"Upon receiving Mr. Secretary Hobart's answer, your com "mittee, still desirous to conciliate, informed the Earl of Fin"gal, and Lord Viscount Kenmare, in writing, that from the respect which they bore to their lordships, they had deputed "Mr. Byrne and Mr. Rice to request their attendance at the "castle. This letter was forwarded by Mr. Byrne, and ac“companied with a note, acquainting their lordships, that these "gentlemen would wait on them at their respective houses on "the following morning. "We are sorry to be obliged to observe, that these uncom "mon marks of deference and respectful attention, far from 66 gaining on the mind of the noble viscount, seemed to render "him more averse to conciliating measures. He suffered the "two gentlemen to come to his house at the appointed hour, "and even there refused to see them, though deputed in your name, and under the sanction of your authority. Several "conferences had taken place with the Earl of Fingal, whose "attachment to our cause was too sincere not to lament, that any difference of opinion should exist; but having hitherto "acted in conjunction with Lord Kenmare, he declared himself "reluctant to join in any measure without the concurrent approbation of the noble viscount. Nor was it till shortly be "fore the hour appointed by Mr. Secretary Hobart, that your "committee received information, that the noble lords would "meet them at the castle. 66 "In this interview with the minister, we delivered, through "the hands of the Earl of Fingal, a copy of the petition intend"ed to be presented to parliament. Here we beg leave to ar"rest your attention. A charge of a serious nature has been "made. We are far from imputing to any particular person "the indecorous assertions, injurious misrepresentations, and ❝ unnatural triumphs, at every obstacle that did arise to damp "our exertions; had they been confined to our proceedings "whilst we were strictly and literally pursuing your instruc"tions, we should have passed them unnoticed; but your com"mittee cannot remain silent under the imputation of having "trifled with your authority, and surprised the noble lords, by presenting a copy of your resolutions without any previous "communication. That such a copy was presented without "communication, is true; but that the production of it was an "object of indispensable necessity; that by withholding it your "committee would have proved themselves unworthy of your "confidence, and the interest of the Catholic cause received an "irreparable injury, is equally true. It is still fresh in your re"collection, that on the last night of the general meeting, one "nobleman, in person, and the other through the mouth of a gentleman, who declared himself authorized to speak in his 66 name, refused to coincide in your measures. You have also "been informed of the repeated and unsuccessful attempts that "were made to prevail on them to sacrifice their private senti"ments to the general opinion of their fellow sufferers. Thus "deprived of the countenance of those, who were in the habit "of addressing administration in the name of the Catholics, it "became incumbent on your committee to produce some au"thentic document, to shew that in presenting themselves be"fore his majesty's ministers, they were not an obtruding, self"created deputation, nor even the delegates of a numerous body of Catholics assembled in the metropolis; but that they were “authorized to act on behalf, and that their language was the "language of their brethren through the kingdom. The deter"mination of the noble lords to meet our committee at the cas"tle, rendered this expedient unnecessary. They, however, "deemed it not unadvisable to carry with them a copy of your "resolutions, in case any unforeseen circumstance should call "on them to make use of it. The event fully justified their "caution. After their chairmain had informed Mr. Secretary "Hobart of the purpose of this deputation, your committee, "with equal astonishment and regret, heard the noble viscount "declare, in the name of the Catholics, intentions different "from what they had resolved upon, and from what your com"mittee, in consequence of your resolution, had communicated "to the minister in writing. What views could have induced "the noble lord to make such a declaration, it is difficult to con"jecture. Had not your committee adopted the expedient al"luded to, they would have been reduced to the alternative of "entering, before Mr. Secretary Hobart, into a discussion "equally unpleasant in itself, and injurious in its consequences; "or of suffering the mis-statement of an individual, to obstruct "the wishes of the entire Catholic body. By presenting the copy of your resolutions they were relieved, to their complete "satisfaction, from the effects of so serious a mistake. 