In the year 1759, and under the adminiftration of the duke of Bedford, an alarming fpirit of infurgency appeared in the South of Ireland, which manifefted itfelf by the numerous and frequent rifings of the lower’ clafs of Roman catholicks, dreffed in white uniforms, whence they were denominated white boys; but they were encouraged, and often headed, by perfons of their own perfuafion of fome confideration. They were armed with guns, fwords, and piftols, of which they plundered proteftants, and they marched through the country, in military array, preceded by the mufick of bag-pipes, or the founding of horns. In their nocturnal perambulations, they enlifted, or preffed into their fervice every perfon of their own religion, who was capable of ferving them, and bound them by oaths of fecrecy, of fidelity and obedience to their officers; and thofe officers were bound by oaths of allegiance to the French king, and prince Charles the pretender to the crown of England, which appeared by the confeffion and the informations of feveral of the infurgents, fome of whom were convicted of high treafon, and various other crimes. The pretext they made ufe of for rifing and affembling was, to redrefs the following grievances: the illegal enclofure of commons, the extortion of tythe proftors, and the exorbitant fees exafted by their own clergy, though it appeared that they were deeply concerned in encouraging and fomenting them, in the commiffion of outrages.

They committed dreadful barbarities on fuch perfons as hefitated to obey their mandates, or refufed to join in their confederacy; they cut out their tongues, amputated their nofes or ears; they made them ride many miles in the night on horfeback, naked, or bare-backed; they buried them naked, in graves lined with furze, up to their chins; they plundered and often burned houfes; they houghed and maimed cattle; they feized arms, and horfes, which they rode about the country, and levied money, at times even in the day. I fhall refer the reader

to Appendix, No. I. for their defigns and praftices. They refembled the modern defenders in every refpect, except in the title which they aflumed; and their object was exactly the fame, that of fubverting the conftitution, and feparating Ireland from England, with the affiftance of France.

Thefe mifcreants became fo formidable in many parts of the provinces of Leinfter and Munfter, that many laws, which I fhall explain in the fequel, were enacted for their fuppreffion.

In the year 1762, the marquis of Drogheda was fent to command a large diftrict in the province of Munfter, and made Clogheen in the county of Tipperary his head-quarters, at that time much difturbed by the white boys, who ufed to affemble in bodies of from five hundred to two thoufand.

On the night of the day on which he arrived at Clegheen, a number of white boys, well armed and headed by father Nicholas Sheehy, affembled clofe to that town, and were on the point of attacking ir, which induced his lordfhip to double the guard. From this, the inhabitants of it, having a fufpicion that he was going to march out againft the infurgents, father Doyle, parifh prieft of Ardfinnan, (alluded to in the information of David Landregin, Appendix, No. 1. 2.) after having expoftulated with them on the danger of affaulting the town, went to lord Drogheda, pale and trembling with fear, allured his lordfhip that his garrifon was in no danger, and befought him not to march out againft the infurgents. I received this information from the marquis himfelf, and it correfponds exactly with the depofition of Landregin.

His lordlhip’s regiment killed great numbers of them in that and the adjacent country; and he affured me, that French money was found in the pockets of fome of them.

His lordfhip, during his refidence there, took the famous father Nicholas Sheehy, who was afterwards hanged at Clonniel. He had been a noted leader of the white boys, and incited them to commit jnurder, and various outrages; and yet his memory is held in fuch veneration by the popifh multitude, and the clay of his tomb is fuppofed to be endued with fuch fupernatural powers, that various miraculous

* There is a grofs misrepreprefention of these infurgents in the Encyclopedia Britannic, under the title of Ireland, printed by James Moore in Cullege-green, in the year 1794.

cures are imputed to it; in confequence of which, it is in fuch requell among the popifh rabble, that the fexton of the church, where his body is interred, is obliged very often to renew it.

The marquis of Drogheda took, in the caftle of Cahir, the domeftick chaplain of the then lord Cahir, who conftantly refided with his lordfhip, on ferious charges againft him for high treafon.
It is moft certain, that the white boy fyftem was at firtft formed to co-operate with the French, who meditated an invafion of Ireland under Conflans; but when that was defeated, and even during a time of profound peace, the barbarous rabble, free from all moral reftraint, elate with the hope of plunder, and fraught with difaffection to a proteftant ftate, continued to commit the moft horrid enormities in many parts of Leinfter and Munfter, for above twenty-five years after.

John Twohy ftates in his information, that they began to enlift men for the French fo early as the year 1756. See Appendix, No. I. 7.

At firft they were headed, marfhalled, and difciplined, by officers who had ferved in the Irifh brigades, in the French fervice; but when peace was concluded, their leaders confifted of popifh farmers and perfons in a mean fituation.

