the insurgents, and armed with a pike. This happened even to some gentlemen of rank and character. The first check which the rebels experienced was from Mr. Edward Wilson, a police magistrate, who, at the head of only eleven men, had the courage to approach the scene of insurrection. He had hardly arrived at the spot, before he found his little party surrounded by a body of nearly three hundred pikemen. Undismayed by their hostile appearance, he called upon them to lay down their arms, or he would fire. The rebels appeared somewhat confused, but one of them, bolder than the rest, advanced, and with his pike wounded Mr. Wilson in the belly, but was instantly shot dead by the wounded magistrate. The fire from his men threw the rest of the body of assailants into some confusion, but they presently opened to the right and left, to make way for such of their party as had firearms, when Mr. Wilson thought it prudent to retreat towards the Coombe. The rebels soon after met with a more formidable assailant in Lieutenant Brady, of the 21st Fusileers; who, at the head of only forty men, had the gallantry to advance to the attack. He subdivided his little force into smaller parties, and, though assailed by bottles and stones from the houses, and with shot from the alleys and entries, kept up so warm and well-directed a fire that the insurgents, numerous as they were, soon fled in different directions. Lieutenant Coltman, of the 9th regiment of foot, also, at the head of only four men of his own regiment, and some yeomanry of the Barrack division in coloured clothes, in all but twenty-eight, hastened to the scene of action, and was successful in dispersing the mob, and securing some of the most desperate of the offenders.

"The military now poured in from all quarters; the rebels were routed with considerable slaughter, and, before twelve, the insurrection was completely quelled."

The brief and sanguinary affray, which was detailed fully in the evidence given on the trial of the chief conspirator, we think will bear us out in opinions already freely expressed, regarding the incompetency of the leaders, and the general inefficiency of an Irish mob.* More was in Emmet's favour than he was entitled to have expected. The government, although rumour was rife with alarm, had turned a deaf ear to every attempt to awake it from its culpable security. The de tective police of that day-a crew of mercenary bloodhounds-shewed, that within the very heart of a city treasonable plans could be matured, and not a functionary suspect it. To stimulate Sirr and his myrmidons to exertion, crime was not to be prevented, but committed, and a regular price must first be placed upon the offender. The apathy

*❝In general, the Irish are rather impetuously brave than steadily persevering; their onsets are furious and their retreats precipitate, but even death has for them no terrors, when they firmly believe that their cause is meritorious. Though exquisitely artful in the stratagems of warfare, yet, when actually in battle, their discretion vanishes before their impetuosity; and, the most gregarious people under heaven, they rush forward in a crowd with tumultuous ardour, and without foresight or reflection, whether they are advancing to destruction or to victory."—Barrington.

of the government and the imbecility of the conspiracy were worthy of each other. On the night of the 23rd of July, one hundred determined men, by a well-arranged coup-de-main, might have easily obtained possession of the castle.

Even with that success, twelve hours would have ended the treasonable triumph. More blood might have been shed-but the end would have been the same, and by noon next day the insurrection would have terminated as it had commenced-in slaughter.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

TRIAL, CONVICTION, AND EXECUTION OF ROBERT EMMET.

FAVOURED by the darkness of the night, Emmet, and a few followers, contrived to escape from the city, and headed to that haunt of outlawed and desperate malefactors, the mountain range of Wicklow. For better security, the party separated, each adopting the best means within his power to evade the now uplifted hand of outraged justice. Emmet, it was said, might possibly have quitted the country in a fishing boat, but his wild attachment to a daughter of the celebrated Curran induced him to return to the metropolis, and seek a parting interview with his mistress. None but a madman would have risked the dangerous experiment-but Emmet appears to have been influenced in all his actions by the wildest impulse, and, accordingly, he regained the city safely, and again took up his quarters in his old concealment, Harold's cross. On the 25th of August, he was arrested by Major Sirr, and a special commission immediately issued-Lord Norbury, with Barons George and Daly, presiding.

"It opened, on the 31st of August, with the trial of Edward Kearney, a calenderer, who was proved, on the testimony of M'Cabe, an accomplice, and others, not only to have been active in organizing the conspiracy, but to have been actively engaged in the insurrection of the 23rd July; having been one of the first who was apprehended by the party commanded by Lieutenant Brady. His trial was followed, on the 1st of September, by that of Thomas Maxwell Roche, an old man of about seventy. Both were found guilty, and were executed in Thomas-street, the scene of their criminality-Kearney on the first, and Roche on the following day: both acknowledged the justice of their sentence. Several other prisoners of inferior note were afterwards tried and executed, all of whom died penitent. In particular, Henry Howley, who had shot one of the police-officers who attempted to apprehend him, addressed the multitude in a pathetic exhortation, exclaiming "Good people, pray for me: and pray that I may be forgiven my sins, which I heartily repent of. Good people, you see to what a situation I am brought by my own folly, and by bad advisers. Good people, love each other, and forget all animosities; relinquish your foolish pursuits, which, if you continue to follow, will, in the end, bring you to the situation in which I now stand!' He confessed that he had, with his own hand, murdered Colonel Browne, on the night of the rebellion. He appeared fully sensible of the enormity of the crime, as well as of that of the murder of John Hanlon, the Tower-keeper, and exhibited an appearance of the deepest remorse. His whole conduct, indeed,

excited a degree of compassion which it required the full recollection of his crimes to overcome.'

