I shall now describe the organization of this Plot, by which the Conspirators have formed themselves into a hostile state within a State; and already given to it the destructive Constitution of France of the worst period. To multiply their numbers, they have held out to the People," that the Constitution of Ireland "exists in theory alone (1);" that "they have

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no National Government (2);" "that they are " in a state of oppression and misery; that the King, the Houses of Lords and Commons, "with the Magistracy,Clergy, and Gentry of the "Country, are the cause of their oppression; " and that the Society of United Irishmen are "their sole Protectors and Defenders."

The Members of the Primary Societies are admitted by election, in which considerable caution is used; and before his admission, each Member takes a Test, equal in the solemnity of its form to an Oath. It consists of two parts, the first of which defines the purpose of their Association this part has varied in its matter: by the original Test, the Associators were bound to promote a Reform of the Representation in Parliament (3): but in the place of

(1) Commons' Report, App. p. z.-(2) TONE's Letter, Declaration of United Irishmen, ib. p. 5.-(3) Commons Report, p. 14.

this,

this, a second has been introduced, in which the words "Parliament and Reform are purposely omitted;" and the new object set up,

ઃઃ

is,

"an equal, full, and adequate Representation "of all the People of Ireland (1)," which is hereby clearly shewn to be an original institution, independent of Parliament (2)." Such is the first part of the Test, " under which the "United Irishmen are all at present sworn(3)." The second contains a like solemn obligation. to secresy, with respect to every thing said or transacted by the Members of this Society in pursuit of its purposes (4). They were known to each other by a Sign, Countersign, and Watchword (5); the use of which, on some suspicion of their being discovered, was suspended (6).

Each Member pays a certain sum to the use of the Association, at stated periods: each Society has its Secretary and Treasurer: the mode in which its transactions are carried on, is very accurately prescribed; and when its numbers. amount to thirty-six, it is divided into two.

When a Barony or other district contains three Societies, three Delegates from each form

(1) Commons' Report, p. 14.-(2) Ib. p. 14.-(3) Ib. P. 4.—(4) Ih. p. 9.-(5) Commons' Report, App. 12.— (6) Commons' Report, p. 23.

C 2

a Ba

a Baronial Committee: if it contains eight Pri mary Societies, it shall have two Committees. They correspond with, and keep up the communication with the Societies.

When there are three or more Baronial Committees in a County, two persons are elected from each, to form a County Committee: when three or more Counties have their Committees formed, they are directed to elect three Delegates each, which form the Committee of the Province: and when two Provincial Committees are formed, five Members are to be sent from each, to form a National Committee, The Delegates to the three first orders of Committees are elected by ballot, and for three months only (1): and " this Constitution is in

a great measure carried into effect (2)."

In the return of a Provincial Committee taken in the County of Antrim, it is said, that

as soon as the South is properly organized, a "National Convention will be established, "which is expected soon to take place (3)."

It appears fully, in the introduction to the original Constitution of the Association, that

(1) Commons' Report, p. 7, 14.-(2) Ib. p. 14.-(3) Commons' Report, App. p. 19.

the

the Conspirators were not driven into these treasonable measures by the refusals of Parliament to their demands of Catholic Emancipation, and what they call a Reform of that Assembly; for it is there fully evident, that they had determined that their object, be it what it might, should be effected in no other mode than by a Convention; an engine which, in the hands which formed it, must have subverted Civil Government, and introduced anarchy, and all the horrors which tended to the depopulation and desolation of Ireland during one period of the last Century.

All this proceeds exactly upon the principles of the modern Fabricators of Constitutions, who have divided National Deliberative Assemblies into two classes, the Constituent and Legislative: the former possessing the exclusive powers of making Laws, to bind and direct the proceedings of the latter; the Laws ordained by which, bind the People only: thus severing the functions of a Parliament into two branches. Every National Assembly must be appointed by certain persons, by certain rules; and act by Laws, Rules, and Orders, which are binding upon it to deny to Parliament a power to enact such regulations for itself, is to reduce it to a Legislative Assembly as here defined and to effect

a com

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a "complete and radical Reform of the Re'presentation of the People (1)," such an Assembly, according to these principles, can possess no power; a Convention must meet for this purpose.

And this absolute necessity of a National Convention is fully and substantially avowed in the first part of the Address of the Society. in Dublin to the Irish Nation, in the following terms: "the Will of the Nation must be de"clared before any Reform ought to take place; "it is not, therefore, any class, however nu"merous; any Society, however respectable;

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any subaltern assembly, that have either

right or competency to express that authoritative Will; nothing less than the People can

speak for the People; this competency resides "not in a few Freeholders shivering in a corner "of a County-Hall, but only in the whole Community represented in each County, as "at present in Antrim, by Parochial Delega

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tion, and then form each County by Baronial "Delegation to Provincial Conventions; the "union of which must form the awful Will of the People of Ireland (2)."

*ડ

(1) Declaration of the United Irishmen, 9th November, 1791, Commons' Report, App. p. 6.-(2) Commons' Report,

P. 2.

The