and also a colonel in the rebel army. It was on the 25th of February, 1798, that Reynolds first communicated with a Mr. Cope on the business. At the persuasion of this gentleman, he disclosed to him, from time to time, the nature and extent of the conspiracy; and as a meeting of delegates for the province of Leinster was summoned for the 12th of March (1798) at the house of Mr. Oliver Bond, he also gave information of it to the government, through Mr. Cope. At the day and hour appointed for the meeting, the house of Mr. Bond was beset by the officers of justice; fourteen of the delegates were apprehended, with their secretary M'Can; at the same time Dr. M'Nevin, and counsellor Emmet, and some other active members of the society, were taken into custody. A warrant had been issued against lord Edward Fitzgerald, but he escaped, and remained undiscovered for upwards of two months in the city of Dublin. He was discovered, however, on the 19th of May (1798) at the house of one Murphy, a dealer in feathers, who resided near St. James's Gate. On the police officers entering the room, the unhappy nobleman made a desperate defence; he wounded two of the principal of them, Mr. justice Swan, and a captain Ryan, dangerously; and was himself so severely wounded, that he languished a few days only before he expired.

The seizure of the delegates was a death-blow to the schemes of the united Irishmen. A new directory was chosen, but they soon experienced the fate of the former; and, indeed, the rashness of their own conduct,

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in all probability, hastened the catastrophe. Their proceedings were developed and disclosed by another informer; this was a captain Armstrong, of the King's County militia, who had pretended to enter into the conspiracy with the intention of discovering their schemes, and betraying them to the government. It appears that a part of their plan was to gain over as many of his majesty's troops as possible to their side, and particularly of the militia regiments, previous to their making a general attack upon the royal camp of Loughlinstown. For this purpose, captain Armstrong appeared a fit instrument. He had been in the habit of frequenting the shop of a bookseller, of the name of Byrne, in Grafton-street, Dublin, who was generally regarded as one of the literary agents of the rebel faction. Among the leading members of the united Irishmen were two young barristers, of the name of Sheares, both men of excellent talents, and of unsullied reputation, and who had, both of them we believe, been elected members of the Irish executive after the arrest of the old members on the 12th of March (1798). To the acquaintance of these gentlemen Byrne proposed to introduce captain Armstrong, whom he had, from various conversations, been led to consider as a convert to their cause; and Armstrong had soon the address to insinuate himself completely into their confidence. It was on the 10th of May(1798) that Armstrong was introduced to the Sheares's, and, at that time, the affairs of the united Irishmen appeared to verge to

wards a crisis. From this man, and other agents, the government learned that "a general rising," as it was termed by them, of the people, must immediately take place; that the people began to be impatient from the criminal prosecutions; and that it was become necessary to make a home exertion, and relinquish the original plan of waiting for French succor. The whole of the united Irishmen throughout the kingdom, or at least throughout the province of Leinster, it appears, were to act at once in concert; and it was their intention to seize the camp of Loughlinstown, the artillery at Chapel-izod, and the castle of Dublin, in one night, the 23rd of May (1798). One hour was to be allowed between seizing the camp of Loughlinstown, and the artillery at Chapelizod, and one hour and a half between seizing the artillery and surprising the castle; and the parties who executed both of the external plans were to enter the city of Dublin at the same moment. The stopping of the mail coaches was to be the signal for the insurgents every where to commence their operations. It was also planned that a great insurrection should take place at Cork at the same time. The united men were, however, at this period, not exactly agreed as to the nature of the insurrection. Mr. S. Neilson, who had been peculiarly active in Belfast, and (as was intimated before) one of the proprietors of the Northern Star, with some others of the leaders, were bent upon attacking first the county gaol of Kilmainham, and the gaol of Newgate, in order to set their

comrades at liberty; and the project for attacking the latter was also fixed for the 23rd of May, the night of the general insurrection. The Sheares's, however, and others, were of a contrary opinion, and they wished to defer the attack of the gaols till after the general insurrection had taken place; and even threatened to give notice to government of the plot, if Neilson and his friends did not immediately desist.

Both plots were, however, completely frustrated. Messrs. John and Henry Sheares, with some others of the principal conspirators, were apprehended on the 21st of May (1798) and Mr. Neilson and others on the 23rd; the city and county of Dublin were proclaimed by the lord lieutenant and council in a state of insurrection; the guards at the castle, and all the great objects of attack were trebled; and, in fact, the whole city was converted into a garrison. Thus the rebels were unable to effect any thing by surprise; and without leaders, almost without arms or ammunition, the infatuated multitude adventured on the bloody contest.

END OF VOL. II.

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