speciAL

coLLecxiiONS

tDOUQlAS

LibRAKy
queeN's UNiveRSiiy
AT kiNQsroN
kiNQSTON

ONTARIO

CANADA

APPLICATION
OF

BARRUEL'S

MEMOIRS OF JACOBINISM,
TO THE
r.'

SECRET SOCIETIES
OF

IRELAND AND GREAT BRITAIN.

BY

THE TRANSLATOR OF THAT WORK.

Princes and Nations (hall difnppear from the face of the Earth
this

REVOLUTION

ihall be the

work

and

of secret societies.

Wei/tjaupt" t Difcourfefor the Myjicria.

LONDON:
Sold

byE.BooKER, No.

56,

New

Bond-Jirttt,

1798.

PRICE ONE SHILLIxNTG

AND SIXPENCE.

[CntereD at ;$tationgrii l^aU.]

ntiH.
ADVERTISEMENT.
jiN

Entire Edition of tbeje Memoirs

reached the pref:

a>id the great

volumes induced the TranJIator

to

kadcfE.BQOKlR, Nc.

^6,

Fourth Volume

the

the delivery of fepar ad

the ftibiication of the Jecond Edition, untii

They are now ready for delivery, and may ke-

defer

four Volumes nvere completed.

the

-was fold before

inconvenience attending

New

"

Bond-firret, London'

Price

Si.

/.

Author liad only publifhed his firft Volume during the life-time of
Combatant of French democracy, Mr. Burke; but the work,

i"he

that valiant

even in that early

as

may

"
<

Author

Gentleman's applaufs,

to that

Sir,

cannot

entitled the

ftate,

be feen by the following letter

by the

firft

wonderful narrative
juridical regularity

with

terfperfed

you

eafily exprefs to

Volume

how much

am

Inftrufted and dejlghte.i

The whole

of your Hiflory of Jacobinifm.

of the

fupported by documents and proofs with the moft

is

Your

reflexions and reafonings are in-

judgement, and

in their raofl proper places, for

and exadnefs.

infinite

heading the fentiments of the reader, and preventing the force of plaufibls

The

bjeiflions.

view,

tendency of the whole

political, religious,

So

.philofophical.

/language
fcut the

is

of the

and, let

far as I

my

great objedi of

fiiould

be glad,

abufed word,

ufe of the

upon

ftyle,

means

it

the

Volum* j

long impatiently for the fecond

wiflies is, tiiat the

irculation in France, if by any

end,

admirable in every point of

can prefume to judge of a French

water.

firft

is

me make

work /hould have

a great

and

for that

can be compafled

become a

the fcale of a poor individual, to

liberal fubfcriber.

Is

am

as yet in a mlferable ftate ef health

very flowly, and with

many

fenown myfelf, perfonaUy,

undertake to fay from

fallings back.

five of

my own

and

If I

advance at

forgot to fay, that

your principal confpirators

certain

knowledge, that

fo far

all,

and

It

have

I
I

caii

back as the

year 1773, they were bufy in the plot you have fo well defcribed, and in

the minner, and on the principle you have fo truly reprefented. To this
I can fpeak as a witnefs.

Miiy

I,

have the honour to be, &c. &c.

The Br!t;(h Critic pafled his

firll Volumes were publiftied,

"

Certain

we

"

(Signed)

1797.

are, that

jud5e.^lcnt

m the follovving

no book

Ed. Burke.'*

on the work when the thrcs

hai. appeared

terms
fince the

commencement

of our labours, which was more neceflary to be read, and weighed attentively,
cial

by every perfon of any property, whether hereditary or commer-

every pejlpft holding any iimk in

within him a fpark of zeal,

eitlier for

fociety

and every perfon

the honour of

UjanWiid." fM^rch 1798, Pag* *92')

who

has

God, or the welfare oi

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS
On

Work

thd

entitled

The

Abbe Barruel

Memoirs,

illujl rating

the

of Jacohinifm:

IViflory

Memoirs

has divided his

into three

different confpir.acies, naturally flowing from each other.

The

firft is,

God, and impioufly denoting

againft: their

Chriil, by

that of the Sophijters of Impiety, confpiring

cru/h the wretch

(vfCTix'nvf^ to

their hatred of

means and

fcribes the divers

He

employed by them

arts

An'tichristian Conspiracy,

ftcp

ed, that, in October,

fhip

were

longer

fubdivided

having a

confecrated

Genius.

to

St.

Germain-L'Auxerrois
to

Old Jge. -VI.

II.

Euflache

but

into

St. Philip

as follows

du Roule

The

church of

to

Agriculture.

to Gratittule.

St.

wor-

was no
Wards, each

that capital

PAGAN worship,

church of

Concord,

to

IIL

and

parifhes,

into

The

tlie

inform-

places of Chrillian

all

Paris

at

Tl-w/i/^ dedicated to

Ward

Ift.

1798,

aboliflied

is

de-

in their

by ftep; and

when he

Chriftian need not dwell on the proofs,

they

thus

for

blafphemoufly ftyle the Saviour of the World.

V.

Nicolas- in-the-Ficlds

St.

now
Roche

is

W.

St.

St.

Laurence

to

Hymen.

VII. Merry Commerce, VIII. Margartt

Gervais
Equality and Liberty. iX.
X. Thomas of Aquinas Peace. -^ XI.
Xil. James-du-Haut-?as
Sulpice
SteLabour and
Benevolence
Medard
St.

St.

to

to

St.

to

St.

Toittk,
St.

Viciory,

to

to

to

phen-on-the- Mount

St.

to

St.

to

Chriftian will fhudder at this recital

Abbe, early

in

Chriftianity

was the objel cf the

1797,

St.

Hal Piety.
;

but when the

afTerted, that the total fubvcrfrOn of

Sef^, he

was

fcarccly

telieved, and wasfet downasancnthufiaft: he had, rrcvdr-

thdcfs,

30307^3

PRELIMINARY

Iv

the chiefs, Voltaire,

D'Alembcit, Frederic

Kinor of Pruflia, and Diderot:

he had defcribed the

thelefs,
II.

named

means employed, and

led us

from haunt to haunt inhabited

by the impious pretenders to philofophy, whether

at courts

or petty meetings of female adepts, where every one ranked

in fcience according to the impiety or blafphemy of his
difcourfc.

Thofe
di region

leaders that inhabited Paris afTembled, under the

of D'Alembert, at the hotel of a Baron

bach; there did thefe

men

D'Hol-

begin to confpire againft

Mo-

narchy as they had confpired againft Chriftianityj and from

that club

may

be

faid to

have

iffued the Sophifters

of Im-

piety coalefced with thofe of Pvcbellion, forming the ylnti-

monarch'ical

defcribes the club

*'

Le Roy^

Confpiracy.

fociety, repentant
:

the fec;etary of that

when he beheld the revolution, thus

" The following were our occupations j

the moft of thofe works

which have appeared

for a

long

" time paft againft religion, morals, and government, were

" ours, or thofe of authors devoted to us. They were all
" compofed by the members, or by the order of the fociety.
*'

Before they were fent to the prefs, they were delivered

*'

in at our office

" added to
" required.

there

we

revifed and correfled them,

and

or curtailed them, according as circumftances

We began by

printing

them on

fine or ordi-

nary paper, in fufficient number to pay our expences, and

" then an immcnfe number on the commoneft paper. Thefe

*'

we

**

latter

*'

bookfellers,

"

at the loweft rate.

fent,

free of coft, or nearly fo, to

who were

hawkers and

them among

the people

Such were the means ufed

to pervert

to circulate

" the people, and bring them to the ftate in which you
" now behold them. I fhall not behold them long, for I
**

he

(hall die

of grief and remorfej" (Vol.

I.

p.

335)and

really died a Ihort time after.

How

ob:ervations.

How different the deportment of Conclorcet^

ber of that club,) why, in the midfl of

all

(alfo a

mem-

the fanguinary

two-

fcenes of the revolution, proclaims the fuccefs of thcfe

fold

confpirators,

" There was a

faying,

of men

clafs

" which foon formed itfelf In Europe with a view not

" much to difcover and make deep refearch after truth
"

to diffufe

"

in the

it

whofe chief objc6l was

fo

as

to attack prejudices

very afylums where the Clergy, the Schools, the

" Government, and the ancient Corporations had received

and protedled them ; and made their glory to confift
" rather in deftroying popular error than in extending the
" limits of fcience this though an indirel method of
" forwarding its progrefs, was not on that account either
*^

"

lefs

dangerous or

" taking every

ufeful.

lefs

Jffuming

every tone,

Jhape^ from the ludicrous to the pathetic,

" from the moft learned and extenfive compilation to the

" Novel or the petty Pamphlet of the day, covering truth
" with

a veil, which,

fparing the

eye that

was

weak^

too

"

incited the reader by the plcajure of furmiftng

"

dioufly careHing prejudice in order to ftrike

"

certainty and efFciSl; feldom

*'

a time, and that only in part; fometimes flattering the

it

with more

to

afk but for

a half

"

ration in Religion or a half Liberty in polity

*>

ing Defpqtijm

they

infi-

menacing more than one

" enemies of Reafon by feeming

when

it^

impugned religious

at

tole-

refpeSf-

abfurdities^.

" and Religion when they attacked tyranny ; combating

" thefe two pejls in their very principles, though appa-

"

rently

inveighing againjl

ridiculous

and

difgujling

" abufes ; Jlriking at the root of thofe pejliferous trees,

" whilft they appeared only to tvifli to lop the Jiraggling

" branches

at one time

" covers Defpotijm

^^

tvith

marking
its

out fuperjiition-,

impenetrable Jhield,

which
the

to

friends of Liberty, as the firji vi^im which they are

*a 3

"

to

PRELIMINARY

Vl

" to bn?nolate^
" denouncing

the firJl link

to

it

to

he cleft afiunder

pozver^znd frightening them with

''

at another

Defpots as the real enemy of their

its

hypocritical plots and

" fansuinary rage ; but indefatigable when they claimed

" the independence of Reafon and the Liberty of the Prefs
inveighing with

*'

as the right

and fafeguard of manlcind

*'

enthufiaftic

energy againft the crimes of Fanaticifm and

*'

Tyranny ; in

*'

humanity^ as their fignal and watch-word.

fine,

adopting

reafon,

" Such was the Modern Philofophy.

"

the art of efcaping vengeance, though

*'

tred

and

toleration.^

Its chiefs

had

expofed to ha-

of hiding themfelves from perfecution^ though

confpicuous to loje nothing of their glory,"

" fiifficiently
-^{Vol.II.

The

134.)

p.

learned

Abbe next

takes a view of the different

fyftems and degrees, and even defcribes the

made of

trials

and particularly at Geneva, almoft under

their principles,

the direlion of Voltaire, the premier chief.

It

was natural

that

when

their confpiracy

had gained

fo

much

ftrength, thefe felf-created Philofophers fliould feek

after

and coalefce with every other fpecies of confpirator

that

was

tiaiiity

to

be found.

An ancient confpiracy againft

Chrif-

and againft Monarchy had been handed down, and

zealoufly profecuted in the

occult Lodges

of Mafonry ;*

tbey were no other than the ancient myfteries of Alanesy

* Tlie learned Author fays Occult Lodges, as the Free-mafons in general

were

far

from being acquainted with the

Lodges; and indeed

be objeled, that
\ycrc fo;

all

many were

confpiracies.

Lodges were Occult

but, bdide the Common Lodges, there exifted others

Author Ayles Akrieres Looes,

It

might

with regard to the public they

hidden from the generality of the yroe-mafons.

iopGEs

of the Occult

people not to be tampered with.

It

is

and Uwt have been

which were

thofe

which

<;alled

Oc c

tlie

io the En|li(h TraAflatipn.

Of

VU

OBSER.VATIONS.
of

and Liberty

indefinite Equality

and

left aflalTins iliould

be wanting to the Se6t the following

the degree of Knight Kadofch

"In

the reception in

is

Lodges of the

the

" Knights Kadofch, after all the oaths, ceremonies, and

" trials, more or lefs terrible, wicked, and impious,
" three figures are fhovvn to t'ne candidate, reprefenting
" Clement F, Philippe le Bel, (the two potentates who
"

deftroyed

the

Knights

" Majler of Malta

"

" hatred and

fanatic

here to fwear eternal

is

death to thefe three profcribed pcrfons, en-

*'

tailing that hatred

"

default.

"

in

*'

procured, or

"

Grand

*^ each attired in the attributes of their

The unhappy

dignities.

and the

Templars,)

and death on their fucceflbrs

He then

Elect,

the degree of

in their

ftrikes off the three heads, v/hich, as

are real

with blood,

filled

if

when they can be

ii(5litious

does, crying out, vengeance! vengeance

!^'

this

(Vol,

he

IV.

p. 148.)

This

is

an awful reflexion for honeft Mafons,

who

in

their firft degrees interpret their fecret

of Equality and Li-

berty only as an Equality within the

Lodge among each

other, without any other diftindlion than that of the de-

grees

and a Liberty to do good, which,

it is

to be hoped,

needs not the moft bloody Oaths of Secrecy to practice.

But when we come

fcene

opens

to the third volume, a quite different

Here

all

the

miuifm are revealed, from the

firft

It

itfelf.

might be objefted,

tliat

it

againft

Latterly,

was only becaufe the Seft had changed

proper to

make

ufe of the fame

the church, by

of

Illuit

by

the Knights of Malta gained admittance to

the Lodges juft as other people could.

bot

myfteries

conception of

making

its

artifice

its

it

is

true, tbey could

againft that Order, as

adepts become

bauerics, and thought

it

did

members of the Order;

witnefs Dolonieu and Bofredor; formerly the crofs of Malta v/as a ba(%e of
cxeiufion from the Mafonic Lodges.

*a 4

SpartacuS'

PRELIMINARY

Vlll

Spartacus-'We'ittizupty to

all

moft horrid views

for the de-

of Government of every fpeciesj

Religion,

ftruflion of

and of

its

Thefe reforming

Property without exception.

impoftors aflumed the garb of virtue and fcience

letter

and a

of the founder will delineate his practice of virtue,

would make of fcience. TVei/haupt

writes to his adept Hertel^ " My honour is in danger, and
" I am on the eve oflofing that reputation which gave mey^
as well as the ufe he

" great an
*'

is

My

OWEK our people.

authority

with child.

fifter-in-law

have fent her to Munich, to Euripon^

"

But ftiould
to folicit a marriage licence from Rome:
" fhe fail, what fhall I do ?
We have already made
" fever al attempts to dejiroy the child ; ihe was determined
*' to undeigo all;
Yet I
but Euripon is too timid.

"

But could

fcarcely fee any other expedient.

" on

depend

Baader's fecrecy, (he was a learned phyfician

at

" Munich,) he could be of great ferviceto mej he had

" promijed me his aid three years ago (a pretty ufe of
" fcience). Mention it to him if you think proper.
If

" you could extricate

me

"

life,

"

v/ould reftore

me

thority''* (t lat is,

to his friend

"

What

to

from

this unfortunate ftep,

to honor,

over his people).

Zwack, and (hows

me

his

you

to reft, and to au-

He

next complains

hypocrify

when he

that my
" authority over our people -will be greatly dimini/hed
" that I have expojed a weak fide^ of which they will
" not fail to advantage thcmfcives zvhcnever I may
fays,

vexes

" preach morality^

modejiyr
This

and

exhort

will be fufEcient to

Atheijlical Illuminees^

the

the moft in

who

all

them

this

to

is,

virtue

and

pourtray the founder of the

has, together with

Baron Knigge, compiled

fo

Zwack and

aftonifhing and progreflivc

a code of rebellion, that one would be tempted to pro-

nounce


OBSERVATIONS.
nounce

The

fupernatural.

it

many

himfelf of fo

arts for

its

IX

fondcft parent never fo foli-

moft beloved

citoufly watched his

'

nor bethought

child,

prcfervation as this aftonifti-

ing prototype of rebellion has invented for the perdition of

Man

both in this

life

No;

and the next.

Satan,

when

feeking vengeance agalnft his Divine Creator, would have

been proud to become the pupil ot the modern Spartacus.

Singular to fay, the Sophifters of Impiety, fceking to recruit their ranks,

when become

the Sophi(ters of Rebellion,

had flocked to the Mafonic Lodges; and

means cf thofe very Lodges

whelmed Europe with

The Abbe,

after

its

alfo that

it

is

through the

Illuminifm has over-

curfes.

having given every particular of the

Antisocial Conspiracy,

code of Illuminifm, or of the

proceeds to delineate the hiftorical part of Illuminifm, and

then applies the triple confpiracy to the French revolution.

He

defcribes the

Baron Knigge intriguing

where the Freemafons from

The Baron

aflembled.

"

is

"

Of

all the

ONLY ONE

" and

this

Willemfbad,

parts of the world had

all

prefently gained over about five

hundred of the brotherhood

clares,

at

and foon after the Seb de-

Legitimate Lodges in Germany^ thert

that has not coalejced

Lodge has been obliged

with our Superiorst

to fufpend its labours."

