human heart begins to work, and the busy scene often difplays a great man grafping at great and noble deeds, and fome political ruffian, often rifes like the fcum to the furface, feeking felf-advancement, thro' the deftruction of the people, whose cause he affects to efpoufe: France under Roberfpiere bled at every vein, and at length fhrunk from the democratic charnel-house for refuge to the brilliant military ftandard of a more refined tyrant. Paris after being fcourged by this most inhuman of all monfters, and feeing her ftreets bathed in blood, beheld a new genius rife out of the fanguinary deluge, who walked over the ruins of the Jacobin Club, and taught Frenchmen, forgetful of their animofities to gather laurels at Marengo, at Jena, and at Austerlitzs.Ireland had a Clare, who plotted her degradation and her ruin, and who made her humbly kifs the iron rod reeking from her own bowels; and the beheld a Fitzgerald in the full glow of honeft tho' ill-directed patriotifm, nobly daring and falling m a great attempt.-Courage mingled itfelf in a great degree in the character of Lord Edward, and he was accordingly one of those who at serious hazard, and at great expence volunteered their fervices as ambaffadors to the French Republic, to claim for Ireland affiftance in men and arms. To this melancholy tep were they driven by the relentlefs and intolerant temper of Clare and his aociates in the fifter country, who in the true fpirit of Machiavel. appear to have determined on the facrifice of thousands for the purpose of effecting a union. It was a des perate experiment. Had lord Edward lived, the chances of falvation for the exifting government might have been very fcanty indeed. The invafion at Bantry Bay was negotia ted in Switzerland, with Hochs, by Mr. O'Connor, and lord Edward on the part of the Irish infurgents. The accidental failure of this enterprize, the Irish leaders endeavoured to remedy by another more efficient attempt. In 1797, lord Edward and O'Connor by a circuitous route, again arrived in Switzerland, but they fuffered much chagrin from the perfons who were appointed to meet them, who unlike Hoche had neither talents nor a sense of intereft in the project, and who wanted particularly the fincerity which diftin guished that able commander. The fubfequent defeat of the expedition from Holland by lord Duncan, altered the plans of the leaders of the difaffected, and an appeal without any hope of foreign affiftanee from their allies was determined on. For this purpose a provin cial meeting was fummoned to be held at Oliver Bond's where they were to confider of the mode of operation. Returns were to be given of the effective force and arms of Leinster, and every arrangement for a civil war was to be made. This meeting did take place on the 12th of March, 1798. It confifted of delegates from each county, but fearcely had they been feated, when the house was furrounded by a body of infantry and cavalry, whilft another chofen party, headed by a man of the name of Swan, entered, and without finding any refiftance, immediately feized on the confpira tors and all their papers. This unexpected affair, which eventually fecured the British government in this country, was effect ed by the information of the infam ous Thomas Reynolds, who was one of the delegates appointed to reprefent Kiloare. This abandoned man, who entered into the plans and views of the difaffected, with an intention of betraying them, and of applying their blood to the purpoles of his aggrandi ements, with the affiance of another defpe ate adventurer, who negotiated for the mutual rewards they expe&.d with an unexampled and fum determination to earn a life of voluptuoutres and infamy, profecuted the partners of his crimes, and the unfortunate men expiated their alleged reafons on the gibbet, amidst the actions of their innocent families, the benedictions of their friends, and the Cavage abufe of their enemies. for the reward of a thousand pounds off red for his apprehenfion, that fome depraved montier, whose name remains a fecret, transferred the dearest fon that ever Ireland could number, among her best children, to the ignominous gratifica tion of an intemperate adminiftras / tion, in exchange for a trifling enjoyment, and an infincere patron! age. After a variety of painful changes, his lordship was received into the manfion of an iuftrious lady fince dead, on Uther's-quy, where he might have remained with fecurity, were not he apprehensive. that his peculiar misfortune might aggravate the painful folcude which the ve nerable matron teftified for his fafe ty, his teelings (or his good friend, Lord Edward eftaped the perfidi- fubdued his every confideration for ous industry of Reynolds, who im- himself, and on Friday evening the pofed himself on the generous and 17th day of May, 1798, he unforunfufpecting heart of a man whofe tunately quitted the hofpitable house foul was animated with the moft of his friend, and in the difguife of romantic notions that ancient learn. a penfants drefs, pad into Watin, love of country, and unquefling ftreer, on his way to another hiding place prepared for him in the houfe of Mr. Murphy of Thomass Areet. Such