Mr. Conway, an Irifh Roman catholick gentleman refident at Paris, ufed to remit money to them, on the part and by orders of the French government; and fome popifh merchants of the province of Munfler, who received and diftributed it among the infurgents, were afterwards members of the Catholick committee in 1792.
In the year 1762, they committed fuch dreadful exceffes in the South of Ireland, that fir Richard Afton, lord chief juflice of the common pleas, was fent down with a fpecial commiffion to try them; and the miftaken lenity which he fhewed them in the courfe of his circuit was fuch, that it encouraged them to perfevere in the commiffion of enormities for fome years after.

The late earl of Carrick and the reverend Mr. Hewetfon in the county of Kilkenny, fir Thomas Maude, baronet, afterwards lord De Montalt, William Bagwell and John Bagenall, efquires, of the county of Tipperary, took a very active part in fuppreffing the white boys, for which they were as much traduced and vilifi.ed, as the orangemen, 

yeomen, and all loyal fubjcds who endeavoured to put down the defenders.

The grand jury of the county of Dublin were fo much incenfed at this, that they voted an addrefs of thanks. Appendix I. 6. to the earl of Carrick and thofe gentlemen, for their fpirited and laudable exertions. It appears by the examination of David Landregin, (Appendix, No. I. 2.) that a party of white boys took a folemn oath, in the town of Clonmel, to affaffinate the earl of Carrick and the other gentlemen.

As Mr. Edmund Burke, who always fhewed a decided attachment to popery, manifefted it for the firft time on this occafion, I fhall, in touching on it, relate a few of the early circumftances of his life.
In doing fo, I muft premife, that I do not mean to difparage him. I had the honour of being acquainted with him; and I was fo fenfible of his exalted moral and intelledual excellence, that I gave the following character of him in a pamphlet publifhed by J. Stockdale in 1794, which was noticed in the Monthly Review of April, 1795:
“His book on French affairs contains more political wifdom, and more profound knowledge of practical government, than any that ever appeared; and in future ages will tend to endear the Britifh conftitution to its subjects.

“The bright effulgence of his genius, like the fun, raifed up fome buzzing infects, who cavilled at the doctrines which he advanced; but the ftate of France proves the futility of their affertions, and that he fpoke prophetic truth.

“His long and luminous life, devoted to the caufe of wifdom and virtue, was more bright in its fetting, than the meridian blaze of moft other genuifes.”

He was the fon of a popifh folicitor in Dublin, at the univerfity of which he received his education; but I have been affured by his contemporaries, that he did not, in the courfe of it, difplay any fymptoms of thofe fhining abilities, which afterwards made the progrefs of his life fo brilliant.
Soon after he went to the Temple to ftudy the law, he married a daughter of doctor Nugent, who had been bred at Doway in Flanders, and was a moft bigoted Romanift. A year after he had gone to the

Temple, a perfon, who was at that time ferving his apprenticefhip to Mr. Burke’s father, informed me, that his mafter fent him to London, relative to fome law bufinefs, and that Mr. Edmund Burke detained him many days longer than he had permiffion to remain there: that during his ftay, he feemed much agitated in his mind, and that, when they were alone, he frequently introduced religion as a topick of converfation, and faid, that he had ftrong reafons for thinking more favourably of the Romifh perfuafion than he formerly did. For thefe reafons, this gentleman affured me, he verily believed, that he was become a convert to popery.

Soon after this gentleman’s return, Mr. Burke, fenior, having heard a report that his fon had really changed his religion, was much concerned at it; becaufe he had entertained the moft fanguine hopes that he would acquire great wealth and fame at the Irifh bar, from practifing at which Romanifts were excluded by law.

He therefore employed Mr. Bowen, his brother-in-law, who, as a linen merchant, had a very extenfive correfpondence in London, to make ftrict enquiry about the converfion of his fon.

Some days after, Mr. Bowen entered his office, and in the prefence of the gentleman who gave me this information, threw him a letter, faying. There, your fon is moft certainly become a Roman catholick. On reading the letter, Mr. Burke became furious, lamenting that the rifing hope of his family was blafted, and that the expence he had been at in his fon’s education was now thrown away.

As fome of the greateft men, even at an advanced period of life, have become flaves to the paffion of love, it is very poffible that Mr. Burke, in the fpring of life, when its influence is irrefiftible, and endued with a lively imagination, and all the tendernefs of fenfibility, might have conformed to the exterior ceremonies of popery, to obtain mifs Nugent, of whom he was very much enamoured; but it is not to be fuppofed, that a perfon of fo vigorous and highly cultivated an underftanding, could have continued under the fhackles of that abfurd fuperftition.

At laft, when he had ferved a fufficient number of terms to be called to the bar, he refufed to return to his native country, declaring, that

the climate of it difagreed with him; and that he expected to get fome employment in the line of his profefflon in America, through one of the Grenville family. He therefore remained in London, where he fubfifted chiefly by his pen; and he foon acquired a confiderable degree of celebrity, as a writer, and a man of genius, by the publication of his Treatife on the Sublime and Beautiful, and by his Vindication of Natural Society, in imitation of lord Bolingbroke, which introduced him to the notice and acquaintance of Mr. Hamilton. When that gentleman came to Ireland, as fecretary to the earl of Halifax, he, wifhing to avail himfelf of Mr. Burke’s talents, folicited him to attend him, but in no official capacity; and he accordingly complied.