How formidable is this declaration in the eyes of him who

has read the code of Illuminifm
How fimple the means
!

when Weifhaupt

make

himfelf

mafter of the Lodges of Poland, he only inftru6ls

Zwack

of fedudion

to

"

make
I.

for

wiflies to

the following propofitions to the Polifli Mafons:

That they fhould acknowledge but

the

fir ft

three de-

That each Lodge fhould be at liberty to

" have fuch Superiors, and as many of them, as they
*' pleafcd.
III. That all Lodges fhould be independent
'-

grees.

II.

" of each other,

at leaft as

much

To as the

Lodges of Ger-

many

PRELIMINARY

X
" many
**

are of thole of Poland.

be carried on

fhall

" of the brethren

^;'

If

we

*'

fhall

have fucceeded in

me,'"

(Vol. IV,

p.

IV.

That

union

all their

correspondence

^^^

tf^/

visit*

we
we want; leave the reji to
And in what light does this

can but gain that point,

all

193).

Ma-

arch-confpirator view (I will fay) the moft innocent

fons

" Though

thefe myfterious afTociations fhould not

"

attain our objel, they prepare the

"

give a

new

"
"

points

of view

"

kind;

intereft to the caufe

the inventive
they

way

they

us;
it

under

they ftimulate

unobferved;

hitherto

for

they prefent

powers and the expedlations of manrender vien

more indifferent as

to

the

" interefts of governments they bring men of divers

" nations and religions v/ithin the fame bond of uni" on; they deprive the church and ftate of their ableft
" and mofi laborious members; they bring men together
" who would never other wife have known or met
" each other.
By this method alone they undermine
" the foundations of ftates^ though they really had
" no fuch proje,^ in view. They throw them together
" and make them clafh one againll the other. They teach
;

**

mankind the power and

"

them the imperfeStions of their political conjlitutions^

and that without expofing them to the fufpicions of

**

"

**

they point out

their enemies, fuch as magiftrates and public

" ments.

"
"

force of union

to

fai'ility

into

men.^

They mafk

govern-

our progrefs, and procure us the

of incorporating in our plans and of admitting

our Order.,

^f^'^'*'

whofe patience.,

^'^'^

proper

long

trials.,

abufed^

the

thirjis

fnofi

after

able
the

Grand Ultimatum. By this means they weaken the

" enemy; and, though they (hould never triumph over
" him, they will at leaft diminijh the numbers and the
" %al of his partisans. In proportion as thefe new af*

fociations

OBSERVATIONS.
"

fociations or Secret Societies,

*'

{hall

*'

the former ones

"

tnuj}

formed

in difFcrent ftatcs,

acquire ftrcngth and prudence, at the expencj of

wesken and

And what

(that

is,

*'

of civil fociety), the latter

infenftbly fall"'~'{'Vo\. III.

to be the

is

cret Societies,

theje

Grand Ultimatum

all ages

Man

Rights of

the

213.)

p.

of thcfe Se-

fchoohywhich have been in

Nature and of

the archives of

*'

XI

" Thefe fchools Jliall one day retrieve the fail of Human
" Nature, and princes and nations shall disap" pear

from the face of the earth

" without any

violence.

Morality

and that

alone produce

fliall

this great revolution."

But what is to be underftood
by morality ? He fays, " Nor is true morality any other
" than the art of teaching men to (hake off their v/ard-

*'

"

fhip, to attain the age of manhood, and thus ta

" need neither princes nor governments.''
(Vol. III.

p. 199.)

With

refpeft to Property,

the bane of Liberty and Equality:

"

it

As

the means of fubfiftence began to

is

reprefented as

families multiplied,

fail;

the

nomade (or

and Froferty Jlarted into ex~

" ifience\ men chofe habitations; agriculture made them
" intermix. Language became univerhil; living together,
" one man began to meafure his ftrength with another,

*'

roaming)

" and

life

ceafed,

the weaicer

were diftinguifhed from the

ftronger.

of mutual defence,

*'

This undoubtedly created

*'

of one individual governing divers families re-united,

**

and of thus defending their perfons and their

the

id;.'a

fields

" againft the invafion of an enemy, hut hence Liberty

" was ruined in its foundation, and Y.QVAh\Ydifap^
*

peared." (Vol. III.

p.

175).

Thus would

the

lUumi-

nees, in defence of Liberty and Equality, wifh to overturn

every idea of property, and reftorc us naked to the deferts,

there to lead the

nomade or javegt^

life.
*'

As

to the

Menantile

PRELIMINARY

xii

" Mercantile Tribe"

cial part
*'

of

powers."

all

the means of creating,

and fatisfying, wants hence dangerous to Li-

berty and Equality.

that

any rank or authority

defpotic

arc reprefented as enjoying

forefeeing,

it

you will have created perhaps

in the government, and

the moft formidable, the moft

They

commer-

as they choofe to ftyle the

of the ftate, " confer on

So

confident of fuccefs

he exclaims, " All the

Wcilhaupt,

is

efforts, therefore, of Princes

flop our progrefs will be

fruitlefs

to

may long

the fpark

remain hidden in the afties ; but the day muft come, in

which the general flame fhall burft forth." (Vol. III.

p.

214.)

The Abbe

has dwelt at

full

length on every artifice and

device of the Code, from the regulations

to thofe of the Alan-king., or
either

human

Man

for the

Novice,

recognizing no mafter,

or divine, but himfelf.

It is fingular to fee

the art with which even the Novices are prepared for the
"VVe fee

mofl atrocious deeds.

lowing obligations

them aflenting

" Can you and

itill

you

to the follook

upon

"

the welfare of the Order as your own ?'Do you.,

" moreover, grant the power of life and death to
" our Order or Society ? Do you fuhjeSl yourfelf to a

" BLIND OBEDIENCE, WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTION

" WHATEVER ?" This is not all: when preparing fuch
defperatc confpirators,

left

tbey fhould b-Jtray their fecret,

they are queftioned unawares by their Teacher or Infmu-

even fuddenly awakened cut of their

ator,

And

fleep.

fuicide

was not only encouraged, but dogmatically taught

in the

Order, under the formula of patet exitusj or the

exit

is

free;

certain

to appertain to fuicide

of
*'

light

incxprcflible

and

all this is

" The mode of diffufmg

not to proclaim

it

at

pleafure

was

faid

called the diffufion

univerfal

once to the world,

light

but, to

is,

begin

" witk

OBSEfRVATIONS.

Xtti

'

7uith yonrfe/f; then turn towards your next neighbour

"

y<Ju

two can enlighten

a third and fourth

in

let thefe,

" the (iune manner, extend and multiply the number of the
" children of light, until numbers and force fliall throw
" power into your hands (Vol, 111. p. 196)5 t/jcn ivill you

"

hi'

"

//;c7,

fay,

able to bind the hands of your opponents^ to fubjugatt

and

to Jiijie

wickednefs in the embrio'" that

every principle of

haupt's meaning fhould be miftulcen,

his favourite adepts, he fubjoins

to

is

Left Weif-

civil or political fociety.

when writing

to

two of

following correfponding

tioe

fcale,

JO
I

OA

'

OB

BO

CO

OC

0060
0006
00000000 00000006
^

***--i

and explains

f-y^^

r.^^

/^<^^

it

to

^<^^

/v/xi

r>A^

Zwack, " Immediately under me

have

" two adepts, into whom I infufe my whole fpirit ; each of

" thefe correfponds with two others, and fo on. By this
" method, and in the fimpleft way poflible, I can inflame
" and put in motion thoufands of men at once."
He alfo

writes to Baader

"

have fent to

Zwack

fhow" ing how on may methodically, and v.'ithout much trou" ble, arrange a great multitude of men in the finejl order
" imaginable
the fpirit of the firft, of the moft ardent,
:

a fcale,

*'

of the moft profound adept, daily and inceflantly

" municates

itfelf to

the tv/o

by the other

"

to the eight following

" thence

C,

by the one

to

thefe to the next fixteen,

to the thirty-two, and

//,

comB By

B B and C C communicate

*'

to

..fo

downwards

it

from

In

" word,

?RELIMINARY

xiV

" word, every man hat

"

firji

"

from

whom

two men

*'

ferves,

"

recruits, that they

he fcarches

to

the bottom^

inflames^

and

drills, a

difpofes,

may

" the whole regiment"

are

(Vol.

HI.

whom
it

were, like

409)

p.

fays the founder of Illuminifm,

learned

Abbe

It

known under

the ap-

This was an union among

the bookfellers that could be feduced into the

means

the Illuminees, to fupprefs, by every

Order of

in their

power,

works that might lay open the views or impede the

all

They were

progrefs of the Sel.

however

writings,

and

Sudi
to

is

tlie

who

writes a

neverthelefs, a foreigner lately

new

publication under the

on

inferted a paragraph

contemptible.

In his rage, he goes fo

the

Abbe does

wof underfiand

already

met with the

latge,

the

title

work,

this

far as to

umn:eUigibh reveries of a few fedanti of

would be

to circulate all

the

Sel:

which the learned Abbe has

the nature of Illuminifm,

public

has (page 541)

pofes the

alfo

when written by

feditlous,

head of this literary aflociation was Nicolai^ a

at the

open
and

by

is

that orders

famous aflociation

alfo defcribes that

German Union.

pellation of
all

he ob-

and fire with

hereafter exercife

invented by a Doctor Bahrdt, and

<'

tuhole force

tranfmitted and political operations carried on.

to he

The

The

and then flows back again

as it were to his own perfon^

fubjels,

*'

fuch means,

means he

by ivhofe

the centre^

Each one

to it.

Aid-Major^

on all the others.

immediately aSfs
ijfues

his

come

of Mcrcure Britanmquc,
fcurrilous as

as

few fpecimens here adduced, which are

fufficient to give the Enelifh reader

is

and which he fup-

Had not

unparalleled approbation of the

it

Illuminifm as

reprefent

Gerir.ar.y,''''

himfelf.

laid

to this country,

this learned

work

Englifh nation at
but

too

intelligible,

an idea of the perfpicuify and

candour of the learned Abbe, efpccially when compared with the abufe
contained in the above paragraph.
to

my readers,

It

is

Articles, fuppreffing thefe fccrt-t focietits.

Peltier's

with

real pleafure

announce

that his Proflian Majefty hasjoft publiflied an Edidt in

Paris

Pendant

to be hoped, find its

way

1798, No.

into

all

Tl.o Edidt

CL^X

may

be feen in

page 115, and will,

xiii.

Mr.
it is

the public prints of this country.

powerful

OBSERVATIONS.
powerful bookfcller at Berlin,

who was

bours by other adepts in different

The

bufmefs of thefe chiefs was

XV
aided in his

of the fitme nature

by Le Roy

as that of Holbach's club, already dcfcribtjd

the foregoing pages.

thefe adepts, that

It

was

R fading

aJfo

Germany.

quarters of

much

lii-

Societies

were

on

fet

foot,

and

publifhed to calumniate every

N'nufpapers and Reviews

perfon that could not be brought over to their party, and

fpread their principles.

in

under the direction 6i

Among

tt>

the rules for the Regent,

we read, that " Everv effort muli be made to gain over the
" author; but ihould all our attempts fail, and we (hould
" be unable to entice him into the Order, let him he dif"
" credited

EVERY means

by

pojphle"

(Vol.

III. p.

343.)

To

weaken the veneration of the people for their princes, and to afTume no matter- what cloak., provided they did
but fucceed,

alfo to

is

be found

in the inftru^lions of the

Regent, though the inferior Ledges of Alafonry are declared to

of

this

be-

The

the mofi convenient cloaks.

very nature

union fliows the wifdom (I will even fay the nc-

ceffity),

when

profecutions are carried on againft incen-

not only to profccute the author, but

diary publications,

every bookfeller luithout diftinStion

who

fhall

have

fold

Should the Jacobin exclaim againfl

fuch publication.

fuch a propofition,

let

him

learn, that his

much admired

French Directory not only fends the writer of any publication that gives

umbrage

to their ferocious dignity to

the deferts of Cayenne, but the publifher, the vendor, and

even the buyer.

But

infVrudtiojis

of a

flill

more

ferious

nature to every parent are given to the Regent and Prefect

"Never

fight

lofe

"

railitary-fchools,

**

libraries, cathedral

ments

(fay

thefe inft:ulions) of the

of the academies,
chapters, or any

that can influence education or

printing

puWic

prcfies,

eflablifh-

government. Let
our

PRELIMINARY

XVI

*' our Regents perpetually attend

to the various means,
" and form plans, for making us mafters of all thefe efta*'-

bliiliments."

The

Prefect

will

no pains to

fpare

" gain pofTeflion of the fchools which lie within his dif" tril, and alfo of their teachers. He will find means of

" placing them under

" Order for this is the
;

"

the tuition of

members of our

method of

infufing our priir-

true

and of training cur young men."

ciples

regret I find myfelf compelled to

univerfity in the north of

of the Sel

Germany

with

It is

fcarcely an

that

fay,

has efcaped the plots

and, at Jena, the magiftrates were obliged

(many of them not

to interfere, the fchclars

ten years of

age) having formed one of thofe fecret focieties under the

name

of Amicijis^ and were difcovered to be nothing but

young lUuminees

training up, and nurtured in their abo-

minable principles under the

ened feducers.

The

fecret diredlion of

more hard-

reports to the Superiors are irrefra-

gable proofs of their baleful conquefts in fchools and feminaries, though they never loft fight of

as one of the fureft

means

for

country schools,

gaining over the common

people to their plots.

When
many,

lUuminifm had fpread

Italy, Switzerland,

proper to

make an

attack

itfelf

throughout Ger-

and Holland,

it

on France, which had not hi-

tampered with, on account of the

therto been

hafty difpofition of

its

inhabitants.

German

cmiflarics.

chiefs

that

it

was now time

who

and

informed

to fend their

Jmel:us~Bode and ^/Ty^r^Z-Bufche were accord-

ingly fent, and were received at Paris by the Iccret

tee of the

fiery

Mirabeau, who had

been initiated by ivlauvillon, was the perfon

the

was thought

commit-

Mafonic Lodge of the Jmis Reunis.

They

High Council,
degree of Bpopt alone (whence

fubmitted the code of Illuminifm to the

and k was agreed that the

I have

XVH

OBSERVATKDNSi
I

hnvc chiefly made

IhapeJ out to
enthufiafm

my

be adopted, but

extra5ls) (houlJ

Mafonic forms.

tlie

was received with

It

over France, and French A'lafonry became

all

name of

illuminizcd without even having heard of the

lumince, that

is

to

another fpecies had

were

called

grown very common

Alartinifts,

11-

of Atheijihal Illuminees;

fay,

in

France

for

thcfe

and were the fame Se6l

as the

Swedenborgicin Illuminees. It was againft thefe that Mlrabeau wrote

open

pamphlet on the Illuminees, and really

his

which pretended to the powers of ghoft

fpirits,

evoking

raifing,

and raifing and interrogating the dead.

But, with

who were

profecuting

regard to the other part of

tiic

theiii,

myfteries of Fquality and Liberty, he

is

filent; and,

was no other than

indeed, his objetSl in writing

miOead

to

the generality of the world as to the exiftence of the

Sel.

iftical

It

Theofophicnl

lead to as

ra.-ik

Athe-

was becaufe the Swsdenborgians were

God

perpetually talking of
llyled

laid

them

the intrigues and purfuits of that part of

all

and of

Illuminees,

They

their

were

myfteries

modern Spartacus,

AtheifiTi as thofe of the

only by different means.

that they

fpirits,

though

had fpread

all

over Europe^

Ma-

and travelling adepts initiated into the myfteries fuch

fons

as

were judged worthy of them.

fented as the principle of all things.

tail in its

ivorldy

mouth was

having

rative of the

itfelf.

The

its fkin,

ferpent

was

figu-

revolutions of the luiiverfe and of nature;

is

But

Materialifm

which

its

eternity of the

beginning or end.

the phcenix, revivifying from

the univerfe

with

fi^rpent

the

having the property of renovating

alfo,

a'.id

the

rieither

emblem of

Fire they repre-

aflies,

denotes

reproduced, and will continue to be

this

its

(o^

how
from

was merely leading the candidate to

the next

ia legular-built

point

wa<,

to

obtain

the oath

ledges took place a follows:

*lp

the

candidate

PRELIMINARY

XVJU
was

candidate

led

through dark windings into a cavern,

where

the image of death, the

tions

of blood, fepulchral

mechanifm offpectres, po-

lamps, fiibterraneous

voices

every thing, in fhort, that can affright the imagination,

and fucceffively hurry the candidate from terror to enthufiafm,

When

put in action.

is

worn out

the candidate-is

with fatisue, a voice dictates the following execrable oath

which

fworn

is

"

that bind

me

"

here break

the ties of the ficfh

all

to father, mother, brothers, fifters, wife,

*'

relations, friends, mi/lrejfes^ kings, chiefs, benefactors

*'

in fhort, to

'*

obedience, gratitude, or fervice.

