Yet did all this fatisfy them ?-no; clamorous before, they now became outrageous, breathing ruin to all who had oppofed their demands. Clubs of United Irishmen, in connection with France, organized a general rebellion and maffacre; and affaflinations, burnings, and robberies, became frequent till the fatal 23d of May, 1798, when all that cruel malignity could devife, overwhelmed a large portion of unhappy Loyalists. "When bad men combine, it is time for good men to affociate; the Loyalifts of Ireland, and Loyalift always means Proteftant, perceiving that immediately after the grants by Parliament, they were put under the ban of Popery, profcribed all intercourse, infulted in their perfons, and ruined in their properties, found it neceffary to affociate for their own defence: they met in clubs and companies, and that they might be better known to each other, with fomething like a Mafonic formality: being all devoted to the glorious Conftitution, as establifhed by their Deliverer, William the Third, Prince of Orange, they affumed the diftinction of Orangemen. Of thefe chiefly were formed the gallant Yeomanry of Ireland, who withstood rebellion, when the Papifts murdered their amiable benefactor, Lord O'Neill, at Antrim, and the gallant Lord Mountjoy, their first friend and advocate at Rofs. Thefe gallant Yeomen were they who, fupported by the loyal part of the Irish Militia, fome Fencible regiments, and very little aid from a regular army, faved their country from becoming a province of France, under the mild dominion of the extraordinary Man who conquers as much by his liberality as his fword! It was they who maintained their loyalty inviolate, and preferved the integrity of the Empire until fuccour arrived; and be it remembered, that no fuccour did arrive until after the Popish multitudes were routed and difperfed at Vinegar-Hill. Be it further in the undisguised language of truth, we shall entreat you to join with us in ufing every honeft means of perfuading the Roman Catholics to reft content with The moft perfect toleration of their religion- But by no means now, or hereafter, to attempt any interference in the Government of the Kingdom, as fuch interference would be incompatible with the Proteftant afcendancy, which we have refolved with our lives and fortunes to maintain. "And, that no doubt may remain of what we understand by the words 'Proteftant Afcendancy,' we have further Refolved, That we confider the Proteftant Afcendancy to confift in A PROTESTANT KING OF IRELAND; A PROTESTANT PARLIAMENT; PROTESTANT ELECTORS AND GOVERNMENT; THE ARMY AND THE REVENUE, And this fyftem fupported by a connection with the Proteftant realm of Britain.' remembered, remembered, that it was a corps of Yeomanry, who, after that route, purfued the fugitives into the town of Wexford, and delivered from the Pikemen and the Priefts on Wexford-bridge, seventeen inoffensive Proteftants, who at that moment were on their knees, awaiting the commencement of the torture by which they were doomed to perifh! To perith for the fingle crime of being heretics! Already had been immolated op that bloody altar, ninety-feven human victims facrificed to the God of mercy; the very few who were permitted to live were obliged to undergo baptifm by Popish Pres. "It is a part of the prefent cant to cry out against the Proteftants of Ireland, as a tyrannical faction of Orange Men. I have been for feveral years an Orangeman; and now I speak in the face of my country, in the hearing of many Orangemen whofe good opinions I value, and who would defpife me were 1 to fay an untruth; I know of nothing in the Orange fyftem that could prevent them this moment from joining with the heavenly hoft, in finging, Glory to God in the higheft; and on earth, peace and good-will towards all men;' nothing to contravene the precept of our blefled Lord, who commands us, to fear God and love our neighbour.' It is true, they are the faithful subjects of our good King, defenders of the Conftitution, eftablished by the great King William, the unfhaken friends of British connection, and therefore they are maligned by thofe whofe conftant efforts have been excrted to feparate this Inland from Britain; and as the Popish agitators have not yet dared to abuse the King and Conftitution openly and avowedly, but only by inference and infinuation, they defignate all Proteftants by the name of the Orange Faction, and under that flimfy covering manifeft their malignity. All Orangemen are Proteftants: would to God all Proteftants were Orangemen! we fhould not then see some of them running a race for Popish applaufe, and keeping the country in a conftant fate of agitation. "As to the foolish gafconade thrown out to terrify those who know no thing of the matter, that Buonaparte has fixty millions of fubjects-our Sovereign has fixteen-Will he reject the fervices of four millions of those fixteen? That is, if you do not fubmit to our demands, we go again into rebellion. "Now, if it were not for the mifchievous intention of this declaration, it is rather a subject of laughter and of fcorn, than a matter on which to argue. Let us, however, fuch as it is, examine into its truth. "In the first place, then, it greatly under-rates the number of our European fellow-fubjects, who at the loweft eftimation are twenty four millions; and it totally forgets our numerous fettlements in both hemifpheres, and our Indian poffeffions, which are faid to amount to forty millions; fo that even in number his Majefty commands more men than the wondrous man who marches through the world with the fword in one hand and religious toleration in the other.