cence can make them now; and to these sentiments were "quickly added a redoubled energy, a tenfold activity of ex"ertion, which has already produced the happiest effects. The "organization of the capital is perfect! No vacancies existing, 66 arrangements have been made, and are still making, to se"cure for our oppressed brethren, whose trials approach, the "benefit of legal defence; and the sentinels whom you have

appointed to watch over your interests stand firm at their "posts, vigilant of events, and prompt to give you notice and "advice, which, on every occasion at all requiring it, rely on "receiving. This recital, Irishmen, is meant to guard those of 66 you who are remote from the scene of the late events, against "the consequences of misrepresentation and mistake. The "most unfounded rumours have been set afloat, fabricated for "the double purpose of delusion and intimidation. Your ene"mies talk of treachery, in the vain and fallacious hope of "creating it; but you, who scorn equally to be their dupes or "their slaves, will meet their forgeries with dignified contempt, "incapable of being either goaded into untimely violence, or "sunk into pusilanimous despondency. Be firm, Irishmen"but be cool and cautious; be patient yet a-while; trust to no "unauthorised communications; and above all, we warn you"again and again we warn you-against doing the work of "your tyrants, by premature, by partial, or divided exertion. "If Ireland shall be forced to throw away the scabbard, let it "be at her own time, not at theirs."

Meantime the military committee had digested a plan of insurrection which was to take place on the twenty-third of May. It was intended to seize Dublin, the camp at Laughlinstown, and the station of artillery at Chapelizod, on that night; in which the United in the counties of Dublin, Wicklow, and Kildare were to act; and the rebellion being thus commenced in the metropolis and its vicinity, the north and south were to rise immediately on the detention of the mail coaches. Government, however, were exceedingly active in precautionary steps —On the twenty-eighth of February, Arthar O'Connor, James Quigley, John Binns, and two others, were arrested at Margate, while preparing to depart for France in order to hasten the intended invasion. Great quantities of pikes were

every night discovered and seized by the activity of the magistrates in the metropolis. The lord lieutenant, on the thirtieth of March, issued a proclamation, commanding his majesty's military officers to employ the forces with the utmost vigour and decision. The inhabitants of Dublin were required to give in lists of all strangers who resided in their houses, many of the disaffected having fled thither from all parts of the kingdom, to secrete themselves from the arm of justice. On the tenth and eleventh of May, justice Swan, town-major Sirr, and Captain Ryan, seized five hundred pike handles and five pieces of cannon; and on the twelfth, Swan seized a large quantity of arms in a house on the custom-house quay. On the thirteenth and fourteenth, four pieces of cannon and a swivel were taken; and on the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth, immense quantities of arms of various descriptions, but chiefly pikes.

Lord Edward Fitzgerald having absconded since the twelfth of March, and government having received undoubted intelligence that he was principal leader of the conspiracy, very just apprehensions were entertained, that wherever he might be, he was labouring with assiduity to forward the views of the conspiracy. Lord Edward had served during part of the American war in his majesty's forces, and was distinguished by his daring and intrepid courage, honour, humanity, candour, soldier-like deportment, and above all, by his superior knowledge of military affairs. At the conclusion of the war he retired on the half-pay list, but again entering into the service, he was promoted to the majority of the fifty-fourth regiment. On the return of his regiment to England, his lordship proceeded to Paris, in the beginning of the year seventeen hundred and ninety-two, where he imbibed principles of a highly republican cast, the too open and candid avowal of which induced the ministry to dismiss him from the service; as a man unworthy of the trust reposed in him. During his residence in France, his lordship married a lady of the royal blood of the Capets, daughter of the last duke of Orleans, who contributed to inspire him with revolutionary ideas. As lord Edward was eminently qualified for the excitement and direction of rebellious commotions, government on the eleventh of May had issued a proclamation, offering one thousand pounds for his apprehen

