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conduct, zeal and activity, which on every opportunity shewed he was not in the slightest degree tainted with any of the popular delusion, as the rebellion was called by act of Parliament. He became so useful in night. ly surprizes, that he had the sanction of the Governor of Maryland, while he kept his court in a line of battle ship, to burn plantations, log-houses, stores, and such other articles of rebel industry and produce, as he in his discretion might think proper, and to any extent, until the rebels should be convinced of their crimes, and return to their allegiance. The instructions received from the floating court, he carried into the most decided effect; the country blazed around him, the inhabitants were butchered in their dreams, in the fields, and at their devotions; while he was extending the dominion and authority of the British Cross," that unfurls its protecting awning for the safety of the oppressed," He was adding to his personal estate by occasional confiscations; but in the career of vengeance and plunder, he was interrupted by the defeat and ignominious capture of Cornwallis, in the neighbourhood of his triumphs. The new fortune of the American arms, gave new energy to the unfortunate people of Maryland and Virginia, and those great commanders of similar talents, Bulbrooks and Tarleton, were obliged to disgorge their plunder, and abandon those funtful regious for ever.

At the peace, which immediately followed, Belbrooks was sent home with the other wretches of his description, and arrived at Cork, with out a shilling in his pocket.

Our hero revisited his native city, and instead of robbing American far. mers, he was obliged to accept a commission in the highCourt of Conscience, which was signed by one of the sixpenny Judges, the 27th of May, 1783.

The emoluments of his new situation, were so very inadequate to his

existence, that his apparel, did scarcely qualify him to appear in court; however he had no remedy but resignation, he lost so much of his personal powers, by time, and his American industry, he felt himself unequal to the task of running his life against the gallows, either as a street robber or a house-breaker. He continued many years in this forlorn condition, without ever hav ing a single opportunity of possessing a guinea, except when he sold his vote as freeman on a general election, which occurred but twice after his arrival, until God in his mercy opened another door to his distinction by the rebellion. His great penetration discovered the means of an extensive and profitable line of action, in the agitated state of the country, and agreeable to his invariable principle of loyalty, he joined a party of statesmen, who enrolled themselves under the celebrated Major, and become so useful, that he was appointed Chief of the third Division of Bookhands, in the Battalion of Testimony. He was offered the dagger, but excused himself on the unequal powers of his body, but would engage as his mind was in such health and ripeness, that he would undertake to prove his case, and baffle the most ingenious and provoking cross exami nation, and bring his game with eclat, either to the triangles or gallows, as emergency, or public policy should demand.

Bulbrooks showed himself to be a man, whose loyalty could not be questioned, and of so much ingenuity that he must be a great acquisition in cases of public emergency. His expe rience in America, was not of such character as to be of use in Bible affairs, and his debility disqualified him for actual service. The British had not learned to apply the Bible to stem the torrent of sedition in America; ministers had not yet discovered how the machinery of the gospels, could be

used

used in the cause of order and dominion. These great instruments of governing, were introduced into our history by Mr. Pitt, and his agents in Ireland, and we must say they have affected more towards legal extir pation, than hostile armies could have done in the same period.

Bulbrooks commenced extensively in the trade; and never any man with so little experience, done more; his conduct was cool, circumspect, and previously so well arranged, that, he convicted sixteen country fellows on a court martial, in the County Armagh, in his first attempt, notwithstanding he had Counsellor Curran to cross examine him; and in the examination which continued four hours, he compleated his object; hung his game, received two hundred and sixteen pounds; and was further honoured, by having a silver cup voted to him by Orange Lodge, 641. Certainly time has made a liar of him, but not to his discredit as a statesman, for, it has been ascertained some years ago, that the public house, in which he swore he saw them conspire, was like Mathews's invisible tree, for which Lord Louth was in Newgate, never existed, as there never was a house public or private in the same place, in the memory

of man.

His prosecution of Marmion, Conlan, and about eleven others in the same County, had not so much merit but equal effect and reward, because he had the assistance of Conlan, an Apothecary, a cousin of two of the prisoners, and such local knowledge of the country, that his evidence could not be exposed by geographical incorrectness. Conlan, was provided with an employment as head of the Medical Board, in Botany Bay, and Bulbrooks received a considerable sum. The reader may judge how important the services of a man were considered, who could dispose of so many as 29 rebels on two trials,

without the loss of one loyal man.Had this species of fighting been adopted in America, the " protecting standard," would be now flying in New York, instead of the rebel stripes.

Now, we would venture to say, that there was not a skirmish in America in which the English were conquerors, that they did not lose ten loyal men, for every 29 they killed of the enemy. If the English ministers, were as well acquainted with the economy of the Bible, at that period, as they were since in Irish affairs, they could have obviated the disgrace of Saratoga, Cowpens, and York-town, by half or whole hanging every rebel in the country.

