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therefore, of September 1798, the chancellor made the following further report from the committee of secrecy.

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"MY LORDS,

"THE lords committees appointed to ex"amine the matters of the sealed up papers received from the commons on the twenty-third of July last, and to report the 66 same as they shall appear to them to this house; having seen an advertisement in the public prints, signed Arthur O'Connor, Thomas Addis Emmet, and William James M Neven, "in the following words: [Having read in the different news 'papers publications pretending to be abstracts of the reports of 'the secret committee of the House of Commons, and of our 'depositions before the committees of the lords and commons; we feel ourselves called upon to assure the public, that they are gross and to us astonishing misrepresentations, not only un'supported by, but in many instances directly contradictory to 'the facts we really stated on those occasions. We further as'sure our friends, that in no instance did the name of any indi'vidual escape from us; on the contrary, we always refused ' answering such questions as might tend to implicate any per'son whatever, conformably to the agreement entered into by 'the state prisoners with government.

'ARTHUR O'CONNOR,

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6 THOMAS ADDIS EMMET, WILLIAM JAMES M'NEVEN.'] "have thought it their duty to examine the said Arthur O'Con"nor, Thomas Addis Emmet, and William James M'Neven, "with respect to such advertisement, to the end that it might "be ascertained whether they or any of them intended to "contradict or retract any thing, which they had heretofore "deposed before your committee. And your committee subjoin the several examinations on oath of the said Arthur "O'Connor, Thomas Addis Emmet, and William James M'Ne"ven, this day made and signed by them respectively upon that "subject."*

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"as we should feel ourselves called on; to which he added, that if we pub“lished, he would have to hire persons to answer us, that then he supposed "we would reply, by which a paper war woud be carried on without end be“tween us and the government. Finding that we would not suffer the me"moir to be garbled, and that the literary contest between us and these hire"lings was not likely to turn out to your credit, it was determined to examine "us before the secret committees, whereby a more complete selection might "be made out of the memoir, and all the objectionable truths, with which it "was observed it abounded, might be suppressed. For the present I shall "only remark that of one hundred pages, to which the whole of the informa"tion I gave to the government and to the secret committees amounts, only "one page has been published."

8 Lords Journal, p. 171. "Arthur O'Connor sworn.... Admits that the "advertisement which appeared in the Hibernian Journal, and Saunders's

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Lord Cornwallis, whose magnanimity and liberality put the extortioners of the old system of rigour and coercion to the

"News Letter of Monday the twenty-seventh of August last, under the signa"tures of Arthur O'Connor, Thomas Addis Emmet, and William James "M:Neven, was published by their authority. Says he does not mean to con"tradict, or retract any thing stated by him before this committee or the se"cret committee of the House of Commons. Says he has now read the evi"dence given by him before the secret committee of the House of Lords, as "printed in the appendix to their report, which he admits to be accurate, but "wishes to explain himself upon two points contained in said evidence. Fisrt, "that General Valence was not in the most distant manner connected or con"cerned in any negociation carried on between the Directory of the Irish "Union and the French Directory. Secondly, that it did not appear to him, "that there was any connection between the Irish Executive Directory and any society in Great Britain; on the contrary, that it was proposed to the pe son who adjusted the terms of the alliance between the Irish Union and "the French Directory in one thousaad seven hundred and ninety-six, that an invasion of England should take place at the same time that Ireland was "to be invaded, to dissuade them from which, the Irish agent used such arguments as he believes were conclusive. ARTHUR O'CONNOR.

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"Thomas Addis Emmet, Fsqire, sworn....Admits that the advertisement "which appeared in the Hibernian Journal and Saunders's News Letter of "Monday the twenty-seventh of August last, under the signatures of Arthur "O'Connor, Thomas Addis Emmet, and William James M'Neven, was pub"lished by their authority. Says he did not by said advertisement, nor does ❝he in any manner mean to contradict or retract any thing stated by him before "this committee or the secret committee of the House of Commons, but is "willing to authenticate the whole of the evidence which he gave on those oc"casions in any manner that may be thought fit. Declares that the said ad"vertisement alluded solely to misrepresentation in the news papers. Says "that he has read the evidence stated in the Appendix to the report of the secret "committee of the House of Lords, as having been given by him before that "committee, and admits that the evidence so stated expressed nothing but the "truth, but omits many reasons which he gave in justification of his own con"duct, and of that of the members of the Union at large. Says, he does not "mean to contradict any thing which has been so reported with respect to the "military organization of the United Irishmen in this kingdom, or the nature "or object of it, which was after they had despaired of obtaining a reform in "parliament by peaceable means, to effect a revolution by subverting the mo "narchy, separating this country from Great Britain, and erecting such go"vernment in Ireland as might be chosen by the people. Says, he does not "mean to contradict the details given in the said reports, of the correspond. ence and connection of the Irish Union with the government of France, as "far as he has any knowledge thereof, and which details he so far admits to "be accurate. THOMAS ADDIS EMMET.

