to have been passed, namely, that of making the initiation into an Orange Lodge, Felony; and for this sole purpose devoutly it is to be wished, that the legislature may amend and perpetuate it. The ground of the first part of this opinion rests upon the universal admission, that by common law allegiance, absolute, unqualified and perpetual is due from every subject to his sovereign; consequently an oath to render it conditional, qualified or temporary, contravenes the purity of natural ligeance, and is of a treasonable quality. The ground of the second part of the opinion will be manifest to every one, who reads the enacting part of this statute, and impartially compares it with the secret, proscriptive and unauthorized obligation or oath of an Orangeman, as settled by the Grand Lodge of Dublin, on the 10th of January, 1800, as hereafter printed. Sect. III." And be it enacted by the authority "aforesaid, That every person or persons, who shall "administer, or cause to be administered, tender, or "cause to be tendered, or be present, aiding or as"sisting at the administering or tendering, or who "shall, by threats, promises, persuasion, or other "undue means cause, procure or induce to be taken "by any person or persons in Ireland, upon a book "or otherwise, any oath or engagement, importing "to bind the person or persons taking the same, to "be of any association, brotherhood, committee, so"ciety or confederacy whatsoever, in reality formed, or to be formed for seditious purposes, or to disturb "the "the public peace, or to injure the persons or property "of any person or persons whatsoever, to do or omit or "refuse to do any act or acts whatsoever, under what"ever name, description or pretence such association, "brotherhood, committee, society or confederacy "shall assume or pretend to be formed or consti"tuted; or any oath or engagement, importing to "bind the person, taking the same to obey the or"ders or rules or commands of any committee or "other body of men not lawfully constituted, or of any captain, leader or commander (not appointed "by, or under the authority of his Majesty, his heirs or successors,) or to assemble at the desire or com"mand of any such captain, leader, commander or "committee, or of any person or persons not having "lawful authority, or not to inform or give evidence " against any brother, associate or confederate, or "other person, or not to reveal or discover his or her "having taken any illegal oath, or not to reveal or "discover any illegal act done or to be done, or not to discover any illegal oath or engagement, which may be administered or tendercd to him or her, or the import thereof, whether such oath shall be "afterwards so administered, or tendered or not, or "whether he or she shall take such oath, or enter into "such engagement or not, being by due course of "law convicted thereof, shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and be transported for life: And every person, who shall take in Ireland, any such oath or engagement, importing so to bind him or her as aforesaid, and being by due course of law thereof K convicted, "convicted, shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and "be transported for seven years." Beyond the obligation of his sworn duty of allegiance, the author is impelled by a sense of the importance of Ireland to the stability of the British em pire, to exert his further efforts to induce the prejudiced and the blind, justly to appreciate, and earnestly to co-operate in bringing into action the powerful energies of a gallant, warm-hearted and loyal people. Insulting is the pretence to establish tranquillity, peace and happiness in the country by those, who refuse, or neglect to root up and utterly to destroy the plants of discord so prodigally sown, so guardedly trenched, so artfully bleached and softened under the richest mould, so tenderly fostered throughout the land. Having thoroughly examined the nature and properties of this deadly exotic for the benefit of the country, in which its culture has been so powerfully forced, he cannot consistently withhold for one hour the result of his enquiries. He therefore publishes separately this disqaisition before the history of Ireland since the Union, to which it was intended as an introduction, can appear before the public. The Author anticipates the indulgence of every real Irishman, for introducing the following sheets to the notice of the public in the words of the greatest master of impressive and figurative reasoning, the rostrum ever boasted. On moving for the release of a learned judge from illegal imprisonment under an English warrant, he noticed the dead silence, into which which the public had been frowned on the sad occasion, and rejoiced in that factitious dumbness, because, when all was hushed, when nature slept, the weakest voice was heard. "Then, says he," (Curr. Speech in Rex v. Johnson) "The shepherd's whistle "shoots across the listening darkness of the inter"minable heath, and gives notice, that the wolf is up¢ " on his walk; and the same gloom and stillness, that "tempt the monster to come abroad, facilitate the "communication of the warning to beware. Yes, 66 through that silence the voice shall be heard.-— "Yes, through that silence the shepherd shall be "put upon his guard.-Yes-through that silence "the felon savage shall be chased into the toils." INTRODUCTION. |