HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
that shortly after, several of the 
rivates were seduced to join in a 
conspiracy, for overturning the go- 
vernment. A society at some un- 
known period, had been established 
for the specious purpose of pro- 
moting the extension of liberty; 
from whence issued, what were 
called, constitutional declarations ; 
_ the forms of revolutionary engage- 
ments ; tests and oaths, Meetings 
_ were established at various obscure 
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public houses, in order to avoid suse 
picion, to which the objects of their 
seduction, were invited and enter- 
tained; and to whom unlawful 
oaths were administered ; where se- 
ditious songs were'sung, and toasts of 
the most atrocious tendency drank, 
Towards the end of the year 1802, 
when the agitators of the plot, 
thought their proceedings were 
sufficiently matured ; their confi- 
dence of success betrayed them 
into the grossest extravagan- 
cies; their audacity exceeded all 
- bounds; a day for attacking the 
tower was proposed, and the great 
blow was mslvad to be struck on 
the 16th of November; the day on 
which the king first intended, to go 
to his parliament, Hitherto their 
meetings, had consisted entirely of 
the lower orders of the people, 
journeymen, day labourers, and 
common soldiers; but now that 
the drama was nearly complete, 
_ that the minor parts were cast, 
* 
and the piece had undergone as 
many rehearsals, as were judged 
“i necessary before its public exhibi- 
_ tion; the manager and principal 
_ actor, thought it proper to make 
his appearance. 
This man, whose name was Des- 
. oh was a person of respectable 
amily and connections in Ireland, 
71 
of which country he was a native, 
He had from his early youth been 
bred to arms, and in the service of 
his country, had given the most dis- 
tinguished proofs of intrepidity, 
zeal, and good conduct. He had 
attained to an high military rank ; 
and the evidence of Lord Nelson 
and Sir Alured Clarke, no incom- 
petent judges of merit, bore the 
most honorable testimony to his 
conduct and character while em- 
ployed with, or under them ; nay, it 
was eyen proved, upon this awful 
occasion, that the preservation of a 
valuable British possession, was en- 
tirely. owing to his yalour and ex- 
perience. Such, however, was the 
person, who now became known, as 
the leader and first mover of this 
conspiracy, It was supposed, that 
irritated by the refusal or delay of 
government, to liquidate some claims 
which occurred in the course ot his 
services; and byalongand close con- 
finement, he had undergone in the 
prison in cold-bath fields, towards 
the close of the late war; to which, 
as an object of suspicion, on what 
grounds has never appeared, he had 
been committed ; and from whence 
hewas onlyreleased by theexpiration 
of the act for the suspension of the 
habeas corpus ;—he had brooded 
over his misfortunes, and the in- 
juries he conceived himself to have 
received ; till he had wrought up his 
mind, naturally enthusiastic and 
gloomy, to the belief of his having 
it in hjs power, at once to avenge his 
own wrongs, and restore his country 
to freedom, Jt is difficult to con-' 
celve, that with such associates as 
we have just described, he could 
form any feasible plan for effectually 
overturning, such a constitution as 
that for Great Britain ; for seizing 
4 the 