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"Doctor William James M Neven, sworn.. .Admits that the advertisement "which appeared in the Hibernian Journal and Saunders s News Letter of "Monday the twenty-seventh f August last, under the signatures of Arthur "O'Connor, Thomas Addis Emmet, and William James M.Neven, was pub"lished by their authority. Says, he d es not mean to contradict or retract any thing stated by him before this committee or the secret committee of "the House of Commons. The advertisement alluded solely to the misrepre"sentations of the news papers which are not supported by the report of either "house of parliament. Says, he does not mean to contradict any thing which "has been so reported with respect to the military organization of the United "Irishmen in this king. m, or the nature or object of it, which was to effect a "revolution by subverting the monarchy, separating this country from Great "Britain, and erecting a republican government in Ireland. Says, he does not

blush aud defiance, took every opportunity to convince the nation, that a real change of system was adopted by the government; and fortunately for Ireland, the affections of numbers were reclaimed by a system of moderation and firmness, which had been estranged by that of uncontrolled severity and coercion. As early as on the 11th of September his Excellency Lord Cornwallis, wishing to prevent the delusion and consequent destruction of the multitude, published a proclamation*

mean to contradict the details given in the said reports of the correspondence " and connection of the Irish Revolutionary Union with the government of "France, which details he admits to be accurate.

CORNWALLIS.

"WILLIAM JAMES M'NEVEN."

* A PROCLAMATION.

"Whereas, it appears that during the late invasion, many of the "inhabitants of the county of Mayo, and counties adjacent, did join the French "forces, and did receive from them arms and ammunition; and whereas it may "be expedient to admit such persons to mercy who may have been instigated "thereto by designing men, we do hereby promise his majesty's pardon to any "person who has joined the enemy provided he surrenders himself to any of "his majesty's justices of the peace, or any of his majesty's officers, and "delivers up a French firelock and bayonet, and all the ammunition in his "possession; and provided he has not served in any higher capacity than that "of private:

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"This proclamation to be in force for thirty days from the date hereof. "Given at his majesty's castle of Dublin, this 11th day of September, 1798. By the lord lieutenant's command.

"CASTLEREAGH."

On the debate on the attainder bill on the 20th of August, Mr Ogle alarmed at the system of humanity so little congenial with his own feelings, which the policy, wisdom, and philanthropy of the chief governor had then began, thus spoke. "Great a traitor as he acknowledged Lord Edward Fitzgerald to have been, there were others, not only equalling, but exceeding him in criminality, as having gone to the extent of acting upon what he had only planned. "What, he would ask, was to be done with these? Were they to be suffered "to contemplate in security and without punishment the evils which they had "brought on the country? Were they to have liberty of transporting themselves "and property to other and happier countries, blessed in their escape from "a land which they had made miserable? And were they to have to boast, "amidst the enjoyments of another clime, and undiminished fortune, the hor"rors under which they had reduced their country. What was the situation "of that once flourishing county, that of Wexford? What in it was the situation "of the brave ycomanry, whose loyalty and courage were exerted in defence of "their king and country, and who in the contest had lost every particle of their "property, what was their condition? They were actually afraid to return "to their homes amidst protected rebels, who, by a letter received since he "came into the house he learned to be still committing murders on the loyal "inhabitants."

Of this patricide clamour for spilling Irish blood by those, who had once fatally succeeded in extorting that ferocious and mischievous system, now checked and reprobated by English benevolence and wisdom, Mr. Grattan expressed his sentiments in a letter he wrote from Twickenham on the 9th of November, 1798, to the guild of merchants, corporation of Dublin, and fellows of Trinity college, concerning their attacks upon his character and

to induce them to submit. Although it did not at the moment answer fully the desired effect, yet was it not followed up by harshness or cruelty to inflame the existing or to provoke a new insurgency.

On the 6th of October the parliament was prorogued in the usual form, and his excellency delivered a very interesting speech from the throne.* About the same time a circumstance

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conduct. Having addressed each rank separately, he thus concluded to the doctors. "Assure them, I am not their enemy, though they may be mine. "But," continues he," that is not the case with another description of men, "with whom I should be ashamed to discourse in the same tone of temper and "moderation; I mean that Irish faction, which is the secret mover of all this "calumny and all his injustice; they stand at the head of a bloody combina“tion; I look on them as the cause of the evil that has of late fallen on their country. I protest I do not know a faction which, considering the very "small measure of their credit and ability, has done so much mischief to their king and country. They opposed the restoration of the constitution of Ire"land; they afterwards endeavoured to betray and undermine it; they intro"duced a system of corruption unknown in the annals of parliament ? they then "proclaimed that corruption so loudly, so scandalously, and so broadly, that "one of them was obliged to deny in one house the notorious expressions he "had used in another. They accompanied these offences by abominable petu"lance of invective uttered from time to time against the great body of the "people, and having by such proceedings and such discourse lost their affec"tion, they resorted to a system of coercion to support a system of torture "attendant on a conspiracy of which their crimes was the cause. And now "their country displays a most extraordinary contest, where an Englishman at "the head of its government struggles to spare the Irish people, and an Irish "faction presses to shed their blood. I repeat it, I do not know a faction more "dangerous, more malignant, or more sanguinary.

