mentous aim. The immediate effect was an aug- CHAP. mented difplay of religious prejudice among the XLL. Romanists, the withdrawing of their children from protestant schools to avoid the contamination of herefy, and a general feparation of the two fects. The clergy of this communion appear to have acted, at leaft fince that time, unremittingly on a plan, by which they might hope for the ultimate attainment of the exclufive establishment of their system of worship in this iland. From the letters of Edmund Burke to Doctor Huf fey on this occafion, two of which are given in Mr. Plowden's hiftorical view of Ireland, the ardent wifh of that orator for the establishment of the Roman catholic religion in this country is evident, with his exortation to its prelates to be firmly united in its fupport against the proteftant admi. nistration. ceedings. The parliament, which had affembled this year Parliamen on the fixth of January, was, after feveral fittings tary proand adjournments, prorogued on the third of July, 1797. and diffolved by proclamation on the eleventh.. On the nineteenth of April a fecret committee of the commons was ordered to examine the papers of United Irishmen, of whom two committees had been arrested in Belfast. The report of this examination was made to the houfe on the tenth of May, and ordered to be published for the undeceiving of thofe members of the Irish union, who, though really loyal, had been feduced into the confederacy XLI. CHAP. Confederacy by the idea of its ultimate object be ing a parliamentary reform. A motion for a temperate reform, including a political equalization of catholics with proteitants, was made on the fifteenth of the fame month by William Brabazon Ponsonby, which was negatived by a majority of nearly fix to one. Conceffion in these two points was recommended by the minority, as a measure efficacious for the overthrow of the Irish union, fince the two subjects of difcontent would thus be removed by which the conductors of that fyftem had been enabled to work fo fuccefsfully on the minds of the people. Henry Grattan, defpairing of any fuccefs in his efforts, determined on a total feceffion from parliament, and ended his fpeech in the following words. "We have offered you our measure: you will reject it. We deprecate yours: you will perfevere. Having no hopes left to perfuade or diffuade, and having discharged our duty, we shall trouble you no more, and after this day fhall not attend the house of com fes against minifters. 1797. mons.' Attempts Attempts had been made elsewhere against the for addref- fyftem of coercion. Sheriffs and other legal offi. cers had been requested to hold affemblies of the people in counties, towns, and diftricts, that addreffes to the king might be prepared for the re moval of his prefent minifters from his councils for ever. The meetings were prevented by the refufal of the officers, or by threats of military violence, or, where the inhabitants actually affembled, were difperfed XLI. dispersed by the army. The plotters of democratic CHAP. revolution and political feparation fecretly rejoiced at the growing discontents, when men of more loyal fentiments were heard to declare, that "the minifter, who determines to enslave the people, must renounce his project, or wade through their blood." CHAP. XLII. Motion of Earl Moira--Newspapers -Seditious inftructions by hand-bills-Negociation with France -Members of the Irish directory--O'Connor-Lord Edward Fitzgerald-Information of Reynolds -Arreft of the Leinster delegates- -Armstrong's information-Henry and John Shears-Violences of the United Irish--General proclamation-Abercrombie-Military execution-Irregular violences--The term Croppy -Miferable con fequences of efpionage-Arrest of Lord Edward Fitzgerald-Arrest of Sheares-Plan of the infurrection--Proceedings of administration-Proceedings of parliament. CHAP. THE coercive system, maintained by a numerous army, and feconded by great numbers from various ra's motion. motives of intereft, fear, or fashion, was condemned 1799. as cruel, unjust, and dangerous, by many reflecting Earl Moi men fubftantially loyal, too timid or too weak to attempt oppofition to the torrent. With a nobility of mind, fuitable to his rank, but rare in every flation, Francis-Rawdon Haftings, earl of Moira, made repeated exertions in favour of his fuffering country. XLII. country. In the March and November of 1797 he CHAP. had moved in the Britifh houfe of lords, as Charles Fox in that of the commons, that an humble address should be prefented to the king, praying him to interpose his paternal interference for the allaying of the alarming difcontents then fubfifting in Ireland." "Before God and my country," faid this nobleman, " I speak of what I myself have seen. I have seen in Ireland the most abfurd, as well as the most disgusting tyranny that any nation ever groaned under. I have seen troops fent full of this prejudice that every inhabitant of that kingdom is a rebel to the British government; the most wanton infults, the most grievous oppreffions, practiced upon men of all ranks and conditions in a part of the country as free from disturbance as the city of London. Thirty houses are fometimes burned in a fingle night; but from prudential motives, I wish to draw a veil over more aggravated facts, which I am willing to attest before the privy council, or at your lordfhip's bar." These motions were negatived, as was a third which he made in the fucceeding year, on the nineteenth of February, in the Irish houfe of lords, where he offered to produce full proof of many and various acts of barbarous violence. New Deeds of this kind, performed on the fide of loyalty, were not generally known beyond the parts papers. of the country in which they feverally had place, fince the conductors of established newfpapers dared not to publish any fuch, and newly inftituted prints were foon fuppreffed in which this caution was not obferved. |