whom were all the independent and respectable gentlemen of the county. I then proceeded to London, and had the honor of presenting the petition, with all the signatures, to his majesty, on the 22d of April, 1795, at the levee at St. James's, along with my brother delegates, and we met with a gracious reception.*

Not many years ago the county of Wexford could boast of independent principles, and the public spirit of its gentry was conspicuous. This, it may be observed, was chiefly owing to the great number of resident landlords, whose properties were so equally divided, that there were comparatively but few overgrown fortunes among them. While this state of easy parity prevailed, so long lasted the peace and prosperity of the county. At that time respectable characters voluntarily engaged themselves to preserve and maintain public order, and it is easy to conceive that the laws of a country will be well and cheerfully obeyed, when the police is undertaken by a body of uninfluenced gentlemen, whose interest and inclinations induce them to watch, with incessant vigilance, over its tranquillity. The unbiased exertions of such men must always ensure what the Irish have ever yearned after, an impartial administration of justice; without which, laws, even of the best description, are nothing better than instruments of tyranny. But the times have changed, and other men and other measures have succeeded. Of these we shall presently have occasion to make mention.

The principle of volunteering, while it was productive of social and liberal intercourse, appears to have diffused a spirit of conviviality throughout the country; and so far were the pleasures of the table in

*See Appendix, No. VI.

This

dulged, that the fortunes of many were thereby impaired, and their distresses obliged them to resign their independence. Representatives and their most zealous friends and adherents fell into a dereliction and abandonment of public concerns, at the same time that they neglected their private interests; and hence the county may date the loss of its independent character. Of this a most striking instance can be adduced. At an election, some years back, one of the candidates, who was esteemed by his party a stanch patriot, came forward and declared to the people on the hustings, that "no human consideration should ever induce him to accept of a place or a pension, if he became their representative." declaration, however, as will appear by the sequel, he seems to have thought no more about than if he had swallowed a poached egg; (a memorable expression of his own on a late occasion.) He was chosen a knight of the shire, and at a subsequent meeting he was actually absolved from this solemn and voluntary engagement; nay, truly, it was requested he would accept of some employment; and he shortly after meekly condescended to gratify their wishes, by accepting of a pension and a place, which he still comfortably retains, and is likely to retain as long as he lives. It must be here observed, by the by, that the object of such a plenary indulgence must be greatly endeared to such attached and accommodating constituents; the pleasing effect of convivial talents among constant companions, who thus constitute their favorite the king of his company; a situation so fascinating to some dispositions, that they will risk all possible hazards for its maintenance. It will not be easily impressed on ingenuous minds, that men who would fain uphold in the highest degree the dignified character of indepen

dence, should so far forget themselves as to hold forth to the world, in a public paper, such a memorial of total indifference to that character. Yet in the case before us the fact is incontrovertible.

It has been too common a foible with some of our gentry to aim at equal splendor and expense with their superiors in fortune. Such men, before being aware of their situation, have incautiously expended largely above their incomes. A system of such careless dissipation and extravagant squandering must destroy the most ample resources; and men long in the habit of indulging those propensities, on finding their means abridged, and themselves deeply involved, have still an aching reluctance to give up any share of their ideal consequence. Instead, therefore, of resorting to any rational plan of economy, they endeavor to get within the circle of some lord or great man, supposed to be possessed of extensive patronage. They court his smiles, and if their efforts are crowned with any degree of success, they instantly conclude, that all their misapplied expenditure must be amply reimbursed by this very often empty speculation. They count upon places and employments of great emoluments for themselves and their children; and thus they abandon all idea of the certain. pursuits of industry, trade, and honorable profession. They launch into the lottery of patronage, and yield up their spirit of independence, and all their actions, (out of the circle of their families,) to the utter control and directing will of their adopted patron. It is presumed, that any person acquainted with the state of Ireland must perceive that this system has unfortunately been but too largely pursued, and too much acted upon; and it is also pretty notorious, that the county of Wexford has been for some time past what is not unaptly termed lord-ridden. Slaves to their

superiors, but tyrants to their inferiors, these needy adventurers become the tools of prevailing power. Justices of the peace are selected from this class, and these, by this degree of elevation, (certainly to them the station is an exalted one,) think themselves raised to a level of equality with the most respectable gentlemen in the country. But their ignorance is so preposterous, and their behavior so assuming, that men of education, talents, and fortune, are induced to withhold themselves from a situation they would otherwise grace, as it might oblige them to confer with fellows with whom they would not by any means hold communion or keep company. Thus are the very men who ought to be the magistrates of the country, and who would cheerfully accept the office were they to associate with proper companions in duty, deterred from holding commissions of the peace; while the justice and police of the community is left to ignorant, presuming, and intemperate upstarts, devoid of all qualification and endowment, except that alone, if it may be termed such, of unconditional submission and obedience to the controlling nod of their boasted patrons. If they faithfully adhere to this, they may go all lengths to raise their consequence, and enhance their estimation with the multitude. These creatures have therefore the effrontery to push themselves forward on every occasion; and after a series of habitual acts of turpitude, whenever an opportunity offers itself, they become the scourges and the firebrands of the country. It is much to be lamented that there are but too many examples of this melancholy truth, and that in too many instances these wretches have been set on to commit flagrant acts of outrage, to answer the political purposes of their patrons, who shrink from appearing personally concerned in these deeds of shame. On

such occasions, from behind the curtain, the hireling crew are sent out to riot on the public stage, and dreadful are the consequences that follow; while the vile understrappers are utterly ignorant of the cause, and never question the motive of their subornation.

In the beginning of the year 1795, parties of contending rioters, denominated Peep-o'-day-Boys, and Defenders, disturbed different parts of the province of Ulster, by acts of violence and outrage against each other. Some say their animosities originated from electioneering. To these succeeded, in the summer of the same year, a description of public disturbers, calling themselves Orangemen, who now made their first appearance in the county of Armagh. Their object appears to have been, not to suffer a Catholic to remain within the limits of their sphere of action. They posted up on the doors of the Catholics peremptory notices of departure; specifying the precise time, a week at the farthest, pretty nearly in the following words :-" To hell or to Connaught with you, you bloody Papists! and if you are not gone by" (mentioning the day) "we will come and destroy yourselves and your properties. We all hate the Papists here." They generally were as good as their words. The Catholics at first saved themselves by flight; but those who received notices at a later period were able to take some of their properties along with them. It is astonishing to think that such events could take place, where there were any men of intelligence, honesty, or public spirit; and still the facts are indubitable; nay, these enormities seem to have been connived at, or totally overlooked, until many thousands of the Catholics were thus driven from that part of the country, and that it became necessary to find occupiers for the lands they had been obliged to aban