Mr. Grattan described, as * "a persecution "conceived in the bitterness of bigotry, carried

on with the most ferocious barbarity by a ban"ditti, who, being of the religion of the State,

had committed, with the greater audacity "and confidence, the most horrid murders, "and had proceeded from robbery and mas"sacre to extermination." "Those insurgents," said he, call themselves Orangemen, or Pro"testant Boys; that is, a banditti of murderers, committing massacre in the name of God, "and exercising despotic power in the name "of Liberty."

the der

the ange ien.

In tracing important events to their source, Gifit is often necessary to attend to circumstances in themselves trivial or contemptible. An apo thecary, named Giffard, notorious in the annals of Orangism, had quitted the medical for themilitary profession, and was then captain in the City of Dublin militia, and quartered at Portadown. He was prominently forward in encouraging the Peep of Day Boys against the Defenders; and his zealous exertions were not left unrewarded by the renovators of that Cruzade. To him are attributed the adoption of the title of Orangemen, their original oath and obligation,

Parliamentary Debates for 1796.

1

"ceive you. Fire and Faggot, Wm. Thresham, "and John Thrustout:* They followed these "notices with faithful and punctual execution "of the horrid threat. In In many instances they "threw down the houses of the tenantry, or

what they called racked the house, so that the "family must fly or be buried in the grave of "their own cabin. The extent of the murders, "that had been committed by that atrocious "and rebellious banditti he had heard, but not 66 so ascertained, as to state them to the House: "but from all the inquiries he could make, he collected, that the Catholic inhabitants of Ar"magh were actually put out of the protection of the law; that the Magistrates had been súpine and partial, and that the horrid banditti "had met with complete success, and from the Magistracy with very little discouragement." General inculpation seldom produces the effect of specific proof.

Three

* These exterminating notices varied in form, though they generally concurred in substance, and were equally acted upon. Some were conceived in the laconic words, Hell or Connaught. An eye-witness to many of these horrible scenes has furnished us with another reading of this terrific text. "To Hell or Connaught immediately, or we, Captain Rack"all and Captain Firebrand will come and destroy you, "and send your souls to hell and damnation."

trates én

men.

Three of the Magistrates of Lurgan, Mess. Lurgan Ford, Brownlow, and Greer, were, next to Mr. MagisVerner, the most prominently conspicuous in courage forwarding the Orange system. On their estates Orangethey had mostly Catholic tenantry, from whom their agents readily obtained, as they did from others, a surrender of their arms. No sooner had this surrender been made, than notice was given to the Orangemen by Mr. Ford, that they would be perfectly safe in plundering that part of the country, where they resided, as the Catholics were there totally disarmed. Accordingly on the following Sunday, they crossed the river Bann in boats, and indiscriminately attacked, plundered and destroyed all the property they knew belonged to Catholics in that district. That their rage was directed against Popery, and not Defenderism, is evident from Mr. Ford's conduct to two of his own most respectable tenants, whose webs and yarns had been destroyed with their houses and furniture. They had applied to him in the natural confidence of tenants in their landlord, who was also a Justice of the Peace*, to direct them how they should obtain redress

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* He was also Collector of the Customs at Dundalk, from which office he was soon afterwards discharged, having been detected in several gross frauds upon the Revenue....Whilst Mr. Greer was in prison, through the interest of Mr. Foster, he had an additional allowance made to him of £100. per ann. from the Linen Board, with leave to take in his son as assistant inspector.

Conviction of

redress for their sufferings. He shortly told them, if they would read their recantation, and turn Protestants, they should be protected. The surrender of Mr. Ford's tenants arms was made on the Saturday. Early on the next morning he set out for Dundalk, and instantly after his departure, the surrendered arms were put by his servant into the hands of Orangemen, to be employed in exterminating the disarmed The example of Mr. Ford was followed by several other Magistrates.

owners.

A principal part of Mr. Coile's property, then Mr. Greer in the hands of weavers in the district of Lurfor deny- gan, was destroyed by the rioters cutting the ing jus- webs in the looms, and the yarn on the beams.

tice.

Mr. Coile applied to Mr. Greer for redress, and he refused to take examinations, or grant warrants against any of the persons concerned in these outrages, who, notwithstanding, had been sworn against by four persons besides the prosecutor. Mr. Greer was prosecuted at the Armagh assizes by Mr. Coile, and found guilty upon four counts, and sentenced to six months imprisonment, and to pay a fine of £200. He was of course strucken out of the Commission of the Peace, and committed to Newgate. But Mr. Greer was a staunch supporter of the Protestant ascendancy. His fine was reduced to sixpence

sixpence. Lord Clare restored him to the Commission of the Peace; and he was not dispossessed of the office of Inspector General of Ulster, under the Linen Board.

racy

Mr. Coile, whose sufferings for his religion, Conspiand his persecuted countrymen were unpara- against lelled, waspre vented from bringing several other Mr.Coile. of the corrupt Magistrates of Armagh to justice by a conspiracy against his life, upon a false charge of high treason. He was warned by his friends so secure safety by flight, for that enough had been sworn against him to take away the lives of an hundred men. Conscious innocence scorned to shun trial, and he instantly applied to Mr. Brownlow, a neighbouring Magistrate, to summon the parties before him, in order to confront them, and prevent the wicked attempt. Mr. Brownlow, with difficulty, granted the warrant for a distant day; and, in the intermediate time, took the information of some perjured miscreants, who had conspired against the life of Mr. Coile, and, in conjunction with Mr. Obins, committed him to the county gaol, upon the following extravagantly false charge, of being a reputed Papist, distributing a large quantity of ball cartridges amongst a number of Papists, for the purpose of destroying the Protestants, and also at the same time swearing a person

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