the dominion of France, but it was offered to pay the expenses of the expedition. The number required was 10,000 men at the most, and at the least 5000. The executive inclined to the larger number; but even with the smaller, the general opinion among them was, there could be no doubt of success: as to the quantity of arms, by the first messenger 40,000 stand were specified, but by the second, as much more as could be sent; the difference arose from the disarming that had gone on in the north, and the increasing numbers who were ready to use them. The executive also instructed its agent to negociate for a loan of money, if it could be had in France; if not, to negociate with Spain; the sum was half a million. Ireland would infallibly become the seat of war, if they did not previously remove their grievances, the existence of which would naturally invite and prove a powerful auxiliary to the enemy. Such a rupture, it was observed, must be in the contemplation of the British cabinet, as several of its most leading members declared, that they considered the existence of the British monarchy incompatible with that of the Republic. Conciliation, then, according to every rule of policy and common sense, should be ultimately adopted: and though it should fall short of the wishes of the people, it was asserted, if once possessed of a reasonable share of liberty they would not be brought to run the chance of a revolution in order to obtain a more perfect system of freedom.

We have seen from the authority of the secret committee, that in the spring and summer of 1797, the mass of the people were not infected with the union in the provinces of Leinster, Munster and Connaught: and that in the north tranquillity was fast returning. It is well known, that the United Irishmen, who existed in the north, were chiefly Presbyterians and other Protestants; there were comparatively few Catholics amongst them: and henceforth it is observable, that although the rebellion or traitorous conspiracy, which had then been repeatedly reported and proclaimed to exist, was engendered, nurtured and established in the north, the heaviest consequences of it evidently fell upon other parts of the kingdom. The general coercion in which

In some places the sheriffs refused, in others they complied with the requisitions. An account of these proceedings in Dublin, Cork, and county of Kildare, may be seen in Appendix, No. ČVI. The like were had almost throughout the kingdom. Of this period Mr. Grattan has given the following picture. (Pet. W. C. p. 9.) "The effect this had on their minds is manifest "from a general resolution to bring home the crops of the persons so impri "soned; and the dispersal of the neighbours so assembled, added considerably to that effect, still further increased when they saw most of those suffer"ers either triumphantly acquitted, or without prosecution enlarged after having been seized in their town, torn from their families, led as traitors *through their counties, and for above a year confined in a gaol, and now car

"

the kingdom was holden during the spring of 1797, induced several counties, corporations and districts, to apply to the sheriffs and other legal officers to convene meetings, in order to prepare addresses to the throne for the removal of his majesty's ministers from his councils for ever. These efforts of the people at large were no measures of the United Irishmen; at least of such of them as at that time had any treasonable views in their engagement: for by far the greater part of the United Irishmen at that period had no criminal intent in acceding to the union. The real traitors would have been sorry that the ministers should have been changed; for they always considered them as promoters of their own views, by creating disaffection and discontent amongst the people: they exerted themselves in forwarding the resistance of the petitions of the people, and triumphed in their failure and rejection.

The business of the union did not proceed during the remainder of the year 1797, with the same rapidity that it had from the middle of the year 1796. For* as it appeared to the committee the steps then taken, as mentioned in the proclamation, had an almost immediate effect in repressing the audacity of the rebels and restoring tranquillity. The loyal inhabitants were enabled in many places to return in safety to their houses; murders be

"rying about in their own persons, the living evidence of a convicted government "and an expired constitution.

દરે

"To this oppression we submit to his majesty the dispersal or prevention of county meetings, called for the purpose of addressing the king to remove his ministers.

"The people of Ireland had been greatly misrepresented; they were neither "slaves nor rebels; the powers of understanding, or of mental energy, had in "some degree passed from the highest to the middle order, who had rescued "their liberty from the parliament of Great Britain, and would not be cheated "out of it by the parliament of Ireland. They were not to be put down by "venality, nor to be divided by religion; nor to be barked out of their free"dom by the senseless cry and forked tongue of his ministers.

"That minister who determines to enslave the people, must renounce bis "project, or wade through their blood. The people accordingly in the spring "of 1797, resorted to the constitutional ways of petition, and applied to the "different sheriffs to summon their counties, and on refusal by the sheriff, (a "dangerous courtly artifice to stop the prayers of the people from reaching the "throne) they summoned themselves. What was the consequence? The pe"titioners were (we beg to represent to his majesty) confounded with rebels, "and the enemies of his ministers were represented as the enemies of his per"son; the petitioners were answered by fresh troops from England and Scot"land; in some instances the meetings were dispersed by the army, and in

others, were deterred by the threat of military force; and thus did his "majesty's ministers ratify the justice of the petitions against them, by add"ing this great and impeachable offence to all their other trangressions; and "thus did his majesty's ministers reduce Ireland to the state of a miserable "province, whose ministers had stopped totally and absolutely the utterance of the "people in parliament by corruption, in the nation by a convention bill, and in the counties by the army."

