up to him the family residence in Belanagare, and retired to a small cottage which he built for himself on the extremity of the demesne, and which he styled his "Hermitage." There, shut up with his books, and engaged in his all-engrossing literary pursuits, he passed the rest of his life, and died in 1790. He left issue two sons, Denis, who succeeded to the family estates, and Charles, who resided at Mount Allen, near the County of Leitrim, and two daughters, one of whom was married to M'Dermot of Coolavin.

CHARLES O'CONOR, OF MOUNT ALLEN, born 1736; died 1808. Charles O'Conor, of Mount Allen, the second son of Charles of Belanagare, was born in the year 1736. He married a Miss Dillon, of Dublin, and had two sons, Thomas and Denis, both of whom settled in America. For some time before his father's death he took an active part in the political affairs of his country, and was the intimate and dear friend of John Keogh, at that time the leading spirit of the Catholic Committee. His relations with. Keogh may be gathered from the following letter, written when the latter was about sailing for the south of Europe :—

"MY DEAR FRIEND,

"LONDON, 30 Nov., 1791.

"You had reason to suppose that your favor of the 16th inst. would not have overtaken me in England. I did expect to have been in the south of France long since. The season has advanced very far, so as to make a long journey unpleasant, and even dangerous to the health of an invalid. In mine, about a month since, to Mr. O'Beirne, which you saw, I mentioned that I wrote to the Select Committee to appoint a person to pursue the measures I had taken here to obtain from Government an avowal of their sentiments, which we have in vain attempted for the last two years in Ireland. The Committee complied, and a very worthy, manly gentleman, Baron Hussey, accepted the trust; but a cause of his, of great importance, was at hearing in the Courts, which delayed him; they therefore added another gentleman, a Mr. Rice-bred to the law-a man of good sense in a certain way, but, in my opinion, ill-suited for this business, so that all chance of relief would have been at an end if left to his address. However, that has not happened. The person that has hitherto been our Patron or Negociator here is young Couns" Burke, aided by all the influence of his father. I attacked them on their own principles-that if his father's powers and eloquence were called forth to reprobate the French for throwing their country, their Monarch, Church, Laws, Nobles, &c., into confusion-of consequence, subjects who suffered during a century, degraded beyond any other people on the whole globe, without proving a disposition to resist, were the very people to be protected by his abilities. Our oppression would justifie "Paine's principles of resistance" and overthrow of government. Our relief would prove, good subjects could be redressed without violence, &c. Such ideas, joined, however, to the invitations of the North, and their being well received by Connaught, and the dread of our encouraging French principles, has by degrees made them as warm friends as we could wish.

Q Q

"I introduced Mr. Rice, and meant to set off for France, but Mr. Burke has obliged me to stay, and therefore I have postponed the care of my health until I endeavour to know our fate.

"The reason (of Mr. Burke) chiefly for detaining me is that I may see the Minister of the Irish Department, Mr. Dundas. He is Secretary of State; he was out of town, and is again gone for a few days. On his return, Mr. Burke is to introduce me; he is pleased to think that good may arise from my stating to him personally our wrongs.

"You will feel, as I do, our humiliation in our cause-deserted by our Nobles and our men whose hereditary property and education would add dignity to the application-reduced to the alternative of total neglect, or to be thus taken up by one of the humblest of Milesians. However, tho' I do not presume, I will not despair. To get a denial, to know we must depend on ourselves for our emancipation, would be a better state than insulting hopes, such as Secretary O'B. gave you-'when prejudices were done away with'—that is, after the Day of Judgement. My next letter will probably bring some interesting intelligence, whatever it may prove. I shall remain without aid, as Baron Hussey cannot come timely, and Mr. Rice I cannot make any use of.

"I am entirely of your opinion, to give the tenants in Roscommon the same encouragement to improve as those of Co. Sligoe, and the same to those of Leitrim, if they will improve. "I wish you had explained to me what I ought to do respecting the Gilmors' rents. You know I do not demand the rent due to Nov., 1791, and therefore it's hard the undertenants should pay it. If they do, it ought to be paid to me. You know, better than I, how to protect these poor people; and as it is an act of justice and humanity, I am sure you will not omit it.