Bulbrooks, whose passion for fame was always marked by variety, could not brook the simple mode of swearing, which fastened his character so far below its military level, as to deprive him of a celebrity, to which his former life was accustomed, that he determined in defiance of the impotence which his body laboured under, to try an expedition, and to carry his laudable ambition into practice, com-` municated a ruse de Guerre; he contemplated to a council of war, held with a few chosen friends, who admiring his genius, agreed to make a midnight excursion among the cabins of some popish weavers, in the parish of Keady; and on the night of the second day of August, 1797, succeeded in burning twenty thatched graves, 200 looms, 41 spinning wheels, and one thousand hanks of yarn, without losing a single man--This predatory expedition, so established his military fame as an excellent partizan, that he was invited to sit as an honorary member of Mr. Verner's lodge, at Rich Hill, and the Laureat of the Orange institution, was ordered to make a verse to his praise, to be added to the charter song.

Intoxicate with Orange honours

and

and monied rewards, he aspired to official distinction, and actually had his name, sent up to Mr. Beresford, as a candidate for the office of Deputy Grand Master to the Armagh Rackers, in the room of Brother Coote, who was hanged as a matter of policy, to appease public clamour for shooting a woman with child, while she was passing into one of the chapels of Armagh city.

We have not heard, why he was refused the office of Deputy Grand Master; however, he felt so much disgust at the appointment of another person, he determined to change the scene of his celebrity, and confine himself to the business of the metropolis, and in the year 1799, we find him an active advocate for the UNION.

He formed part of the rear guard of the police, stationed as a civil body in front of the barracks, built on the western wing of the Parliament-house, when Counsellor Plunket declared in the Senate," that if England persisted in her corrupt designs on the inde pendence of his country, he would teach his children, eternal hatred to the nation, who would so fraudulently dare to violate the rights of our legis. lature, as to destroy it; he would as the father of Hannibal did, forty years before, make them swear on the altars of their country, everlasting enmity to its enemies. Mr. O'Cleery our friend and register, assures us, that if Bulbrooks were to hear this inflammatory language from the orator, he - would have added his name to the list of heroes who incautiously died for their country. We are proud to say, these two illustrious men who would have been enemies to each other, on speculative opinions in 1799, are now living, and perfectly indisposed to injure each other; witnessing the abundance, union and tranquillity, now throughout Ireland, by the wise plan then adopted, of inviting men who know nothing of us, to make our laws.

Mr. Bulbrooks after realizing a very handsome estate of blood-money, was irreparably ruined about ten months since, by the infidelity of his wife, an English lady, who carried off hisentire property, which she is dissipating with the assistance of an Irish Glassblower, in Abbey-street, and nothing destroys the statesman's peace so much, as the inertness of the Major, who does not get Mr. Pole to proclaim martial law, under the sanction of Keegan's conspiracy, which would restore Mr. Bulbrooks to his former rank of judge and executioner, so as to enable him to wreak his vengeance on the Glass-blower, and recruit his finances, as the poor fellow has no other means to help him in an advanced time of life, but, the use of his Bible hand, which he rises on every Wednesday, as an anonymous partner, with such Publicans and Grocers, as have the courage to pay their rent, their merchants, and the tax-gatherers, instead of making dis bursements to Mr. Bulbrooks, under the terror of his indignation.

Beside Dundalk, Jan. 25, 1812, NOBLE MR. COX.

Arrah! is it true, aghra, that your honer is in gail-Och! hone oh!I'm sure it is.-Then the devil roast the fingers of me to the wrist, if I'm not heart sorry for it.—I'll warrant you the blood-sockers have treated all the friends of ould Eirion in the same manner.-Musheadh! bad luck to them every day they see the sky, that is all the harm myself wishes them -Och! astoir-the doings of the miscreants is bloody and dark; they circulate lies on the ca recter of the country, and throw ca lumniations on the good intended actions of the poor peeple.

There is a gallows book in this neaghburhead of ours, that is belong ing to an affisher of the sojers,-I think they call it Musgraves histry, the sarvant of the affisher slips it

away

away every night and fetches it to myself, and then Felimich Mac Shane, who is a fine reader and knows a pour of larnin, comes down from his cabbin and we be peeping at it.— But Mr. Cox, the tuther night as we were lucurbrating over it, about day light going, Felamidh made me sore with laughing at a part of it he read out to us. It was about as how Mr. Cox, what a bad return the Irish made the well natured people on the tuther side of the water, for impart ing to them the benifits of their delightful connexion and laws-Och, how we all did laugh at the stuff. Dar mo lamh, I thought Felimidh

and the rest of them would brust their sides. By my shoul, Sir, theire was not quarter as much fun at Plearaca na Ruarea.—If you believe me, --and when one takes pinitration to Juck into it-why the divil shuddent we laugh at it for blood an auns, Mr Cox, who sent for them or their laws? what the divil did we care about them;sure never axed them for a share of them --By the fist of my gossip, a more stranger thing nuver was tould of.-But what need I talk, a ghra, shure the varmin must have something to say in their affince. -Och, dam them for villins, it was myself a chuisle that suffered soar from the bloody fine laws that they condecinded to import to us.-In 98 my poor ould father and uncle was pitchcappt and hanged by their beneficient interfarence; and myself and the wife and the children, made little better than beggars.-But na bauckliss, Mr. Cox, the diabhal mor

is in the play, if things do not shortly have a quear turn.-The book says, Eirion will not be always the blind tool of her own degerdation; things is involving to a most inventful crisis-Them loving creatures the English shud be very civil, they have had the hill of poor misfortunate Eirion for many a woeful year.

