He

to give a plausible pretext for the extraordinary measures he had exercised towards me. entered my father's house accompanied by a military guard, and placing a centinel at the door of each apartment, he presented a pistol to the breast of my brother John, a fine spirited youth of fourteen, whom he compelled to accompany him in his search, opening successively, every locker, from which he carried off such papers as he thought proper to select, together with my pistols. My brother conducted himself on this occasion with a firmness and composure which could hardly have been expected from a lad of his years. One of my sisters evinced the most heroic courage: she was my junior, and with the gentlest possessed the noblest soul; she has been the solace of her family in all subsequent afflictions, and seemed to have been given as a blessing by Heaven, to counterpoise the ills they were doomed to suffer. But the feelings of my mother were totally overpowered by the scene. She had just been informed of my arrest, and now saw our peaceful home in possession of a military force. Maternal affection created imaginary dangers, and in the most energetic language she prayed Lord Castlereagh to permit her to visit my prison, and to grant even a momentary interview with her

son. This he had the good sense and firmness to decline, and in communicating the matter to me in the course of our evening's conversation, I expressed my approval of his decision. But my mother felt otherwise: the afflicted state of her mind precluded that reflection which should have rendered her sensible of the propriety of Lord Castlereagh's refusal. Agitated and disappointed, her gentle but lofty spirit was roused, and burying maternal grief in the indignant feeling of her soul, "I was wrong," she exclaimed, "to appeal to a heart that never felt the tie of parental affection-your Lordship is not a father." She pronounced this with a tone and an emphasis so feeling and so powerful, that even the mind of Castlereagh was not insensible to its force, and he immediately retired with his guard.

CHAPTER III.

Popular excitement-Hostile intentions towards Lord Castlereagh-Suppressed-State prisoners conducted to the capital-Lodged in prison.

THE intelligence of my arrest was quickly communicated. The novelty of the scene, the high rank and station of the principal actor, and the hurried bustle of the soldiery, all tended to excite considerable agitation in the minds of the populace, whose numbers every moment increased, and our hitherto peaceful town bore all the appearance of an approaching storm.

General Nugent, who at that time held the principal command in the northern district, entered the apartment where I was confined, accompanied by the officers of his staff. He considered it, perhaps, essential to the public safety, to see that a prisoner of state should be guarded with all due care, in a moment of popular excitement; but whatever motive might have operated on his mind, I am not to suppose that

idle curiosity bore any share. His visit was attended with considerable parade, and a good deal of that empty pomposity, more characteristic of the fop than the soldier. If I might judge by the result, it certainly was not intended to lessen the restrictions of my situation. A cold and distant salute passed between us. He eyed me with a minuteness which I considered rather uncourteous. I retorted his glance, and the General and his staff presently withdrew. In a little time, however, I found myself under the surveillance of an additional guard, and two grenadiers were now posted within my apart

ment.

For some hours I was confined to a front chamber, overlooking one of the principal streets; and as the populace continued to increase in number, and frequently demanded to see me, I was obliged to present myself at an open window, to receive and reply to their expressions of sympathy and kindness. Strong personal resentment against the author of my arrest, was expressed in language too unequivocal to be mistaken, and the soldiers who formed my guard (chiefly of the Irish militia) evinced no disposition hostile to the sentiments which my countrymen expressed. The feelings of the army, were, in fact, at that period considerably

identified with those of the people; and it was evident, from the rapid changes of the guard, and the apparent distrust which it was impossible to conceal, that the commander of the northern district had not the most implicit reliance on the devotion of his troops.

Considerable apprehensions were excited in the minds of my townsmen, lest the papers which Lord Castlereagh had carried from my father's house, and to which he seemed to attach much importance, should contain any matter of a political tendency, likely to commit me with the government of the country. Two gentlemen, on whose faith and honour I could rely, addressed me from the crowd beneath my window, and with much anxiety inquired whether I had cause for apprehension on this subject. I assured them that I had none, that my mind was perfectly at ease, that I had never committed a political act which conscience would not approve, and the laws of my country justify. The inquiries of these gentlemen were heard by the crowd, and my reply was distinctly pronounced, both in the hearing of the guard and the multitude. The gentlemen withdrew, and they were cheered as they passed along.

An order was shortly after issued to have me removed from the front to a rear apartment of