" new
**

chief

have

every perfon to

whom I

whom

have promifed

fwear to

re\*eal to

acknowledge every thing that

feen, done, read, heard, learned,

faith,

the

I fhalL

or difcovered

" and even to feek after and fpy into things that might
" otherwife efcape my notice. I fwear to revere the j^qua
Tophana (z moft fubtle poifon) as a certain, prompt,
" and neccflary means of ridding the earth, by death or
" ftu-pefaction, of thofe who revile the truth, or feek to
*

" wreft

from

it

my

hands,"

After this the reader will

not be farprized to hear of the Black Liji^ on which were

infcribed

the

Sect, and

once a

names of

Red

of the

\)r{o\\

thofe
L'tfi^

was entered on

who

gave umbrage to th^

Blzod Lijl

or
that,

it

was,

among

and

when

the Order,

held futile to flatter one's felf with the hope of efcaping

With

the poi-ions or the afTaflins of the Sect.

and fuch means

might take
fpecies

of

of

it

place,

is

eafy

as

it

lUuminees.

to conceive that

really

did,

The Abbe

between
traces

the Revolu-rion to the Lodges, and

adept

confpired, according

Lodge he belonged

Grand Mafter

to.

to

fuch oaths
a coalition
thefe

all

two

the chiefs

each fpecies

of

the pre-eminence of the

The Duke

of OrL-ans

was now

of French Mafonry, and held correfpon-

dencc

OBSERVATIONS.
iencG

all

He

over the world.

of Paris, into which

fiiburbs

xix

eftabliflied

he

Lodges

introdticed

in the

the f )lJicrs

of the French Guards, and the more dcfpcrate part of the

them Equality and Liberty, and thus

rabble; teaching

preparing them

general explcfion

the

for

which took

place on the 14th of July, and the fanguinary fcencs that

Similar precautions had been taken in

v/cre to fucceed.

the provii.cos; and on that fatal day, above a million of

men appeared

Now

places.
fittings

in arms, ftarting forth

the leaders of the

from their lurking

Lodges transferred

their

from the Lodges to the Town-halls, while the

Grand Council

(fiift

afTuming the name of Club Breton,

at Verfaille?, in order to be near the National Aflembly)

adjourned their meetings to a

at

Paris,

the

Rue

in the

the church beh^nged

the monaftai y to wiiich

is

chuch

St.

Honorc

where they took the name of Jacobin's, from

name now

very properly given to that

and

this

compound

of Rebellion and Athcifm formed of the Snphijlers of ImChriftianity,

piety confpiring againft

without diftinflion

of worfliip, whether Proteftant or Catholic, Anglican or

Prefbyterian (the objeft of the

object of the fecond volume)

Impiety

firft

volume); of

confpiring againft

phijlers of Rebellion

and Anarchy^

the So-

Monarchy

(the

and of the Sophijiers of

or the Illuminees, confpiring againft

every religion, natural or revealed, againft every govern-

ment, againft

all

civil

fociety,

and againft

all

property

whatever (the objedl of the third and fouith volumes).

The author, in the latter part of his fourth

volume, makes

tke application of this triple confpiracy to the French

volution, which

was

The Grand Lodge

as gradual as the

of Paris begins by a Manifefto to

the Mafonic Lodges

"

t9

Re-

Mafonic degrees.

in

confederate ts^ethe?-

the univerfe, to
;

fummon them

to unite their efforts to

*b

all

main-

"

tain

PRELIMINARY

X^
"

tain the revolution; to

^'

friends,

partizans,

gain over to

and protcilors

^*

flame, to vivify the fpirit, fo

*'

/f,

"

pozver.''

IN

p.

Paine s

ceived, than Thfn

all

and ardor for

No fooner was
up

flsrted

in

parts,

means in their

by every

464.)

in

propagate the

excite zeal

EVERY STATK, and

(Vol. IV.

it,

to

this re-

every country, and

the honours of French citizenfhip were the recompence

of thefe incendiaries.

Firft appear the ConJlitutionaliJ} \^

or the French elTay-mafters in conftitutions, dabbling with

Man

metaphyfical difcuilions on the Rights of

gether with

probably),

rifion,

disjoir.t

the fceptre, pillage the church,

and then are abandoned by the

Se(fl,

the fupport of their feeble talents.

vviih

on

Englifhmen to

abufcs,

their ov/n

vernment.

they, to-

inen called Monarchijls (through de-

thof^'

who no

On

longer want

thefe

would

Thefe were the trumpeters

refledl;.

inventors of portentous reforms, and were ia

minds to be the perfedlors of the

And what were

employed by the Sect

French Monarchy.

they

down

to break

But why

country where the laws

go-

the tools

the facred pale of the

fliould 1 dwell

tvell diftinguifh

fo

art of

in reality?

on

this, in a

each man's

Does not every Englifhrnan on a jury, when a

perfon is brought before him on his trial for a burglary,

guilt

knov/ that the heinoufiiefs of the crime attaches to the

breaking the dwelling, though even the theft fliould not

be accomplifhed

former had

who

of robb.rs,

left

Nor would
really ftule

the crime of another

open, be fo heinous in the eyes of the law

as the crime of the former band,

latter

is

alfo declared capita!

Juft fo do

King
is

band

from that houfe which the

we

fee the

though

by the

ftatute

tlie

crime of the

law of the land.

plundered Church and defencclefs,

of France delivered over to the fecond Afl'embly

that

the i?ira of the bloody lOth of Auguft, of the butchering

September,

OBSERVATIONS.
This Aflcmbly makes place

September.

hecatombs of
ocean

death hunts

by the

in

every (hape

dragged to the guillotine

Thus do we

fee the plots

had been profccuted

the plots

with frightful

In the firftafl'embly, thofeconfp'rators

fucccfs.

when

in the

Monarch,

the

Church and Monarchy accomplifhed

pruperty

againft

call

them

his Siller, arc

ruthlefs confpirators

againft the

for a third,

and pontlfFs are fubmerged

pricfts

Royal Confort,

his

XXl

who now

thcmfehes ConJiitutionaliJ} s had annihilated the proIn the next aflembly, that of the

perty of the Clergy.

Nobles was

feized,

who remained

thofe

under pretence of emigration, while

France were pillaged, under the

in

During

pretence of confifcation.

the

appear

the

yuliens-,

and

third,

two

adepts Bruijfart, Robcjpierre^ and the

moment is now come to

mercantile aristocracy as well as

they write, that the favourable

extirpate the

that of the nobles.

In their

correfpondence, as

fecret

in Weifliaupt's Myfleries, they declare, that

mujl he crnjhed
merchar.ts were
as

many

cheats^

to

he founds there %vere fure to be

and Liberty could

Accordingly,

there.

Merchantipn

that wherever a large number of rich

',

fpoliations

found

not eflabiijb its empire

and

have

requifitions

robbed the merchants and citizens of their proper ty^ juft

as the Clergy and Nobility had been robbed before them.

But

this

was not the accomplilhment of the Grand Endoi

the ultimate views of the Sect, which was the obliteration

of

all

property whatever.

and Langelot appear.

Revolution

is

Accordingly Drouet, Babceuf,

Thefe

declare,

that the French

but the forerunner of a Revolution greater

by far

and much mere folernn., and which will be

Then

from the nobleman to the cottager

ftripped
profpe<5lj

of their property.

how

fraall,

all

But, tremendous as

when wc

look,

the

laji.

are to

be

is

the

back, the fpark

firft

follered

'preliminary,

xxii

by impiety

foftered

progrefs

The

how

yet

immeiife,

unirerfal,

its

Por-

Armies of the Princes, Malta, Con-

and the Eaft, Africa, America, Switzerland,

ftantinople

Sweden, RufTia, Poland, Auftria,

cffeds of it

Would
its

how

Palatinate, Belgium, Holland, Spain,

tugal, Naples, Italy, the

find

5rc.

and each has

God,

to

its

Pruffia,

have

England were not

that

place on this black

all felt

the

fepatate article in this volume.

lift

entitled to

but the learned author

has unfortunately traced the agents of lUuminifm even to

We

our ihores.
luminifm

diftinguifli

fee

Rontgtn

fent

him from

grinations of a

If,

after this,

Ireland, and toward Scotland;

the Secret Committees of the

not every reader be

Heaven, and return thanks

ful

God,

far

the pere-

he turns his eyes toward

if

Irifli

he reads the Reports of

or Engliih Legiflatures

induced to

raife

his

power-

from fuch

has tbe Tranflator attempted to give a faint

idea of the nature of the Abbe's valuable work,

it

hands to

to the all-merciful and

that has in his goodnefs preferred us

iiumberlefs dangers

Thus

man of Bern);

the great

11-

projiigate^ to

Doctor Ibiken and of a Mr. Reginharty

are but too clear.

will

by the Superiors of

the boaftings of Zimmerma/i (the

which

has been his aim to lay open to fuch of his countrymen

as

may r^ be
.

to read

it

in

fufficiently vcrfed in the

tne original.

The

French language

application of the

Me-

moirs of Jacobinifm to thefe Kingdoms, being the object

of the note fubjoined to the fourth volume of the tranflation of that

to pik5l;fh

it

prefixed, that
tions,

may

work, and
fcparatcly,

it

having been thought proper

this

preliminary fketch has been

the reader, who, from his worldly occupa-

not have time to perule the work at large,

may

not remain entirely unapprized of the univerfal danger,

and

may

thus guard againft the

arts of SEDUCTiON--th.e

moft powerful weapons of Jacobinifrru

NOTE
For the

End

of Vol. IV. of the Memoirs illujlrating the

Hijtory of Jacohtnijm.

On

publifliing the Tranflatlon of the

Memoirs,

thefe

declared that

fulfiUing a duty in layingr open

thofe of
in the

Volume of

Firft

confidered myfelf as only

fo

mv countrymen who were

French language to read the

excellent a

work

to

not fufficicntly verfed

original.

The

object

of the Author throughout has been to fhew the univerfal

havock and

o'efolation

have threatened

all

with which thefe depredatory Sects

Europe; Mine has been

vigilant attention of

my

countrymen,

the fnares that are laid to entrap them.

be thought

to excFte the

they

left

This

into

fall

will, I hope,

a fufficient reafon for the following:

more

cir-

cumftantial application to Ireland and Great Britain

the dreadful plots

that have been detailed in thefe

of

Me-

moirs.

IRELAND.
Ireland, ever fince the year 1782, had prefentcd a per-

petual fcene of different afl'ociations for different objects.

The
man

Volunteers had given

rife

to

much

debate; the

Ro-

Catholics had been actively employed in petitioning

the legiflature for the redrefs of certain grievances under

which they laboured;

and

their

prayer was at length,

parcly acceded to.

The firft appearance, however,

which we now allude was in June,
for

it

arc couch;d in the

of the afTociation to
1791.

The

propofals

it-yle

and exact terms of the Hie-

rophants

They recommend

rophantsof Illuminlfm.
aflbciation, or, as

of an
*'

the people

fplracy" to ferve

the formation

" a beneficent con-

ftyled,

is

it

r-fTuming

"

the fecrecy

" and fomewhat of the ceremonial attached to Freema" fonry." Secrecy is declared to be neceflary to maice
" The bond of uiiion more cohefivc and the fpirit of union

" more
"

ardent

facilitate

own

its.

" enemies by
*'

to envelope

the plan with ambiguity, to

agency, to confound and terrify

Its Cerc7nonial

direction," &c.

to create enthufiafm.

" Let

is

Mafonic

alfo

in order

member wear (day

c\'ery

" and night) an amulet round

'

its

of the defign, extent, and

their ignorance

his neck, contaiaing the

great principle which unites the brotherhood, in letters

*V

of gold, on a ribbon,

"

lours,

and inclofed

ftripcd

with

" fent the pure union of the mingled

" tion of

fuperficial

all

" fhades of difference,

the original co-

all

in a fheath of white filk, to repre-

rayS,

dill:intions,

for the fake

all

and the abolicolours,

and

of one illullrious End.

" Let this arnulet of union, faith, and honour, depen^^

" from the neck, and be bound about the body next to the

" Ikin and

lity,

clofe to the heart."

and Union, cannot poflibly be better defcribed.

Its

members

prime of

life,

lanthropifts,

are to be chofen

" who

that

*'

two founding

wizard

aie not

zvorci

" who know

liberty,

to

live

fr.ourir).

bound down

empire, nor

fyllables ;"

" determined

This

from among men

without diftinciion of religion

"

"

Mafonic Secrecy, Equar

to

in the

true phi-

obedience to

to the fovereignty of

from among men, in fhort^

who wiih

to

have

it,

and

who

arc

and die t'lec-niQn" ("vivr^ iibn on

-I'i

aflbciation

i-

(at firft called the Irifh Brotlierhood^

and afterwards the United Iriflimen) " will have, it is

" faid, an eye provident and profpective, a reach and
H

amplitude

[3

*'

amplitude of conception comnicnfurate to

"

live diffufion of

knowledge

" philanthropy converge."

Its

will

it

end

progref-

tlie

make

the light of

declared

is

to be,

" The rights of men in Ireland the greatcft happincfs of

" the greateft number in this Ifland ; the inljerent and in-,

"

defeafible claims

" rights of man

*'

the one

" order

The

is

of every free

arc the rights of

God

him whofe

fervice

and to vindicate

We

to maintain the other.

to ferve

For, " the

nation :"

is

Hierophnnt next pfoceeds to

mufl:

ftatiq,

be

free,

fi

sr fummary of the national will and

pleafure in
" moft intcrefting to national happincfs, and then

**

*'

this doSirine as

may

fpecdily as

b::

ii)

eedom.
that " to form

perfect

points
to put

into pra6licc, will

" be the purpofe of this Central Sccietyy or Lcdge^ from

" which other lodges in the different towns will radiate."

The

diftinclions of rank,

of property, and of religious

perfuafions, are to be abolifhed

fliort

oi

''

but whether any thing

great convulfion" can effe6lually and fpeedily

procure th^ reform propofed,

to be,

is

many

vi^ith

other

principles of fedition, the fubjedi of future difcuflion

by

the afTociation.

The whole body was

the (regulating)
ings were to

"

ting

be " convivial

fociety

meet four times a year, and

to

committee once a month.

Thcfe meet-

converfationaly not a deba-

and confidential^ the heart open and the

" door locked." Their external

bufinefs to confift,

"

ift,

**

in publications to propagate their principles and efFedlu-

*'

ate their ends.

**

iandlioned by the committee.

*'

with the different towns to be afriduouHy kept up, and

*'

every exertion ufed to accomplifli a National Conven-

**

lion.

<*

abroad, as .the

3dly,

All papers for this purpufe are to be

2dly,

Communication

Communication with fimilar

Jacobin Club
a

at Paris, the

focieties

Revolution

"

Society

Society

IN EN^fcLANDj

Committee of Reform in

the

" Scotland."
were to be pronounced .(as in the Ml nerval
" on fuch men' as fliall have deferved well of

Eulogi'es
'Schools)
'"

their country until death^

library to be formed

*'

berty."

" made

"

The

No. IV.) Such was

'was to be formed, and

in a

the plan
it

(Irifl)

Report, Jppendlx,

on which

this afToxriation

was recommended

Mr. Tone.

li-

(poor dupes) were to be

arlftocracy

their inftruments."

of Belfaft by a

whofe works fhouldlive

by the fociety and dedicated to

On

the 9th

to the people

of November,

1791, the day on which the aflbclation was inftituted at

Dublin, a fimilar invitation was publifhed by it, and was
Tinned

Napper Tandy.

Thus do we

find

that Liberty,

Kquality, Secrecy, Union, and the Rights of man, were the

real objecSls

of this aflbciation. It

is

true that Parliamentary

Reform and Catholic Emancipation were held out as their

only objefb ; but it has fince appeared upon oath, that
Yhefe were only pretexts, and that " the people in Lein" Her, Munfter, and Connaught did not care the value of

" a pen, or the drop of ink

*'

tar\

Reform

it

contained, for Parllamen-

or Catholic Emancipation.*^

[y^ppindix^

Xo.XXXI.)
l^heir

Forms and Regulations were

alfo

Mafonic

Xleinb^rs were honorary or ordinary, and admitted be-

tween twojponforsy who vouched

principles x)f the candidates.

adopted.

fign and

Funds were produced by admiflion

and voluntary contributions of the

ilio

for tiie characters

The

'-'

and

word were
fees,

Arijlocrats**

loans,

Taxes

of one penny per month were levied on the indivi-

duals of the aflbciation, and were generally tranfmitted

through regular gradations to the High Superiors.

Many

thangts, however, took place on this fubjet, and latterly

three-pence

ihrcc-pcncc per month was levied.

jiot

Thefe funds were

Committees

even cntrufted to the Provincial

member

iponies as foon as they vvcre rcceivedvT-.Jt

is

buf

aw?y the

of the Executive attended to c^rry

true,

indee^

that the Executive accounted to the Provincial CommittCjC

once every three months.

r.

,.

,.

-,^,Chairman, or ^lafter, prefided over the Lodges, wbofc

duty

it

was

to preferve order

the power, of fining rcfrav5tory

five (hillings,

and diredl debates; he jiad

members

and even of expelling the

nued to be pontumacious

fecretaries

if

as alfo to erafe fuch

as did not attend their duty after they

with a regular notice.

to the amount, of

member

he conti-

members

had been ferved

Qfficers were appointed, and the

always belonged to a higher, degree..

.TK?

catenation of the degrees perfedly coincides with

]C0E-

Weif-

baupt's plan, as the following fcale of corr^fpondence (of

National, Provincial, County, and Baronial Committees,

emanating front the Individual Societies) will demonftrate.