26 "Your committee having thus eluded the imprudence of the "noble lord, had still the mortification to find him counteracting "their measures; for on the day following their interview with "the minister, he wrote to the secretary to disavow those reso"lutions, which he had not then read, and which had received "the approbation of two general committees, at each of which "the Earl of Fingal had presided. Your committee, with defe"rence, submit how irregular and unwarrantable it is in any in"dividual, who has declined joining in your deliberations, to "take upon himself to condemn, even obliquely, proceedings, "with the nature of which, from his own indifference, or neglect, he must be totally unacquainted. "An immediate application to parliament next engaged the "attention of your committee. They addressed themselves to "several persons high in rank and consequence, equally respected "by administration, and endeared to their fellow subjects, by "their private and public virtues. Your committee are happy "to inform you, that every member of the legislature to whom "the intentions of the Catholics were made known, approved, "in the most unqualified terms, of the moderate and constitu"tional steps they had resolved to pursue, and expressed the "fullest conviction of their loyalty, and of the claim which an "uniform good conduct had given them to the liberality of par"liament. From the advanced period, however, of the session, "from the difficulty of communicating, in so short a time, with· "their respective political connections, or of bestowing on the subject that attention which its importance required, your "sincerest well-wishers recommended to your committee to Es postpone the intended application. "Satisfied, that by the public discussion of your situation, "the end had been in a great measure attained, for which you "wished that the petition had been presented this session, your "committee thought it prudent to comply with the advice of "their friends; and as a further mark of their respect to government, they gave immediate information of their intention to "Mr. Secretary Hobart. "Under these circumstances, your committee beg leave to "resign into your hands the trust which you have delegated to "their care, with an humble hope, that their exertions may prove "not unacceptable. They mention to you, with pleasure, the "happy impression which has been made on the minds of your "fellow subjects by that spirit of moderation, which has hitherto "presided over your deliberations, and directed your measures. "The liberality of the times is favourable to your efforts. The "prejudices entertained against you will subside in proportion "as your principles and sentiments are made known and dis"cussed; and your committee may venture to assure you, that "submissive and constitutional applications are the only effectual means, by which you can hope to obtain a mitigation of the penal laws. "Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting be given to "our sub-committee, for their attention to our instructions, and "the zeal with which they discharged the trust reposed in "them. "Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee, to per"severe in dutiful and submissive applications to parliament "for a mitigation of the penal laws; and that a committee of "twenty-one be now appointed for that purpose." The summer past over without any circumstance of notability relative to the Catholic body; though it appear highly proba ble that measures were carrying on in concert for establishing a permanent union of interest between the Protestants of the north (chiefly Dissenters) and the body of Roman Catholics. In the month of June, 1791, a paper was circulated in Dublin, containing the design of an association to be called the Society of United Irishmen at Belfast: and a complete plan or prospectus of the society was published in the Northern Star in October following; and in the same month the Roman Catholics published a declaration of their tenets and pretensions, and circulated them through the kingdom, in order to remove prejudices, and spirit up the exertions of their friends in their cause.* In the ensuing month of November, a similar society of United Irishmen was established at Dublin: their declaration was the same as that of Belfast: but a test was annexted to it.† To this society Mr. James Napper Tandy was secretary, and Mr. Simon Butler chairman. The acts of this period are to be retailed, as they took place: not as they may now appear in the eyes of those, who consider every act or transaction as tainted with treason, because some of the actors in them were afterwards guilty of that offence. It appeared now to be the fixed system of the castle to involve all societies, clubs, and associations, which were very numerous in Ireland, from the Whig Club downwards, in one common anathema of faction and sedition. The press teemed with publications on the great political questions of the day, and the warfare was truly virulent. Lord Fitzgibbon's book, reviving the question of the regency, produced several acrimonious answers. The severe attacks on the Whig Club were answered with great ability and warmth. Opposition could scarcely be pushed to more severe hostilities. Every expression of attention to any popular character, was