He accompanied him a fecond time to Dublin, when Mr. Hamilton was fecretary to the earl of Northumberland, and was rewarded with a penfion of £300 a year.

When they returned to England, Mr. Hamilton intended to have fpoken a fpeech on the peace in the year 1763, which he had prevailed on Mr. Burke to compofe.

It unfortunately happened, that as he was about to rife, Mr. Charles Townfhend entered the houfe; and as his wit and eloquence had been always terrifick to him, his appearance palfied his exertions and ftruck him dumb. Mr. Burke, enraged at this, (as they had united their talents in a kind of partnerfhip) faid, with fome warmth. What fignifies my making fpeeches for you, when you cannot fpeak them?

A warm altercation enfued, in the courfe of which Mr. Hamilton informed Mr. Burke, that he had been overpaid; on which Mr. Burke, with becoming fpirit, refigned his penfion, which was afterwards given to a gentleman who enjoys it at this time. Mr. Mc. Cormick in his life of Mr. Burke is miftaken in this circumftance. Their quarrel became a matter of curiofity and debate in the fuperior circles of fociety, in which the partizans on each fide were very warm.

The difcuffion of this affair introduced Mr, Burke to the notice of lord Rockingham, who having formed a friendfhip for him, made him an under-fecretary in the treafury; but having loft that employment in fix months, the period of his lordfhip’s adminiftration, he brought him into parliament, where the eloquence and the great intelleclual powers

difplayed in his fpeeches, will remain a ftriking and an eternal monument of his genius.

When the enormities committed by the white boys were about to draw on them the vengeance of the law, and fome time before fr Richard Afton proceeded on his commiffion to try them, Mr. Edmund Burke fent his brother Richard, who died recorder of Briftol, and Mr. Nagle, a relation, on a miffion to Munfter, to levy money on the popifh body, for the ufe of the white boys, who were exclufively papifts.

Some Roman catholicks complained bitterly of the fums of money which they extorted from them.* The defpotifm which the Romifh prelates have over their own body is fuch, that they can at any time levy large fums of money on them, to promote the intereft of their church, which is a moft dangerous engine in a well-governed ftate. The open and general exercife of it in the years 1792 and 1793, and again in 1794 and 1795, was fufficient to create an alarm in the government. At thofe periods fome of the lower claffes of people in Munfter complained loudly of the exactions practifed on them; and on being afked, for what purpofe they were? they anfwered, that they had made that enquiry, and were informed, at one time, that it was to obtain for them the elective franchife; at another, to procure the privilege of fitting in parliament for perfons of their own perfuafion. It is well known that Mr. William Todd Jones was their warm partizan while in the houfe of commons;† and, from the intemperate zeal which fome members of that body shewed in promoting their defigns, it was univerfally believed that they were actuated by finifter motives.

It was ftrongly fufpected, that a perfon in an elevated fituation in England, from his fingular pertinacity in adhering to their caufe, when in actual and open rebellion, had received fome of their contributions;

* I have no other proof that thefe gentlemen were employed by Mr. Burke, than that they declared fo without referve to the perfons from whom they obtained money. In doing fo, he might have been actuated by motives of charity and humanity, as numbers of the white boys were to be tried in different counties, and they had no other means than eleemofynary contributions to prepare for their defence.
† It is well known that Mr. Jones afterwards accufed, in the publicly prints, the Catholick committee, of not giving him the whole of the money which they had promifed to pay him.

and the debates which took place in the Romifh convention in the year 1792, and which the reader will fee in the fequel, and the fudden, fuccefsful, and unexpected turn which their affairs took in the year 1793, left very little room to doubt, but that fome extraordinary fecret influence was exerted in England.*
In the year 1757, there appeared a very fingular and unquestionable proof that thofe doctrines of the Romifh church, which had difturbed the peace of all proteftant countries ever since the Reformation took place, exifted in full force in Ireland.

In that year, a bill was introduced into the houfe of lords, to fecure the proteftant fucceffion, in which there was an oath of allegiance.