Baronial Coin'mit'tee was ccimpofed cf the fecrc*

The

ami adelegaf^Trom each

trea?urers^

laries,

ttl^ir ^dfrefUbti.

tiety unBei'

individuail

fo-

Th'e County and Provincial

Commiltces weVelo be compofed of the fecretaries, tr-eafuf er^, affd if dei'e'gate from the Committees immediately
(Ibid. No. II.) Ireland Was fubdivided into
under them
its Ybiir

Provinces, aiid

its

tliirty-two Counties;

butasfocn

as tW6 CoUn'ty Committees were formed, the Provincial

Committee of that province was tobe chbfen. When two

Provincial Committees "hid been elefled, the National was

formed' o'f five

No

members from each Pro ViticfeTCx)mmittee.

mittee-men

they were not ev^h 'known to thofe

elede^ t'hem

Committee,

the cafe of the National or E?JciecdtiVc

t1ie 'fecretaries

of the Provincial that examrned

who

the t'allot c^^Y informing the perfohs

rity of votes,

was the

without

unknown

any queftions were propofed

and

focieties

this

fociety wiftied

it

Thus

was

to fend

under whofe immediate diredlion

on

th"S

them

it

Superiors.

in an inferior fo-

them

to tranfmit

(either to get information

any other reafon)

had the majo-

reporting to the 'Eletors.

fociety "entirely goverheci hy

When
ciety,

comwho had

f)err6n whatever' could frientTon'the-riames of

to other

fubjedl, or for

to the

committee

might be.

Strange members were admitted to the meetings (or, as

they tetm'ed

it,

"

to

the honours of the fitting "

on pro-

made no

re-

was taken by every candidate previous to

his

ducing their credentials

but the fecretaries

turns in their prefence.

teft

admifllon, in a feparatc room, in prefence of his

fors

two fpon-

and of a member delegated by the Mafter for that

purpofe.

The

teft

was declared

to be

a facial
"

cred compdSf" and was in the words following

" do voluntarily

declare,

tind fa^
I,

J. B.

that I will pferfevere in endea**

vourinG:

form a brotherhood of

among

**

vouring

**

Iriihmcn of every religious fjcrfuafion, and that

*'

a]fo perfcvcre in aiy

to

affcclioii

endeavours to obtain

" and adequate reprefentation of

all

I will

equal, full,

aii

the people of Ire-

I do farther declare, that neither hopes nor fears,

*^ land.

y- rewards nor punilhments,

fliall

ever induce me, dirc6tl.y

i" or indirectly, to inform or give evidence againft any

,**

member

-^

atSi

"
*'

members oi

or

or exprellion

(>i

individually, in or out of this fociety,

the fpirit of this obligation."

Dublin,

JBelfaft,

{Ihid.

new

in purfuance of

No.

11.)

now become the

The latter town

and Newry, were

head- quarters of the

any

this or fimilar focieiics, for

theirs done, or nvide colledtivcly or

confpiracy.

even enjoyed the exclufive privilege of printing the conftitutions of the aflbciation,

cember 1796

it

was

till

the 7th

De-

refolved, that they fliould be printed

in three different parts of the

fake.

by a decree of

Kingdom

for conveniency's

delegate was alfo deputed from thence into the

county of Cavan and the province of Leinfter, where he

founded a number of

Antrim was foon

fenters,

The

whofe

in a

all

its

Man

Europe

the difcontented in

were

of

all

*'

ranee as the

*'

dom, and the road

and

fizcs

demon oi

**

dif-

fin'ourite

Paine's

Works

Iiifh; publications

firculated, holding out

difcord

" /^n?-

Uniorij as power, wif-

to liberty," and" teaching the ri^ng

brotherhood " that a more

" be

were

began to be the

were profufely diftributed among the

forts

county of

inhabitants

religious tenets bordered on democracy.

ncw-fan?led Rights of

theme of

The whole

focieties.

ferment;

devifed, than that

unjiift cohftitution

could not

which condemned the natives of a

country to perpetual fervitude under the arbitrary db-

" minion of flaves and ftt-anjrers

* penfable condition 'of the laws
a

that the

firft

in a free ftate

is,

and

indif-

the aflent

" of

" of thofe v/hofe obedience they require

that the
" will of the nation muft be declared.
Away from us

'**

"

and from our children thofe

the Hierophant)

(cries

puerile antipathies fo

unworthy

" which infulate man as well

" citizen back ta the favage."
fine his attention

Liberty.

manhood of

the

fhall

man con-

to fome few fragments of the temple of

In future, " the ample earth

" and the arch of heaven

The means

and drive the

as countries,

No longer

nations,

its

dome."

is

to be

area,

its

No. V.)

( Ibid.

were the

of accomplifliing thefe great things

union of the whole people; and England, Scotland, and

Ireland, were fimultaneoufly to raife their voice.

In

fliort,

the clergy, gentry, and government, were held out as the

real oppreffors

of the people

ciples of anarchy

into that fame

and thus were

the prin-

all

and deftruction of property to be inrufed

people.

Clubs and meetings were held

under various denominations

common

the Defenders

were invited

Com-

to unite

and make a

mittfees

were particularly entrufted with the care of making

caufe

and the County

Men

an union between the Orange

and the Catholics,

through great precaution was to be obferved

of the

latter, left the

among

in

fpeaking

Proteftants fhould take alarm.

Union

themfelves and difaffelion to government was to

conftitute

their

whole

ftrength.

was

It

feared that

Catholic Clergy would impede their fmifter defigiis

ports

were

"

fpread,

that the

tiie

re-

Bifhops had been

titular

-" fummoned befoxe the Privy Council, and that they had

" received a bribe of

" were to fummon all
*'

to do ail in their

"

as

five

hundred guineas

their Priefts,

power

and

that they

command them

to difcover fuch of their flock

were United hifhmen, or had any conneilion with

" fuch."

No. II.)

In

parts

where the

whole population was Catholic, hanu-bills were

diftributed,

(li'id.

thcfe

purporting

purporting to be, the Conftitution of the Orange

Men,

-which was death and deftrudtion to every Catholic; for,

if the;
it

common

people could, bc\oncc ftirred up to nbellion,

was eafy to turn

centre of the
this aflertion

worn by

their

minds againft government

Orange union (and what

have

lately acquired,

pgrfons whofe, duty

when

Sed
one common

badge was

Armagh, which had

between the contending par-

ftrife

fucceeded in uniting and leaguing them in

the

tics,

much

that

isever/to be .above, party

it

prejudice!) wiiile, as in the,county of

-been the fcene of

as the

great weight muft

thofe 'who

caufe. againft

were held out

as

the oppreflbrs of the ftate.

The

chain of correfpondence^once perfedly eftablifhed,

communications were opened with England and Scotland,

and negociations carried on with the French during the

months of 1795; and in April 1796 the outlines

of a Treaty with France was drawn up by the National
Committee, and tranfmitted to the French Directory.
fix

laft

In the mean time the

Sed

continued to propagate

principles and enroll recruits, and

ber

all

on the 8th of

the afl^^ciations received orders to hold themfelves

in readinefs to

rife,

and to procu e arms and ammunition,

French were immediately expeSled.

as the

On

the 24th of

December

the

French

really did

their appearance at P>antry; and, ftrange to fay, they

not feconded in their attempts by the people,

verfally rofe
this

The

is

in

the

were
uni;

but

more extraordinary manner.

Executive had received news, that the French had

their

expedition

threw them " otF

"

ftill

make

who

South to oppofe their invaders

accounted for in a

deferred

-"

its

Novem-

till

their guard,

no raeafures were t-ken

fpring

and

this

in

circumftance

confequence ot

to prepare the people for

reception of the French army.

it

the

The- people were left

to

thcm^

10

r
*^

themfihes.'*

one

hope

in

God

that this avowal, rr^de

intended Governors,

of their

may

by

prove a wholefomc

fame people, and encourage them to follow

lelfon to that

(Ibidem,

the loyal and genuine didlateS of their he^ts.

^Na,XXXI.)
bufincfs

future, the

In

Giwnmittees will be reports on

which

latter article

to

fliould

and money,

to dit-

intitled

itfelf

but the High Superiors found

that

declare,

necef-

it

no Committee below the County

Soon

be empowered to difpofe of the funds.

power was confined

this

rtien, artns,

appears to have been a fubjecl of great

a part of their funds; and fuch had been

leaft

the law originally

Xary

occupy the

Each degree thought

-contention.

pofetof at

will chiefly

that

bne of the Executive Directors always attended

Provincial
tional

Committee

obliged the

to carry

at

the

to the

Na-

The

jealoufy of

National Committee at one

levied

brotherhood

the

time to

iflue

proclamation, declaring that not " one fenny of their

m9ney

bad been

expended any other

was intended for." The

contributed

ly

as

away with him

Committee whatever contributions had been

on the brotherhood.

after

to the Provincial, and ultimately

many

trial.

of the

to

vigilance of

augment

that

Government

the expences of

regular

Se6^,

Mr. Curran (employed

to

at the expence of the bro-

Committee

foncrs travelled the circuits

it

great-

the

members were taken up and brought

Thefe were defended

therhood.

way than

for the defence

of pri-

and the eminent talents of

at a great

expence) will ever (land

a voucher that juftice was done the prifoners wherever he

was

prefent.

Large fums were fubfcribed by

all

clafTes,

and the duped ariftocrats (or, as one of the fecretaries

ftyles

them, the Jrajiorricks) contributed

{ubfcription,

in

the

one fingle

at

county of Antrim, 374

1.

At

the

fprins:

[ "
fpring aflizes of

1797, held

were expended, and

the

'to

prifoners

the county of

ij;

conveyance

lafc

were

that

']

cotifined

hrid

DoWn,

been

^^ci.

pt'och'ir-U

the jail of

in

tha't

This, however, was not the onl> mi^afts of

c'ouhty.

fence devifcd; for

'Cotnmittee,

"

was given

it

that if there is

any Unitr^d

Jury that wiH- commit any 6f the prifoners that

**

fined

United

The

^'xij}e7ice.^*

was

cdib-

is

^d hfe

rVrt;

theih-

cxpcnccs"'^ccaine. fo "hcaVy at'Ienjth,

from buying amts and

that a lottery

oitght

Iflflimen^,

on

irJflirti'en

**

for trilHg

ifli'-

the opinton df a Cbh'nty

a*?

fet

fuppdr'fing aWd defending prifoners,

on foot; but what rtJadirWoiUld

fuf-

pe5t (as wa^ really the fafty'ttiaf "fhi ''mVufiiH? Avas objc5led to, 'on
-ihe

people?

the"
''

To return
Tt was
form

plea xhax
'''^

to'

ordered,

its

three

new

the

tncourt^td

it

^^--^^ w

^^

'

that

ferjeants

how

every Baronial

total 108.

haupt's Illuminifm

expeilation,

efFeft,
it

n^' VAp v^^^

The

two

company of one
lieutenants, and

reader has

already feen

fcale coincided

With Weif-

but when the military formation be-

and the numbers increafed beyond

was deemed

Greater danger attending the

taking of arms, the individual focteties began to

foon as their numbers amounted to twelve.
to be near neighbours, the better to

degrees

iijto

as

watch over each

The fecretaries
committees. They were

all

orders

from the higher to the lower

they reported the progrefs

of, the Sect, in as

them

fplit

Thefe were

and to enfure fecrecy.

alone were to form the higher

the bearers of

all

neceflary to extend and change

certain parts of this fcale.

other's adtions

SeiS!.

flibuM

Cdmrtfiittee:

individual focietics into a

exa<B:ly the correfponding

gan to take

"

military ofganizatian of 'ihe'

htindred men, choofing one captain,

five

'immoralrtyhf

-the

>-

much

the fecret

as

for

it

made by, and the views

was thought neceflary

we

find that

even the

to let

County

Com-

12

,[

Committees wete npt

in the fecret as to the jiaturc-cf^-tlre

engagements ^ntered intp with the French. What unhappy deluded people then were the lawer aflpciators,wj^p
were informed of nothing, but were to be the mere
.

agents of rebellion and murder, and were hurried on into

by a few

this abyfs of horrors

grafped at dominion, and

wiflied to

wadp

verthelcfs,,

every

pet^y

of information,

piece

L5)jMi^er--(;^gr?es,

their- ConJlltuents*.-.\..;

,,r'^

According to th^^new,

to the

countrymen

the ftate through the blood of their

tranfmitted to, the

libertines,

political

.of

was %led

.i

?.-.

rwho

helm
!

th^^t

ot

Ncwa

/? Repo^t^t^^o
,..

fcalej4t.wa:s 9fdained,,- that

:.

Il

^s^

Individual..SochiiSrihovXii,hQ, under.4he.,4ire>^tipri oS r^i)x:

Baronial Committee

-y

ten

But

dijiricf.

When

upper :Baj-oaials tp^ont

coiitainefi four

ormoip

County Committee was

created.

as foon as a

Diftrift Cotnmittees, the

Baronials to one ujuper Ba,v^

TEN

za/i and in large towns

County

committees had been, appointed in twc^ counties,

the Provincial

Committee was

fc<rjned

of two delegates

from each, and the National Committee (or the Execiti

tive)

of five delegates from- each of. the four Provincial

Committees, though the National Committee was formed

as foon as

two Provincial Committees had been

part of this Executive

and

it

was

appears that Dublin, Cork, and Galway, were their

refidence in three provinces

it

elected.

ftationary in each province

but witia refpecb to Ulfter,

does not appear whether Belfaft,

could claim

the

honour.

From

Armagh,
this

new

or

Newry,

formation,

each upper Baronial will be found to contain a regiment.

(Ibid.

XXIV.)
One
One upper

Individiral Sociity
Ore Baronial I 10
Baronia] | 10 j 100

I
I

12

Meiv

120
1200

The

V3

The' captains deified

>iofcd

the colo'jiels, and the latter pro*

three pcrfons, one of

whom

was created adjutant-

general by the national committee.

may

It

not be in\-

proper here to remark the care with which thefe higher

own

confpirators fought to prcferve their authority in their

hands, even in cafe of a revolution

when

for

was a

there

queftion afterward of forming a national- ajfcmbly^

it

was

refolvedthat each of the thirty-two counties {hould depute

one perfon to he added

to the executive,

rll

lower focietieS

being caft out of the balance, dildbnly to be confidered as

agents,
civil

whd,

virtue,

after

having been robbed 'of every moral and

were to

on high their fanguinary

ralfe

and fe^ucers, glutted with theblftod of

chief;>

their lawful

go-

vernors.

Here we (ce
power acquired
thing

ti-.e

amazing progrefsmade and the great

November, 1791. Every

took -5" feTJous and military turn.
The ncw-

now

finoe the 9th of

elec^ed officers tvere in/h-uSfcd tojludy tables and acquire

every fpecies of military information with refpedl to roads,

magazines, mills, &c. Plans were deviCed

ror

thefupportof

the wives and children '^during the exsrtions cf the Bro~

" therhood

in the field."

government was
of

fpirits

difcuffed

Every thing

The

confumption

prohibited, in order to hurt the excif;

v/as

bank-notes were cried down;

and even the buying of

quit-rents was e.\prelTly forbidden.

High

that could thwart

and refolved.

Superiors faw that this armed

In the mean time the

mob could

not be

debauchir.2: the J.ittcr

A">f

fore contrived.

from

H^ind-bills

their allegiance

were privily

com-

means

was

there-

petent of themfelves to cope with the king's troops

circulated, hold-

ing out their officers " as tyrants that had rebelled againft
.*'

tht righti of tnan^ and whofe orders

bills,
.

...

in

fliort,

;"
were damnable

of the mofb inflammatory nature were difI

pQrfed

^^^!fW?ng the

by the towns-people, who Were

military

chargpd.M'ith the feduition of the troops of their garrifon.

fwore

thefe

fwore-in fome few of the foldiers;

They

others; and when their number was fufficientj focieties

were fortned in the regiments. Here again we find the
Rgn and ivard^ which were changed every month ; the
true brother

for recognizing a

catechifni

and the oath^

which was, " to be true to the French republic, and t^

" take the

*

cover

^t

of any

life

The

rule

"

military was,

that

" United Irifhman, and

**

members, out of

its

an

is

not taken any aftive

has

ftep^

th( line

the Friend of

was to be deemed ftill

Irifhmen." f/^/W. No. XIV.) The betpropagate the fyflem, it was held out to the military,

his profeffion^ he

when

that

French fhould come, the

the

be fuch as them

"

Equality

"

againft the French, becaufe

**

againd them,

They were

When

all

and that there was no ufe

they could

when

in

in their

refpedling

refpcftive

make

company,

while

**

carry thefe returns" to the towns-people.

Ireland,

French

ter.