* 17 Jour. Com. Appendix D,CCC,XXXIII.

came less frequent; in many counties, particularly in Kildare and Tipperary, the people, sensible of the madness and wickedness of their conduct, began openly to acknowledge their crimes, surrender their arms, and point out their leaders and seducers; a submission which invariably obtained for them pardon and protection.

In April and the begining of May, the delusion of the people was so fast and so widely yielding to the measures of government, which, while they treated with severity the obstinate guilty, in all cases held forth mercy to the repentant, that the leaders of the treason both in Dublin and in the provinces began to perceive, that their cause was losing ground.

After various adjournments, during which no business of moment was transacted, on the 3d of July, 1797, the commons were summoned to attend his excellency in the House of Peers, when the royal assent was given to several bills, and his excellency after a long speech appropriate to the alarming circumstances of the

* The following was his Excellency's speech. "MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

" I HAVE the satisfaction of being at length enabled to relieve "you from your laborious attendance in parliament, and am commanded by "his majesty to express the just sense he entertains of that firm temper and vigorous determination, which you have uniformly manifested in "supporting his majesty's government and protecting our happy constitution "from the attempts of every foreign and domestic enemy.

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"I have much pleasure in announcing to you, that the British parliament "has passed acts for abolishing the bounty on sail cloth exported to Ireland, "and for prohibiting the importations of cambrick from all countries except "this kingdom.

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"GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

"I am to thank you in his majesty's name for your unanimity in " voting the extraordinary supplies which the public exigencies demanded. "However unprecedented those supplies might have been in extent, and how"ever difficult they may have been rendered from the state of public credit, you "have wisely attended to the superior consideration of national safety. Such an exertion is the surest proof that you are truly sensible of the invaluable "blessings which we are contending to preserve, and that the best means of "effecting an honourable peace, and of restoring all the comforts of tranquil. lity, are by displaying at once your determination and your power, and by "convincing your enemies of the extent of your resources as well as of the "extent of your courage.

"The ready assistance which has been received from the sister kingdom in "facilitating the loan of the year, whilst it is a sure demonstration of her "friendly cordiality, cannot fail to shew how inseparable are the mutual inte"rests of the two kingdoms, and how necessary their connexion is for their "mutual prosperity.

"Your humanity in directing your attention to the present distress among "the manufacturers, does not less command my approbation than your "prudence in the mode of conveying relief by increasing the means of their "employment.

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

"The powers with which you entrusted me by the suspension of "the habeas corpus act, have enabled me to bring to light and to disconcert "the formidable and secret conspiracy, which had been formed for the total

country, prorogued the parliament to the 10th of August; which was afterwards dissolved by proclamation on the 11th of July, 1797.

On the 22d of June, 1797, a proclamation had been issued,

"overthrow of your establishments, the destruction of property, and the disso. "lution of government. This conspiracy has been so fully unfolded by your "wisdom, that it can no longer spread itself under the insidious pretence "which it had artfully assumed, of improving the constitution. In the mea"sures, whether of vigilance or of coercion, which you have recommended "for its extinction, I shall not relax. It will be my study to temper the ne "cessary acts of severity and rigor, by conciliatory offers of clemency and "pardon, to exhort the infatuated and deluded to abandon their deceivers, and "to summon the guilty to repentance, but at the same time it is and will be "my fixed purpose to proceed with vigour against those, who, regardless of "every warning and admonition, shall continue their desperate efforts to in"volve this flourishing country in all the horrors of insurrection and invasion, * of bloodshed and of anarchy.

"I have already the satisfaction to acquaint you, that great numbers who " had been unfortunately seduced have returned to a sense of duty and been "admitted to his majesty's clemency, and I trust that by perseverance and "energy every vestige of disaffection will be effaced, and universally give way to the return of that spirit of loyalty, which has so long been the dis"tinguishing characteristic of this kingdom.