Thomas Burke, titular bifhop of Offory, and publick hiftoriographer to the dominican order in Ireland, made the following obfervations on that oath. After animadverting on the feverity of fetting afide the different foreign branches of the Stuart family, he fays, “would it not exceed the greateft imaginable abfurdity, that a Catholick prieft, who inftructs his Catholick people in the will of God, from fcripture and tradition, by his difcourfe and actions, and nourifheth them with the facrament of the church, fhould fwear fidelity to king George, as long as he profeffeth a heterodox religion, or has a wife of that religion? that then, and in that cafe, the fame Catholick prieft ought inftantly to abjure the very king to whom he had before fworn allegiance.” Impiety moft horrible’†

Thomas Burke was made titular bifhop of Oflbry in 1759, and died at Kilkenny in September, 1776. He was, as he frequently tells us, a favourite of pope Benedict XIV. was a man of refpectable learning, and perfectly well acquainted with the doctrines of the Romifh church, the bulls and epiftles of the popes, and the fentiments of the Irifh Roman catholicks; and yet fome of the heads of the Irifh clergy have had the effrontery and duplicity to vilify the talents and information of this writer, and to reprefent him as a dotard, haunted with dreams of pontifical omnipotence; but fuch perverfion of truth, and fuch varnifhing of odious doctrines are only calculated to deceive, and can

* It cannot be fuppofed that I allude to any of his Majefty’s minifters, whofe honour and integrity are far above my praife.  
†Hibernia Dominicana, page 723.

impofe on no rational man; for all the tenets contained in his book were carried into practice during the late rebellion.

Burke, after reciting part of pope Paul V.’s bull, encouraging the Irifh in their rebellion, exclaims, Quid celebrius? Quid infignius?*

On the flight of king James II. he fays, that he feafonably left the Britifh nation, whom he brands as perjurers and traitors, who confpired againft his life, fubject to the flavery of this new Cromwell (meaning king William,) viliffimi novi hujus Cromwelli fervitute.
The firft part of his Hibernia Dominicana was printed at Kilkenny in the year 1762, the fecond in 1772, both by Edmund Finn; but it was ftated to have been publifhed at Cologne, Colonæ: Agrippinæ.

In fpeaking of the gun powder plot, he fays, it was an invention, and that the gun powder was fecretly put under the parliament houfe, by the order of William Cecil, to afford a fpecious pretext for extirpating all the catholicks of England.

Again, in the year 1768, when an oath of allegiance, to be taken by the Roman catholicks of Ireland, was in the contemplation of parliament, Thomas Maria Ghillini, the pope’s legate at Bruffels, who had a complete control and fuperintendance over all the northern churches, and fpoke ex cathedra, made the following animadverfions on that oath, in four letters to the titular archbifhops of Ireland; and thefe letters are ftyled by Thomas Burke, who publifhed them in his Hibernia Dominicana, literæ vere aureæ, cedroque dignæ.

The legate treats the claufes in the propofed oath, containing a declaration of abhorrence and deteftation of the doftrines, “that faith is not to be kept with hereticks; and that princes, deprived by the pope, may be depofed or murdered by their fubjefts, as abfolutely intolerable; becaufe, he fays, thofe doctrines are defended, and contended for by moft Catholick nations, and the Holy See has frequently followed them in practice. On the whole he decides, that, as the oath is in its whole extent unlawful, fo in its nature it is invalid, null, and of no effect, infomuch that it can by no means bind or oblige confciences.”†

It is well known, that fimilar decifions have been uniformly made by the Roman pontiffs, on the validity of oaths any way detrimental

* What can be move famous? What more illustrious?
† Page 925  This was in the fupplement of that work published in the year 1771.

to the Holy See. In the late rebellion, the popifh multitude, and many of the Romifh clergy and gentlemen, paid no regard whatever to an oath of allegiance.

When the emperor and the Roman catholick princes of Germany concluded a peace called the treaty of Weftphalia, in the year 1648, with the proteftant princes, they mutually bound each other by a folemn oath, to the obfervance of it; on which the pope publifhed a flaming bull, in which he pronounced the oath to be null and void, as no oath could bind them to hereticks. This bull was expofed by Hornbeck, a famous German divine, in a work entitled, “Examen bullæ papalis, qua Innocentius X. abrogare nititur pacem Germaniæ.”

The conduct of the parliament of Ireland, from the beginning of his prefent majefty’s reign till the end of the year 1793, prefents the reader with an uninterrupted feries of blunders in politicks.

All our difgraces and misfortunes are to be found in the hiftory of our penal laws, and in the feeble execution of them, beginning with the third of Geo. III. cap. 19. for indemnifying all fuch perfons as have been, or fhall be aiding in the difperfing of riots, and apprehending the rioters, which was enacted for the fuppreffion of the white boys. As the boldnefs and temerity of thefe infurgents continued to encreafe, the fifth of Geo. III. cap. 8. paffed, and was entitled, “An act to prevent the future tumultuous rifings. of perfons within this kingdom.” The want of enforcing the falutary provifions of thefe laws tended to encourage the white boys in the commiffion of atrocities for above twenty years after. About the year 1773, that fyftem of conciliation and conceffion, which laid the foundation of the late rebellion began; for, while this popifh banditti, encouraged by their clergy, were committing the moft dreadful enormities, the thirteenth and fourteenth of Geo. III. cap. 35, to enable Roman catholicks to teftify their allegiance to his majefty by oath, was enacted; but the folly and abfurdity of that law were fully proved by the neceffity of paffing, foon after, the thirteenth and fourteenth of Geo. III. cap. 45. to prevent malicious cutting and wounding, and to punifh offenders, called chalkers; for the affaffin in the morning teftified his allegiance to his king, and at night, with his chalking knife, renounced his allegiance to

his God, by mangling and maiming his fellow creature, and houghing his cattle.