"You have promoted a wise and politic conduct thro' Connaught; to mark their friends with gratitude. This beginning may appear trivial, but it will terminate in breaking asunder the chains that tye them down. Why is it that those in power are angry? Let them relieve you, and they will be sure of more extensive and lasting gratitude, as the service done you will be so much greater. No. They choose you should be degraded, and are angry that you should even thank Belfast for wishing you relief; and yet those thanks were scarce out of your mouths, when they rewarded it by the protection of our persecuted brethren at Armagh. Go on; but call on them to show you that they extend their liberal principles thro' the North as you extend yours thro' Connaught. At same time, keep clear of deciding about Reform or other political questions; they must feel you can answer, only all Ulster, on such subjects.

"In respect to your son Dennis, I do not disapprove the army for him as much as you seem to do. If he was very knowing and smart in trade, it would be, in my opinion, far preferable; but as things are I do not view it as a very bad idea-tho' there might be a better. I was lately, for some days, in company with some of the principal aristocrats at Mr. Edmund Burke's. Amongst others, a Coll. Dillon. They are now at Coblentz. Mr. Burke is their patron here at this Court. As I am not able myself to judge (if you even consented to Dennis thinking of the army) whether it is at all prudent to venture going into the French Prince's army, I will converse with Mr. Burke upon it, because he is in their full confidence, and perhaps he may offer me his service, which would be most powerful in that quarter. This I will do, and let you know, tho' I am very far, in my own private wishes, from hoping that despotism will be restored in France. Mr. Burke is in the country, but will be in London this week, and I will go to him on the business, and advise you; at any rate he will be time enough.

"There is no division of any importance in Dublin. The thanks were given at a meeting of Cath", not by the Committee, which is right. A few were timid at first, as might be expected, but spirit is getting very high there in general. You will let Mr. Hu. O'Beirne and Mr. Keon know all the Cath information this contains. When I write to one, I mean it to all. Remember me sincerely to them. Exert yourselves to make our people know their state, their rights, their wrongs; and when they once feel that strongly, freedom will not be distant.

"Adieu, believe me sincerely yours,

"JOHN KEOGH.

"I, this moment, hear that the Government are dividing our people, if they can, in Dublin. They are wrong. 'Tis easy to make us good subjects, as much so as they could wish, by ceasing to degrade us. If they treat us well, we will be grateful."

Shortly before this, in October, 1791, the "Society of United Irishmen was founded in Belfast by Wolfe Tone, Russell, Neilson, Sinclair, and other Irish Protestants. In the beginning, there was nothing secret about its organization, and the ends aimed at by its members were publicly announced in the following resolutions:

"First. That the weight of English influence in the government of this country is so great, as to require a cordial union among all the people of Ireland, to maintain that balance which is essential to the preservation of our liberties, and the extension of our commerce.

"Second. That the sole constitutional mode by which this influence can be opposed is by a complete and radical reform of the representation of the people in Parliament.

"Third. That no reform is practicable, efficacious, or just, which shall not include Irishmen of every religious persuasion."

These resolutions were embodied in a declaration from the Volunteers of Belfast, and in an address from members of the Society there, in which they called upon their countrymen in general to follow their example, and to "form similar societies in every quarter of the kingdom for the promotion of constitutional knowledge, the abolition of bigotry in religion and politics, and the equal distribution of the rights of men through all sections and denominations of Irishmen."

Such a declaration, coming from the Protestants of the North, opened a new light to the hitherto downtrodden Catholics in every part of Ireland. The Belfast declaration was hailed with acclamation in many parts of the country. A branch of the Society was immediately formed in Dublin, with Hon. Simon Butler as Chairman, and Napper Tandy as Secretary; and the

organization spread with rapidity throughout the west. Charles O'Conor of Mount Allen was one of the first to join in Connaught; and in November, 1791, he and Myles Keon of Keonbrook travelled together through every county in Connaught "to procure addresses to the Belfast people, and to propagate the national spirit."