sion; and in consequence received intelligence on the eighteenth that he would that night pass through Watling-street, preceded by a chosen band of insurgents as an advanced guard, and that he would be accompanied by another. Major Sirr accordingly repaired to Watling-strect, attended by captain Ryan and Mr. Emerson, together with a body of soldiers in coloured clothes; and having met the party preceding lord Edward, attacked and put them to flight, taking one of their body prisoner. Next day Sirr, captain Ryan, and justice Swan, with eight soldiers disguised, proceeded to the house of a Mr. Murphy, merchant, in Thomas-street, where they were informed his lordship himself was concealed. While they were disposing the soldiers so as to prevent an escape, Swan perceiving a woman run hastily up stairs, followed her with precipitation, and rushing into an apartment, found lord Edward reclining upon a bed; whom he instantly informed that he had a warrant against him, and that it would be vain to make resistance, but at the same time assured him he would be treated with the utmost respect. His lordship, however, so far from surrendering, instantly sprung from the bed, and endeavoured to force his escape with a courage deserving of a better fate. His pistol having missed fire at Mr. Swan, the only weapon left him was a dagger, with which he closed with his adversary, and inflicted on him many wounds, particularly a deep and dangerous one under the ribs, which bled profusely. At that instant captain Ryan entered; and having missed fire at Lord Edward with a pocket pistol, made a lunge at him with a sword cane, which bent on his ribe. The pain of the slight wound, however, was such as to make him fall on the bed, where captain Ryan threw himself above him; and during the scuffle that ensued, the captain received a plunge of his lordship's dagger in the side; after which they both fell to the ground, where Ryan received many desperate wounds, especially one in the lower part of his belly, so large that his bowels fell out on the floor. Notwithstanding this d plorable situation to which these two gentlemen were reduced, they continued to hold his lordship by the legs; and to impede his progress towards the door, whither he was advancing, when Sirr entered the room; to whom he surrendered himself, after re

ceiving a mortal wound in the shoulder from the major's pistol; of which he expired in great agony on the third of June.

Several papers found in lord Edward's possession at the time of his arrest, betrayed the nature and extent of the intended insurrection; and contained a plan for the capture of Dublin. In his lodgings at Mr. Murphy's were also found a green uniform, turned up with black, and a curious cap of the same materials, in which he meant to have been drest when he headed the insurrection; together with the official seal* of the Irish union.

One of these papers, found in lord Edward's writing box, the plan for defeating the king's troops at the intended attack of the insurgents upon Dublin, contains observations so judicious, and appears so well adapted to answer the purpose for which it was intended, that we have given it to our readers entire.

COPY OF A PAPER FOUND IN THE WRITING-BOX OF LORD EDWARD FITZGERALD.

"If ever any unfortunate cause should put our city, with the other parts of the country, into the possession of a cruel and tyrannical enemy, whose government, by repeated oppressions, might drive us into the last stage of desperate resistance, our conduct then should be regulated in a manner best calculated for obtaining victory.

The following thoughts are humbly offered for the inspection of every real Irishman.

"It is supposed that the enemy have a well-appointed and disciplined standing army,—

"In such a case, every man ought to consider how that army could be attacked or repelled, and what advantage their

We have not been able to procure a description of this seal. The following is that of the secretaries of the united society of Dublin: A harp; at the top, " I am new strung;" at the bottom, "I will be heard ;" and on the exergue, "Society of United Irishmen of Dublin.”

discipline and numbers might give them in a populous city, act ing in concert with the adjoining counties.

"It is well known, that an officer of any skill in his profes sion, would be very cautious of bringing the best-disciplined troops into a large city in a state of insurrection, for the follow ing reasons:

"His troops, by the breadth of the streets, are obliged to have a very narrow front; and however numerous, only three men deep can come into action, which in the widest of our streets, cannot be more than sixty men, as a space must be left on each side or flank for the men who discharge to retreat to the rear, that their places may be occupied by the next in succession who are loaded; so, though there are a thousand men in a street, not more than sixty can act at one time; and should they be attacked by an irregular body armed with pikes, or such bold weapons, if the sixty men in front were defeated, the whole body, however numerous, are unable to assist, and immediately become a small mob in uniform, from the inferiority of number in comparison to the people, and easily disposed of.

"Another inconvenience might destroy the order of this army. Perhaps at the same moment, they may be dreadfully galled from the house tops, by showers of bricks, coping-stones, &c. which may be at hand; without imitating the women of Paris, who carried the stones of the unpaved streets to the windows and tops of the houses in their aprons.

"Another disadvantage on the part of the soldiers would be, as they are regulated by the word of command, or stroke of the drum, they must be left to their individual discretion, as such communications must be drowned in the noise and clamour of a popular tumult.

"In the next place, that part of the populace who could not get into the engagement, would be employed in unpaving the streets, so as to impede the movements of horse or artillery; and in the avenues where the army were likely to pass, numbers would be engaged in forming barriers of hogsheads, carts, cars, counters, doors, &c. the forcing of which barriers by the army would be disputed, while like ones were forming at every twenty or thirty yards, or any convenient distances situation might require. Should such precautions be well observed, the progress

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