or impunity of such acts, which tended so strongly to confirm the prejudices already so laboriously excited by the emissaries of freedom.

Among the causes which, in the troubled interval of time, previous to the grand insurrection, contributed to the general uneasiness, were the insults practised by pretended zealots, to the annoyance of the truest loyalists as well as malcontents, on persons who wore their hair short, or happenned to have any part of their apparel of a green colour, both of which were considered as emblems of a republican, or of a revolutionary spirit. Short unpowdered hair had been affected by persons in Britain, supposed to be republicans; yet the same was also worn by many loyalists for convenience. * The term "croppy," however, was adopted in Ireland to signify a revolutionist, or enemy to the established government. Any person liaving their hair cut short, (and therefore called a croppy, by which appellation the soldiery designated an united Irishman,) on being pointed out by some loyal neighbour, was im

* Short hair, about which so senseless a bustle was made, was found so convenient, that it was generally adopted after the rebellion, even by those who had instigated outrages on account of it.

mediately seized and brought into a guardhouse, where caps, either of coarse linen, or strong brown paper, besmeared inside with pitch, were always kept ready for service. The unfortunate victim had one of these well heated, compressed on his head, and when judged of a proper degree of coolness, so that it could not be easily pulled off, the sufferer was turned out, amidst the acclamations of the merciless torturers; and to the view of vast numbers of people, who generally crowded about the guard-house door, attracted by the afflicted cries of the tormented. Many of those, persecuted in this manner, experienced additional anguish from the melted pitch trickling into their eyes. This afforded a rare addition of enjoyment to these keen sportsmen, who reiterated their horrid yells of exultation on the repetition of the several accidents to which their game was liable upon being turned out; for, in the confusion and hurry of escaping from the ferocious hands of these more than savage barbarians, the blinded victims frequently fell, or inadvertently dashed their heads against the walls in their way. The pain of disengaging this pitched cap from the head must be next to intolerable. The hair

was often torn out by the roots, and not unfrequently parts of the skin were so scalded or blistered, as to adhere and come off along with it. The terror and dismay that these outrages occasioned are inconceivable. Moistened gunpowder was frequently rubbed into the hair cut close, and then set on fire; some, while shearing for this purpose, had the tips of their ears snipt off; sometimes an entire ear, and often both ears were completely cut off; and many lost part of their noses during the like preparation. But, strange to tell, these atrocities were publicly practised without the least reserve in open day, and no magistrate or officer ever interfered, but shamefully connived at this extraordinary mode of quieting the people!-Some of the miserable sufferers, on these shocking occasions, or some of their relations or friends, actuated by a principle of retaliation, if not of revenge, cut short the hair of several persons whom they either considered as enemies, or suspected of having pointed them out as objects for such desperate treatment. This was done with a view that those active citizens should fall in for a little experience of the like discipline, or to make the fashion of short hair so general, that it might no longer

be a mark of party distinction. Females were also exposed to the grossest insults from these military ruffians. Many women had their petticoats, handkerchiefs, caps, ribbons, and all parts of their dress that exhibited a shade of green (considered the national colour of Ireland) torn off, and their ears assailed by the most vile and indecent ribaldry. This was a circumstance so unforeseen, and of course so little provided against, that many women of enthusiastic loyalty, suffered outrage in this manner. Some of these ladies would not on any account have worn any thing which they could even imagine partook in any degree of troppyism. They were, however, unwarily involved, until undeceived by these gentle hints from these kind guardians of allegiance.

That those who were most active to commit these outrages, or to instigate others to the commission of them, were not the best friends of government, no one can doubt. Their conduct, whatever may have been their motives, was evidently adapted to augment the number and rage of the malcontents, which, in concurrence with other circumstances, might have produced very fatal effects: besides, that in the hour of danger, when the grand

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insurrection took place, and government stood in need of the most vigorous exertions of its friends, most of these agitators of insult stood aloof, and the rest, so far as general experience and information extends, were very shy. in their movements against the insurgents, and cautious of their personal safety; a conduct which implied either a defect of courage or of loyalty.

By the system of secret accusation and espionage, necessarily adopted, with other extraordinary measures, in this dangerous crisis, government unavoidably made ample room for the exertions of private malice. Magistrates and military officers, were empowered to receive informations, to keep the names of the informers profoundly secret, and to proceed against the accused according to discretion.

Of the underling order of magistrates, many pretended to receive information, which they had not received, for the indulgence of private malice against individuals ;-but some of the gentlemen invested with these new powers, were led into grievous errors by false informers, whose names notwithstanding have never been divulged. One instance deserves to be men

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