As the barbarous exceffes committed by the white boys continued to encreafe, the fifteenth and fixteenth of Geo. III. cap. 21. was enacted againft them. It recites that the fifth of Geo. III. cap. 8. was infufficient for fuppreffing them; and it ftates, “That they affembled riotoufly, injured perfons and property, compelled perfons to quit their abode, impofed oaths and declarations by menaces, fent threatening and incendiary letters, obftrufted the export of corn, and deftroyed the fame.”  This is an exact defcription of the defenders.

As their turbulence and ferocity continued to encreafe, and as they made a conftant praftice of houghing foldiers in a wanton and unprovoked manner, the chalking act was extended, and amended by the feventeenth and eighteenth of Geo. III. cap. 49.

Conceffion and conciliation holding pace with an encreafe of the enormities committed by thofe favages, a law paffed foon after the feventeenth and eighteenth of Geo. III. cap. 49. to enable Roman catholicks to take leafes for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, or five lives, at any rent; and by it, all lands of which a Roman catholick was at that time feized, were made defcendible, devifable, and transferable, as fully as if the fame were in the feifin of any other perfon.

The preamble of this act recites, “That for their uniform peaceable behaviour, for a long feries of years, it appears reafonable and expedient to relax feveral of their incapacities and difabilities.” The falfity and inconfiftency of this affertion will be an eternal ftain on the parliament of Ireland.

There is not a doubt, but that the Romanifts had fome hired agents in that affembly at this period. A ftrong argument in favour of an Union!

As a mark of gratitude for thefe indulgences, this infamous banditti proceeded to commit greater enormities than they had practifed before, in confequence of which the legiftature were obliged to pafs the eighteenth and nineteenth of Geo. III. cap. 37. and the title of it will fhew how neceffary it was: “An act to prevent the deteftable praftice of houghing cattle, burning houfes, barns, haggards, and corn; and for other purpofes.”

Though they continued to commit their ufual exceffes, the legiftature, actuated by what was called liberality of fentiment, put the Roman catholicks on the fame footing with proteftants, as to property, in the year 1782; and almoft the whole of the reftrictive laws were repealed. The volunteers checked, in fome degree, the barbarous outrages committed by the white boys from the year 1780 to the year 1784, when the inftitution began to languifh, and then we find them as furious as ever in the province of Leinfter. This proves how neceffary a numerous and well-armed police, confifting of proteftants, is to the profperity of Ireland.

In December, 1784, a body of white boys broke into the houfe of John Mafon a proteftant, in the county of Kilkenny, in the night, placed him naked on horfeback, and having carried him in this manner five or fix miles from his houfe, they cut off his ears, and in that ftate buried him up to his chin; they alfo robbed him of his fire arms.*

This year they were fo outrageous in the province of Leinfter, particularly in the county of Kilkenny, that a denunciation was read againft them in all the popifh chapels in the diocefe of Offory, on the feventeenth of November, 1784.

This was a ftrong proof of the returning loyalty and obedience to the laws of the popifh clergy of that diocefe; or, if they were infincere and fecretly encouraged the white boys as much as formerly, of their extreme duplicity.

As doctor Butler, brother of Mr. Butler of Ballyragget, and of the noble houfe of Ormond, was at that time titular archbifhop of Cafhel, a gentleman who was fincerely loyal, it is very likely that he prevailed on his clergy to adopt this procedure. He fhould not be confounded with doctor Butler who was in that See when the white boys began their exceffes.

All thefe privileges were granted with a good grace by parliament, and they met with no oppofition from the conftituent body, who were at that time exclufively proteftants.

Notwithftanding fuch liberality on the part of the proteftant ftate, the white boys ftill continued to commit nocturnal depredations in different parts of Leinfter and Munfter; but in the latter they were

* See Appendix, No. I. 8. for a few fpecimens of white boy atrocity.

fucceeded by a fet of infurgents called right boys in 1786, who refembled them in every refpect, except in the title which they aflumed. Their proceedings, chiefly directed againft the proteftant clergy, were not the wild and extravagant efforts of rafh and ignorant peafants, but a dark and deep-laid fcheme, planned by men fkilled in the law and the artifices by which it may be evaded. Such men fuggefted to the farmers, to enter into a combination under the fanction of an oath, not to take their tythes, or to affift any clergyman in drawing them.
Some of the proteftant gentlemen, hoping to exonerate their eftates of tythes, by the machinations and enormities of thefe traitors, fecretly encouraged them; and others connived at their exceffes, till they began to oppofe the payment of rent, and the recovery of money by legal procefs, and then they came forward in fupport of the law.

