196 Attack on Keeper's House 



misguided assailants to offer any violence, had 

 their demand been complied with. On en- 

 trance being refused, the infatuated beings 

 fired into the house, and killed the poor man's 

 daughter : she had been the first alarmed, and 

 had approached the door. The keeper and his 

 son, undismayed, defended his dwelling, and it 

 is believed that several of the infuriated party 

 were killed. 



r 



Whilst we cannot but condemn, it is impossi- 

 ble not to have some feeling of pity for these 

 misguided people, whose lawless conduct aug- 

 mented, in a high degree, the calamities from 

 which they vainly thus sought alleviation. The 

 friends to Ireland, those of humanity, and 

 every individual interested in the safety and 

 prosperity of the empire, are imperiously called 

 on to inquire, whence arise the cause or causes 

 creating this fatal propensity to outrage ? If 

 permanent tranquillity be the object of govern- 

 ment, the sufferings from which these dis- 

 orders spring ought to be ascertained and re- 

 moved : that sufferings exist, and to a degree 

 incompatible with the existence of rational 

 beings in a free country, I verily believe, and 

 am firmly of opinion the redress to which these 

 miserable creatures are entitled, would soon 

 restore to their superiors the affection ^of a 



