It has been

cannot allow to remain uncontradicted. said that my father was a low-born and needy adventurer; therefore I have thought it incumbent on me to show that he was well connected, and closely related to the first families in Ireland; and that, up to January, 1798, he was living in ease, affluence, and respectability. The history of Mr. Warren, and the circumstances related in the preceding chapters, are indispensable to the right understanding of what follows, especially on the trials of the rebels.

I have mentioned names enough to prove my statements; and I now publicly call upon my father's defamers to gainsay, if they can, one syllable of what I have here advanced. I have documentary evidence to prove the whole of my statements, and Mr. and Mrs. Heavyside, as well as many other persons, are living, and can contradict me if I have advanced anything that is not correct.

CHAPTER III.

Rise and Progress of the United Irish Society-The real Designs of the Founders as expressed by Theobald Wolfe Tone-Rapid Growth of the Society in Ulster-Samuel Neilson edites the Northern Star-Archibald Hamilton Rowan imprisoned-Organization of the Society-The Initiatory Oath-The Honourable Simon Butler and Mr. Oliver Bond fined and imprisoned - The Convention Bill passed - The Societies continue to increase-Overtures from France-Rev. W. Jackson found guilty of High Treason-takes Poison-The Test undergoes a changeThe Defenders join the Society-Mr. Tone goes to America—whence he is induced to proceed to France-His Negociations-Military Organization of the United Irish Society begun in Ulster-The Insurrection Act-Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act-Yeomanry Force established Bantry Bay Expedition-The Society degenerates into Defenderism-Greatly checked in the Summer of 1797-Re-organized in the Autumn-The Union Star-The Press Newspaper, edited by Mr. Arthur O'Connor-The Societies increase greatly-Defeat of the Dutch Fleet by Admiral Duncan.

1791 to 1797.

HAVING thus brought down the principal events of my father's life to the end of the year 1797, at which time he became more intimately connected with the United Irish Society, I must now go back a few years in my narrative, in order to give an account of the rise and progress of that association, which, as Mr. Theobald Wolfe Tone says, "commenced a new epoch in the politics of Ireland."

The first club of United Irishmen was formed at

Belfast on the 14th of October, 1791, by Theobald Wolfe Tone, aided by his friend Thomas Russell· The avowed object was to form a union of all parties in Ireland, whether Protestant of the Established Church, Protestant Dissenter, or Roman Catholic, for the purpose of obtaining, by their joint endeavours, the entire emancipation of the Catholics, and a reform of the Irish House of Commons. The first club consisted of thirtysix members.

The Honourable Simon Butler was chairman, and Mr. James Napper Tandy secretary. Among the members were Keogh, William Sinclair, Samuel Neilson, M'Cabe, and the two brothers Sims. On the 9th of November following a similar club was formed in Dublin, which adopted the resolution which had received the approbation of the parent society in Belfast, that "We have no national government."

But though the avowed object was thus in harmony with the laws, and though doubtless the greater number of the members contemplated nothing beyond what was strictly legal, I feel it necessary to state, and to prove beyond the possibility of doubt, that, from the first hour the society was established, the founders had very different views, and that emancipation and reform were merely pretexts put forward to entice men to join their standard. Mr. Tone himself shall furnish the proof of this. He says that "in 1789 he made a discovery that the influence of England was the radical vice of the Irish government, and consequently that Ireland would never be either free, prosperous, or happy, until she was independent, and that independence was unat

tainable whilst the connexion with England existed ;” and he adds that "that theory had ever since directed his political conduct."* Again, speaking of his friend Mr. Whitely Stokes, he says, "The tenderness and humanity of his disposition is such that he recoils from any measures to be attempted for the emancipation of Ireland which may terminate in blood; in this respect I have not the virtue to imitate him." A month or two before the formation of the club in Belfast, he says, "To subvert the tyranny of our execrable government, to break the connexion with England, the never-failing source of all our political evils, and to assert the independence of my country-these were my objects. To unite the whole people of Ireland, to abolish the memory of all past dissensions, and to substitute the common name of Irishmen, in place of the denominations of Protestant, Catholic, and Dissenter-these were my means."‡ "In another place he says, "My object was to secure the independence of my country under any form of government, to which I was led by a hatred of England so deeply rooted in my nature, that it was rather an instinct than a principle."§ Again he says, in another place, "In the year 1791, the Dissenters of Belfast formed the first club of United Irishmen, so called, because in that club, for the first time in Ireland, Dissenters and Catholics were seen together in harmony and union. A similar club was immediately

*Life of Theobald Wolfe Tone, vol. i. p. 32.

Ib. p. 51.

Ib. p. 41.

§ Ib. p. 55.

formed in Dublin, which became speedily famous for its publications, and the sufferings of its members. Means have been adopted to spread similar clubs throughout Ulster. Their object is to subvert the tyranny of England, to establish the independence of Ireland, and to frame a free republic on the broad basis of liberty and equality." These are precious documents, for which I have to thank Mr. William Tone,† but they do not stand alone; for it clearly appears, from the letter of Mr. Tone accompanying the original constitution, which he transmitted to Belfast for adoption, that, from its commencement, the real purpose of those who were at the head of this institution was to separate Ireland from Great Britain, and to subvert the established constitution of the kingdom. In that letter he says, "The foregoing contain my sincere opinion of the state of this country, so far as, in the present juncture, it may be advisable to publish it. They certainly fall short of the truth; but truth itself must sometimes condescend to temporize. My unalterable opinion is,

* Life of Theobald Wolfe Tone, vol. ii. p. 188.

+ Mr. William Theobald Wolfe Tone, in his comments on his father's writings, seems to have forgotten these positive declarations which he had just before transcribed; for he says, "The primitive object of the society was merely to form a union of all religious denominations, whose members, abjuring every former feud, should join their efforts to reform the abuses of the government and constitution of the country, and restore the rights of free and equal citizenship to Irishmen of every sect and religion "-(vol. i. p. 72); and, again, "He (Mr. Tone) only sought to obtain, without the struggles of a revolution, the gradual emancipation of his country by legal and constitutional means."—(vol. i. p. 74.)

See Appendix, No. 5.