A form of a fummons to the clergy to draw their tythe, penned with legal accuracy, was printed at Cork, and circulated with great diligence through many parts of Munfler. In order to make the combination univerfal, fome of the moft active and intelligent members of it adminiftered oaths to all the lower clafs of people, at the Romifh chapels and market towns.

To varnifh over the knavery and turpitude of their defigns, they publifhed a tything table, according to which they pretended that they would pay the clergy, but to which they did not adhere, and, if they had done fo, it would not have afforded them a fubfiftence; befides, by fwearing not to hire horfes to them, and by a great number of them combining to fever the tythe, and draw their corn, on the fame day, they completely robbed them of their property; and the proteftant clergy would actually have ftarved, but that an act of parliament paffed in the year 1787, to enable them to recover the tythes of which they had been defrauded in this manner.

At laft, the proteftant clergy in the county of Cork were fo much intimidated by the menaces and infults which they received from them, that many were obliged to fly to the city of Cork for protection. They foon proceeded from one act of violence to another, and eftablifhed fuch a fyftem of terror, that landlords were afraid to diftrain for rent, or to fue by civil procefs for money due by note. They took arms from proteftants, and levied money to buy ammunition.

They broke open gaols, fet fire to hay and corn, and even to houfes, efpecially to thofe occupied by the army. At laft they had the audacity to threaten the cities of Limerick and Cork, and the town of Ennis, the capital of Clare, with famine; and took meafures to prevent farmers and fifhermen from conveying fupplies of provifions to them. They proceeded by fuch a regular fyftem, that they eftablifhed a kind of poft-office, for communication, by which they conveyed their notices with celerity for the purpofe of forming their meetings, which were frequent and numerous.

This fpirit of riot and infurrection occafioned the paffing of a law in the year 1787, drawn by the prefent lord Clare, entitled, “An act to prevent tumultuous rifings and affemblies, and for the more efffectual punifhment of perfons guilty of outrage, riot, and illegal combination, and of adminiftering and taking unlawful oaths and in the formation of that law, he fhewed the fame political wifdom, and firmnefs of mind, which he evinced on all fubfequent occafions. By that law government were empowered to raife an armed police in any county they chofe, and the introduction of it into the counties of Kilkenny, Tipperary, Cork, and Kerry, occafioned fuch a revolution in the morals and manners of their inhabitants, and was fo efficient in preferving focial order, that fome of the principal landholders in them declared openly in parliament, that their eftates were encreafed two years purchase in value by that falutary inftitution.

An ingenious foreigner obferved to me, that he never faw a country in which fo many proclamations were iffued againft malefactors, and the commiffion of crimes, as in Ireland; a fure proof of the feeble execution of the laws!

At laft, doctor Woodward, bifhop of Cloyne, fhocked and alarmed at feeing his clergy driven from their houfes to the city of Cork, whither they went for an asylum, and that a confpiracy was formed for the deftruction of the proteftant church, wrote a very able pamphlet, ftating the origin and progrefs of the infurrections in Munfter, hoping thereby to roufe government to take meafures for its defence.
Nothing marked fo ftrongly the depravity of the times, as the malignant attacks, attended with fcurrility and abufe, which were made

on this amiable prelate, for this feafonable and fpirited difcharge of his paftoral duty. I had the honour of being well acquainted with him, and I never knew a perfon more profoundly and elegantly learned, or fo well verfed, not only in every thing that concerned the ecclefiaftical department, but in the various duties of every line of focial life. Having vifited every part of the Continent, he fpoke the modern languages with great fluency and purity, and had uncommon eafe and affability of manner.

He had the moft exalted piety, and was not only very charitable himfelf, but an active promoter of publick charities. His eloquence in the pulpit was irrefiftible, as his ftyle was nervous and elegant; his voice was loud and harmonious, and he had great dignity of manner.
With all thefe exalted qualities and endowments, he poffeffed the moft brilliant wit, and fuch a happy vein of humour, as enlivened fociety wherever he happened to be.

This neceffary and important duty, the neglect of which would have been criminal, drew on him a hoft of foes, confifting of popifh bifhops, priefts, friars, and prefbyterian minifters, who abufed and vilified him with fingular malignity; and even fome members of parliament had the hardened audacity to arraign him with much feverity.
This amiable prelate made a moft eloquent fpeech in fupport of the privileges granted to the Roman catholicks in the year 1782.

This fpirit of infurrection fpread over moft parts of Munfter. The confpirators bound each other by oath to refift the laws of the land, and to obey none but thofe of captain Right; and fo ftrictly did they adhere to them, that the high fheriff of the county of Waterford,* could not procure a perfon to execute the fentence of the law on one of thefe mifcreants who was condemned to be whipped at Carrick-on-Suir, though he offered a large fum of money for that purpofe. He was therefore under the neceffity of performing that duty himfelf, in the face of an enraged mob.

