the French Dire&tory not 
1798.] 
eanture of the invaders, feveral parties of 
rebels continued for feveral days after- 
wards to aficmble and to annoy the peace- 
able inhabitants, but they have fince 
been, ina great meafure, difperfed by 
the king’s troops. 
The long expetted report of the fecret 
eommittee “of the Irifh parliament ap- 
pointed to enquire into the caufes and pro- 
grefs of the rebellion, was prefented to 
the houfe of commons on the a2rit of 
Auguit, by Lord CasrLeReAGH. ‘The 
report, after proceeding to give an hifto- 
rical account of the origin of the fociety 
ef United Irifhmen in 1791, ftates, that 
foearly as the year 1793, the feduction 
of the foldiery was part of the fyitem of 
tieafon ; that i in order to embarrais the 
government of the country by preventing 
the current {upplies of the year, all che 
bers of the united affociation were pro- 
hibited the ufé of excifeable comimodities. 
It appeared, from the examinations of 
Dr. M‘Nevin, Mr. ArTHuR O’Con- 
wor, Mr. Nerison, and Councellor 
EMMET, that an executive directory of 
the Irifh union was infituted at an carly 
period of the difcontents, of which Lord 
EpWaRD FITZGERALD And the four laft- 
mentioned gentiemen were members ; that 
x the year 17963, Lord EpwWarRD Firz- 
@ERALD and Mr. O’Conwor {et out for 
Paris, in order to negotiate with the 
French direftory for the invafion of Ire- 
land by a French force; but, fearful of 
a difcovery, they proceeded no farther 
than the Rhine, where they met General 
Hoche, to whom they communicated the 
ebjeét of their miflion: 
formed arrangements with the executive 
directory accordingly ; ; that a fleet, with 
General Hoche,-and a formidable army 
en board, was, in confequence oi thofe 
angements, fent-to Ireland in Decem- 
= following ; ; but not being expected by 
the Direétory of the Union fll the {pring 
ef 1797, the people were not prepared to 
receive the enemy when they arrived at 
Bantry Bay. From the time that Pranee 
was fo providentially defeated in her at- 
empted invation ee this country, the 
eomipiraey in Irelarid ceafed not to en- 
eourape France to a lecond ctiort; and, 
for this purpofe, a Mr. Lewins was 
fent to Paris in the {pring ot 1797, but 
feeming much 
difpoled to renew their attempts; a fecond 
_agent, Dr. M’NEVIN was ient on a fimi- 
lar ervand. He Jeft ,Dublin about the 
end ot June in thefame yeas and hav- 
ing reached Haz! pares 4 had a conference 
with the Prenen Miaittér relident there, 
State of Public Affairs. 
‘that this oticer ~ 
from whom finding it dificult to obtain a 
paflport to Paris, he prefented a copy of 
a memoire, which, as itated by the Doc- 
ta an oath, contained an exaggerated 
picture of the refources of the conipiraey, 
and the difpofition of the people. © This 
memoire allo contained the requeft of a 
joan of a million and a half, in aid of the 
Irish revoiution, propofing as fecurity, the 
confiication of the church lands in that 
country. The agent having arrived at 
Paris, and having prefented this memoire, 
the Directory retufed granting the loan, 
unleis on condition of fending fuch a 
force as would fecure Ireland as.a con- 
queit. After this, another agent and 
mcnoire was fent to Paris, complaining 
ot delay, &c. Inconfequence of this re- 
prefentation, the French Directory fent a 
confidential agent to London, with whom 
Lord FirzGeRALD had a conlerence on 
the part of the Iriih union, and received 
aflurance, that the force then preparing 
in the Texel was for the invafion of Ire- 
land. Thisforce did embark, under the 
command of General DRENDALS, but was 
debarked again, and the fleet Gilling @ pur- 
fuant to fr Since ders, led to the memora- 
ble viétory atchieved by Admural DBur- 
CAN, on the 1xth ot O&ober, 1797. 
‘Svon after this report was ptinted and 
publithed, there appeared an advertife- 
ment in the Hibernian Journal, figned by 
the principal perfons who had given evi- 
dence before the fecret committee, name- 
ly, Mr. O°Connor, Dr. M’Nevin, and 
Mr. EMMETT, in which they complained 
that the evidence they had eves had beea 
greatly lee ee in the public 
prints, under the name of what were 
called copies of the report of the fecret 
committee. This advertifement excited 
the refentment of many members of the 
Irifh parliament, and a warm debate took 
place upon the accafion, the iffue of 
which was, that the printer of the Hiber- 
nian Journal, his wire, and agents, were 
examined at'the bar of the houfe refpect- 
ing the infertion ef the above-mentioned 
advertifement, and afterwards dilcharged. 
4) few days afterwards Mr. A. O’Con- 
or, Mr. EmmEeTT, and Dr: M’Ne- 
ne were examined before a committee 
of the houfe of lords, upon the dame 
fubject. They admitted that the adver. 
tifement was pubiifhed by their authority; 
out that they did not mean to contradi& 
or to retract any thing ftated by them be- 
tore that committee, or before the fecret 
committee of the houfe of commens. 
They faid they had read the evidence 
giver. by them before the fecret com- 
mitkee 
