were avenged in this manner; so that on the 31st of May, the jail of Wexford became absolutely crowded. On this very day Mr. Harvey, who had been released from confinement by the people, as soon as they took possession of the town, and was by them appointed, whether he would or no, their commanderin-chief, had engaged several gentlemen, among whom there were many apprehensive of popular violence, to an entertainment at his former lodgings, which he had then resumed; and all these he naturally supposed under effectual protection with him, from the nature of his appointment, against all popular outrage; but he soon had lamentable proof how groundless were his fond expectations. In the evening, soon after dinner, a great mob of country people assembled in the street before the house, some of whom knocked violently at the door, and insisted that Mr. Turner, whom they knew to be within, should be delivered up to them to be put to death, for having burned some of their houses. I was one of those invited by Mr. Harvey, and, as Mr. Turner was a most particular friend of mine, I instantly went out, and was, as I fondly imagined, so far successful as to prevail on the populace to retire; but to my great mortification they returned shortly after, and insisted with redoubled violence on Mr. Turner's being brought out to them. Mr. Fitzgerald, who had now come to my assistance, and myself, urged every argument that friendship could suggest, to dissuade them from their dreadful purpose, and Mr. Harvey also interposed for the same intent, by which means the multitude was once more induced to retire. It was but for a short time, however, as they quickly came back to the house with more violence and fury than before; a shot was now fired at the door, as the first notice of their approach, and they reiterated

their demand with the loudest and most desperate vociferations. Some of the gentlemen who on that day dined with Mr. Harvey, now came out, and all their united entreaties and remonstrances could obtain from the enraged multitude was, that Mr. Turner might be lodged in the jail to abide his trial; but the demagogues denounced that if he was not sent thither directly, Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. Hay (meaning myself) must forfeit their lives. This roused the friendly feelings of Mr. Turner, who had overheard all that passed, and he accordingly requested he might be brought to jail, as the only place of safety in his opinion, when neither the house nor the in terference of his friends or the chief commander could ensure him protection; as could not indeed the house of any one at this perturbed period, as those of the greatest abettors and reputed favorites and supporters of the people were searched and violated by forcibly taking out of them numbers of people denominated enemies.

These outrages determined many to surrender themselves, in order to be sent to jail, in hopes of greater security, as well as it induced others to remain in confinement from similar expectancy of protection from the resentment of their neighbors. From considerations of this nature, Mr. Harvey, constrained as he was to conduct Mr. Turner to the jail, released from thence every other person not violently accused, and the number was considerable whom he thought to be obnoxious to, but by these means secure from, the intemperate vengeance of the people. During the first days of the insurrection, indeed, any person of previous popular character could release a friend from confinement; but such interference soon became so displeasing to the people, that most of those who had been thus liberated were again cominitted,

and destruction threatened to any one that would presume again to enlarge them; which prevented numbers from interposing their good offices in favor of such of their friends as had in any manner incurred popular odium. Private malice was on these occasions but too frequently exerted, and any accusation was sufficient to cause any person to be sent to jail; which, however, was esteemed by many the safest asylum, as it was expected that when popular fury should have abated, the persons confined might be permitted to return quietly to their homes. The only effectual mode of procuring liberation from prison, however, at this period was, to procure a certificate in favor of the prisoner from the neighborhood in which he lived, and in this way many were set at liberty, who, to secure themselves against future crimination, generally joined the insurgents. As to the power of popularity, at all times precarious, so difficult of attainment, and so easily lost, and which no truly wise man ever made the scope of his actions, or final object of pursuit, it could effect little in such troublesome and turbulent times as those we are treating of, when an insurrection prevailed, excited by oppression, and in which there existed no regular plan of operation or system of action; while the minds of the ungovernable multitude were sore and desperate from recent irritation. Amidst such a dreadful public ferment, popularity, to a liberal mind, proves a most tyrannical subjugation, as it encumbers the possessor with the oppressive weight of mobbish applause, while it confers not on him the power of relieving a suffering friend, who may have attracted, inadvertently, or otherwise, the deadly resentment of an unbridled populace; and, what is still more afflicting to generous feelings, the devoted victim of the moment perhaps imagines the popular friend all

powerful for his preservation, while it is melancholy to reflect that, on such occasions, it is in the power of a villain to counteract the benevolent intentions and humane disposition of the highest respectability, intelligence, and virtue!

After the insurgents, as has been related, moved off in two separate divisions from Wexford, there still remained several of their number in the town, who assumed the office of supplying the camps with necessaries, and this by their own authority they declared must be done from Wexford. These selfcreated commissaries, having put all necessaries accordingly in requisition, began to search all the houses, and in the course of such survey, plundered them of every article they thought proper, asserting that all they took away was for the general service. Great abuses were consequently committed in this arbitrary mode of levying contributions, and so great a waste of property, particularly of provisions, was made, that the town and its neighborhood were threatened with a famine. The people of Wexford, therefore, desirous to get rid of these troublesome marauders, and to have some regulations adopted for the prevention of plunder, appointed twelve of the principal inhabitants, as a committee, to regulate the distribution of provisions, as well as of all other necessaries in requisition; and the generous individuals who undertook this arduous task (it was indeed an herculean labor) were actuated by the most virtuous and disinterested motives in their exertions to protect general as well as individual property. As whiskey and leather were the articles most in demand in the camps, distillers and tanners especially entreated the committee to issue regular orders for the supplies from their stores, to prevent as much as possible the total destruction of their substance and concerns,

adding, that they were very willing to give up their whole stock for the general service; yet, strange as it may appear, some of this description of persons were most forward afterwards in prosecuting those very men, who, by their humane interference, were instrumental in saving their lives and properties; for certainly the worst consequences were to be apprehended from the indiscriminate plunder, and consequently inordinate consumption of spirituous liquors, by the prevention of which and other disorders, through indefatigable exertions, the committee actually proved the salvation of the country; and, what may not appear unworthy of observation, although chosen by the inhabitants at large from among themselves, there was but one United Irishman among them, which could not be the case had the people been generally sworn.

Captain Keugh was appointed military commander of the town, which was now divided into wards, each of which had a company of men, armed with guns and pikes as they could procure them, and these appointed their own officers. There was a regular parade morning and evening on the custom-house quay; guards were struck off and relieved, and a pass-word and countersign regularly given out. The insurrection had by this time become so general in all parts of the county forsaken by the military, that even the inhabitants of the baronies of Forth and Bargy thought it incumbent on them to show their disposition, and to appear in Wexford; in short, every person remaining in the county thought it best at this period to come forward and make common cause with the insurgents. The inhabitants of the lastmentioned baronies, however, being a race of men of peaceable and industrious habits, and not having experienced the persecutions practised in other dis