118 



IRELAND (HISTORY.) 



not arrived, the admiral, after waiting for him n few- 

 days, returned to Brest, having previously ascertained, 

 however, that the country was well defended, and 

 that even the peasantry, towards whom the French 

 had been taught to look for immediate and hearty 

 co-operation, were apparently adverse to them. 



A proclamation was issued on the 17th of May, 

 1797, declaring the civil power inadequate to quell 

 the insurrection ; and this proclamation was followed 

 by orders for the military officers to act without wait- 

 ing for any authority from the civil power. The 

 military, who had previously been highly irritated by 

 the resistance of the insurgents, and who, it is too 

 probable, had entered Ireland, with the belief that it 

 might be treated in all respects as a conquered coun- 

 try, now gave way, in too many instances, to the most 

 oppressive outrages. Under the pretence that arms 

 were concealed, houses were sometimes burnt or 

 plundered ; and the military torture of the picket was 

 employed to force a discovery. The United Irish, 

 perceiving that their only chance of success was by 

 assuming the appearance of being reduced to obe- 

 dience, and conducting their operations in a more 

 secret manner, discontinued their meetings ; and the 

 state of the country generally improved so much, 

 that in August, 1797, the administration of justice 

 was again committed to the civil power. But the 

 United Irish were only laying their schemes deeper, 

 and were inactive and tranquil only, that they might 

 hurst out with more violence and effect. Hitherto 

 they had been chiefly confined to the northern pro- 

 vinces ; but now the associations began to extend to 

 the western and southern parts of Ireland, and the 

 whole organization to assume a military form. Ac- 

 cording to their new plan, the lowest societies con- 

 sisted of twelve persons, who lived near one another, 

 and among whom there was frequent and confidential 

 intercourse. Five of these societies elected each a 

 secretary, and these secretaries formed a baronial 

 committee, which had the superintendence of the 

 first society. Ten of these lower baronial commit- 

 tees elected each a delegate, and the ten delegates 

 composed an upper baronial committee, which direct- 

 ed the business of the ten lower committees. In like 

 manner was the organization of county, district, and 

 provincial committees effected. The supreme com- 

 mand was lodged 1.1 an executive directory, which was 

 composed of five persons, unknown to all except the 

 secretaries of the four provincial committees. From 

 this directory the orders were conveyed in the most 

 secret but efficient and prompt manner ; and they 

 were instantly and fully obeyed. Such was the civil 

 organization of the Irish Union. The military re- 

 sembled it, and, in fact, was grafted upon it. The 

 secretary of each of the lowest societies was its non- 

 commissioned officer ; and the delegates of the lower 

 and upper committees were respectively captains and 

 colonels. There was also a military committee ap- 

 pointed by the directory, to contrive plans for the 

 direction of the national force towards the grand ob- 

 ject they had in view. In May, 1797, the number of 

 men enrolled as members of the Irish Union in Ulster 

 alone, was nearly 100,000. In the other parts of the 

 kingdom, except Dublin and the counties of Wexford, 

 Kildare, East Meath, West Meath, and King's Coun- 

 ty, their numbers were comparatively few ; but they 

 were using their utmost endeavours to extend the 

 Union all over Ireland. 



As soon as the members of the Irish Union found 

 that they could not propagate their views by means 

 jf newspapers, they had recourse to hand- bills, which 

 wore privately printed and circulated by their agents. 

 I n these, abstinence from spirituous liquors was recom- 

 mended, in order that the revenue might be impaired; 

 and this recommendation, which it might have been 



thought no motive would Iiave induced the lower 

 rinses of the Irish to follow, was obeyed so generally 

 and faithfully, that their habits were observed to be 

 decidedly more sober than usual. The members were 

 also cautioned against purchasing the quit-rents of 

 the crown, as the bargains would not be valid in case 

 of a revolution. A caution was also given against 

 the acceptance of bank notes. All these circum- 

 stances evidently proved that the Irish Union were 

 still in hopes of accomplishing their object by a revo- 

 lution ; but, as they could not hope for this by their 

 own unaided efforts, they again had recourse to 

 France. Assistance was readily promised them ; and 

 preparations for the invasion of Ireland were made 

 at Brest and in the Texel ; but the expedition from 

 the latter place was rendered abortive, by the defeat 

 of the Dutch fleet at the battle of Camperdown. 

 Still the Irish Union looked towards assistance from 

 the Brest expedition ; but the French government 

 appearing to have forgotten their promise, Arthur 

 O'Connor, who was a member of the Irish directory, 

 was commissioned to proceed to France ; but, on his 

 passage through England for that purpose, in Febru- 

 ary, 1798, he was arrested, along with an Irish priest 

 of the name of Coigly, and Binns, a member of the 

 corresponding society of London. They were tried; 

 O'Connor and Bums were acquitted, but detained on 

 another charge of treason ; Coigly was condemned 

 and executed. By this time, the number of men 

 sworn into the conspiracy amounted nearly to half a 

 million, and plans were formed for the simultaneous 

 rising of this body. Their object, however, was dis- 

 covered by a man of the name of Reynolds, who was 

 a delegate for the province of Leinster; and from 

 his information, the members who formed the com- 

 mittee of this province were arrested. Emmet, Mac- 

 nevin, and Bond, members of the directory, were also 

 arrested. Government, at the same time, by the 

 seizure of papers, were made thoroughly acquainted 

 with all the plans of the Union, and thus were 

 enabled to frustrate them. The Union, thus deprived 

 of their directory, proceeded to elect new members, 

 among whom were two brothers of the name of 

 Sheares ; but neither these nor the other members 

 were equal in talents to the former members ; and 

 yet greater talents were now requisite, not merely on 

 account of the discoveries made by government, but 

 also because the lower members of the Union, wea- 

 ried with waiting, and anxious not so much to accom 

 plish the political objects of the Union, as to gratify 

 their own private revenge, could not be managed 

 except by men of the greatest talents and influence. 

 On the 30th of March, 1798, government issued 

 a proclamation, which proved that they meant to 

 adopt the most vigorous measures which were in 

 their power, for the immediate suppression of the 

 disaffection and disorders in Ireland. At the same 

 time general Abercrombie, who then commanded the 

 forces in Ireland, was directed by the lord-lieutenant 

 to proceed with his army into the disturbed counties, 

 vested with full powers to act as he should think, 

 proper. His first object was to restore the discipline 

 of the army, which was in such a state, that it could 

 not be safely trusted with the execution of the orders 

 he meant to issue. Afterwards, on the 3d of April, 

 he published a manifesto, calling upon the inhabitants 

 of Kildare, where his headquarters were fixed, to 

 surrender their arms within ten days, and, in case of 

 non-compliance, threatening that large bodies of 

 troops should live among them at free quarters, 

 promising rewards to those who would give informa- 

 tion of concealed arms or ammunition, and denouncing 

 other severities, in case the inhabitants did not return 

 to a state of tranquillity. At the expiration of the ten 

 days, the troops were quartered on those who were 



