MISCELLANf ES. 



.•5I0 



the Tower orders of the people dis- 

 turbed by many causes, not pe- 

 culiar to any particular counties; 

 operating with more effect in some, 

 but to a greater or less extent in 

 all. I have seen them operating 

 with extended effect in the north 

 west circuit, in the counties of 

 Mayo, Donegal, Derry, Roscom- 

 mon, &c. &c. These effects have 

 made a deep impression on my 

 mind. My observations, certainly, 

 have been those of an individual ; 

 but of an individual seeing the 

 same facts coming before him, ju- 

 dicially, time after time ; and 1 do 

 now publicly state, that never, 

 during the entire period of my 

 judicial experience (comprising 

 sixteen circuits) have I discovered 

 or observed any serious purpose, 

 or settled scheme, of assailing his 

 Majesty's Government, or any con- 

 spiracy connected with internal 

 rebels or foreign foes. But various 

 deep rooted and neglected causes, 

 producing similar effects through- 

 out this country, have conspired 

 to create the evils which really and 

 truly do exist. 



First, the extraordinary rise of 

 Ihnd, occasioned by the great and 

 increasing demand for the neces- 

 saries of life, and by producing 

 large profits to the possessors of 

 farms, excited a proportionate avi- 

 dity for acquiring or renting lands. 

 Hence extravagant rents have been 

 bid for lands, without any great 

 consideration ; and I have seen 

 these two circumstances operating 

 upon each other, like cause and 

 effect, the cause producing the 

 effect; and the effect, by re- 

 action, producing the cause. 



Next, we all know, that the 

 country has been deluged by an 

 enormoui Paper Currency, which 



has generated a new crime, now 

 prominent upon the list, in every 

 calendar, the crime of making anil 

 uttering forged Hank Notes. In 

 every province, we have seen pri- 

 vate banks failing, and ruining 

 multitudes, and thus have fresli 

 misciiiefs flowed from this paper 

 circulation. In the next place, 

 the country has seen a magistracy, 

 over active in some instances, and 

 quite supine in others. This cir- 

 cumstance has materially affected 

 the administration of the laws in 

 Ireland. In this respect I have 

 found that those societies, called 

 Orange Societies, have produced 

 most mischievous effects ; and 

 particularly in the North of Ire- 

 land. They poison the very foun- 

 tains of justice ; and even some 

 magistrates, under their influence, 

 have, in too many instances, vio- 

 lated their duty and their oaths. 

 I do not hesitate to say, that all 

 Associations of every description, 

 in this country, whether of Orange- 

 men or Ribbonmen, whether dis- 

 tinguished by the colour of Orange 

 or of Green, all combinations of 

 persons, bound to each other (by 

 the obligation of an Oath) in a 

 league for a common purpose, en- 

 dangering the peace of the coun- 

 try, I pronounce them to be con- 

 trary to law. And should it ever 

 come before me to decide upon 

 the question, I shall not hesitate 

 to send up bills of indictment to a 

 Grand Jury against the indivi- 

 duals, members of such an Asso- 

 ciation, wherever I can find the 

 charge properly sustained. Of 

 this I am certain, that, so long as 

 those Associations are permitted 

 to act in the lawless manner they 

 do, there will be no tranquillity in 

 this country ; and particularly in 

 2L2 