-But numbers have nothing to do in this bulinefs. If the demands of the Romanifts were juft, and could be granted with fafety by their fellow-fubjects, they ought to be awarded to ten men; if otherwise, not to ten millions. "About the time of the glorious Revolution, the people of Ireland were numbered, and found not to exceed one million; foon after that period, whole regiments of Romanifts, and all their connections, abandoned their country, and went to flarve in France and Spain, while multitudes of fo reign Proteftants fettled in Ireland:-this brought the people of both churches nearly to a par in numbers: little more than a century has fince elapfed. I believe there is no inftance in modern times of people multiplying four-fold in a century, especially, as they ftate, under the most.cruel oppreffion. I am therefore of opinion that three millions is a very liberal eftimate of our numbers: two-fifths of them are Proteftants :-how, then, can it be faid that there are four millions of Irish Romanifts? Is not this a little exaggeration, or fomething like that figure in rhetoric for which our countrymen are faid to be famous? Is it not fomewhat of the nature of a bull, when it is known that the whole population of Ireland never amounted to three millions and an half, to fay that four millions of them are Romanifts? What, are there not a few Proteftants amongft us that refifted the infuriate rabble of Romanifs, and preferved the connection with Britain?— There were enough ever to maintain the Conftitution, when fupported by Government. As to the army, not one-fourth part of the Irith foldiery which enlift in the line are Papifts. Afk the militia colonels what proportion volunteered for general fervice upon a late occafion. Yet this orator fpeaks as if all Irish officers and foldiers were Papifts, and claims the glory of Egypt, Maida and Trafalgar. In Egypt, the 42d were Proteftant Diffenters; at Maida, the renowned 27th, originating and defcending from the heroes who refifted James, and whofe glory it is to be called Enifkilleners,' added to their hereditary glory. Of Trafalgar, I fhall not speak; but I well remember when the fleet mutinied at the Nore. I was lamenting the fubject to a Romanist, with whom I was then on speaking terms; he answered, triumphantly, Aye, you tranfported the United Irishmen on board the fleet, and they have now UNITED the fleet.' But, after all, how does this ftatement of our triumphs being gained by Irithmen agree with the affertion that four millions are rejected? If they are rejected, they are not a part of our army and navy; if they are received, they acquire the fame renown as other British fubjects.. "I fear you are tired of this ungrateful fubject; I shall therefore haften to a conclufion, particularly as there is but one point more in these declamations worthy of notice--the charge of tyranny against the Orange Faction. Pofitively to deny fo bafe a calumny, would be fufficient in this aflembly; but to prove its falfehood to the world, I afk, is there any man fo great, so rich, fo powerful, that he could go into the street and injure even the pooreft, the meanest, the weakest Romanist he should meet? Did he ftrike him, would he not be punifhed by the law? If he took from him aught, would he not be punished by the law? If in any way he laid hands upon him, would not the law punish the aggreffion? What, then, is the meaning of the cant word Catholic Emancipation? In whofe hands are they? who reftrains them? do they pay rents? yes, certainly, to the proprietors of lands and houfes, and fuch Romanifts as have either, exact full as inuch as Protestants. Do they pay tithes ? they did fo before the Chriftian church was reformed from Popery and restored to its primitive purity. I therefore ask again, what is meant by Catholic Emancipation? "Dean Swift, in his Advice to Servants, fays, never tell a lie that can be difcovered in twenty-four hours; after that it may be forgotten, or at leaft be rendered difficult of difproof. But here we are treated to a story which every man who heard it knew to be falfe at the moment, it was uttered. We are told of the cafe of the Rev. Mr Ledwich, of Rathfarn• ham, and the wanton, unprovoked, barbarous attempt to murder this innocent, ⚫aged, ⚫aged, unoffending, and exemplary Catholic Clergyman; yet was the offender acquitted: by a County Dublin Grand Jury he was acquitted! Let the parties but change fides: had your Lordship and the other Peers now prefent, or any other the most respectable of this affembly, committed fuch an outrage against any of the Orange Faction, would not every one of you have been hanged? If laws are made for every degree and defeription of fubjects, why not • equally enforced? The reafon is obvious; we have no political power, without which civil rights cannot exift.' "Now, if this man was all that has been alledged, he was certainly very unfortunate in his friends and relations: his two nephews. Wade and Ledwich, traitors of the blackest hue, were taken in arms fighting against his Majefty's troops, and hanged. Still this priest might be a very good man. It happened, however, that the village of Rathfarnham, though containing many worthy and loyal men, was thought to be in fo much danger from the feditious, that an officer and a party of infantry were ordered to be there ftationed the officer, a very young gentleman, was kindly and hofpitably received at the house of a neighbouring gentleman of the moft benevolent heart, elegant acquirements, and extentive reading; one to whom the words of Feftus to St. Paul might well be applied, too much learning has made you mad;' for, unhappily, he was fubject to fits of mental derangement : under the influence of one of thofe, he imagined that the priest had made an attempt to kill him; he called out the guard-marched to the priest's houfe, who, providentially, had efcaped; ordered the foldiers to fire, particularly at the windows where he fuppofed the priest was; the foldiers obeyed, and fome fhots were fired, though, as I have faid, providentially without effect and, as a monument of Chriftian charity, conciliatory fpirit, meek and fuffering innocence, I believe the marks of the balls are carefully preferved to this day. This certainly was a most atrocious outrage; it was no fooner known than the Proteftant gentlemen of the neighbourhood immediately affembled; declared their abhorrence of it, affured the Romanifts of their protection, and offered a very large reward for apprehending the unfortunate gentleman, who kept out of the way. The officer was brought to trial, convicted, tried, fentenced, fined, and for a very long space imprifoned; and, I have fince heard, was deprived of his commiffion. I myself was prefent at this trial. 1 The gentleman was afterwards tried. I was not prefent; but I have heard he was (on account of his derangement and fome imperfection in the evidence) acquitted of the criminal charge; but, for the damages to a great amount, he was thrown into prifon, where he languishes at this hour, in Kilmainham, the prifon of the county Dublin. Now, I afk, what more could have been done? What more has ever been done to the unhappy maniacs who have attempted the facred life of our Sovereign, than has been done in the cafe of this Popish prieti ? "I have taken more notice of this mifreprefentation, than you, Gentlemen, who know its utter want of truth, and are daily in the habit of hearing fimilar mifreprefentation, equally unfounded, will think neceifary; but the object being to imprefs the people of England with an idea of tyranny and injuftice, which have no existence, will apologize for my taking up fo much of your time in refutation. Thofe people complain of wanting political power, which they now openly demand." They complain of tithes, which they fay they pay to a church in which they they do not worship; and they complain of rents, which they confider' as oppreffive. The lands were once all theirs, but forfeited for various acts of rebellion and maffacre; but they preferve accurate maps, afcertaining the bounds of the old poffeffions, and will doubtless demand reftitution whenever they obtain political power, and feel themfelves fufficiently strong to enforce what they deem to be their right. "That they already poffefs more political power than those who worship the flave of Buonaparte, and who dare openly appeal to that tyrant ought to poffefs, I think will not be difputed; that fome inconvenience might arife from reftoring their forfeited lands, will, I believe, be admitted, even by thofe who pretend to be their warmeft advocates, but really are the poffeffors of thofe very lands. Let them fettle it between them, though I guefs that when the demand comes to be made (and we know that, in 1798, next to the extirpation of heretics, it was the great object) those who now fo loudly exalt Popery, will cry out- O Proteftants! come and help us to maintain our poffeffions.' "The Proteftant proprietory poffefs forty-nine parts in fifty of the lands of Ireland. When any man has lands to fet which are tithe free, he does not fail to advertise that circumftance, and he fets his lands confiderably higher in confequence thereof; but if his lands be subject to tithes, the taker makes an abatement in the rents, even more than the value of the tithe. It follows, then, from these premises, which no man can controvert, that the subtraction of property is from the land-owner, and not from the land-holder, who though he immediately pays, pays only as the agent of the land-owner, who, were the land tithe-free, would receive a much higher rent: it therefore follows, that the Proteftant proprietory pay forty-nine parts of the tithes which fupport the church establishment, and if the Romanifts pay the remaining fiftieth, it will not be denied that the grants which of late years have been made to them, fully counter-balance one fiftieth part of the tithes of Ireland. The weakness of the clergy is the inducement to attack them first; the rents are the next object: the true caufe then of their clamours against the clergy, their many inhuman murders committed on that order of men, is not because the Romanifts are oppreffed, but because they wish to destroy our heretical church. "Upon the whole, Sir, we are now at iffue. The Papifts at prefent demand but the political power of the State; what their next demands will be, I have fuggefted-political power leads directly to them; in cafe of refufal, they threaten us with Buonaparte and his fixty millions of men, and pretty clearly infinuate that thofe millions will be augmented by four millions more. Should this take place, it is plain that the extinction of Proteftants in Ireland must follow. If, faid a demagogue, you do not extinguish your tyrants' (the Proteftants), they will extinguish you." "On what, then, have we to depend? firft, on a gracious Providence, who has at all times protected and preferved the Proteftant church; next, on our pious and religious Proteftant King, who remembers his engagement to us, who have ever been loyal, and for his oath-fake will not give us over for a prey to our enemies; thirdly, upon a Parliament which has already rejected the demands of Popery, and who, when they learn that the offer of the benefits at prefent in contemplation has been received with fcorn and indignation, will not, I truft, prefs them farther. This Parliament will doubtlefs recollect that by the act of Union the Proteftants of APP. VOL. XXVI. Ireland |