was the industry of the wretches employed to arrest, or the treachery of fome mifcreant privy to the place of his concealment, that he had fcarcly paffed over the length of fifty yards, when the aitants of Mejor Sirr, beaded by himself, made an attempt to feize him; fome young men had the precaution to post themfelves in different parts of the street, left any accident thould occur that might expofe him to danger. tioned rectitude could communicate to the human breaft. By an unfore feen delay which impeded his anxius fteps, on his way to Mr. Bond's houfe, he had arrived within two hundred yards of the appointed rendezvous, when he discovered the military force directing its approach to Budge-freet, croffing the Old, Budge, fome prefentiment, which we are forry to fay, did not attend hi,on another fatal occafion, I warned him, that things were not a favourable afpe&t, he haftily stepped into a woollen draper's houfe on the Inn's-quay, where doctor M'Nevin then lodged, where he found an A the moment, the major and honeft afylum from the bufy and in- his men pounced towards their prey. veterate fury of his enemies. He that appeared to be completely in remained until night covered his re-their power, as no friend was feen treat, but, a fhort and tranfient re- attending him. The tygers of juf fu, for he was fo carefully traced tice, on the critical moment of fecuring fecaring him were furprized to find, that fome obftinate difficulties were to be furmounted before they could bear off the poil, for the chief, found himself bound in the hands of two young men of the names of Gallagher and Paliner, one of whom ftruck him on the neck with a dagger, this was the commencement of a general conflict, which was obftinately contefted, until the major and his men effeted a well-tuned retreat, and lord Edward gained his intended place of retuge. no On the Saturday evening which was the next day, about the hour of nine, the young nobleman had thrown himself on a bed in Mure phy's, impatiently waiting for fome perfons who were to conduct him to another house in a neighbourhood les frequented. While he was anxiously meditating on his perilous fituation, two men entered the room, major Swan, and one Ryan, both well armed, Ryan with a piftol in his hand, defired lord Edward to rife as he was a prifoner to this demand the young lord made anfwer, but abruptly arofe and grappled with Ryan with his left hand, while with the other, he drew a dagger, which he plunged into Ryan's breaft, who immediately fell. Swan, who was a terrified fpectator of the fate of his companion, had not power to give any alarm to the foldiers, and Sirr, who were on the tairs, was in his turn attacked; to avoid the pistol, lord Edward grappled with Swan, and a fiient struggle enfued, as Swan became inca pable of communicating his danger, under the impreffions he had for his fafety, he received a blow intended for his breaft, but in his fears, he made an effort to avoid it, and by a fortunate turn of his body, the dagper inflicted but a flight wound; after receiving the ftroke, he reeled back, when he collected as much refolution as reminded him of the piftol he had in his hand, which he had the courage to ditcharge, and from which lord Edward received a wound in his shoulder; to this acc dental effort of his fpirits he owed his fafety, for the resort brought Sirr and the soldiers to his fittance. Lord Edward was fecured, and the affrighted major preferved. Had lord Edward renamed in the room where his arms hung, the whole party would not be fufficient to take him, but it appeared that every honeft precaution hitherto taken to preierve h in, was not carefully obferved. Providence that difpofes of kingdoms and of human grandeur, permits for its own wife purpotes for our inftruction and chaltilement, leffons of dilappointment, by which what is it dear and valuable according to our imperfe& ideas of enjoyment, are to be the fift whofe melancholy fate we are pain ully to furvive. He was removed to Newgate, where fuch medical affittance as was thought prudent to give him was adminifter.d ation On Wednctday evening the 23d of May, the Directory iffued their orders for a general infurrection, and about nine o'clock, a very buy and extenfive range of preparat took place in Dublin and its vicinity. The colonels or commanders of diftricts of Dublin met at a boufe a Aby treet, to receive the plan of operations from fuch perfons as were appointed to inftruct them from the Directory. Here the information of Reynolds operated in an extenfive degree, to impede the bufines of the confpirators, as every man of abilities and courage, who were mok eminently qualified to manage the rebellion were arrefted by the fortu nate mate difcovery of this informer. It appears that men very unfit for fuch a daring affair, were appointed in their places. Courage, a leading qualification, as well as prudence in a state of Warfare, they feemed to have been abfolute ftrangers to. So intimidated were they at the fate of their predeceffors in office, that they were afraid to entrust a second perfon between them and the offigers who were to command the infurgents, and the man they did appoint, though