* The writer of thefe pages was high fheriff at that time.

In the year 1779, when England was involved m a war with the French, Spaniards, and Americans; when the combined naval armaments of the enemy were fuperior in point of number to the channel fleet; when conftant and well-grounded apprehenfions were entertained that Ireland would be invaded, the loyalty of her parliament, trembling for the fate of the empire, left the kingdom almoft deftitute of any military force for its defence. At the fame time what little commerce fhe then enjoyed, was completely ftagnated by privateers, which conflantly hovered on her coaft. In this critical juncture, fome maritime towns, dreading that they might be plundered by the latter, applied to government for a military force for their defence; but received in anfwer, that they muft arm and defend themfelves.

This gave rife to the volunteers, of which numerous bodies were immediately raifed, who fupplied themfelves with arms; and government, wifhing to encourage the laudable fpirit which the Irifh nation fhewed, diftributed immenfe quantities among them.

It is moft certain, that thefe military affociations deterred the French from attempting an invafion of the kingdom, which they meditated at that time; and they completely preferved the police of the country.
To their immortal honour be it fpoken, that, though felf-embodied, armed, and difciplined, they not only fhewed the greateft refpect for the laws, but the utmoft zeal in enforcing the execution of them.
Without attempting to detract from the inftitution, or questioning the important advantages derived from it, every perfon acquainted with the fcience of civil polity muft acknowledge, that no power fhould be allowed to exift within a ftate, capable of overawing or of overturning it.

Government were foon fo much intimidated by the volunteers, that they fhewed a degree of obeifance and deference for their officers, bordering upon pufillanimity; and popularity among that order became a certain ftep to preferment.

It was a common praftice to obtain adulatory addreffes from the Volunteers, of which great numbers conftantly appeared in the publick prints; and he who could procure the greateft number of them, was fure to fucceed in his ambitious defigns. It was to be lamented, that they foon began to deviate from the end of their inftitution, and to form provincial meetings, for the purpofe of new modelling the ftate; of which a notable inftance occurred on the fifteenth of February, 1782; when delegates from one hundred and forty-three corps of the province of Ulfter affembled at Dungannon, and entered into refolutions of that tendency, which were foon adopted by all the volunteer corps and grand juries of the kingdom.

It is far from my intention to cenfure that affembly, who were actuated by the generous defign of improving the conftitution, and of diffufing the bleffings of civil liberty as extenfively as poffible; but every moderate and rational perfon muft allow, that it was incompatible with the principles of found policy, that an armed body fhould take upon them to dictate to the government. It is to be lamented that fuch affemblies and their difcuffions taught the mafs of the people to fpeculate upon politicks, and as they cannot diftinguifh fophiftry from truth, prepared their minds for the reception of thofe deleterious doctrines which produced the rebellion.

On the ninth of October, 1783, delegates from all the corps of the province of Leinfter affembled at the Royal Exchange of Dublin, when reform of parliament, and the admiffion of Roman catholicks to the elective franchife were propounded.

On Monday the tenth of November, 1783, the grand national convention of volunteers, confifting of delegates from every county in the kingdom, met at the Royal Exchange in Dublin, marched in regular proceflion to the Rotunda, where they opened their feffion, and entered into deliberation, on new modelling the conftitution. Some men, diftinguifhed in parliament for wifdom, virtue, and eloquence, were fo much heated with the frenzy of innovation which then prevailed, that they took the lead in that fingular affembly, which was faid in moft of the publick prints to confift of the real reprefentatives of the people.

On the twelfth of that month, father O’Leary, an Irifh friar, and chaplain to the Irifh brigade, a popifh corps of volunteers, entered the convention; and fuch was the folly of the times, that the volunteer guard at the gate received him with a full falute of refted arms; and many members of the convention paid him the moft flattering compliments.

On the twenty-fifth of November, the committee of the convention reported their plan of reforming the conftitution; and one of its members, the right honourable Henry Flood, attempted, on the twenty-ninth, to introduce it into the houfe of commons, in the fhape of a bill; but it was fcouted with a degree of indignation which did honour to that affembly.

On the firft inftitution of the volunteers, fome low perfons, who turned out notorious traitors in the late rebellion, affumed the rank of officers; and many gentlemen of rank and fortune, who headed them at firft, having retired, were fucceeded by men deflitute of both, and well known to be difaffected.

Of this defcription were Napper Tandy, Bacon the tailor, Matthew Dowling, and many others concerned in the late rebellion, whom the lenity of government has faved from the vengeance of the law.
Such men having acquired popularity and influence among the volunteers, fome of the firft of our nobility and gentry, who olFered themfelves candidates for a fuperior command among them, courted thefe mifcreants for their intereft, with all the meannefs of fervility; for they elefted their own officers.

