yeomanry forces, had been attacked with a view to difarm them, and that the growing timber of the country had been clandeftinely cut down and conveyed away, for the fabrication of pikes and other offenfive weapons. It is further ftated, that the exertions of the civil power had proved ineffectual for the fuppreflion of the confpiracy, and for the protection of the lives and properties of his Majefty's faithful fubjects; and that it was now become neceffary to employ the mili tary force; that orders had therefore been iflued to all officers commanding his Majefty's troops, to oppofe, with their full power, all fuch as fhould obstruct them in the execution of their duty. The proclamation concludes with an offer of pardon to ali fuch perfons as had joined the treasonable focieties, on returning to their allegiance, excepting only fuch as had been guilty of murder, confpiracy of murder, burglary, burning of houses, or other acts of plunder and devaitation.

The determined fpirit difcovered in this proclamation, was fo far from intimidating the united inen, that they, on the contrary, proceeded with redoubled vigour. The concealed arms were flowly difcovered, and with difficulty, fince there does not appear to have been any general depot of hoftile weapons; but each individual took care of his own. A plan being laid for a general infurrection throughout Uliter foon after this proclamation, a flight movement accordingly took place; but the main defign was fruftrated by the vigilance and activity of General Lake. Many of the leaders were compelled to fly, and fome were apprehended. From the examination of John Hughes, of Belfait, however, before the committee of Lords, it appears that the infurrection did not take place, because the majority of the counties in Uilter wère dilinclined to come forward, and the majority of the rebel Colonels were of opinion that it was imprudent to act at that period without foreign aid.

The affittance expected was at this time in a very forward itate of preparation.

The

The Irifh directory, in the month of July, received difpatches from their minifters at Paris, announcing that the armament, then fitting out in the Texel, was intended for Ireland. In confequence of this information, the approach of the invaders was announced at the provincial meetings, in which it was ftated, that the expedition was to proceed from two parts; that the French government had commanded their Admiral to proceed to fea as foon as the wind fhould be favourable, and fight the English; and that the Dutch admiral had received fimilar orders. With this view, the troops under the command of General Daendaels had actually embarked on board the fleet in the Texel; but, for what reafon it is uncertain, were fuddenly put on fhore. The Dutch fleet was afterwards ordered to put to fea, and, as we have fully related, was defeated by Admiral Duncan, off Camperdown.

When the negociation at Lifle had failed, the French government gave the ftrongeft affurances, to the fac tion in Ireland, of fpeedy and effectual fupport; and that they would never abandon the caufe of the Irish Union, or make peace with Great Britain, until the feparation of Ireland from that government should be effected.

Notwithstanding, however, of this apparent harmony, it has been afferted, that confiderable jealoufies. exifted between the Irifh faction and the French directory As is ufually the cafe, the ambition of the French uniformly encreafed with their fucceffes on the continent; and fome of the more profound politicians of the Irish faw, that the real object of the Gallic directory was, not to affift, but to fubdue them.

Lord Edward Fitzgerald, and others of the chiefs of the union, were defirous of a force, not exceeding ten thousand men, nor lefs than five, and about forty thoufand ftand of arms. The French, from a motive which they did not avow, refufed to fend a lefs force than 50,000 men. The plan recommended by Lord. Fitzgerald was that which was beft calculated to enfure

fuccefs,

fuccefs. It was to embark the troops in frigates, or other light failing veffels; not to fend them all in one fleet; and to land them on different parts of the coaft, in bodies fufficiently ftrong to make a ftand against any force that might eafily be collected; but not fo numerous as to require a fleet to convoy, or to occupy much time in their debarkation. Happily for the repofe of thefe kingdoms, the ambition, or mistaken politics of the French rulers led them to reject this plan, and to pursue measures which ended in the fruftration of the confpiracy, and the difappointment and overthrow of its abettors.

The winter of 1797 was thus allowed to pafs by the French government without a fingle effort to affift their Irish confederates; and thus the favourable and critical moment was fuffered to efcape. The Irish govern ment was now completely on its guard; and the vigilance and activity of the ministry took the most effectual measures to prevent a fimilar opportunity ever recurring.