There exertions ought to be to quinciliate the the peeple, and not

FOR FEBRUARY, 1812, VOL. V.

bullyrag them. By my shoul, if they dont mind their eye, they'll find there spiculations a trifle out of there latitude, as Padney Mac an Righ and myself, was saying this mornin. -Poor creatur his great grandfather had plenty of lans and piffisions, but bad luck to the feet of ground more than two sordid acres has himself.But shure my be you'll ax me what tuck them of him?-but shure I need not be telling you that it and the like of it, was one of the numberless blessings of the darlin laws, they sent the wild hottentot barba. rious Irish for there polishment and cultivation.

By the quill in my hand, Mr. Cox, they shud larn to behave themselves, and quit their nonsense. For as my correspondent, Ned Cahil, in Carlow, says, it's a long lane that has no turn.

If people smuther there feelings, they shudent think that they have none at all at all -No more at preseat, from yours etarnally ;-and bad luck to the in that wishes your honer

worse than

CORMAC MAC DIARMIUD
RUADH O'KELLY.

New Publication,

Printed by Fitzpatrick, Capel-street ;

A STATEMENT OF THE PENAL LAWS, Which aggrieve the Catholics of Ireland, with commentaries.

This is the publication which bas given so much offence, to the opulent and well read individuals of the Corporation of Dublin.

We extract the following introduction prefixed to it, for the purpose of giving our readers some idea of this very valuable work.

INTRODUCTION.

Section 1.

WHOEVER Would rightly understand the actual State of IRELAND, ought principally to inform himself of the peculiar condition of its Catholic Inha-

bitants.

L

In every point of view, they form a most important subject of inquiry and of serious reflection Strength, indus try, energy, and all the characteristic virtues which bestow value upon a people, are theirs in an eminent degree. In Numbers they have prodigiously increased; and they are continually increasing, beyond example in any other country. Already they compose the far greater part of the trading and manufacturing interests. The Agricultural class, so powerful and influential throughout Ireland, is almost universally Catholic. They occupy the most valuable positions, whether for commercial or for military purposes; the boldest Coasts, most navigable Rivers, and most tenable passes; the most fertile Districts, the richest supplies of forage, the readiest means of attack or defence. The Geographical advantages of Ireland are well known. Cork, Waterford, Kerry, Galway, Mayo, &c. &c. all Catholic Counties, attest the correctness of our assertions.

Numerically, the Catholics contribute full five-sixth parts of the Irish Population; and, compared with the Members of the Established Church, they are in the proportion of at least TEN TO ONE; a proportion, be it observed, rapidly advancing of late years. In every City, Town, and Village, their numbers more or less preponderate. The open Country is in their almost exclusive occupation. The gross population of Ireland, at this day, is moderately estimated by the most competent judges at Five Millions of Inhabitants. Of this number we may, without exaggeration, state the Catholics as amounting to 4,200,000; that is equal to one-half of the united population of England and Wales.

In fine, the Catholics are emphatically the PEOPLE OF IRE

LAND.

Such is the class of Men, faithful, generous, and deserving, suffering for the misfortunes of their Ancestors,

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yet nobly steadfast to their venerated Religion.-Snch are the PEOPLE, to whom the British Laws denv Liberty of Conscience. Their sole Crime is that of adhering fondly to the Religion of their choice-of obeying the sacred dictates of private judgment; and this, not by overturn. ing any established System, or by tur bulent innovations, but by preserving, pure and inviolate, the holy doctrines handed down to them by their Fore fathers, confirmed by ages of suffering and calamity, and now consecrated to their love and respect by an historical identity with the honor and fair fame of Ireland, during nearly fourteen Centuries.

For this crime, of worshipping their Creator, in the form practised thronghout the greater part of Chris tendom, the Catholics of Ireland are The prostrate victims of a teazing, m tolerant Code of Laws; rendering them, in effect, almost "Alieng” in their native Land.

To expose the nature and extent of this Code, to develope its severe operation upon the People of Ireland, is our present purpose. An acquaintance with this subject will in fact, serve as the surest clue for investigating many local anomalies, for unravelling many apparent difficulties, and for tracing the true causes of the numerous Evils, which deform the condition, and impede the prosperity-of Ireland.

To misapprehensions of the true extent of this Code are attributed the errors and mistatements which have been so frequently adopted by public men of all parties in discussing the case of the Irish Catholics. Hence, we have seen eminent Statesmen, Ora tors and Writers, however favourably inclined towards the abstract principle of Catholic Freedom, occasionally mistaking the extent of this Penal System, miscalculating its daily and necessary operation, and inadvertently underrating the degree of impatience and poignant anguish, universally suf

fered

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