"

this

"

it

and of
fleet

numbers on-board the

as alfo of all kinds

of news

upon a

fetting fire to a houfe, or

was by day

p?iy.

a foldier in

the

each regiment " were employed to

plan was fettled, " that

was

them.'.'

their

Thefe, in

them of the progrefs made by the

its

going

two of

(leadieft

men" from

to

all

a return oi united

"

return, informed

were

the Powers were

had fufficiently fucceeded,

this

his

all

make no hand of

tampered with

alfo

each company was appointed to

" men

foldiers

that there vcere to he no rich^ hut

**

*'

the perfon fworn

in cafe

dif-

among

friends

the United

ter to

attempt to

reckoning on

for

againft the body or any of

" of

"

man who would

light, the

men

Se(9: in

Engliflj

and

from the

lat-

fignal given,

(and

feme fuch token,)

if

fhould turn out of the

" ranks

'S

",

ranks; and

"

trived,

**

the barracks

fell

it

could be (o con-

and fuch United Irifh-

within the barracks were to exert thcm-

fclvcs in feizing fuch

" they

by. night, and

an United Irifhman ihould be (entry at |he-gatc,

who was to
^ men as were

-**

"

was

if it

could get.

arms and ammunition within

there were but

If

barracks, by having

them

up and dov/n

difpcrfed

<f

rooms, when the attack was

"

the arms to the towns-people."

to

a,%.

thirty friends in tho

in the

be made, they could give

If

any p^rt of the

garrifon were not to be depended upon, the cannons feized

were to be pointed on the barracks, or whole corps were

to be cut off for refufing to coalelce

of the brotherhood even went

fire to

the (lores

Such was the plan

and towns; the mode of proceeding

*'

On

of Bandon: "

country was to be

" middle

and

attempt to

fet

on

for garrifons

camp

fire

exempli-

on both ends and

in thff

Mr. O'Brien

friends

friends they

had in camp, about Four Hundred, they intended

" taking the cannon, and then taking the bell

" the fmall arms, which they would give to
" people
Coote

"

retreat

" keep

fent

and

**

as

many

poflible

till

poffeilion

the French

when

place, that the foldiers

and

officers as they

to Bantry, take

it if

were

could

fignal

(Uid.

firft

with

the country

fervicsi,

death^ and

would land."

It

appeared

a rifing was alfo to have taken

to

put all their

officers to

deathy

In return for

the tov/n of Skibbereen

to the foldiers

XXIX,)

to

of the battery, and

the yeomanry alfo if they oppofed them.

given up

tents,

by Mr. O'Brien, and then go put Genera/

that at a future time,

fo

is

the ift of July, 1797, the

what

then, with

in

" near Bandon could fend them, and what

'

fet

but the burning coals were luckily dif-

covered by a dragoon.

fied in that

Some

with them.

fo far as to

was

be

to

for pillage during eight hours.-"

Thus do we

fee the gradual progrefs

of

this

i6

f
this horrid aflbciation
je<5t

THE

toward

GREAT END

]
its

cruel and fangui nary ob-

The

Committees

in

fu-

ture proceed with the grcateft eagernefs to prepare every

thing

involve

can

that

their

country in rebellion and

After the example of the bloody Marat, and

bloodflied.

according to the true principles of the Seft, a paper entitled the

Union Star was

only on one

fide,

fo that

it

publifhed at Belfaft, printed

could be pafted on the walls of

theftretts. Let this paper defcribe itfelf ; " As the Union

" Star is an official paper (of the Erothcrhocd) the mana" gers promife the public that no charafters fhall be ha-

" zarded but fuch as arc denounced by authority, as being"

" the partners and creatures of Pitt and his fanguinary
" journeyman Luttrell " (that is to far, Lord Carhampton,
the commander-in-chief).

"

juftice

"

The

Star

offers

to public

the following deteftable traitors, as fpies and

**
Perhaps yo;w(? arm more lucky than
perjured informers.
" the reft may reach their hearts, and free the world from
" bondage." Then was given a lift of profcriptions, exa<5Hy fuch as Marat gave when he ftyled himfelf the political calculator^ becaufe, when four men had been torn to

pieces bv the demoniacs of Paris, he flated, that fubtral-

ing
to

4 from 30,000

fall

there

ftill

remained 29,996 afiftocrats

beneath the national vengeancck

Now

writer, in his frantic rage, thus addreffes

" Let the indignation of man be

" pious wretch

his

this official

Sovereign

raifed againft the

vvho prophanely aftumes the

title

" ing by the grace of God, and impudently

"

world he can do no wrong. Oh,

" Oh, king

will the

who

man

im-

of reigntells

the

or rather lefs^

my

coun-

fmothercd

groans of

name

the innumerable dun-

**

trymen,

^''

geons you have made, for ajferttng the rights of man,

in thy

fill

be

'7

*'
Go, impious blafphemsr
he coil fide ;eJ no wrongs ?
" and your hypocritical Ibrccrer?, to the fate Philoso" PHY, Jiiltice, and Liberty configns thee. 'Tis in-

"

evitable, thy impofitions

" been brought to

are dcteflcd;

The

juftice.

firft

thy kind have

of thy

pofTefTor

" trade has recently bled for the crimes of the craft.
"
appeal to thy noble and venerated name,
Bru-

We

"

tus

*'

try

who

bravely aflallinated the tyrant of your coun-

amidfl:

" fioncd

,fenate."

from

tracts

cohorts and in the preience of his pen-

his

this

(XXVII.) Thcfe

paper

are literal ex-

and no Knight Kadofcb of Mafon-

ry nor Mav.-klng of Illuminifm could hold mors violent

Another paper, nearly as wild, called The

was pubiiihed by Mr. Arthur O'Connor, with a

language.
P.I ESS,
fimilar

violence of his ov/n productions

fentence he pafies on
land
*"

The

view of inflaming the minds of the people.

in

his

all

may

be prefumed from the

the moft violent papers of

to his Brother.

letter

himfclf) ordered you the

Courier

" papers they are mere lumber

in

"
;

your

We

Eng-

(Burdett and

as to the
office

morning

fo

we

did

" not fend you more than the Courier, as in the bufi" nefs of the Prefs we found it ufelefs to have any other.''
'[Trials at Maidjionc.)

The Committees

continued to receive daily reports of

the motions and determinations of their

allies,

of their friends in England and in Scotland

immenfe progrefs

that the Seel

was making.

the French
j

and of the

November,

1796, they are informed, " that four new Societies are

" organized

in

Scotland.^

and that the County of Kerry

"

Militia required one hundred conftitutions for their

"

ufe."

In April, 1797) that "their numbers are im-

*'

menfc

in Leinfter, though

own

unacquainted with the fyf-

tens

i8

In Ulfter there were

tem of organization.
" men organized."*

**

In May, a new fcene opens

ttfelf,

116,844,

which unfortunately

Brotherhood were no ftrangers to

flievvs us, that the Iriih

Between the hours of eight and

dehberat* afiafunation.

nine on a Sunday morning, the 7th of May, 1797, a man

of the nameof James Dunn (a fmith and farrier, who had
Jbeen in

Lord Carhampton's

and lived

.years,

in

fervice for the fpace of fifteen

ahoufe at

his lordfliip's park-gate) pre-

fented himfelf at a Baronial Cojumittee^ held in a public-

Maurice Dunn, the keepfponfor, and " would engage his

houfe, Strand-ftreet, Dublin.

was

er of the houfe,
'

him

for

life

his

was up

that he

by

Hereupon

or Jiralght.'^

the figns of the Brotherhood were put to him

and having

proved that he was a true and accepted

his anfwers

brother, the chairman took the chair.

Dunn

James

then

fubmittedto the Society, " that he and a few more friends

" were thinking

*

The refolutkins

of doing out

entered into by the united focieties of Donaghadee and

(and leized on the 14th of April, 1797) are too explicit to be

its vicinity

They

omitted here.

pie;" that "at

**

chufe their officers, and take a

ilie

"

fucli ss are able

that

>

confifcated, and converted to

any prove hoiljie to

were tbb:

firft,

go forth to war

to

all

prefent criHs the

*.

;3ufe

"

rcfoived, that

*'

if

liberty,

Is

zeal

radically in tlie peo-

is

hilng

in difetice of ihdr lights

their eftates

but a premature infurreftionj

**

ment would have

**

leaft for a

'

tJie

*5

tlivm

century

people
all

in

and iikewife

gaol,

and

it

we

will

men

;"

be

fliall

exijllng ;"

and

It is true, that this patrio.

as premature; but

t'le

to put us

i:

Seft feared nothing

for," (aj they, by that

power

arm,

All enemies to the

according to the law then

High Superiors of

"

in their

it

as

or property

was condemned by the Provincial Committee

to be remembered, that the-

united fliould

fecond, and third, requifition of

national fund."

tiie

"

tried by a jury,

power
/.vc/^/t

9 Revolutionary Committee wa? to be eftablilhed.

tic

Carhampton,

(ihooting)

means Govern-

down, never

to life, at

have paid a great deal of money to

take a large

fum

of nior.cy to

affirt

-wmiKu"' '^(ud^pcudix, No, IL)

4r

bccr.ufe

19

* becaufe he was a great hindrance

" forward."

This news

One

with joy.

exchiimed, " It

" glorious news,"

cried another

" have heard yet," faid

that " it would do more

Dunn

done before."
road

leading

to

to nihtteTs ffettin?^

electrified the

"It

whole committee
" It i&

great news."

is

is

a third; ahd

the

for the caufe than

had ever been

then mentioned a narrow part of the

and a

Luttrelftown,

whence he might have

lijlnp at

ftone

was damned wary^ and always

him

carried

but one good blunderbufs would do as

He

to join

feven of their

him

with

as ten

Ed. Martin,

had

on which the committee named

members

fmefs, and ordered

them

on

to deliberate
to

when Dunn and

evening,

piftols

much

then declared that four friends, John Brode-

rick, Peter Reilly, Patrick Carty, and

engaged

from

wall

Lord Carhampton, who he

faid

piftols.

bed news we

a fourth declared,

meet

his

fo

important a bu-

at feven o'clock the

fame

companions were to attend.

The cuftomary

oath of fecrecy was taken by all prefent,

number of 17; they then parted, after giving as
new word " a good act." At feven in the evening

to the
the

the delegated

The

members met, one excepted.

oath of

fecrecy having been adminiflered to the four friends, they

were introduced. Thomas Byrne then faid " I fuppofe

" thofe zre friends and ge/itlemen
I fuppofe we all un;

*'

" not,"

"

We

Byrne)
pofed

we are met about?"

" If they were
*'
I would not bring them here."
anfwered Dunn,

derftand

for

whn.t

know
let

the bufmefs

us proceed."

doing

Byrne would have

his
at

we

are

met about

Lordfhip
Icaft a

out.

party of

JohnFerra!, with fiuiguinary zeal,

Dunn repeated his

mnc mounted; but

infiftcd that

fon prefent fliould partake of the foul deed

nion

v.-as

adopted.

(fays

Various plans were then pro-

every per-

and

his opi-

Another refglution propofcd by Byrne

b 2

then

20

thenpafFeti:

"

that three at

fhould go out diCgiiifed

leaft:

" with loofe coats and blunderbufTes and the reft, as

" yeomen cavalry, to be armed with piftols." The plan
of execution was, that " thofe with blundcrbufles were to
;

*'

come

**

with the

the back of the carriage and to

at

pi-ftols

were then

windows,

*'

taken

"

they were alfo to difpatch them

*'

charge their pieces, ride oiv

*'

and keep together,

the fire

left
;

and

as they paficd

*'

to

one another

John Ferral, he

to

they were then to re-

bufinefs mifies,

"

will undertake to ^o

if

and

to be ftaunch

provifion be

him

was a murder more

the

A new
and true

book came

exclaimed, " If this

made

my

for

the

familv,

Several meet-

in the ftceets."

ings were after v/ards held on

"

ftead)',

When

enthufiaftically

"

the

a body towards Dublin,

in

the bufinefs."

in

thofs

xhefjoiman and pofiiUlon

{o as to fecure their retreat

oath was then taken, "

fire in at

from behind fhould not have

*'

efFeiSl

fire in

and

to ride on,

fubje(5l;

for

Money

dclibtTatcly planned.

never
being

nccefTary for procuring arms, the chairman of the comnait-

who referred him to

(May 14) James

tee applied to the Baronial Secretary,

the Treafurer

the Sunday after

and

Dunn

and Patrick Carty were arrefted in the Phoenix-

park.

Carty had, together with his father (a Chelfca

penfioner) been a conftant labourer on

Lord Carhampton's

The

demefnc, and had a houfe rent-free.

arreft

Lord Carhampton

vifited

Dunn

in

day after the

prifon, in the

hope that he would difcover what was become of the

three other afiafilns, but he received no fatisfadtory anfwer.

On

his

Lordfhip expreifing his furprize that the prifoner

fliould be capable of fo atrocious a deed, the aflaHin

pd, that
*'

" he thought

it

waS'fl good al

perfonal difliketohis Lordfhip, and

*S it

alone^ but
.5

with

his party

-that

anfwer-

that he had

no

would never execute

he had never fufFcred

" any

[
'*

"

any injury from him

it,

and

if

" execute

it

but that he was fwojn to execute

he were out of that

if

innocent poftillion, "

After this are

As

he could."

we

it

was

to

(the prifon) he

to the

would

murdering the poor

do the thing completely.**

furprizcd at the horrid murders

to be

Lord Carhampton, fome time

that have taken place.

after

an interview with Carty, the

the arreft of the fon, had

father, and told him " that if his fon would give exami" nations he was inclined to let him do fo and in that
" cafe he thouo-ht his life might be faved and he defined
;

" the father would tell the fon fo." " The father faid, he
" was apprehenfive, that if his fon gave examinations, he

" zvould
it

murdered."

be

was the fubjeci of a

have dwelt on

trial,

example, as

this

in which the Attorney-Ge>

neral profecuted for the crown, and four counfel attended

on

part of the

the

Mr. Greene, and

member

Mr. Curran, Mr. M'Nally,

Emmett, who had himfelf been a

prifoner,

iMr.

of the Executive

beginning of May.
trial will

Diredory from January

till

the

Such able counfel and fo public a

ever ftamp this as an authentic document.

(See

Report of the Trials cf Carty and Diinn^ publi/hed by

Rid^eway.)
In June, the captains were informed, that the national

committee had been

10,000
finefs

men

was

fitting

fifteen

retarded.

The

Dov/n were unanimous

colonels of

for the rifing.

were buoyed up by an intimation

embarked

days

but, as only

of the County of Antrim would

at the

Texel

parably broken by the

rife,

the bu-

County of

In July their hopes

that 75,000

for Ireland

igimortal

the

men were

but thefe were irre-

Duncan on

the

nth

of

Oaober.
In Auguft they received news, that a number of focities

had been formed in North Jmerica^ and that thefe

b 3

had


22

had tranfmitted 211 dollars to their Brethren in Ireland. In

Oclobcr a perfon, juft arrived from Scotland, attended at

Down Patrick, and " /hewed

" a Scotch conjiitutlon^ which was^ word for word,
" the fame as the Ir'tfh', only that the words North

the county meeting, held at

" Britons were put

vember

14, inquiries

in the place of

Province of Ulfter, "whether they thought

" could difarm the

" all faid that they
No. XIF.)

"

tution

On

was voted

No-

Irishmen."

were made of the delegates of the

military within themfelves

Armagh."

could, except
the 28th of

and they

(Jppendixy

December, One

member,

to a

they

that
;

to be given

confti-

of

to part

"

ajhip's company lying in Belfaft-Lough, for the propa-

*'

gation of the general

Meeting

for

Ulfter, held

principle."

the

At

the

Provincial

of February, 1798,

ift

it

was reported, that " three delegates (of whom the unfor" tunate Qiiigley, fmce executed at Maidftone, was one)
*'

had juft arrived from France

*'

going on with the expedition

*'

grer.ter

ftate

of

forwardnefs

that the

French were

and that

it

was

than was expected

in a

but

" what was moft flattering, was, that three delegates had
" been fent from the United Britons to the Irijh
" National Committee and that fro?n that very moment
" they were to confider EnGLAKD, Scotland, andlRE*' land, as
one people adling for one common caufe:
" There were Legiflators now chofen f.om the three
;

*'

kingdoms

were

alfo

Mahon,

to a6l as an executive for the

informed, that Quigley

They

whole."

and one Arthur

Mac

cf Hollywood, had been the tv/o principal perfons

'who, during the preceding fum?nir^ had opened the communication with the United Britons. (Ibid.)

The

delegates

from England brought an addrefs fiom the United Britons to the United

Irl.Ti.

In high flown and patriotic language,

jj

23

uage,

yellow men,

the United Britons informed their

that " various political

foci^tics

had been inftituted for

"

the purpofe of reform.

But they had vaniflied, or
" difcontinued their exertions. The London Corre" SPONDING tSot/t/}', and other focicties in union with it,

" had

rlfen

upon

their ruins."

That England was never

without friends to fubftantial Liberty

but that the flame of

Liberty had been for a long time fmothercd, "

the

till

French revolution again fanned its dying embers into

" a glow, which, they hoped and trufted, would never be

*'

Our

"

extinguiflied.

*'

our influence

*'

accord with yours.

" of
*'

ftill

(fay they) are

Wc

the law or of the fword

by

an

" country
" Union,

united
:

We

Our delegate
And

for the amelioration

is

entrufted to

they conclude

of the condition of

that your exertions and virtues, aided

people, will

emancipate

fpeedily

your

remain, in bonds of Brotherhood and

" Yours
Frltiay,

immenfe,

are unthinncd by the tyranny

lay before you our proceedings."

