we, the United Irishmen, impelled by a sense "of public duty, and sincere regard to the "rights of property, think fit to give you this

public caution, that no such fraudulent trans"action, consuming by anticipation the resources "and future revenues of the nation, will be "sufficient to stand good in the event of a "revolution and a free legislature; a fair and "solid bargain must have the sanction of due

authority: but this, as well as every other "loan or contract, now in agitation, is in itself "invalidated by the nefariousness of its object, "and the incompetency of the present parlia"ment to bind the nation by any act whatsoever,

as it is notorious to the whole world that it was named by the crown under the terrors of martial law; that there exists in it no freedom "of action-but that it is the bought base "instrument of supporting an exterminating "government and foreign dominion. After

46

this, let the dupes blame themselves."

Of a hand-bill distributed with design to obstruct the circulation of bank-notes, and termed a caution to the brethren, the following is an extract: "Those appointed by you to super"intend your interests, have from time to time "sent you such advice or information as they

were enabled, from reflection or enquiry, to "offer for your advantage and the general good. "Still actuated by the same principle of zeal

"and fidelity, they deem it their duty to caution "you against the immense quantity of bank"notes, which government is fabricating without "bounds. We need not tell you that the value of bank-note rests upon the credit of him who "issues it. And in our opinion, the issuer of "this paper is a bankrupt, who, in all likelihood, "must shortly shut up and run away. The pre

any

"sent convenience of circulation will be but poor "amends for the subsequent beggary and ruin "it will bring on the holders; for you know that "it will be waste-paper, and must stop some where, as soon as there is a burst, and that the

In

possessor (God help him) will be robbed of so "much property as he has taken it for."* consequence of this monition the members of the union, and those who were influenced by them, declined the acceptance of this paper money, and great inconvenience was felt in pecuniary transactions; but the circulation was forced, for the tender of bank-notes amounted to legal payment, the rejection of which cancelled the debt; and those who refused to part with their goods for money of this description, were liable to be heavily amerced by the quartering of soldiers on their houses.

Hand-bills also were employed to assist the emissaries in attempts to seduce the armyattempts which had commenced so early as the.

*Appendix to the report, &c. No. 28.

year 1792, but which were, by the active circumspection of government, particularly that most wise measure of augmenting the pay of the military, rendered abortive. Of one of these distributed papers, signed Shamroc, dated the 27th of March, 1798, and addressed from Westmeath to the soldiers of Ireland, calculated to interest the feelings of these men, the following is an extract. "My countrymen, what <" can you say when you hear of scenes of blood: acting on the spot where your native hamlets once stood, but now no more: their owners, your friends, either sent to seek repose in the grave by the hands of these villainous Orange "murderers, or immured in the damp and dreary dungeons of the bastiles of this country:

pining in chill despondency, waiting for a "trial seldom obtained, and when obtained,

acquitted, after years of dreary solitary con"finement!! Some hurried on board prisonships-some actually transported to the set"tlements on the coast of Africa-others sent "to serve in the West Indies, certain victims to "the climate, or left to rot, chained in the hold "of a filthy coasting vessel! Your wives despoiled to gratify the insatiable lust of "these ravishers!-And these scenes, my countrymen, suffered to go unpunished by those "in power, whom you protect; to whose "frowns your array adds terror; to whom you

give your support: for unless you please, they "vanish; without your protection these despots "fall-these desolators, that each day refine on "such bloody deeds, would perish, and your "country be free. My brave countrymen do "not let the world call us dastards: no, let us "shew the world we are men, and, above all, that we are Irishmen. Let every man among

you feel the injuries your country, yourselves "have suffered; the insults you have received, "the stripes that have been dealt with an un"merciful hand on those brave comrades who "dared to think and feel for their country"If you do, the glorious work will be complete, "and in the union of the citizen and his brave

fellow-soldier, the world (hitherto taught to "look down upon us with contempt) will see "that we can emancipate our country; we will "convince surrounding nations that Irish sol"dièrs have avowed and adopted a maxim they "will maintain, or perish-namely, that every

man should be a soldier in defence of his liberty, "but none to take away the liberty of others."*

While every engine of internal opposition against government was put in motion, the Irish directory maintained a constant intercourse with the French, whose aid for the accomplishment of the revolution was earnestly solicited. After several more early communications between the

* Appendix to the report, &c. No. 30.

leading members of the union and those of the French government, by the medium of some Irish fugitives at Paris, a formal intimation in 1796, as I have already mentioned, was given by one of those fugitives, supposed to be Theobald Wolfe Tone, that, on a representation of the state affairs, the French directory had come to a resolution to send a. force into Ireland, for the purpose of co-operating with that of the conspirators. Acquiescing in this proposal, after an extraordinary meeting for its consideration, the chiefs of the conspiracy sent with this advice a messenger, said to be Lord Edward Fitzgerald, who, accompanied by Arthur O'Con nor, went by Hamburgh to Switzerland, where near the French frontier, he met Hoche, the French general, and is thought to have there concerted with him the plan of operation. In the October of the same year an accredited messenger arrived in Ireland from France, announcing the design of invasion with an army of fifteen thousand men, which was attempted near the end of the following December, in the abortive expedition to the bay of Bantry. To solicit the assistance of another armament from France, which had been expected after the failure of the first, a confidential agent, named Lewins, was deputed, who, leaving London in March, 1797, and passing through Hamburgh, arrived about the end of May, in Paris, where