"I am ready to enter into detail of all this: enough at present to say, that I "have been forced to write thus much, because I have no opportunity of vin"dication but the press, and no press but that of England. [This letter ap "peared in the Courier.]

"I shall conclude by assuring that faction, that I am apprized of their en"mity, and shall go out to meet their hostility; hoping, however, that they "may not be judges, or their blood-hounds my jury. At all events, if such a "faction be permitted to dominate in Ireland, I had rather suffer by its injustice "than live under its oppression."

"MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

"I HAVE the satisfaction of acquainting you that I have "received the king's commands to release you from your long and fatiguing "attendance in parliament, and am ordered to thank you in his majesty's name, "for the unshaken firmness and magnanimity with which you have met the "most trying difficulties, and with which the measures have been planned which you have adopted for the preservation of the country.

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"I offer you my most sincere congratulations on the glorious victory which "has been obtained by his majesty's squadron under the command of Sir "Horatio Nelson over the French fleet in the Mediterranean, which not only, "reflects the highest honour on the officers and samen, by whom it has been "achieved, but affords a prospect of the most beneficial consequences to the "future interests of the British empire."

"GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

“I AM commanded to convey to you his majesty's particular "thanks for the supplies, which you have so liberally granted, and by which "you have manifested both the extent of the resources which this kingdom "possesses, and the spirit with which they are employed by the commons of Ireland for the advantage of the state.

occurred of singular notoriety and importance to the welfare of Ireland. The Earl of Enniskillen, who ranked as a colonel in

"His majesty laments the necessity, which calls for the imposition of fresh "burdens on his majesty's subjects, but he trusts that they will see how much "their present safety and their future happiness depend on their exertions in "the arduous contest in which they are engaged; and he assures his faithful "commons that the aids which they have afforded shall be carefully applied "to the great object of maintaining the honour and promoting the interests of "their country "

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

"THE circumstances which have taken place since its com"mencement must render this session ever memorable.

“The foulest and darkest conspiracy was formed and long carried on by the "implacable enemy of these realms for the total extinction of the constitution, "and for the separation of his majesty's kingdom of Ireland from Great Bri"tain. By the intermitting vigilance of my predecessor in this government "the treason has been detected; the apprehension of the principal conspirators, and the salutary measures wisely adopted, checked its progress, and "through your sagacious diligence it has been developed in all its parts, and "traced to all its sources.

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"A dangerous and wicked rebellion, the consequence of that conspiracy, "has been in a great measure subdued, and the attempt of our inveterate "enemy to rekindle the flame of civil discord, by sending a force into this country, has terminated in defeat.

"Religion, that greatest comfort and support of mankind, has been most "wickedly perverted to the purpose of inflaming the worst of passions, and the “vilest arts have been used to persuade the ignorant and unwary, that in a "reign, which has been marked by a series of indulgencies to all sects of "Christians, it is the intention of his majesty's government to oppress, and "even to extirpate that description of his majesty's subjects who have re"ceived repeated and recent marks of his favour and protection.

"The Catholics of Ireland cannot but have observed what has been the "conduct of those, who affect to be their friends, towards the rights and the "characters which they venerate, and under whose auspices the persecuted "pastors of their church have found an asylum.

"Among a number of offenders some most active characters have necessa"rily been selected as objects of public justice, but in every period of this dan "gerous conspiracy the lenity of government and of parliament has been con"spicuous, and a general act of pardon recently issued from the royal mercy, "for the purpose of affording security to the repentant, and encouraging the "deluded to return to their duty.

"The vigour and power of his majesty's arms, the loyalty, spirit and activity "of his regular, militia and yeomanry forces, together with the prompt and "cordial assistance of the militia and fencibles of Great Britain, have abun"dantly proved how vain every attempt must be, either by treachery within or "by force from abroad, to undermine or to overturn our civil and religious "establishments.

"From the dangers which have surrounded you, and which you have over"come, you must be sensible that your security can only be preserved by per"severing vigilance and encreasing energy. You will not suffer your efforts "to relax, and you may be assured of my zealous endeavours to second your "exertions. Our hopes and our objects are the same, that the deluded may "see their error, and the disaffected be reclaimed; but if an endeavour shall "be made to abuse the royal mercy, and to form fresh conspiracies in the "prospect of impunity, offended justice will then be compelled to extend to the "obdurate criminal the full measure of his punishment.

"Amidst your measures, either of power, of justice, or of clemency, you "have not forgotten to afford consolation and encouragement to the loyal. The " means which were adopted for their temporary relief, and the plan which has

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