" With befi: wiflies

" man, and hopes
*'

numbers

more confiderable, and our fentiments

fraternally."

Jan. 5, 179S.

(Seal,)

It

appears on the evidence of John

Hughes (Lords^

No. I.) a printer of Belfafl:, that the delegate was a Mr.

Bonham^ who was accompanied by Citizen Bai/y and the

The

younger Binns.

Hughes by Quigley,
the printed addreffes,

of them printed.

this

and

who was

introduced

to

he had dlfliributed moft of

defired

to

have an addition

Accordingly a thoufand were printed,

and three guineas paid

During

latter,

faid that

month

for

them by a perfon of

a regular military

Belfaft.

committee was

appointed by the Executive, " to confider and digeft fuch

b 4

"plans,

24

pUns, and direct the military force in fuch manner, as

infurredion ; and in cafe

<'

" might be neceflary in cafe of

" of invafion to co-operate with

On

the 27th of February

the French."

was

it

reported,

that

the

Aflbciation had at that time fourteen delegates in France,

and that there had been held in London a meeting of all

the delegates of

England and

In March, the

Scotland.

fuftained a con-

brotherhood of the province of Leinfter

fiderablc fhock,

bers

by the aneft of fome of

its

but on the 25th of the fame month

leading

it

mem-

appears, that

the Provincial Committee of Leinfter had perfedly re" covered from the {hock they (the delegates of Leinfter)
" were only four days from the time they were taken before

*'

'*

they had the whole province in a complete ftate of orga-

*'

nization

*'

Executive, but there

*'

the very evening after they were taken."

the

Government had

alfo

taken three of the

were three appointed

How truly does

demonftrate Weiftiaupt's aficrtion, that

this

in their place

when he once

has properly organized his bands, he will bid defiance to

all

his opponents.

Another principle of
unfortunately, been too

v.'ell

underftood by the founders

and that was to make them-

of the Irilb brotherhood,

felves

prototype of rebellion had,

that

mafters of the education of youth.

mafters

(as I

A4any fchool-

have been credibly informed) have Ihown

their.ftlves

extremely adtive in the whole courfe of this

unfortunate

affair.

The

and executed in Ireland,

io he

true

to

very

the French^

rence 0*Connor. The

firft

man who was

tried

for fwearing-in the deluded Irifti

was

a fchool-mafter called

Lau-

following are extracts frcm his

papers, and proved on his

trial

"

the preftnce of

"

the prcfent United States of

Almighty God,

"

I,

J. B. do fwear in

that

/ will be true

to

France and Ireland^ and

" evevi


25

C
"'

every other Kingdom in Chrijiianity^ without

its

being.

" hurtful to foul or body, as long as they piove fu to me,

" And that I will not come as evidence pgaihll any of mjr
*'

brethren or committees, in any court or place whatfo-

"

ever, excepting in court-martial, under penalty of being

" excluded, or death ivithout mercy-

'

hW

brothers to live

" lovingly and harmonioufly, and quarrcllous to be ex" eluded, as the Committee thinks proper,"

" Thefe articles are according to the Foreign United

" States of France and Ireland, by order of our committee
of L. G. No. 16."

fecond paper was in thefe words

" was initiated

CD."

" The hearer^ A. B.

L.L. by mc

into our fublime degree of L.

There were
certificates,

found on the prifoner three regular

alfo

one of Free JUafons^ a fecond of Royal Jrchj

and a third of Knights Templars^ fhowing that

One

nor was of thefe Orders.

to explain

away

rhapfody of a

the oath, reprefenting

warm

Mafonic myfteries

would be

a cruel

and fymbols."

counfel

it

as

" the mere

imagination, ufed to excrcife itfelf on

" he reprefented to the jurv, that

*' it

indeed that would convi6l a

man

verdi(51:

of high treafon, merelv for uftng a

learned

O'Con-

of the Counfcl attempted

few

cabalijlical tvords-

will venture to affirm,

ever

that fliould the

chance to perufe the Mejnoirs of

yacobinifm^ he will have a clearer infight into the Caufe

he had to defend, than

of the fummer

What
(I

mean

when

affizes in

at

1795.

Naas

at the

melancholy fcene did the

the Univerfity of

feat

Dublin) prefcnt,

19th, 20th, and 2iil of April, 1798,

cleareft evidence that a

adjournment

(See his Trial.)

it

of fclencc

when on

the

appeared on the

body of United Irifhmen had or-

ganized themfelvcs witbi/i the walls of the College

had

confulted

26

confulfed about providing themfelves v/ith arms, and ha5

eleded

officers

Nineteen ftudents were expelled, and

feme other perfons cenfured.

(Fifitation held by

Lord

Clare,)

In the mean time open rebellion continued

and on the

ift

of April

it is

its

progrefs

reported to a committee, that

a letter had been received " from

Bartholomew Teeling "

(executed in September 179S, being taken in arms with

the French in their invafion at Killala)

" who was one

that the French

**

of the delegates in France, ftating,

"

troops would moft certainly be on board by the middle

of this month. The troops from Brcft and that neigh" bourhood were determined to try to evade the Britifli
" fleet, and to land in Ireland; of courfe the Britifh fleet
"

would follow them; and while thus drawn oft^, all the
" other troops embarked at other ports would make a
" defcent on England. Whatever might rcfult from this

" attempt, it was the fixed determination of the National

" Committee, in cafe the French fhould be fruftrated,,
" that the brotherhood fl:ould of thevifelves make a
The citizens of Dublin, it was fuppofed, with

*'

*'

fldance of

tlie

arniy, csuld

feize

the capital

rifing,

the afat

any

" moment." Unfortunately, the principles of the Seel

had made fuch a progrefs, that as early as February the
returns declared the numbeis of the brotherhood to amount
in Ulfter to

110,990, in Munfter to 100,634, and in

Leinfler to 68,272; and out of 8,coo military in Dublin

alone,

ment.

it

was

ftated that

ation into execution.

the

3,800 would acl againft Governto carry their determin-

1 he Executive proceeded

Dublin, Chapd-izod, the camp and

government, were to be feized on at one and the

fame time

and the fignal was to be given to the whole

country, by the burning

of the mail coaches.

But, in
order

27

camp

order to get pofTeinon of the

Lchaunftown, the

at

Meflrs. Sheares applied to Captain Annftrong, who, true

happily for his country), hiid open the

to his duty (and

whole of the plan to

prefs defire

weak

he continued to

He was

tors.

ccynmanding

his

by them

queftioned

fides of the

camp

whofe ex-

the confpira-

as to the ftrong

and a Mr. Lawlefs

with the natural humanity of the

trees

officer, at

commune with

Se<Sl,

and

(a furgeon),

obferved, that " the

on the right of the camp would be very convenient

At

hanging people."

length

for

was agreed, between the

it

(John was a member of the Executive)

latter fhould " erciSl a

Meflrs. Sheares

and Captain Armllrong, that the

" ftandard upon the night

to be fixed

upon

for the attack

" upon

the camp, which was to be joined by all whom

" he had previoufly known to be United Iriftimen; that
" no perfon zvcis to be fpared ; and tiiey were not to be

" given the option of joining

The camp
to

make of

we may judge

their victory,

of a proclamation found
Sheares, and

member of

in

the

into

by the foil-owing pafTages

the pofieflion of

the hand-writing

in

fallen

of the ufe they

Mr. Henry

of John Sheares, the

the Executive:

" Irifhmen
*'

time of the attack."

once carried, and Dublin

hands of the confpirators,

meant

at the

your country

That

to be avenged.

vile

is

and you are about

free,

government, which has

fo

" long and fo cruelly oppreiTed you, is no more. Some of

" its moji atrocious monjiers have already paid the for" feit of their lives-y and the reji are in our hands.
" Arife then, United Sons of Ireland
Rife like a great
!

*'

and powerful people, determined to be free or die

"

Arm

yourfelvcs

" rujh like

" inadion

lions
is

by every

on your foes

means

In

cov/ardice, and the

in

your power, and

the caufe of Liberty,

coward fia II forfeit tht

" property

f8

" properiy he
*'

has not the courage to protect

let his

be feized, and transferred to thofe gallant

fpirits

arms

who

" want and will ufe them. Yes, Iriflimen, we fwear by

" that eternal jujlicc^ in whofe caufs you fight, that the
" brave patnot

who

furvives the prefent glorious ftruggle,

" and the fan:!ily of him who has fallen or fliall fall here" after in it, fhall receive from the hands of a grateful
*"'

nation an ample recompenfe out of that property which

" the crimes of our enemies have forfeited into its hands.
" But we Ukcivife Jivear^ to punijh robbery with death
" and infamy

" As

for

" fwords

!!!

thofe

degenerate wretches v/ho turn

their

againft their native country, the national ven~

" geance awaits them : let them find no quarter^ unless

" they ftiall prove their repentance by fpeedily defert-

"

ing.

&c. &c.

" Many

military

feel

the love of liberty

* their breafts, and have

" Receive with open arms
*"*

an example.

But

fuch as fhall follow fo glorious

for the

"

againft

"

be vijited on him, let

glow within

joined the national ftandard.

wretch

his native country,

let

who

turns his fword

the national vengeance

him find na quarter."

(Trial of

Mejfrs. Sheares.)

The

foregoing

is

more than

ture of this aflbciation.

My

fufficlent to

fhow

the hiftory of the late rebellion, but merely to

its

the na-

oh]e6k has not been to write

fhow

that

ohje^j end, and means, v/ere entirely fimilar to that of

the infernal Se6ts defcribed in the

been

laid before the

profit of this av/ful

Memoirs

that

have juft

May my countrymen

Englifh reader.

example in Ireland, and guard againft

the infidious progrefs of that Se6t

iji

Great Britain

GREAT

29

.]

CJREAT BRITAIK.

When

wc

turn cur eyes toward Great Britain,

ciitions of a fimilr.r tcndcixy nppear

verfity of
rpirit.

names indeed, but

Their

the people

firft

under a great di-

by a Tmidar

aiSluatcd

all

objecl was, to captivate the

by means of "

" fubjedis, calculated by

on

lectures delivered

their

?.{!>

minds of
political

very extravagance to catch

" the attention of the audience ; and in the courfe of

" them every topic was employed that could inflame their
" minds,

alienate

them from the laws rnd conftitution of

*'

their country, and habituate them to principles of fe-

*'

dition and

'*

to the fame tftect

"

in hand-bills,

The

rebellion.

were

both in the metropolis and in the remote

" parts of the country.

Every point that could

"

difcontent, according to the

"

judices, of different

"

on, and always in i'uch a

**

the le;uiing defign.

f End
*'

fongs

moft violent publication*

ftcrctly but generally circulated

clafl'es,

QXZ'.te

purfuits, interells, or pre^

has been fucceflively dwelt

manner

as to connect

it

with

Tli attempt to accoraplifh

has appeared in the fhape even of play-bills

;

feditious

tliis

aiui,

and a fludied felection of the

toafts,

" tunes which have been myft in ufc in France fince the
" Revolution, have been applied to the fame purpofe, of
" endeavouring to rendpr deliberate incitements to every
*'

fpecies of treafpn familiar to the

(Eng. 2d Report, p. 20 J

"

the confpirators)

minds cf the people."

"

//; th( fame manner (fay

farmer may be roufed by the
Jhoemaken may by the exceffve

"i

that a

" mention of tlthesy the

^ dearnefi of leather^ the inn-keeper
*'

unnecejfary fianding army^

" and

and

by the numerous

ALL

by

difpaffunate relation of the immenfe

and

a temperate

number of ft^
" necurf


30

" necure places and ufelefi offices^ in which the corrupt

" and proftitute favourites, agents, &c. of the Rich and
" Great riot in the fpoils and plunder wrefted from the
" hufbandman, mechanic, &c. (Ap. C. p. 28J

The aflbciation that took the lead was, the Society

FOR CON'STITUTIONAL INFORMATION, whicK on the
23d of M^rch, 1791, voted thanks to Thomas Paine for
{Ibid. 11.)
Other
his work on the Rights of Man.

of Sheffield, Manchefter, hz. pafTed

focieties, fuch as thofc

having demonftrated the rights of

his

'fimilar

votes, for

man

In

a manner fo clear

this

fociety

opened with the 'Jacobin

to that club

was

addrefs

was

a corrimunication

that

refoived,

In May, 1792,

atzd convincing.

of Paris

Cliih

tranfmitted, figned

alfo voted to the

fhould be

and an addrefs

An

by the chairman.

National Convention on the

9th of November, 1792, in confequence of the attack of

the loth of Auguft en the Frcrxh A4onarch, ftyling the

Convention " fervants of the fovereign

The

**

nefa^fors of mankind.

**

part be ours^ but the glory will be

"

it

is

the reward of your

benefits

all

perfevcrance

and

people^

(they

{\\y)

your
it

is

he-

will in

own

and

the prize

. of virtue." f/i/c-^. 24.;

Another

aflbciation, calling Itfelf

responding Society, was

immediately formed a clofe connection with the Society

It

for
J

Conflitutional

792,

it

Information; on the

to

12th OcSlober,

framed an addrefs to the French Convention

deputies wiio prefented

"

the London Cor-

inftituted in January, 1792.

efFedl in

this

it,

"

after pointing

the

out their wifhes

country a revolution fimilar to that

" made in France, confider the example of France as

" having made revolutions eafy adding, that it would not
" be extraordinary, if in a fhort fpace of time the French
;

"

fliould fend addrdTgs

of con^raUilaxion

to;i

National Con*'

vention

31

" ventton of England

"
"

and the prcfident in his anfwer fays,

the moment^ v/ithout doubt, approaches

when

the French

will bring congratulations to the 'Rational Convention

of Great Bntaiti."

The

(Ibid. 2$.)

fraternal

cm-

brace and the honours of the fitting were the natural

recompenfe of fuch patriotic declamation.

Barrcrc,

The

fangulnary

Andre, and the infolent Roland, were de-

St.

honorary member^, and the fpeeches of the two

clared

former on the

books of the

Louis

trial -of

Various focieties were

England,
centre.

all

entered on the

now formed

Ift

different parts

of

corrcfponding with thofe in London, as their

Reform

ele<fiions,

XVI. were

faciety.

in parliament, univerfal fuffrage,

were

and annual

the obje<5ts held out to the over-credulous.

Soon we find the London S/iciety for x:oKSTiTVTiotiAL

Information and the London Correspondixg Society in clofe connexion with, and aftually di retting,
fimilar focieties at Hertford; at Cambridge; in
at Leicester ; in WarNorfolk, at N'orivich
;

wickshire,

Coventry and Birmingka?n

at

',

at

Not-

Derbyshire at Derby znd Be/per in

Cheshire, r.t Stsckpcrt; in Lancashire, at Liverpool
and Manchejier-y jn Yorkshire, in the Weft-Riding,

tingham;

in

at Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, Hallifax, Huddersfield^

Wakefield; in

Xyne, &c.

With

Northumberland,

Aflfociations

refpeft to

direction,

we

alfo

at

for

that

Newcajile upon

formed

Scotland, Edinburgh

teen the central point

with London.

were

and

at

Bristol.

appesrs to have

country, ccrrefponding

In the interior of Scotland, and under

find

many towns,

its

fuch as Leith, Dundee,

Perth, Stirling, Kiifyth, KerkintuJloch, Glafgoiv (which

alfo correfponded with

London) Pa:fey, Strcthaven, Dal-

Tbc fame

rules cf prcc?"ding, and for fab-

keith,

&c.

dividing

32

But nothing

tllviding the focieties, are to be traced again.

can better

iilufcrate

the nature of thefe aflbclations than

that of Sheffield.

This

"

(Appendix D.) themfelves,

afTociation, they tell us

who

originated in an aflembly of /i'^ or fix mechayiics^

and

con by their meeting at fomc one of their houfes,

" verftng about the enorfjioiis high price of provifwns ; the

" grofs abufes

this

labours under

nation

from the un-

" bounded authority of the MonopoHfers o^ all rznks^from

" the KIKG to the peasant; the wafte and lavifli of the

" public property by placemen, penfioners, luxury, and

" debauchery, fources of the greivous burthens under
" which the nation groans; together with the mock re^

prcfentation of the people

thefe being the fubjecls

" of their converfation, they concluded^ that nothing but

" DARKNESS and IGNORANCE in the people could fuffer

" the

rights

They

then invited their neighbours to deliberate on this

of every freeman

patriotic difcovery;

they

to

thus

be

reprinted an

copies of Paine^s Rights of

Man^ and

the

of 1600

edition
fold

to enlighten their fellow-countrymen.

felves

violated"

it

They

at fixpence,
ilyle

them-

Society for Conftitutional Information, write

up to London, on the 15th of January, 1792, to requeft

the favour " of forming a connection with all the like
" focieties in England, and efpccially v/ith thofe or fome

" of them in London, the Thatched-houfe, the London" taven?, or others, and humbly folicit their advice and

"

afTiftance in the

" our

accomplifhing thereof, / order

refolves fimilar to theirs

becaufe, as

by the same caufe and principle^ and

*'

ted

"

tercfts

" faine."

London

being one^

czir fentiments

In about four months

we

to

are

all

form

adua-

our in-

ought and mufl be the

after,

they inform the

Society, that " not only their large and populous

" town,

33

town, but the whole neighbourhood

"

about, h:ive an attentive eye upon them

of the towns and villages were forming thcmfelves into

" fimilar

many

for

rounJ

?n'i!cs

and that moft

us.'*
They
"a radical reform of

ajfociations^ Jlri^ily copying after

alfo declare their obje<5l to be,

"

the

"
"

tent with the rights of man.'''

Country as foon as prudence and difcretlon would

permit, and eftablifhed on that fyftem which

confir-

is

They requeft that certain members of their afTociation may be admitted to the
London meeting, which now becomes the regulating committee, that " a

more

maintained,'' for the extenfion of

knowledge from town

**

ufefiil

*'

to

"

ten ed znd united in the fame caufe,

**

being

Irifli

the improvement

to

after this offspring

the beft

at the

which the

of the difcontented mecl'.anics had

way of managing

is

certainly (they fay)

large bodies, as in great and

into fmall bodies

point a delegate.

" meeting, and

*'

till

*'

ftituting the

fo

Sheffield

end of the 4th month,

" populous towns viz. dividing them

" or meetings of ten perfons each, and

Ten

thofe ten to ap-

of thefe delegates form another

on, delegating from one to another,

at laft they are reduced to a proper

it is

any perfon

fcale,

him attend

this,

of

works of

were formed on Weifhaupt's correfponding

thefc, as

correfponded with London: " It

**

fail

well as the

all

people were about to adopt

"

which cannot

Should

find reception."

wifh to be convinced, that

and

and from village

fufficiently enligh-

the cafe wherever the moft excellent

" Thomas Paine

let

to 'village^

town, until the whole nation be

focieties,

might be formed

clofe connection

" and communication be

Committee or

number

for

Grand Council."

really ufelefs to trouble

my

ronAfter

reader v/ith

any

thing more on the nature or principles of the focieties of

Great

Britain.

We find

fubfcrlptioni carried

on

for the

defencs

the profecutlon

defence of

The

Paine.

commenced

Thorns^

againHr

Scotch Societies agree with thofe of Eng^-

land to hold a Convention, which, though not general from

England, met in Odcbcr, 1793.

letter

(Appendix F.) A

was there read from the four united focieties of Ire-

land. Citizens

Hamilton

Rowan

and Simon Butler attended

from Dublin, hut were not delegated

made

a report to

-,

however, the

latter

the convention on the ftatg of Ireland.

Margaroty a London delegate, faid, " The focieties in

" London are very numerous, though fomewhat fluctua" ting. In fome parts of England whole towns are re-

" formers
**

Sheffield and

environs have 50,000.

its

In Norv/ich there are 30

focieties in one.

u^ could
called, we

If

" get a convention of England and Scotland

" might reprefent JJx or feven hundred thoufand males^

kingdom

*'

which

*'

and miniitry would not dare to refufe us our rights."

a majority of

is

They had

held fourteen

all

the adults in the

thought proper to put a ftop to

members;

others

\'^erfailles,

when

place to place

All

and arreft fome of the

it

ordered to difperfe, and adjourned from

happily, however, they did not fucceed.

even their modes of fpeech, were

it

the teachers of the Sedt thought

it

Jiers v.'ho dared oppofe

were forged

in

After the numerous

from the French.

adherents that they had fsduced,

"

the magiftratcs

aped the conduvSt of the //^rj etat at

forms, and

their

fervilely copied

when

fittings,

difterent

them

to

parts of

is

natural to think, that

ime

to

bind the mon^

effeiftuate this, pikes

Great

Britain.

"

plan (writes the fecrctary of the Sheffield fociety, in

" April, 1794) has been formed for carrying into effect
" this ncceirary bufintfs (of arming).
Pike-blades are
" made with hoops for the (hafts to fit the top ends ; the
" bottom end of the fnafts fhould be about an inch thick" er, and fir is recommended for the fhafts, feleded by
7

"

perfons

35

r
**

who

perfons

" hoops

and polifhed.

(2d

ders."

Rtport,

The

wood.

of

one

will be fold at the rate of

" tempered
"

are judges

The money

properly

with the or-

feiit

77;<f

fecretary of the

direflions

-where the piket

p. 2.)

Corrcjpondlng Society gave

-^

blades and

flliiling,

might be procured (page 5)} thofc who could procure

mufkets learned tlie ufc of thcm,exerciringby caiidle-lighi^
or under pretext of loyal aflbciations
the

name

of Loyal

which alTumcd

that

Lambeth would admit none but

who were members

thofj

of the Correfpcndir.g Society, or

promif.d to become foj

nor had

this

armed

who

allociation

Meanwhile Scotland had

been authorifcd by government.

made fuch

progrefs, that the brethren there not only began to

arm with

pikes, but alfo turned their

The

was fortunately difcovereJ.

plot

went

to fearch the

houfeof

which were fuppofed

to a bankrupt of the

commenced preacher
fome pikes

the 15th oi

a clofct.
that

no

and

befide thofe

a Al-'. JVatty for

fome goods

to have been f.cretcd, as belonging

name of

who

has fince

this fearch

he found

Nielfon^ and

in England,

in a fecond

in

(made

in the

fame week, on

rife

to inquiries,

and

difcovered in
it

was found

4000 pikes had been ordered for

wanted for Edinburgh. It was farther
than

veredj that this JP'att was a

Ways and Means

flieriff's officer

May, 1794) many more were

This gave
Icfs

minds toward-S a6ting

delegated

member of
from

Perth,
difco-

the Committee of

the remnants of the

that he had in this committee read a plan

" For feizing on the Lord Juftice Clerk, the Lords of
" ScHion, and the Lord Provoft. A fire was to be light-

convention;

"

ed at the Excife, and when the foldicrs were coming

" down the people were to fall on them and feize the
" Banks." As foon as this had fucceeded, a proclamation w.'S to be iilued, "Defiring all farmers not to

c 2

remove

"

their

36

"

under pain of death, and

their grain

"

go three miles from

to

gentlemen not

all

This grand

their houfes."

plan was communicated to the Societies by means of travelling adepts,

had a certificate authorizing them to

who

It

call at the Societies.

was not

"

ArifiOcrats Jeized^*

figned, but feals v/erc

The

attached to the commiflion.

plan executed, and the

were

couriers

be fent to the

to

In IVatth houfe were alfo found

country with the news.

the types of the hand-bill contained in Appendix A.

No.

i.

and dated Dundee, April I2, 1794) which was diftrlbuted

among

the Fencibles, to

manner of

diftributing

common

England

was

to

is

them up

the

Down'ie^

who

Ways

and

Committee of

Means, and who was convi6led with TVatt^

who was

fome to a perfon

" him
*'

to

it,

floor

fhort time after, thefe hand-bills

JVatt and DowntCy in Auguji

the

we

if

"

defired

any body

found their

it."

way

and September^

1794'/^

1797, England witneffed the

open infurrelion. Here, as on

find

its fleet

in

oaths of fecrecy and of union, delegates,

At

and accord of fyflem pervading the whole mutiny.

Portfmouth

it

was happily quelled,

the 20th of April

Ihow f)Tnptoms of
and at Plymouth

in a great degree,

fome ilraggUng
revolt,

fliips

from time to time, both there

at length the great

to

month of June.

trial

f June.

Many

by

would indeed

mutiny

at the

Nore

broke out on the \ith of May^ and was not fupprefled

the

to

(See the Trials of

2th of April,

awful fight of
land,

and

giving

he might fay he found

the foldiers in garrifon at Dalkeith.

On

after

to diftribute them,

throw the parcel on the

him where he got

afked

The

to revolt.

v/orthy of remark, as being

as well as to Scotland.

member of

alfo a

ftir

them

till

of the mutineers were brought

and Parker, their leader, v/as hanged on the 30th

No
6

authentic document appeared on theP^

trials,

indecd>

37

could conncdl this mutiny with the fecret

indeed, that

on land

focieties

but,

If

we

look to dates,

infurre<Slion of the

with an inditFerent

fleet

on the

allude to the papers that appeared

name of

of the

who

Feilowes^

view

trial

trial

Maidftone

at

on

having been deferred

of a

man

he was

of March,

1798 (his
own requeft) and fen-

his

at

here

had been a journeyman

13th

the

this

eye.

carpenter before he took to the patriotic line

tried

be

will

it

evident that the Carre/ponding Society did not

The

tenccd to two years imprifonment.

account of the

tranfaclion given by the prifoner, as appeared in evidence,

is

as

follows: "

That he lodged

" houfe in Maidftone

" iSth of May ^ I'-iCfi

at

that a parcel

Mr. Wratten's

came

there on the

(the fleet in full mutiny) directed

The wife
to Mr. Wratten, by a Charing-crofs coach.
" opened the parcel ; and, as Mr. Wratten was from home,
" he (Fellowes) told the wife, that the papers it con"

" tained belonged to one of the

" be a meeting, he told her, on
*'

and Crotvn

"

the fenfe of the meeting.

that he v/ould

was

to

that night at the Rofe

carry

He

there

focieties;

them

there, and take

accordingly did fo

read

" one of them, and none of the fociety made any ob" jecllon. He then laid them on the table, and the
" members of the fociety helped the?nfelves as they thought
" proper "

(or,

perhaps,

found them,

carried
ciety,

from
fitting

this

at

meeting
the

was the cafe

as

Some of

v/ith the hand-bills in Scotland).

the bills

were

to anotht^r divifion ot the fo-

Cajlle

knowing whether they were

under the pretence of

Inn,
legal

but,

whether legal or

were diftributcd before morning among the

"
The paper began thus
diersthcn at Maidftone.
not, they

**

the Britifh

Army: Comrades,

are

we

not

" not high time we ihould prove we know

C3

men

fcJ-

To
Is it

ourfelves to

"be

[
<*

be Tuch

" why

38

Arc we any where

we

are

not

rcfpcc^led

Have not wrong

men, and

as

notions of difci-

" plinc led us to our prefent defpifed condition ? Is there

" a man among us who does not wifh to defend his

" country, and who would not willingly do it without

" being fubjeft to the infolence and cruelty of effeminate
" puppies ? IFere not THE Sailors (at that time in
*'

full iiifurrcfiion), like us,,

*'

though not

" Have
<*

fu

much

mocked for want of thought^

defpifed

poverty as we are ?
CAN THINK and ACT

for

they not proved that they

for themfehes^ and prcferve every ufeful point of

dif-

" cipline full as wJl, or better than when under the

" tyranny of their officers ? " Then comes a heap of dec];imation ggainft the ofHcrrs-, againfl; Parliament, againft
(a terrible grievance,

barracks

from

as

guards the foldiers

it

an eafy prey to the difconteiited), and on the

falling

fyltem of clothing

the Addrefs then proceeds

*'

are a i^yN of our grievances, and but a

*'

we do

1 he tyranny of what

" prevents
**

" would
*'

us

even give

from

ailing like other men.

or

"

willing to do their part."

demand

the treatment proper for

our oicn.

The

what

fliall

We

cannot

We

have

oyily

fubmit to the prefent impofitic-ns,

"
"

all

Thefe

which common honefly

have given us long ago.

t%vo choices^ cither to

'^

falfely called difcipline

is

in a petition for that

freely

few

men.

77;,?

poiver

is

regiments which fend you this are

(Can

the Correfponding So-

ciety here denominate themfelves

quence of their pike-bufinefs

?)

^'

regiments,

They

in

confe-

can fhow their

" count rynaen they can be foldiers without being fiavesy

'* and will make their demands as
foon as they know you
" will NOT DRAW THE TRIGGER AGAINST THEM.
" Of this we will judge v/hen we know you have dif" tributed

this

bill,

not only

among your comrades, but

to

39

"

to

"

t/jc'

every foldier xvhom you hiozu

country

inal took

Be

pbce

fober

every part

in

Ue ready."

in prefence of fevcrnl

The

whole of

of the

the Correfponding Society of Maidftone

members of
after the

ar.d

fentence of two years imprifonment was

cf

this

on Fel-

pafl'ed

lowes, and that he was taking from the bar, fome of his

him by

friends confolcd
*'

long while

However,

"

Two

years

that

is

but Buonaparte will be here before that."

this

faying,

vapouring Cameleon

is

little to

be dread-

ed by Britons.

among
London but,

Hand-bills of the fame nature were difperfcd

the

army

from

(colleifled

ereants

and particularly in

in other parts,

like true foldiers,

who had

they only anfwered by offering rewards

their pay)

conceived

for the difcovery of the

fo

mif-

mean an opinion of them

as

par-

eel of hand-bills, in the very terms here mentioned,

was

to think they could be feduced from their duty.

thrown int^ the

ftablcs

of the Second Regiment of Horfe

in the

morn-

deferved.

The

Guards, between the hours of one and three

ing, but was treated with the contempt

it

diftrlbution of fuch hand-bills, and the proof adduced at

will caufe much kfs furprize, when it is
known, that " the d^jfign of endeavouring to feduce the
" army from their duty had been jhe frequent fubjecfl of

Maidftone,

converfation among fome members of the Correfpond" ing Society i it even appears, that a projcdl v.'as repeat" edly agitated among them, of ftriking a fudden blow,
**

" and beginning by fecuring the Royal Family and the

" Members of both Houfes of Parliament, with the hope
*'

(as

**

leaders.^

it

was

exprefl'ed)

that the arn.y^ being ivithotit

would no longer

^2d Report,

cppofe

their

attempti."

p. ly.j

c 4

The

40

The
as

fyftem was

Irifli

now

fully adopted in Scotland;

on the 21ft Odlober, 1797, a perfon

Meeting

at

arrived from

jufl:

Counry
"
which was word for word
Patrick,

brought a Scotch

Scotland

Down

Conftitution

to 3

*'

the fame as that of the Irifh, only the words United

"

North-Britons were

*'

MEN."

1798, The

of January,

already mentioned in
that

*'

The

Irish-

on the 5th

United Britons fend the addrefs

the account of Ireland, declaring

for

"

exertions

*'

other focieties in union

Information had difcontinued their

Conjiitutional
that the

ruins."

XIV.)-kn^

No.

Society of the Friends of the People and that

"

"

fubftituted for United

(Iri/h Appendix^

(Ibid.)

London Correjponding
with

The

Society,

and

had arifen upon their

it,

delegates

who

carried

in-

it

formed the National Committee of Ireland, that " Eng-

"

land, Scotland,

^'

fidered as

^'

that legijlators

*'

doms^

to

and Ireland, were in future to be con-

one people, acling

were now

af as

Whither does

this

for

chofen

one

common

from

an Executive for

the three king~

THE whole."

information naturally lead us

to that paper which

gave

to

rife

caufe;

the famous

Maidftone of Q^iigley, Binns, O'Connor, &c.

at

trial

began

It

Surely

" The Secret Committee of England to the Exe^

" cutive Directory of France
Health and Fraternity

thus

*'

the 6th of Pluviofe (or January 25, exaclly tv/enty days

"

after the addrefs to Ireland).

*'

we

are called together,

" communicate

to

you our fentiments; the citizen

*'

now

prefcnts

*'

them

before, having but a

" expedl
^

Citizen Directors

on the wing of the moment, to

them

to

you, and who was

few hours to remain

not a laboured addrefs from us

who

the bearer of
in

town,

but plainnefs

is

the great charaderiftic of republicans.

^*

Affairs

41

"

now drawing

Affairs are

" tyranny, rnakea

"

own

in its

*'

to

to a great

bafis,

its

and awful

fall.

Hade

forth thy gigantic force

then,

Let the

Great Nation, pour

lafe defpot feci thine

' avenging ftroke, and let one opprefTcd nation

" the praifes of France at the altar of liberty.
" We faw with rapture your proclamations
*'

crifis

leems about to be buried

IVith the tyranny of England that of

ruins.

Europe muft

all

*'

carol forth

they met

'^

cur warmeft.wilheSj and removed doubts from the minds

" of millions.
" your efforts
are thefe

Go

What

felves to be led

the

What

away by fuch bafe-born cowards?

Duncan, or a Nelfon,
country

London

them-

Is

it

in

Vin-

St.

that thev dare invite thcfe

Are the fans

fecond

race cf Engliflimen have fuffcred

enemies of the human race to come and pillage

rifhino"

to

fpurious breed o^ Englifhmcn

of a Howe, a Hood, a Bridport, a

life- time

cent, a

on! Englijhmen will be ready

III "

this flou-

culottes then to lord

It

in

bearing on pikes in fanguinary triumph

ftreets,

the heads of the beH:

men of England, with

yells of Equality and Liberty ? Vainly

(hall

the hideous

fuch fyco-

phants, in the hope of partaking of the general pillage

and of defpniling their fellow-countrymen

king

to

the peafant,

all

(for,

from the

are declared monopolizers) fpread

the terror of French arms and the impoflibility of

ino-

them.

leaders,

No

who

far

only beguile the unheedy to lead them to

beggaiv, wretchednefs,
arte

loyal.^

refift-r

from us be fuch teachers and fuch

or the gallows.

manly^ and brave

Englishmen

and when once they

(ball

have unmafked thefe infidious brethren, they need never

doubt of vidlory.
nation

is

But

to

return to the addrefs:

The

reprefented to be on the eve of bankruptcy

jnaking great progrefs in democracy; and as placing

a;*

little

42

confidence in the leaders of oppofition (at

the explanation of that pafTage given

Mr. O'Connor).
" Already have
" and

The

with us.

