoland, County Clare, Ireland:

20 Apr 1781

From: 1781 To: 1781

O'Brien pronounces himself sensible of the liberty he is going to take in writing as a person unacquainted personally with Lord Grantham, although by no means a stranger to his benevolence and zeal for the public service. Solicits information on the part of Ireland: the Irish were not ignorant of the part Grantham played in promoting the sale of Linen Manufactures in Spain. Wishes Grantham to inform him whether, as supposed in Ireland, the Dukes in all the Spanish markets prefer the linens of France beyond those of Ireland. He wishes to know also how much the difference in duty is, by what treaty or tariff it is given, and how the justice of Spain reconciles this with the Treaty of Utrecht and those other Treaties which place Ireland on the footing ‘Amicissimae Gentis’ [friendly or amicable]. Finally if Ireland applying properly has any prospect of redress whenever the terms of peace are established.

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Ireland, linen, Spain