Page images
PDF
EPUB

liament, or public men, Resolved, 1. That a citizen, by learning the use of arms, does not abandon any of his civil rights. 2. That a claim of any body of men other than the king, lords, and commons, of Ireland, to make laws to bind this kingdom, is unconstitutional, illegal, and a grievance. 3. That the powers exercised by the privy council of both kingdoms, or under colour, or pretence, of the law of Poynings, are unconstitutional, illegal, and a grievance. 4. That the ports of this country are by right open to all foreign countries not at war with the king; and that any burthen thereupon, or obstruction thereto, save only by the parliament of Ireland, are unconstitutional, illegal, and a grievance. 5. That a mutiny bill, not limited in point of duration from session to session, is unconstitutional, and a grievance. 6. That the independence of judges is equally essential to the impartial administration of justice in Ireland as in England; and that the refusal or delay of this right to Ireland, makes a distinction, where there should be no distinction, may excite jealousy where perfect union should prevail; and is in itself unconstitutional and a grievance. 7. That it is our decided and unalterable determination to seek a redress of these grievances; and we pledge ourselves to each other, and to our country, as freeholders, fellow-citizens, and men of honor, that we will at every ensuing election, support those only, who have supported, and will support us therein; and that we will use all constitutional means to make such our pursuit of redress speedy

and effectual. 8. That the right honorable and honorable the minority in parliament, who have supported these our constitutional rights, are entitled to our most grateful thanks; and that the annexed address be signed by the chairman, and published with these resolutions. 9. That four members from each county of the province of Ulster (eleven to be a quorum) be, and are hereby appointed a committee till next general meeting, to act for the volunteer corps here represented, and, as occasion shall require, to call general meetings of the province. 10. That said committee'do appoint nine of their members to be a committee in Dublin, in order to communicate with such other volunteer associations in the other provinces, as may think proper to come to similar resolutions, and to deliberate with them on the most constitutional means of carrying them into effect. 11. That the committee be, and are hereby instructed, to call a general meeting of the province, within twelve months from this day, or in fourteen days after the dissolution of the present parliament, should such an event sooner take place. 19. That the court of Portugal had acted towards this kingdom, being a part of the British empire, in such a manner as to call upon us to declare, and pledge ourselves to each other, that we will not consume any wine of the growth of Portugal; and that we will, to the extent of our influence, prevent the use of said wine, save and except the wine at present in this kingdom, until such time as our exports shall be received in the kingdom of Por

tugal, as the manufactures of part of the British empire. 13. That we hold the right of private judgment in matters of religion, to be equally sacred in others as in ourselves. 14. Therefore, that as men, and as Irishmen, as Christians, and as Protestants, we rejoice in the relaxation of the penal laws against our Roman Catholic fellowsubjects; and that we conceive the measure to be fraught with the happiest consequences to the union and prosperity of the inhabitants of Ireland. 15. That the Dundalk Independent Troop of Light Dragoons, commanded by Capt. Thomas Reed, having joined a regiment of this province, the First Newry Regiment, or Newry Legion, and petitioned to be received as part of this body, and under its protection, is accordingly hereby received. 16. Whereas a letter has been received by the chairman of this meeting, from the united corps of the county of Cavan, Colonel Ennery in the chair, declaring their readiness to co-operate with their brother volunteers in every constitutional support of their rights. Resolved unanimously, that the thanks of this meeting be presented to the said united corps of the county of Cavan, for their spirited resolution; and that a copy of the proceedings of this meeting be inclosed by the chairman to Colonel Ennery, to be by him communicated to the said united corps; and that they shall have a right, if they choose, to associate with the corps represented at this meeting, to nominate four members to act with those already appointed, as a committee by the delegates at this meeting. 17. That the thanks

[ocr errors]

of this meeting be presented to Captain Richardson, and the Dungannon Light Company, for their politeness in mounting guard this day. 18. That the thanks of this meeting be presented to the Southern Battalion of the first Ulster Regiment, commanded by the Earl of Charlemont, for that patriotic zeal, which we are convinced induced them to call this meeting. 19. That the thanks of this meeting be presented to Colonel William Irvine, for his particular propriety and politeness of conduct in the chair. 20. That the thanks of this meeting be presented to Captain James Dawson, for his readiness in undertaking the office of secretary to this meeting, and for his particular attention and ability in the laborious duty thereof. 21. That these resolutions be published."

To the Right Honorable and Honorable the Minority in both Houses of Parliament, they published the following Address. "My Lords and Gentlemen, we thank you for your noble and spirited, though hitherto ineffectual efforts, in defence of the great constitutional and commercial rights of your country, Go on! the almost unanimous voice of the people is with you; and in a free country the voice of the people. must prevail. We know our duty to our sovereign, and are loyal. We know our duty to ourselves, and are resolved to be free. We seek for our rights, and no more than our rights; and, in so just a pursuit, we should doubt the being of a Providence, if we doubted of success."

The Ulster national committee being imme

diately chosen, resolved," that the corps of this province, not represented at the meeting held this day, be, and they are hereby invited to join in the resolutions of said meeting, and to become members of the said association on the most equal footing."

"As these resolutions made their public appearance, they were admired even by their enemies. The volunteers from every quarter paid their tribute of applause, and erected them as the standard, to which all repaired: from east, west, north, and south, they were re-echoed. Committees of correspondence were formed, and the national committee crowned the business."*

A more universal, more warm and spirited concurrence, in favour of liberty, than that which now pervaded this island, is not to be found, even from the earliest period, in the history of any nation in the world. Two days after the memorable resolutions at Dungannon, the Independent Dublin Volunteers agreed to the following resolutions and preamble. "Natural justice and equity having established the universal rights of mankind upon an equal footing, the inhabitants of Ireland have a claim to a Free Trade with all nations in amity with Great Britain; yet their ports have been kept shut, their trade has been monopolized, and their industry has but served to aggrandize the proud traders of a neighbouring kingdom. Necessity, which compels to ingenuity, has lately held up that trade, dignified with the specious name of Free; yet, trade, * Plowden's Historical View, &c.

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »