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obtain no knowledge of the politics of the country, but by accidental or very remote sketches of implied or exprefs information. When the news concerning United Irishmen came to my cars, it was of a Dublin Affaciation. This was before the time of Mr. TANDY and Mr. Rowan's being first arrested. Until I perufed the trial of the latter gentleman, understanding that their profeffed object was "a parliamen"tary reform" I fecretly-and very foolishly, God knows! admired the affociation, and looked upon the time as ap happy epoch of our conftitution, which (through the loyal exertions of thofe political Proteftants (I mean Proteftants in the political fenfe of the word only) I thought now was about to be established upon additional principles, beyond the effect, or even reach, of any rational murmur, and thus become still more endeared to the heart of every loyal subject. "Now," faid I to myfelf," furely this bursting fpirit of rebellion will die away before the bright rays of Parliamentary

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reform and national profperity." How mistaken! how prepofterous were my fentiments! And yet, I believe the early fentiments of very many well-meaning and truly loyal fubjects were deluded by the fame train of fuperficial reafoning. It is a pleafing reflection to me, that I never once (at least as far as I can recollect) betrayed any fentiment of the kind; but generally fpoke my mind (which I had rarely occafion to do) with just diffidence. At length I began to hear of emblems of difaffection amongst thofe pretended reformers; from which time I gave up my favourable ideas of them in toto. In this ftate of mind I was quickly confirmed by obferving men of a certain defcription in this town and neighbourhood, wearing green filk handkerchiefs about their necks, green waistcoats, green ftrings to their watches, and foforth. Of the fignification and defign of this dress, no one could pretend to be wholly ignorant.

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The excellent character of Lord EDWARD FITZGERAID, had not hitherto (at least to my knowledge) been tainted by rebellion, or in any degree fullied even by the breath of fufpicion. I received a most polite letter from his Lordship, in which he informed me of his late acquaintance with Mr. Cummins, and of an extremely polite character which that gentleman had once given of me, as a very curious and intelligent man. This compliment aftonished me, as the very laft interview I had with Cummins terminated in a fracas! in the course of which he dropt direct contrary infinuations ! LORD EDWARD concluded his letter, by requefting, that, as he understood I.intended, that fummer (1795) to pay my friends in the towns and neighbourhood of Kildare and Monaflerevan a vifit, I would gratify his curiofity fo far, as to carry with me a written account of the political ftate, including the prevailing fentiments, of the counties of Wexford and Kilkenny. This letter was fo very flattering from a nobleman of whom I had no perfonal knowledge, that, had he not mentioned Cummins I verily believe I fhould have innocently gratified his lordship to the utmost of my weak ability, and in the end to my own forrów. But I was fo happy as to bethink myself properly, and send an answer of refufal, fraught with fentiments of loyalty, and of warm attachment to the family of His GRACE the DUKE OF LEINSTER. Of this letter I fhould be proud, were it difcovered amongst his Lordship's papers. Never did I do any thing that afforded me greater pleasure on reflection! And yet, were I ever fo difpofed to give his Lordship all the information in my power, I question if I fhould be able to gratify him in any one particular with which he was not already acquainted. For, my personal information in the politics of the day was very little; and that from news-papers not only much lefs, but very imperfect; and one enquiry involved me in. another; and fo on, till I almost forget the first: Thus;

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when I took up a news-paper (which was not above three or four times in the year) much of the news was mere jargon to me, through my ignorance of various neceffary preliminaries for inftance, the characters of fuch or fuch perfons; and former affairs alluded to and therefore neceffary to be known in order to throw light on the prefent. Let this be fufficient apology for many imperfections or omiffions in this part of my narrative. I am informed by my fifter, that about the year 1796, his Lordfhip refided in Kildare, danced amongst the rustics at bonfires, and in short uniformly conducted himself amongst them with such uncommon condescenfion, freedom, and affability, that like Abfalom of old, he stole away the hearts of the people.

I fhall now haften towards the time when the rebellion in this country began to break forth more openly.

About the middle of the year 1797, or, perhaps, earlier, I used to hear confufed talk about Orange men, who, it was reported amongst the lower orders of the people, had folemnly bound themselves by a moft diabolical oath, to wreak long threatned vengeance upon Roman Catholics; "to "wade ancle-deep in their blood," and fo on. Sometimes I heard of beggars who boasted of having received liberal alms from the poor cottagers in the vicinity of Wexford, on their promifing to fay a certain number of Ave Maria's Credo's, Commandments, or some fuch acts of devotion for the preservation of themselves and cabins from Orange-men and fuch like affaffins and incendiaries. Latterly, the report was confined to house-burning only; and if we confider what shortly afterwards happened, this report was a moft deadly contrivance to fink the mischief deep and make the dreadful remedy the ftronger, and moft infallible provocative to its furtherance. Many rebels have fince told me, that feveral of them, whofe houses were burned on account of the inhabitants being (contrary to general orders) from home

home at unfeasonable hours, flept in ditches and old walls, to avoid that fate which the fight of their burned cabin feemed to convince them they had now escaped. Hence the burning of Orange-men. But remember! this is the rebel account, which if I could contradict, I would not infert. Moft certainly the rebels got every notice by what means they might avoid their impending fate. When I reminded them of this, they laid the blame upon fuch or fuch parties of themselves, who having their own houses burned, were fworn to burn the houses of thofe who either oppofed or would not affist them in taking revenge; and fo they did. They faid that their houfes being burned, themselves were no longer fafe, but in the company of fellow-fufferers. I affured them, they might hope for forgiveness-" Aye indeed" faid one," and liberty to go and get our throats cut "by our own people. Fine thatching for the burned ca"bin!" This is the story of the county of Wexford rebels. But reft affured, my dear brother, that every poffible means was taken on the part of government to prevent thofe evils from falling on the villains in cafe of reformation of conduct, which it repeatedly declared itself determined to inflict ́iņ cafe they proved refractory. The beggar's ftory concerning the friends to that Conftitution fo well defended and established by the ever memorable Prince of Orange and King of England, William III-a Conftitution whofe prominent feature is religious toleration and enmity to ecclefiaftical tyranny, carried inconfiftency on the very face of it; but to obviate this if poffible, the name of Orange-men was induftriously attributed to the Peep-of-day Boys, between whom and the Defenders fo many conflicts happened in the North: and fóme loyalifts (I fear) are not yet fully undeceived in this particular; fo deeply was the scheme of deception laid! So closely was I engaged by my daily avocations, that till shortly after the battle of Rofs, I had fcarcely fifteen minutes to enquire

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enquire into the particulars; and then my curiofity had like to have carried me too far, and indeed în fome respects did fo; as you will fee in the end. For a long time one enquiry involved me in another; and I applied both to loyalists and rebels, until I involved myfelf amongst the famous defperadoes of Kil-Aughrim wood, from whofe murderous hands I escaped with much difficulty. And I am told I was the only loyalift that ever proved fo fortunate there. Thus much for a general review of things, and the manner by which I obtained that information from which I am enabled to state matters as I do. All this I conceive to be abfolutely neceffary.—I shall now defcend to the particulars in order.

About the middle of 1797, the fale of gun-powder began to be prohibited, and foon afterwards all arms were required to be registered; and shortly afterwards too, all arms were moft properly called in. Now the rebellion was beginning to take a more ferious appearance, especially towards the close of the year; and thenceforward it proceeded by very long, though at first stolen ftrides, to greater and still great enormities. Gentlemen's houfes were robbed of arms by people who otherwise conducted themselves very peaceably on the occafion. But these robberies foon began to multiply, and by rapid degrees more and ftill more aggravating circumftances were attached to them. Houfes which had been deprived of arms without refiftance, were, under pretence of looking for more, robbed of money, plate and other valuables. At length the unoffending inhabitants themselves were often perfonally ill treated. This roused the magistracy to much greater vigilance and activity, in which they were fometimes well fupported, until at length many of themfeves and their valuable supporters were murdered, not unfrequently with circumftances of horror that even aggravated the black deed.

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