CXX. The Houfe of Commons was moved, that the following address be presented to his majefty 333 to 348 348 to 359 CXXI. Proteft of the Irish peers against the Union CXXII. A correct lift of all the writs iffued with a view to parliamentary arrangements in Ire 359 to 366 land, in the year 1800 CXXIII. An act for the Union of Great Britain with Ireland, the 2d of July, 1800 366 to 399 CXXIV. Proclamation respecting the arms or enfigns armorial of the united kingdom 399 to 400 ERRATA ERRATA TO PART II, VOL. II. Page 722, Line 27, third word, for of read off. 786, line 28, for far fo read fo far. 848, line 25, for against read for. 969, line 33, for is read was. 1043, line 2, for no read fo. 1059, line 6, for its read his. CHAPTER VII. OF THE REBELLION IN 1798. NOTWITHSTANDING the difcoveries made by Reynolds and Armftrong, and the confequent arrefts of the principal confpirators with their papers, from which circumftance the rebels were left without heads to plan, or officers to execute their defigns, yet fo deeply and widely was the flame of rebellion spread, that it was impoffible to fupprefs the volcano from the eruption, which had been long fettled for the 23d of May. It appears, that the plan of attack formed by Lord Edward Fitzgerald had been communicated to moft of the rebels; for their firft open acts of hoftility, though apparently fortuitous, irregular, and confufed, bore evident marks of a deep laid fcheme for furprizing the military by feparate, though fimultaneous attacks, to furround in a cordon the city of Dublin, and cut off all fuccours and refources from without. On that day Mr. Neilfon* and fome other of the leading confpirators were arrefted; and the city and county of Dublin were proclaimed by the lord lieutenant and council in a state of infurrection; the guards at the cafile, and all the great objects of attack were trebled; and in fact the whole city was converted into a befieged garrifon. Thus the rebels were unable to effect any thing by furprife. Without leaders, and almost without arms or ammunition, the infatuated multitude ventured on the bloody conteft. Notwithstanding the apparent forwardness of the north, the first commotions appeared in different parts of Leinster. The northern and Connaught mail coaches were ftopped by parties of the infurgents on the night of the 23d of May; and, at about twelve o'clock on the morning of the 24th, a large body of rebels attacked the town and gaol of Naas, about * Mr. Neilfon was feized between nine and ten in the evening, by Gregg, the keeper of Newgate, as he was reconnoitring the prifon : a fcuffle enfued, and Neilfon fnapped a piftol at him: by the intervention of two yeomen, he was fecured and committed. It is reported, and appears probable, that a large number of the confpirators who were awaiting his orders, having loft their leader, difperfed for that night. fourteen 1 fourteen miles from Dublin, where Lord Gosford commanded.* As the guard had been feafonably increased, in expectation of fuch an attack, the affailants were repulfed, and driven into a narrow avenue, where, without order or difcipline, they fuftained for fome time the attack of the Armagh militia, and of the fencible corps raifed by Sir Watkins William Wynne, and known by the name of the Ancient Britons. The king's troops loft two officers, and about thirty men; and the rebels, as was reported, loft 140 in the conteft and their flight. They were completely difperfed, and feveral of them taken prifoners. On the fame day, a finall divifion of his majefty's forces were furprized at the town of Profperous; and a detachment at the village of Clane cut their way through to Naas, with confiderable lofs. About the fame time, General Dundas encountered a large body of infurgents on the hills near Kilcullin, and 130 of thefe mifguided perfons were left dead upon the field. On the following day, a body of about 400 rebels, under the command of two gentlemen of the names of Ledwich and Keough, marched from Rathfarnham, in the neighbourhood of Dublin, along the foot of the mountain towards Belgatt and Cloudalkin: in their progrefs, they were met by a party of thirty-five dragoons, under the command of Lord Roden. After fome refiftance, the rebels were defeated, great numbers were killed and wounded, and their leaders Ledwich and Keough were taken. They were immediately tried by a court martial, and executed, having pleaded in vain, that they had been forced into the fervice. Although the first effort of the rebels had been thus defeated, ftill they entertained the moft fanguine hopes of fucceeding in another attempt. Ge * The preparation to receive the rebels at Naas proceeded from the following circumstance: Lord Gosford, who commanded the Armagh militia, a part of which was quartered at Naas, was on that day in Dublin, and whilft he was converfing with Mr. Cook, in the caftle, an anonymous letter was received, announcing the intended attack of Naas on that night by a numerous band of rebels, who were then hovering about that town. Lord Gosford was more ftricken with the letter than the under fecretary; he took it with him, and inftantly fet out for Naas. On his arrival there, his fon, who commanded the regiment in his abfence, fhewed him a fimilar letter, in the fame hand-writing, which he had that day received at Naas. Upon this double information, the fincerity of the anonymous informer feemed no longer queftionable, and the garrifon was immediately prepared for defence, which the rebels, who lay concealed at the backs of the houses, did not expect this fortunate preparation saved the garrison from furprize. This discomfiture of the rebels in their first attack, gave confidence and spirit to the army, and by several of the rebels was confidered as ominous. neral neral Lake, who, upon the refignation of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, had been appointed commander in chief, published the following notice on the morning of the 24th of May: "Lieutenant General Lake, commanding his majefty's forces in this kingdom, having received from his excellency the lord lieutenant, full powers to put down the rebellion, and to punish rebels in the most fummary manner, according to martial law, does hereby give notice to all his majesty's fubjects, that he is determined to exert the powers entrusted to him in the "most vigorous manner, for the immediate fuppreffion of the fame; and "that all perfons acting in the prefent rebellion, or in any wife aiding or "affifting therein, will be treated by him as rebels, and punished accordingly." "And Lieutenant General Lake hereby requires all the inhabitants of "the city of Dublin (the great officers of state, members of the houses of parliament, privy counsellors, magiftrates, and military perfons, in uniform, "excepted), to remain within their refpective dwellings from nine o'clock at "night till five in the morning, under pain of punishment.” On the fame morning alfo, for better fecuring the peace of the city, the lord mayor published the following proclamation: "THOMAS FLEMING. "WHEREAS the circumftances of the prefent crifis de"mand every poffible precaution, these are therefore to defire all persons "who have registered arms, forthwith to give in (in writing) an exact lift or "inventory of fuch arms at the town clerk's office, who will file and enter "the fame in a book to be kept for that purpofe; and all perfons who have "not registered their arms, are hereby required forthwith to deliver up to me, or fome other of the magistrates of this city, all arms and ammunition "of every kind in their poffeffion: And if, after this proclamation, any per"fon having registered their arms fhall be found not to have given in a true "lift or inventory of fuch arms; or if any person who has not registered, "shall be found to have in their power or poffeffion any arms or ammunition "whatever, fuch perfon or perfons will, on fuch arms being difcovered, be "forthwith fent on board his majesty's navy, as by law directed. "And I do hereby defire, that all housekeepers do place upon the outfide "of their doors a lift of all perfons in their respective houses, diftinguishing "fuch as are ftrangers from thofe who actually make part of their family: VOL. II. 4 S " but |