Sle 
treasons, and appeared to consider 
himselfias suffering for the cause of 
his country. At his execution, he 
evinced uncommon intrepidity and 
composure ; declared himself a! 
member cf the church of England, 
andiaccepted the services of a cler- 
gyman of that communion. 
At thestime that Emmett adven- 
tured his projeet'in the metrepolis, 
his friend and associate, Russel, made 
an appeal to the passions of the pea- 
santry inan obscure corner of the 
northern province. He collected to- 
gether some persons who coldly list- 
ened to his harangue, but were far 
from compliance with the meditated 
treason to which he endeavoured to 
incite them. In fact, these projects 
had lost their attraction; the en- 
‘thusiasm which for some years bad 
agitated the north of ‘Ireland, had 
been permitted to subside ; the ani- 
mosities by which it was supported, 
bad grown languid. We do not 
find any attempt made to secure 
the person of Russel, although 
some threatened him with imme- 
diate personal violence, and others 
fwent forthwith to. disclose the facts 
toa magistrate. The catholic cler- 
gyman of the parish, who had by 
sine means become aware of the 
projected rising, earnestly exhorted 
his people to be upon their guard 
against the specious delusions of 
the agitators. Mr. Russel, upon 
these unauspicious appearances, fled, 
but hazarded from the place of his 
eoncealment, a proclamation (some- 
what indeed more modest than that 
of the provisional government al- 
ready alluded to) in which he stiles 
himself General of the Northern 
District; and endeavours to se- 
duce the people, by that*sort of 
language which, oa former ocea- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1803. 
sions, had become familiar to their 
ears, and was then probably not un 
acceptable. After the arrest of Em- 
mett Russel introduced himself clan- 
destinély into Dublin, with a view 
to rescue his friend, jf possible, un- 
der favour of soine commotion. 
About two days after his arrival, it 
became known that some person’ 
was mysteriously secreted in the ims 
mediate vicinity of the castle. In- 
formation to this effect having been 
conveyed tothe town major, that offi- 
cer proceeded to the examination of! 
a house in Parliament-street, where 
he was found, and to whom Mr. Rus- 
sel, though well armed, surrendered 
without resistanee, It was supposed’ 
he was in this act influenced bya re-" 
ligious scruple. He was immediate- 
ly transmitted to Downpatrick, in the 
north of Ireland, where he was short- 
ly after brought to trial, and upon 
the clearest evidence of his treason, 
convicted. Afterhis trial, he mani= 
fested all that wildness of religious’ 
enthusiasmiwhich had for some time 
formed the prominent feature of his 
character. On conviction he ad- 
dressed the court, at great lencth, 
and with remarkable firmness. He 
declared his adherence to the poli+ 
tical opiniens, for which he was a- 
bout to sufler, and touched, in a 
tender point, the gentlemen of the 
County of Down, by whom he was 
surrounded, These gentlemen, al- 
though latterly become more anxi- 
ous to preserve their property than 
to enlarge the circle of their liber- 
ties, had been foremost in the out- 
cry for parliamentary reform and 
political independence. 
minded them of this circumstance, 
and declared that he was doomed 
to sufier, for endeavouring to put 
into’ execution the lessons imbibed 
amongst 
Russel re-— 
— 
