S28 , IRELAND. 



ings ; the habeas carpus act was suspended ; whole counties were 

 procla med out of the king's peace, and seizures made of great quan- 

 tities of concealed arms. In the enforcement of these measures, 

 many acts of rigour, and even of cruelty, appear to have been com- 

 mitted by the agents of government ; but it should be at the same 

 time remembered, that numerous acts of atrocious barbarity were 

 likewise committed by the rebels. The loyalists knew that if the 

 schemes of their enemies proved successful, the plunder and con- 

 fiscation ol their property was the least evil they had to fear. The 

 concealment and obscurity of the danger, which they knew to be 

 imminent, might well excite a dread, which rendered them incapa- 

 ble oi listening to the dictates of moderation, or even in some cases 

 to those of justice. 



These rigorous measures were, likewise, in some degree, still 

 further justified by the more complete discovery which government 

 soon after made of the traitorous designs and proceedings of the 

 society. Among other members of it was a Mr. Reynolds, who had 

 formerly been a silk manufacturer of some note in the city of Dub- 

 lin. He had been sworn a United Irishman in February, 1797, and 

 in the winter following appointed treasurer for the county of Kildare, 

 in which he resided, and also a colonel in the rebel army. This per- 

 son, whether moved by remorse, and returning love for his country, 

 or by other motives, it is not necessary to inquire, disclosed to 

 government, about the latter end of February, 1798, the nature and 

 extent of the conspiracy ; and a meeting of delegates being summon- 

 ed for the 12th of March, at the house of Mr. Oliver Bond, he gave 

 information of it ; in consequence of which fourteen of the delegates 

 were apprehended, with their secretary, M'Can ; and at the same 

 time Dr. M'Nevin, counsellor Emmet, and some other active mem- 

 bers of the societies were taken into custody. A warrant had been 

 issued against lord Edward Fitzgerald, but he escaped ; he was after- 

 wards, however, discovered in the place of his concealment, when, 

 on the police officers entering the room, the unhappy nobleman made 

 a desperate defence : he wounded two of the principal of them, Mr. 

 justice Swan, and captain Ryan, dangerously ; and was himself so 

 severely wounded, that he languished a few clays only before he 

 expired. 



The seizure of the delegates gave a fatal blow to all the plans of 

 the United Irishmen. A new directory was chosen ; but their pro- 

 ceedings were soon disclosed by another informer, a captain Arm- 

 strong, who had pretended to enter into the conspiracy with the inten- 

 tion of discovering their schemes, and betraying them to government- 

 The confusion and alarm into which the rebels were thrown by the 

 discovery of their plots, and the apprehending of their leaders, deter- 

 mined them to make a desperate effort: and a general insurrection 

 was resolved on by the military committee, to take place on the 23d 

 of March. But government being perfectly informed of the inten- 

 tions of the conspirators, caused several of the principal of them to 

 be apprehended ; on the 19th and 21st the city and county of Dublin 

 were proclaimed, by the lord-lieutenant and council, in a state of in- 

 surrection ; the guards of the castle and of all the principal objects 

 of attack were trebled, and the whole city in fact converted into a 

 garrison. The infatuated multitude, however, implicitly obedient to 

 the directions they had received from their leaders, rose at the time 

 appointed in various parts of the country, and, on the 25th, appeared 