In December in the same year he wrote to Napper Tandy, asking him to second the nomination of his son as a candidate for admission to the Society, to which application he received the following reply:

"SIR,-I have to acknowledge the favour of your very polite letter. I do assure you that I had particular pleasure in seconding the motion for the admission of Mr. O'Conor into the Society of United Irishmen, and that no exertion of mine shall be wanting to complete the emancipation of my country, give her a free and general representation, and render to every man what 1 conceive to be his just and undoubted right-security for his liberty and property-and a participation of the blessings of that land where nature has placed him.

"DUBLIN, 8th Dec., 1791."

"I have the honour to be, Sir,

"Your most obedient servant,

"JAMES NAPPER TANDY.

A few days later, writing to Dr. M'Kenna, Charles O'Conor expressed the following opinions on the Belfast "Declaration":

"BELANAGARE, 10th December, 1791.

"SIR,-For the many obligations I am under to you, I return you my thanks. Your favour of the 26th ult., which I have received through my nephew, I look upon as only one among many others; your daily exertions amongst an oppressed people are daily favours. The offence taken at your declaration by our oppressors is honourable to you and to us, if we support it; offence is taken at declaring truths, and if such be a cause of offence, may it increase. The not telling truth is the acquiescence in a lie, and may such acquiescence never more be the rule of conduct to Irishmen.

"Every aristocratic engine is now at work in this country to deceive and to mislead us. Some effect this may have, but it will be only temporary. Among other artifices, it is given out that the declarations from Belfast are not generally adopted, nor are they the general sense of the northern dissenters. That only a few want to bring about designs of their own by making us their tools, and that their wish is to plunge us again into our old situation by increasing and confirming the suspicions and animosities of our masters. We are endeavouring to counteract this poison, and I am this day, in conjunction with your friend Owen, circulating copies of a very spirited and liberal letter I have received from Mr. Sinclair of Belfast.

"I wish declarations, similar to those from Belfast, could be procured from some other towns in the north.

"I have sent the Roscommon address by the last post to our friend Mr. Tone. I would keep it, to be accompanied by some others, if I did not fear that our friends might think us either cold or wavering. The gentlemen of Belfast may publish that address if they think it prudent; but we are informed that they mean not to publish these matters at present.

"I have now before me your letter to Mr. O. O'Conor, for I write this from Belanagare. The conduct of the people you mention in deserting from us is of no consequence. Let those who are fit for the court of Caligula take their stations there. They are but few. The fate of Caligula was not long protracted by such sycophants. An affectation of wisdom and of superior foresight, of pretending to foresee what they could not understand, often determines the conduct of persons like those you mention. A pretence of intimacy with some great officer of state, and of having, in consequence, better intelligence than others, is a foible such men are often subject to. Let us persevere, and though this may not be the day for accomplishing our great work, the critical moment will arrive when it will be accomplished.

"I have sent my thanks to Mr. Tandy; he is in this province as great a favourite as in the city. His spirited and constant endeavours for the public should and will receive more convincing proofs of the affections of his countrymen than the poor thanks of an individual. "I am, with great respect,

"To Dr. M'Kenna.

"Your affect. servant,

"CHAS. O'Conor.

The exertions of Keon and O'Conor resulted in addresses to Belfast from every part of Connaught; and when it was resolved that delegates should be sent from every county in Ireland to the Catholic Convention in Dublin, Keon was elected for Leitrim; Charles O'Conor and his nephew, M'Dermot of Coolavin, for Sligo; and another nephew, Owen O'Conor of Belanagare, for Co. Roscommon.

What was the spirit of the organization when first formed, may be gathered from the following reply to one of these addresses from the Catholics of Elphin :

"REPLY FROM VOLUNTEERS OF BELFAST TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS ASSEMBLED AT ELPHIN.

“Gentlemen,—It gives us the highest satisfaction to find by your letter of the 24th August last, that the sentiments contained in our declaration should so heartily meet your approbation, and we shall be exceedingly happy to cultivate a correspondence with you on every occasion when our joint efforts may tend to restore to Irishmen their long-lost rights.

"You are, or ought to be, engaged in our cause; it is a National cause. We have spoken; we have said that the constitution of this country, if it desires or deserves to be free, must comprehend the people; we have said that the first law is the general will, and the determination of that will must be that every citizen, without distinction of birth, possessions, or talents, should enjoy the natural rights of personal security, personal freedom, and private