"I cannot omit to congratulate with you on the unimpaired lustre of that "spirit, which so conspicuously shone forth when the enemy's fleet appeared 26 on our coasts, nor can I too often repeat my full sense of your wisdom in the "establishment of district corps. I have the most satisfactory accounts of "their improvements in discipline as well as of their exertions in quelling and "preventing insurrection, and I have myself witnessed the unexampled exer"❝tions, good conduct, and military appearance of the corps of the metropolis, "whose unceasing and unwearied vigilance at a most important crisis, check"ed every attempt to produce confusion by riot and tumult, at the same time "that it destroyed the hopes of our enemies, and restored confidence to the "country in general.

"Your judicious augmentation of pay to his majesty's regular and militia "forces, which must render their situation so highly comfortable, is at once a "seasonable and honourable acknowledgment of their steadiness and loyalty, "The traitorous efforts which have been made to entice them from their "allegiance have had a fatal effect in a few lamentable examples. I trust, "however, they have excited in the minds of others so timely a repentance, "and in the rest such indignation and abhorrence, that in future no danger " can be apprehended.

"Your wise institution of a sinking fund, in the midst of financial difficulties, "cannot be too much applauded, and will prevent any ruinous depreciation of "funded stock, and being established before the national debt has accumulated "to any oppressive magnitude, will tend to prevent its becoming dangerous. "A measure so truly calculated for preserving the resources of the state "and supporting public credit, must secure to you the gratitude of an enlightened people.

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"His majesty is exerting every proper effort to produce a speedy snd secure 66 peace. It will be our duty to assist those efforts by convincing our enemies, "from the state of our preparation and the unamity of our spirit, that they "6 can hope for no advantage by prolonging the calamities of war.

"Wherever your abilities, your influence and exertions, can be most advan "tageously employed on your return to your several counties, I am confident they will be most conspicuously displayed. A constant intercourse with your immediate neighbourhoods must give you an opportunity of affording

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for extending the time for the United Irishmen to come in and take the oaths of allegiance to the 24th of July. The result of the summer circuits was unsatisfactory both to government and to the people. An unusual number of offenders at all the assizes were found guilty: but in the northern counties, where many had been confined for the greater part of the year upon the charge of being United Irishmen, they were mostly acquitted when brought to trial. Such was the case at Antrim. For after several of them had been put on their trial and acquitted, Mr. Marcus Beresford produced a warrant filled with the names of all the prisoners and several other obnoxious persons charged with high treason, by virtue of which the commission of gaol delivery was superseded, and those unfortunate wretches, who with a fond hope had looked up to their day of trial as that of their delivery, were remanded back to prison without any trial, and thence removed to a military prison in Belfast. The illegality of such detention in military confinement was declared by the king's bench in the next Michaelmas term.*

"to the people both assistance and example, of reclaiming thereby the de"luded and ill-disposed, and confirming the well affected in their fidelity and

allegiance. A forward spirit of loyalty, which in most parts of the king"dom has successfully checked the progress of treason, will be strengthened "and diffused by your presence and exertions. It will be my ambition to se"cond your activity and zeal, and to co-operate with your efforts for restor"ing the tranquillity and prosperity of the kingdom.

"We have a common and sacred cause to defend, the independence and constitution of Great Britain and Ireland, from which both kingdoms have "derived innumerable blessings under his majesty's auspicious reign. They "were purchased by the dearest blood of your ancestors in a crisis not less "formidable than the present; I trust we shall not fail to imitate their great example, and that we shall be enabled by similar courage and continued "firmness to transmit to posterity inviolable, that invaluable inheritance which "their valor rescued and their perseverance preserved.

In B. R. 20th Nov. 1797: Proceedings in the case of Thomas Huson, and eleven other prisoners who had been brought up by Habeas Corpus from the artillery barracks at Belfast, to have the legality of their detention by general Lake and colonel Barber examined by the court.

The return of the writ of Habeas was made by general Lake, who had the prisoner, Thomas Huson, in custody, and was in substance," that he held the body of the prisoner by virtue of a warrant under the hand and seal of his "excellency the lord lieutenant, directed to him (general Lake) to colonel "Barber and all other his majesty's officers, civil and military." A copy of which warrant was annexed to the writ.

The copy of the warrant was read, which was directed as above, and stated that," whereas information had been received by his excellency, that Thomas "Huson had been concerned in treasonable practices, that warrant therefore "was to authorize the said, &c. to arrest him the said Thomas Huson, wherever "he might be found, and to hold him in safe custody until discharged by "due course of law, &c. (signed) Camden."

Mr. Emmet, as counsel for the prisoners, submitted to the court, it was his duty to move, that the prisoners at the bar be discharged and if the court should think, on the arguments which he should offer, that they ought not to discharge the prisoners, he would then move, that they be admitted to bail.