On Monday, the 19th Sept., Emmet was formally arraigned. The Attorney-General opened the indictment, charging him with compassing the deposition and death of the king, and conspiring to levy war against the king, within the said king's realm. Emmet pleaded, in a firm, manly tone, "Not guilty."

"Mr. Rawlings deposed to a knowledge of the prisoner, with whom he had held political conversations; and Mr. Tyrrel proved the purchase of the house in Butterfield-lane by Emmet, under an assumed

name.

"John Fleming deposed, that on the 23rd of July, and for the year previous, he had been hostler at the White Bull Inn, Thomas-street, kept by a person named Dillon. The house was convenient to Masslane, where the rebel depôt was, and to which the witness had free and constant access; having been in the confidence of the conspirators, and employed to bring them ammunition and other things. He saw the persons there making pike-handles, and heading them with the iron part; he also saw the blunderbusses, firelocks, and pistols in the depôt, and saw ball-cartridges making there. Here the witness identified the prisoner at the bar, whom he saw in the depôt for the first time, on the Tuesday morning after the explosion in Patrick-street. The witness had opened the gate of the inn yard, which opened into Mass-lane, to let out Quigley, when he saw the prisoner, accompanied by a person of the name of Palmer; the latter got some sacks from the witness to convey ammunition to the stores; and the prisoner went into the depôt, where he continued almost constantly until the evening of the 23rd July, directing the preparations for the insurrection, and having the chief authority. He heard the prisoner read a little sketch, as the witness called it, purporting, that every officer, non-commissioned officer, and private, should have equally every thing they got, and have the same laws as in France. Being asked what it was they were to share, the prisoner replied, what they got when they were to take Ireland or Dublin.' He saw green uniform jackets making in the depôt by different tailors, one of whom was named Colgan. He saw one uniform in particular, a green coat, laced on the sleeves and skirts, &c., and with gold epaulettes, like a gentleman's dress. He saw the prisoner take it out of a desk one day, and shew it to all present. Here the witness identified the desk, which was in the court. also saw the prisoner, at different times, take out papers, and put papers into the desk. There was none other in the store. Quigley also used sometimes to go to the desk. On the evening of the 23rd July, witness saw the prisoner dressed in the uniform above described, with white waistcoat and pantaloons, new boots, and cocked hat and white feather. He had also a sash on him, and was armed with a sword and case of pistols. The prisoner called for a big coat (but did not get it) to disguise his uniform, as he said, until he went to the party that was to attack the castle. Quigley, and a person named Stafford, had uniforms like that of Emmet, but they had only one

He

epaulette. Quigley wore a white feather, and Stafford a green one. Stafford was a baker in Thomas-street. About nine o'clock the prisoner drew his sword, and called out, Come on, boys.' He sallied out of the depôt, accompanied by Quigley and Stafford, and about fifty men, as well as the witness could judge, armed with pikes, blunderbusses, pistols, &c. They entered Dirty-lane, and went from thence into Thomas-street. The prisoner was in the centre of the party. They began to fire in Dirty-lane, and also when they got into Thomasstreet. The witness was with the party. The prisoner went, in the stores, by the name of Ellis. He was considered by all of them as the general and head of the business; the witness heard him called by the title of general. In and out of the depôt it was said they were preparing to assist the French, when they should land. Quigley went in the depôt by the name of Graham."

"Terence Colgan (the tailor named in the foregoing evidence), being sworn, deposed, that on the Sunday previous to the insurrection, he came to town from Lucan, where he lived; and having met with a friend, they went to Dillon's, the White Bull Inn, in Thomas-street, and drank, until the witness, overcome with liquor, fell asleep, when he was conveyed, in this state of insensibility, into the depôt in Masslane; and when he awoke the next morning, he was set to work, making green jackets and white pantaloons. He saw the prisoner there, by whose directions every thing was done; and who, he understood, was the chief. He (witness) also corroborated the general preparations of arms, ammunition, &c., for the insurrection.”

"Patrick Fraser deposed, that as he was passing through Mass-lane, between the hours of nine and ten o'clock, on the evening of Friday, the 22nd of July, he stopped before the malt-stores, or depôt, on hearing a noise therein, which surprised him, as he considered it a waste house. Immediately the door opened, and a man came forth, who caught him, and asked him what he was doing there? The witness was then brought into the depôt, and again asked what brought him there, or had he ever been there before? He said he had not. They asked him, did he know Graham? He replied, that he did not. One of the persons then said the witness was a spy, and called out, to 'Drop him immediately;' by which the witness understood, that they meant to shoot him. They brought him up-stairs, and after some consultation, they agreed to wait for some person to come in, who would decide what should be done with him. That person having arrived, he asked the witness if he knew Graham? He replied, that he did not; a light was brought in at the same time, and the witness, having looked about, was asked, if he knew any one there? He answered, that he knew Quigley. He was asked, where? He replied, that he knew him five or six years ago, at Maynooth, as a bricklayer, or mason. The witness then identified the prisoner as the came in and decided that he should not be killed, but that he should be taken care of, and not let out.

person

who

The witness was detained there that night, and the whole of the next day (Saturday, the 23rd),

and was made to assist the different kinds of work.

During that time