There is not a doubt, but that numbers of unprincipled men, enrolled -among the volunteers, formed fchemes for fubverting the conftitution; and their invitation to the Roman catholicks to take up arms, and their earneft defire that they fhould be admitted to a participation of the elective franchife, were m.ade with the hope of procuring their co-operation for that purpofe.
That amiable nobleman the earl of Charlemont, who had very great influence among the volunteers, well knowing that fuch propofitions flowed from finifter defigns, fuccefsfully oppofed them in the year 1784.

There is not a doubt, but that the flirtation between John and Peter was formed during the exiftence of the volunteer inftitution.*

Mr. Edmund Burke alluded to this heterogeneous coalition between Roman catholicks and prefbyterians, in the following pastage of his letter to fir Hercules Langriihe in the year 1792, on the claims of the former to the eleftive franchife: “As to the low, thoughtlefs, wild and profligate, who have joined themfelves with thofe of other profeffions, (meaning the prefbyterians) but of the fame character; you are not to imagine, that, for a moment, I can fuppofe them to be met with any thing elfe than the manly and enlightened energy of a firm government, fupported by the united efforts of all virtuous men; if ever their proceedings fhould become fo confiderable as to demand its notice, I really think that fuch affociations fhould be crulhed in their very commencement.”

Mr. Burke did not know that the mafs of the Roman catholicks were infected with revolutionary defigns at fo early a period, not only in Dublin but in many other parts of the kingdom, as we fhall find in the fequel. A corps called the Irifh brigade was raifed in the city of Dublin, of which nineteen out of twenty were Roman catholicks, and they appointed father O’Leary, an obfcure itinerant friar, their chaplain. I have been affured, that they exceeded in number all the other volunteer corps in the city. From the principles which fome of its members difplayed during the late rebellion, we may infer that they harboured treafonable defigns even at that early period.

On the fifteenth of May, 1784, the Belfaft firft volunteer company refolved and agreed to inftruft, in the ufe of arms, perfons of all ranks and religious perfuafions, who fhould prefent themfelves for that purpofe; and they offered them the ufe of their own arms.

On the fixteenth of May, 1784, the builders corps in Dublin refolved, that their drill ferjeant fhould attend at Marlborough-green, three days in the week, to teach perfons of all ranks and religious perfuafions the ufe of arms.
They refolved alfo, to have annual parliaments, and to impart the eleftive franchife equally to perfons of every mode of religious worfhip.

* This alludes to St. Peter and John Calvin.

On the twentieth of May, 1784, delegates from all the volunteer corps in the city and county of Dublin refolved unanimoufly, that the training to the ufe of arms every honeft and induftrious Irifhman, however moderate his property, or depreffed his fituation, was a meafure of the utmoft utility to this kingdom, and would produce a valuable acquifition to the volunteer arms and intereft. Similar refolutions were entered into in different parts of the kingdom.

In the fummer of the year 1783, the Irifh brigade, and the Dublin independent volunteers, commanded by James Napper Tandy, Matthew Dowling, and Bacon the tailor, formed an encampment between Roebuck and Dublin, under the pretext of ftudying tactics, and learning camp duty; though it was well known, that they were hatching revolutionary projefts. It is to be obferved, that the war, the only pretext for their arming, was now at an end; and yet many corps in different parts of the kingdom refolved not to lay down their arms, but with their lives.

The volunteer inftitution occafioned much idlenefs and difhpation among the induftrious part of the community, and deftroyed fubordination, fo effential to the exiftence of focial order; for perfons of low rank, affociating with their fuperiors, loft that refpect which they had entertained for them, and were infpired with levelling principles.

The immenfe quantity of arms, which government diftributed among the volunteers, fell into the hands of traitors in the late rebellion, and made it more terrifick.

It is ftated in the report of the fecreT committee, and it is ftricty true, that the national guards, who, in the year 1792, meditated the fubverfion of the conftitution, fprung from the volunteers.

The principal argument ufed againft the Union by the gentlemen who oppofed it was, that the conftitution, as fettled in the year 1782, was perfect and therefore conclufive: how came it then, that a reprefent-ative body of the whole nation in arms, and many of them confifting of the very firft of our nobility and gentry, affembled for the exprefs purpofe of remedying the defeds of that very conftitution, the year after it was eftablifhed? and it is very remarkable, that many members of both houfes of parliament, who were conftituent members of that mock parliament, were the moft fangiune oppofers of the Union.

In fhort, it will appear, that, from the year 1782, when our conftitution was fuppofed to arrive at the fummit of perfection, that an immoderate and alarming fpirit of innovation, which ultimately produced the rebellion, never ceafed to break forth in and out of parliament; and that Mr. Grattan and his adherents, who piqued themfelves on being the chief authors of the conftitution of 1782, were the principal promoters of that very fpirit of innovation, which fhook the pillars of the throne in 1798, defolated fome of the moft fertile portions of Ireland, and aimed at its feparation from England.