260 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1797. 
mons of Ireland, attentive to the 
honour of his Majefty’s govern- 
ment, and to the fafety of the king- 
dom, will take fuch meafuresas fhall 
be moft prudent to carry the in- 
tention of that falutary refolution 
in effect. Cc, 
Meffage delivered on the 29th of April, 
1797, from the fame. 
CamMpeEN. 
_ UPON information of the meet- 
ings of certain perfons, {ftyling 
_ themfelves United Irifhmen, for 
the purpofe of concerting plans for 
the fubverfion of the conftitution, 
and of the eftablifhed government 
of this kingdom, two committees 
in the town of Belfaft have been 
arrefted, and their papers feized: 
they contain matter of fo much im- 
portance to the public welfare, that 
Thave direéted them to be laid be- 
fore the Houfe of Commons; and I 
recommend it to them to take the 
fame into their ferious confidera- 
tion. I fhall, iv the mean time, 
purfue thofe meafures which have 
received your fanction and appro- 
bation with unremitting vigour, 
and employ the force entrufted to 
me in the moft efficient manner for 
the protection of his Majefty’s 
faithful fubje&ts againft all treafon- 
able defigns, and for bringing to 
condign punifhment thofe who are 
endeavouring to overturn the con- 
‘ftitution, and betray this country 
into the hands of her enemies. 
Proclamation by General Lake. 
Belfof? Merch 13, 1797. 
WHEREAS the daring and hor- 
ri] outrages in many parts of this 
Province, evidently perpetrated 
with a view to fuperfede tlie laws 
I 
and the adminiftration of juftice 
by an organized fyftem of murder 
and robbery, have increafed to fuch 
an alarming degree as, from their 
atrocity and extent, to bid defiance 
to the civil power, and to endanger 
the lives and properties of his Ma- 
jefty’s faithful fubjeéts. And where- 
as, the better to effect their traitor- 
ous purpofes, feveral perfons have 
been enrolled under the authority 
of his Majefty’s commiffions, and 
others have been forcibly and trai- 
toroufly deprived of their arms; 
it is therefore become indifpenfably 
neceflary, for the fafety and protec- 
tion of the well-difpofed, to inter- 
pofe the King’s troops under my 
command: and I do hereby give 
notice, that I have received autho- 
rity and directions to act in fuch 
manner as the public fafety may 
require. Ido therefore hereby en- 
join and require all perfons in this 
diftriét (peace-officers and thofe 
ferving in a military capacity ex- 
cepted) forthwith to bring in and 
furrender up all arms and ammuni- 
tion which they may have in their 
poileflion, to the officer command- 
ing the King’s troops in their neigh- 
bourhood. [| truft that an immedi- 
ate compliance with this order may 
render any act of mine to enforce 
it unneceflary. Let the people fe- 
rioufly reflect, before it is too late, 
on the ruin into which they are 
rufhing;—let them refle& upon 
their prefent profperity, and the 
miferies in which they will inevita- 
bly be involved by perfifting in acts 
of pofitive rebellion. Let them in- 
ftantly, by furrendering uP their 
arms, and by refiering tho 
toroufly taken from the King’s 
forces, refcue themfelves from the. 
feverity of military authority. Let — 
e.trai; | 
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4 
all the loyal and well intentioned ~ 
ack 