The impetuofity of the Irish, and wearied out by the tardy proceedings of their French allies, perceiving that their opponents were encreafing in ftrength, feemed to have refolved upon a defperate effort, In the month of February, a military committee was appointed by the executive council of the infurgents; detailed inftructions were iffued by the Adjutant-generals; and thanks were voted to the feveral Colonels for their affiduity in embodying and organizing the people. In the mean time, the Irish executive prepared a dispatch for the French directory, preffing, in the moft earnest terms, for the promised fuccours; but it was found impracticable to get the difpatch conveyed. Though many of the united men were deprived by government of their arms, and though many timeoufly deserted the cause, yet the zeal and impatience of the people in fome districts, kept pace with the ardour of their leaders, and the urgency of their affairs. In the months of February and March, many parts of Leinster and Munfter

Munfter were in the actual poffeffion of the United Irifhmen, and other parts were fecretly under their controul.

The nocturnal infurrections were innumerable throughout the kingdon. In one inftance, an attack was made in the open day. The town of Cahir, in the county of Tipperary, was invefted by a party of 800 men, chiefly cavalry. It was retained in their poffeffion till a regular fearch was made for arms, and they were fuffered to evacuate the place without moleftation. We are forry to add, that. the acts of murder and barbarity committed on thefe occafions, were numerous; and fuch was the terror generally excited, that the report of the committee of the Irifh Commons, ftates, that numbers of the loyal inhabitants of Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, &c. had fled for fafety to the garrifon towns. The Irish government, juftly alarmed, therefore, at the progrefs of the confpiracy, on the 30th of March 1798, iffued a proclamation, stating, that the traitorous confpiracy, which had for fome time. exifted, had broken out into open acts of rebellion and barbarous exceffes; that, therefore, orders had been iffued to the officers commanding his Majefty's forces, to employ them with the utmoft vigour and decifion, for the immediate fuppreffion thereof; to endeavour to recover the arms which had been plundered, and to difarm the rebels, and all difaffected perfons, by the moft fummary and effectual means in their power.

When the proclamation was propofed, a generous and humane effort was made by the Earl of Moira, fupported by all thofe who were at once the friends of order and liberty, to reftore the tranquillity of the kingdom, by meafures of conciliation.

For this laudable purpofe, Lord Moira fubmitted a motion to the houfe of Lords, on the 19th of February, 1798.

In his fpeech, he repeated nearly the fame facts which he had ftated in his place in the British noufe of Peers. He related, "that many individuals had been

torn

torn from their families, and locked up for months in the clofeft confinement, without hearing by whom -they were accufed, with what crime they were charged, or to what means they were to recur to prove their innocence; that great numbers of houfes had been burned, with the whole property of the wretched owners, upon the loofeft fuppofition of even petty tranfgreffions; that torture, by which he meant picpueting and half-hanging, had been ufed in feveral places, in order to extort from the fufferer a charge against his neighbour. If he should be contradicted, with refpect to thefe facts, he profeffed himself prepared to produce the affidavits of them, and declared his intention of moving for the examination of the deponents at the bar of the house." After charging the British cabinet with all the evils in Ireland, which his Lordfhip confidered as confequences of the perverfe principles they had adopted for that country, his Lordihip proceeded, in trong terms, to recommend a conciliatory fyftem. "He allowed that confpiracies might exift, and that atrocities had been committed in the country ;-but," added Lord Moira, "have you not laws to reprefs those enormities? and if your ftatutes are not fufficiently , forcible for that purpose, why do you not apply to parliament for provifions better calculated to reprefs the mifchief? If there are delinquencies, there muit be delinquents. Prove their guilt and punish them; but do not, on a loofe charge of partial tranfgreffion, impose infliction on the whole community. The ftate of fociety is dreadful indeed, when the fafety of every man is at the mercy of a fecret informer, when the cupidity, the malevolence, or the erroneous fufpicions of an individual, are fufficient to deftroy his neighbour."

Lord Moira was decidedly for conceding to the catholics all the privileges of citizens; and he likewife ftrenuously contended for a parliamentary reform.

The Earl of Moira was anfwered by Lord Glentworth, who remarked that the motion appeared to him to be calculated to difhearten and difmay the loyal, and VOL. II.

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