qualified by great abilities and integrity, was fuch a victim to inebriety, that he would neglect the most momentous business to gratify his prevailing paffion of intemperance, he literally got drunk after having an interview with the officers, to whom he promised to return with final inftructions. In fome few minutes after his depar ture. On his way to the directory, he again applied to his favourite enjoyment, and fo much did he deftroy all fenfe of the great truft he undertook, that he deliberately ftaggered to the prifon gate where lord Edward lay. Immediately he was recognized and arrefted by the jailor, who knew him intimately, as he had been a prifoner under his care fome fhort time before. The leaders who anxiously waited his return, were involved in the most painful difquietude, before they beard of the conduct and fate of Nelfon. On the fatal news being announced, they haftily difperfed, leaving their respective divifions that spent their time in the fame incertitude, to take fuch fteps for their own fecurity as individual prudence might fuggeft. Thus ended, by the information of Rey nolds, and the diffipation of Nelfon, a bufinefs, that had one fhot been fired in Dublin, would have fhook the British empire to its cxtremities, and on which hung the future fate of Europe. On the 4th of June following, lord Edward's death was made public, though the real and immediate caufe of it remains concealed in a kind of obscurity. Several contradictory accounts were spread abroad by the minor agents of government, accounting for the fudden death of a prifoner, who was perfectly cured of a flight flesh wound in the shoulder, inflicted by a small leaden pellet not much bigger than a peaNo regular account has been given that bore any marks of truth from the uniformity of the narrators. Lord Clare himself was off his guard in the house of lords, by not following fome of the tales that were in circulation, for he haftily made one of his own, by faying that lord Edward's death was owing to water on his breaft. This high authority is fufficient to convince us, that the injuries he received from Swan or Ryan, were not fatal, perhaps a public execution of a man of his popularity and family connexions, at fuch a critical period, was not confidered a prudent experiment, to promote the ends of political exper diency, or public justice. His remains were put into a leaden coffin, and with the utmost fecrecy they were taken from the gaol, at three o'clock in the morn ing, attended by a guard, and depofited in a vault in St. Werburgh's church, LIFE t LIFE OF MR. O'CONOR. Continued from page 281. Mr. O'Conors Correspondence with Mr. Bryan O'Conor relative to the Hiftory of the county Kerry. -His cafe of the Roman Catholics. While the Thoughts were thus affording matter for ferious converfation to people of all defcriptions, a Mr. Bryan O'Conor of the county Kerry, undertook a history civil, ecclafiaftical and natural, of that county. Mr. Smith, who wrote the hiftories of Cork and Waterford fome time before, undertook it in like manner, but the former had gone deeply into this work before the latter had thought of it, obtained 50 guineas fubfcription from one nobleman, ten. from apother, &c. and, finding himself hurt by Mr. Smith's reaping where he had never fown, travelled from Killarney to Dublin to confult with Mr. O'Conor on the best method of executing his defign. -Mr. O'Conor advised him to defer it until after Mr. Smith's book would be published," The hiftory -"The "of Kerry," faid he, "must be to "Ireland what that of Ireland is to "the reft of Europe, it must be "truly Irish." In fact, Kerry, men boaft that they ever maintained their ancient freedom in their inacceffible mountains with uncommon perfeverence, and that the English Pale looked to Kerry with the fame invidious eye with which the Romans looked anciently to Ireland.* NOTE. *Tacitus fays in his Agricola, "that when the Romans conquered Britain, they wished to reduce Ireland alfo-that the Britons fhould not be tantalized by the fight of li berty fo near them." They add, that the retreat of Sullivan and O'Conor of which an account may be seen in my appendix, was equal to the retreat of the 10,000 A good history of Kerry would certainly throw great lights on the ancient ftate of this kingdom, it would evince that our ancient improvements fuch as they were, are to be attributed only to ourfelver, and it would illuftrate the following curious expreffions taken from a celebrated Roman writer. "It is wonder.ul how that bar "barians who lived at the extremity "of the world, and might be fup"pofed as remote from knowledge as from men, could understand "matters of fuch deep enquiry and "tranflate them into another lan guage, I mean John the Irish"man. As to the Danes they never were in peaceable poffeffion of this country. Though they got pof feffion of fome fortified places on our fea-coafts, it is well known that they were ever in a state of violence and war, a hord of favages, enemies to all improvement, and ravagers of every thing facred and profane, as well might we attribute to Goths and Vandals the improvements of Italy or Africa in the days of Genfe ricus. |