an offence of no mean standard at the Castle: and the resentments were always represented by the opposite parties as personal and vindictive. When the Earl of Charlemont sailed for England to conduct his daughter to the Bath waters, the Whig Club, and all the volunteer corps in Dublin, attended him under arms to the water edge, and paid him the like honours on his return. In the course of this summer this venerable nobleman found himself under the necessity of resigning the government of the county of Armagh a confidential honour, which his ancestors had uninterruptedly enjoyed from the days of Elizabeth: he considered * This declaration was made on the 21st of October, 1791, and may be seen in the Appendix, No. LXXXIV. It is requisite to shew, that these first societies of United Irishmen differed from those that afterwards entered into the rebellion. Here nothing was secret, nothing ambiguous, nothing inconsistent with the duty of a loyal subject. Their test and constitution are to be seen in the Appendix, No. LXXXV. the joint appointment of another nobleman with him in that government, as an offence and insult. At this time his lordship's predilections for the dissenters seem to have been particularly obnoxious to government; and many circumstances concur in proving, that the determined efforts of the northern dissenters in the cause of liberty, were infinitely more dreaded by government, than the claims or attempts of the Catholics for their emancipation. Lord Charlemont* was still averse * It was not till the year 1796, that Lord Charlemont changed his opinion upon this subject, having then voted for their being admitted to the elective franchise At the time the following address was written to his lordship: "When a project is brought forward, professing to advance the prosperity, " and more firmly to secure the constitution of Ireland, the looks and thoughts "of men are naturally directed to Lord Charlemont: To a patriot nobleman, "whose life, his labours alike and relaxations, have been consecrated to the "service of his country: in the field, in the senate, in the cabinet; mingling "literature with arms, tempering politics with philosophy: neglecting, when "the public exigencies required it, the cultivation of an elegant mind to join "in military exercises, and set the example of assiduity and ardour: returning, "when the necessity had passed away, to encourage science in the land "wherein he had planted freedom; erecting the temple of liberty, and courting "every muse to decorate the edifice. Excuse, my lord, this intrusion; there "is a sort of established prescription for soliciting your notice when Ireland is "the object, and the theme is freedom; it is a price exacted for the situation "you are placed in, the most enviable a man can hold; loved, admired, and "venerated by an entire people. "I am aware, my lord, that on a former occasion, you did not seem to concur "in that sentiment, which it is the object of this essay to impress and to disse"minate; if it were my design to flatter, I should turn with a courtier's pre"caution from this contrariety; but relying on your lordship's candour, I "recal the subjeet, but I recal it to expostulate, not to censure; how should "I censure the man, who opposes to reproof the seven-fold shield of public "virtue and private benignity? Let it stand as the most ample testimony to your good sense, that you are requested to reconsider an opinion once de"livered, and of your importance in the nation, that discussing a great state question, it is my wish to make your lordship my first proselyte. " So deeply rooted are our antipathies to many amongst us, the very name "of popery is an abomination; they start at the most remote hint of indulgence "to that hated people: such considerations could never have influenced Lord "Charlemont; when, my lord, the authority of your great name was opposed "to the career of liberality, the intended alteration must have appeared inex"pedient. I know that many wise, and honourable persons, who, like you, "feel warmly for the rights of mankind, are induced to think the Roman "Catholics not prepared to receive civil liberty. I cannot assent to this doc"trine; and upon this, as well as upon other parts of the subject, may I indulge "my vanity with a hope that additional lights are to be offered; yet should I "fail in impressing upon your lordship the wished-for conviction, I must con"tinue to respect, even in a virtuous mind, what I am constrained to class "among its foibles. "Erutus says they are ambitious. "But Brutus is an honourable man." It will be amidst the improvements of a future period, that the parties, which "now distract the country, shall be extinguished; and the motives, which at "this day indispose very honest men to the cause of the Roman Catholics, be "neglected or forgotten; the stream of time as it wafts to posterity the events "of this important æra, will not buoy up the various feelings, by which individuals are actuated; when at that day, my lord, history records your name |