"

holy ohllgatlon

**>

**

then proceeds

fuch was

for

the Englifh fraternized with the Irifh

and a

the Scots;

*'

*'

It

Icaft

by the Counfel

from each

delegate

facred flame of liberty

of

brotherhood

is

is

novo fits

rekindled, the

received with en^

thufiafm. Even in the Fleets and Armies it makes

fome progrefs. Disaffection prevails in both, and

United Britain burns to break her chains."

had forgotten to fpeak of a circumftance relating to

the

fleets.

Engliihmen have viewed with horror the fcene

of the Hermione

frigate,

whofe crew rofe on their

murdered them, and carried the

They

have fcen

many

fb.ip

into an enemy's port.

other plots laid (but fortunately

difcovered) to murder the officers and give

the enemy.

officers,

up the

fhips to

Looking back to the oath adminiftered to the

" to be true to the French," and the

military in Ireland,

plans agreed upon " to murder their officers and deliver

the arms up to the towns-people," the reader will not be
fo

much

could

at a lofs to

arife,

judge whence fuch atrocious plots

ox\j\i?Xthe progrefs of the

in the fleets can mean.

God

forbid,

brotherhood
men-

that I Ihould

tion this with any idea of reproach to thofe gallant

who

have fince

fo glorioufly obliterated

men

every (lain that

could have attached to their condudl during the mutiny.

They faw

with regret that they had fallen vidtims

to

fcduclion, and they glorioufly revenged themfelves on the

enemies of their country.

They

have counteracted the

atrocious plans of the confpiring Brotherhood; and

I

mentioned the mutiny,

crafty fcducers

it

when

was only to remind them,

could perchance

furprize

their

th^c

natural

hojiefly,

It

C
It

43

as

we

" United

continues:

arc,

we

only wait with

" impatience to fee the Hero Of Italy, and the brave

" veterans of the Great Nation. Myriads will hail their
" arrival with (houts of joy they will foon finifh the
;

*'

campaigii

glorious

Tyranny wtli vanijh from the

' face of the earthy and^ crowned with laurels^ the in^
' vincible army of France zuill return to its native
" country^ there long to enjoy the well-earned praife of
" a grateful worlds whofe freedom they have purchafed

" with
Did

(L. S.)

their blood."
fycophai'its

ever beg more earneftly for the plunder

and devaftation of their fellow-countrymen

no

could

French

plead

lon2;er

Tate had made

Colonel

Wales

ignorance of the

they

for

views of the
defcent on the

his

22d of February, 1797, and his inftrudions, figned by Hoche, * the faithlefs conqueror of
Quiberon, ordered him " to execute a coup de main on
" Briftol " for its dcftrudion was " of the very laft

coaft of

the

importance, and every poflible effort ftiould be m:ide to

*'

' accomplifh

it,"

on account of

Thefc inftrudions were

much

its riches

cavilled at by thofe

ever founding the praifes of the French Revolution

the 3

ft

know

:hat thofe inftrutions

informed perfon, from the

1797

that they

firil

were depofitcd

are alluded to in the report

Commons

The

feizurc ot

made

an

Rue du Bacq,

Paris, that

eftabiifhed,
it

is

ftrongly

May, 1798, by

while

ail

in Feb.

that tiiey

the Houft of

and are publiflied

the reader

is

in the

intormcd

for the delivery of the

profcribcd, his furprize wiii ceafe, as

made

When

recommended by

jjne of their perioi^icai papers,

turn muft be

them by Lord Cawdor

the 9th of

to that report.

is

fo late a&

Englifh nntion at large

at the Secretary of State's office

Appendix f^. No. XC.)

office

papers that arc

and even

were never doubted of by any well

(refitment of prifoners of rv.ir,

the

Q/i

1798, the Coup.ier boldly declares them to be 9

of Odlobtr,

cluir.fy fabrication of the minifterial writers.

liould

and commerce.

tiial

Courier

at

a creature of the Direlory, in

other Hnjiifh papers, but

it is i.at'jral

to

exped

that

one,

r:'.iie

are
re-

to the Dirediory by the e^litorof this paper for fo niark-

fd a favpur, though

it

were

at the

xpencc of truih-

The

44

The troops were to be landed by night " within five

" miles of the town, in the greatcft filence, and, being
" fupplied v/ith combuilible matter, were to advance ra"

pidly in the da:k,

*'

be to windward, and immediately

on

that fide of Briftol

which might
quar-

fet fire to that

"

tcr.

"

dexterity,

'

the town, the port, the docks, and the vefTels, and to

'

ftrike terror

*'

capital

now

If the enterprize be conduoled (they fay) with

call

cannot

it

to produce the

fail

and amazement into the very heart of the

Let the Inhabitants of Briftol

of England."

on thofe infidious brethren

who

with them, and afk them. Whether they

this invitation

total ruin of

dare

commune

alfo

approve of

of the brotherhood to the French, as they

" applauded and approved the rejolution of forming ano" ther general convention " on the 24th of April 1 794,
after the difperfion of the Scotch Convention in DecemAfter reading Hoche's Inftrudllons, will they

ber 1793.

write again to the

*'

read

"

for

to be

we

v/e

London Correfponding Society

blufhed we took courage we

refolved

on re-aflembling."

hoped that they will do

it for

" we

did

more

If fo they do,

the purpofe of

it is

making

public atonement to their fellow-townfmen for their paft

condufl

for they

" a virtuous
*'

can no longer fay "

^tis

a nohle^^tis

a god-like and irnmortal caufe - in

'//j

which we are now mutually embarked."

(Appen-

dix H.)

The

inftruflions

proceed

" Colonel Tate has

" firft is, if poflible,
"

try

^'

cojrwierce

the

fecond

in

"

The

view three

to raifc

is,

to

of the enemy

an

under

principal objc6ls

iiifurreclion in

interrupt

the

the coun-

and cmharrafs

the

and the third, to prepare and

"

facilitate the

*'

tion cf the En^lifli government.

way

expedition

for a dcfcent,

by

diftracli.ng the atten-

" In

43

[
*^

111 all

countries the poor are the chifs moft prone ta

"

infurreilion

"

difiribiiting

"

the government^

*'

tress; by recommending and

"

plunder the public ftores

**

perty of the rich, v/hofe affluence

<7W.'/

this

money and drink

AS

invkighikg

by

-^

cherijhcd by

to he

is

difpof:tion

againji

the cause of the public

facilitating a

dis-

riung;,

to

and magazines, and the prothe natural fubjefl:

is

" of envy to the poor." By fuch means " numbers of

" artizans and workmen, of vagabonds and idlers, and
" even malefaftors," were to be attracted and "formed
" into new companies under the command of French
* officers."
" The commerce of the enemy

interrupted by breaking

down

in the

country

to be

is

bridges, cutting ofF dykes,

" and ruining caufeways, which is, at the fame time,

" efTentially necefTary for the prefervatlon of the army ; by
**

plundering

all

convoys of fubfiftence, the public flage

" and waggons, and even

*

private carriages

the cutting

oiF the fupplies of provifions from the principal towns,

" burning

all veflcls

and boats

*'

deftroying magazines, fetting

*'

yards, rope-walks,

*'

is

great

in

the rivers and canals,

fire

to decks and coal-

manufaclorie?, &c. &c.

to be obferved likewife, that by thefe

It

mean: a crcivd

" of artizans ivill be throivn out of employ., and of courfc

" be ready to embark in any meafure which holds out to
" them fubfiftence and plunder without labour or fatigue.''

To

be

fure, the

poor, the

workmen, and

here held out as a moft profligate race

artizans, art

but Hoche,

it is

to

be remembered, fpeaks from the example of France, whcr::

the deftru61ion of manufacturing tov/ns was
as a
ties

and

lo.'.nked

upon

means of recruiting the Jacobin ranks. Secret fociehad prepared them for fuch horrid deeds in France j
Sheffield,

Birmingham, and Manchefter,

appear

to

have

46

hive bocn the

firft

*'

is

any town or

if

objects of the patriotic labours 6f the

England.

fecret focietics in

" Subfiftencc

to be fcized

wherever

village refufe to fupply

given up

*'

it is to

*'

are to carry with

he

to

at the

it

immediate pillage

them nothing but

can be found

it

your

foldicrs

arms

their

moment^

they

" will find every luhere clothes^ linen, and Jhoes ; th

" inhabitants miijl fupply your wants, and the feats of the

" gentry are to be your magazines. Wherever the legion,

" or any of its columns, is ported, if the neighbouring
" Y^zviih^s, do not give injlant notice of th: approach of th&
" enemy by ringing

bells, or otherwife, they

are

to

he

" given up TO FIRE AND SWORD.

" With boldnefs and intelligence combined, you may
" eafily poflefs yourfelf of Chc/Jer or Liverpool^ which
" you Will ruin hy burning the magazines, and filling up
"

the ports, oratleaft you will cut off

all

communication

" between thofe cities and the interior.

In order to
" fpread the confternation and aftonifliment as widely as
" poffible, after the deftruitiou of Liverpool, (for this

" point is capital,) you muft follow your blow, and feizc
" upon fome Imall town or fea-port on that coaft, which
" you

v/ill lay

fo early as

Was

under contribution."

to prepare the tov.-n

rfk)

of Liverpool

1792 fome of its inhabitants entered

correfpondence with the

London

it

would

(I

for fuch a fate that

focieties that

into a direft

were

at that

time addrefllng the Jacobins of Paris and hailing them as

brothers P

of

fix

Did they then conceive,

years an addiefs

would be

that within the fpace

fent to invite thofe

Jaco-

bins into England, bearing fuch inftrulions as are

laid before the render
fori,

was fuppofcd

cafily

During

this

to be in Ireland

conceive, by thefe

inft;

now

time Hoche, in per-

and

my

reader

may

u6lions, the horrors that he

would

47

would have committed himfelf, had he fucceeded

tempt

Bantry-Bay.

at

Two

French

other

to have been a(Sling in concert with Tate, in

cefsful,

were

probabili-

and without doubt thcfe parties,

would have

as could have

all

Durham,

ty with fimilar inftrulions, in Yorkfliirc,

Northumberland

in his at-

parties

if

airJ

fuc-

as radically reformed the conftitution

been dcfired by that aflbciation

at Ncivcajllc-

jipon-Tyne^ which wrote, on the 24th of April,

how

inform the London Correfponding Society

794, to

cunningly

they met every wec/c, "admitting none but knotunfriends-,

" and afl'uming no name- but that of newspaper-com" PANIES." News indeed their town burnt, their port
!

deftroyed

Great news bloody news

for the

Should they, however, not have been the

the rapacity of the implacable

fixft

friends.
objedl of

enemy, and, learning by

the example of Briftol, have conceived hopes of prefer-

ving their town, by petitioning his Majefty for a military

force,
their

"

would they (I make bold toafic) patriotically finifh

petition, by " Farev/ell, hoping the hydra of

TYRANNY AND IMPOSITION fliall foon fall

TRUTH AND REASON !"

" GUILLOTINE OF
learn before

it is

In February
profclytes in the

too
laft,

(Appendix H,

late.

p.

under the

Let them

i2r.j

the united Eritifh were fwearing-ia

Borough

and thefe feducers would have

continued their feditious practices, had they nat been

to flight

by the magiftrates of Union-hall;

piit

and John

Cormiclc, in his declaration of July, 1798, flatcd, that

" he knows

there

is

" dent in Paris, and

" United BrLtifti and
Jp, No.

an agent for the United BritiOi

refi-

that there are

agents both for the

Irifh refident at

Hamburg."

XXXII.) Th\x%

zxQ

we

{Irifh

led to July, 1798,

authentic documents, which will be

more than enough

convince the muf^ obftinatc fceptick, that

by
to

this confpirirg

Sea

4S

Sect

ever active and vigilant to betray

is

its

country-

men into the hands of the moft implacable of enemies.

Would to God that every Englifliman would reflel on the proceedings of Secret Societies! how clearly might he perceive their twofold cbjedl

of overturn-

ing a conftitution that has led England to the fummit of

glory and profperitv

and of creeling a power, on blood-

On

fhed, rapine, and theneglevSl: of every fecial duty.

one

fide,

fet forth

we

fee the

the

Rights of man, Equality and Liberty,

by thefe infidious teachers, to prove to the induf-

trious labourer and

unwary

artizan, that

a breach of

it is

their rights to fee the inhabitants of the earth diftinoruifhed

into claffes fubordinate

Superiors

to different ranks and fubjecS: to

that v/ere thefe diftindlions of monopolizers

once broken, the people v/ould then be repoffefred of their

imprefcriptible

rights

that tyrannical

laws would no

longer reprefs the glorious ze^l for the welfare of

kind, and defpotically

man

condemn

thofe

of

exifting

governments are reprefented

the rights cf the people

agents of defpotifm;

Societie?,

ted

as

an infringement of

the magiftrates and military as

the clergy as

them;

an oath of fecrecy and union

by the hopes of
;

and enthufiafm

fecrets of high

their afiemblies focn

hinted that

it

is

thefe political

tendered to

is

next v/orked upon

importance

they

make

become too numerous

it

would be dangerous, under the exifting

circumftances, to meet in fuch numbers

is

propofed

for

example;

it

and agreed that they fhould divide, by tens

that, in

the

any number of perfons being rendered difcon-

their curiofity

profelytes

On

impoftors.

power of the Secret

by hearing the perpetual declamations of

libertines^

is

to cftablifh the rebellious

fide,

The

and the defenders of their rights.

fiiends

other

man-

real patriots,, the

order to eftablifh a fort of fubordination, each

fcciety

.49

fhould choofe a delegate

fociety

then the ten delegates

depute one of theirs to a higher degree; fofrom degree to

decree

One

we

rife

to the

Grand and Regulating

The

againft rank and Superiors.

is
is

Committei^

would think they had forgotten their declamations

to be punirtied

by poifon or the dagger.

feverely punifhcd

we

eath

we

and when

is

in queftion.

Is

it

when

few

that a

Committee, may

selves a Secret

Difjbediencu

look to

tlie

Jacobin

Father^ Mother^ FriittdjRe/atioti,

find that neither

nor even Mijircfs-, arc to be fpared,

caufe

breach of fccrccy

leaft

the good of the

rebels, ftyling

them-

conjunflion with the

in

moft inveterate enemies of thefe kingdoms plunder and

fellow-countrymen, that EngliQimen

their

defpoil

hearken to thefe feducers

few

Shall a

will

frantic Jacobin?,

bccaufe they arc arrived at the fummit of the pyramid,

there to receive the loathfome fumes of blafphemy and re-bellion, lord

it

over a nation that can boaft of a Sovereign

whofe virtues and paternal affediion have rather made him

the father than the ruler of the nation

of a Houfe of

Lords, defcribed even by the Jacobin Lacroix, " as preci-

" ous to
" ties,"
real

the nation, becaufe

of

Houfe of

is

it

a rampart

Commons

rights of the people, in

fpite

the Brotherhood to reprefcnt

it

of

its

liber-

ever watchful of tha

of the declamations of

as the

contrary;* over a
nation

Few

people would fufneift,

he converted into a tool for

tliat tli

our anceftors had forefeen every danger,

the debates fhould not be publifhed

mence of many, on

it

ample, as the
Society

With

Irifh buiinefs.

(Appendix
rsgard

ttf

%vill

when

(how how

care-

thty ordained that

wiUalfo fsrve to explain the

^'^llc-

the occafion of the recent clearing of the galleries and

bar during certain dcbatcb of higli and

'*

debates in Parliament could ever

prop^atlon of the views of the Corre-

Tlie following letter, however,

sponding Society.
fully

tl:e

E.

March

This

ticklifli

letter

importance, fuch, for ex-

from the London Correfponding

4, 1793)1$ written to a fociety at Sheffield;

petitioning Parliament,

we

are unanirx)u in the opi

"'

a^if,

50

atlon,

in Ihort, that can boaft of

Laws

which, formed by

the mutual confent of King, Lords, and

led

to unparalleled glory, profperity,

it

men who

on

have been feated

Commons, have

and riches

Is

who have

juries,

it

to

attended

the public courts of juftice, that thefe feducers fhall hold

on the mal-adminiflration of juftice

forth

army and

navy be reprefented

victorious

Shall a loyal

as the agents of

dtfpotifmand tyranny, becaufe they will not murder their

and defert to the enemy?

officers

fuch

tory

Englifhmenj

ever meet with the contempt they de-

efforts fliall

ferve

No,

union, honefty, and loyalty, fhall

lead us to vic-

and, ever mindful of our duties to

God

we may

and man,

bid defiance to the malignity of our internal, and

the rapacity of our external foes.

So be

nion, that fuch a petition will not prodnce a reform

**

confiderations,

**

would fend forward

" much

as

it

we

are

now

perfuadcd, that

a petition,

we

luMl force the prcfcnt

and

fhould ultimately gairi ground

memben of

the

JemU

the fubjetf'^

*'

moft naturally awaken

*'

the nation once infoimed that a reform in pirliament

'

ditfertnc quarters, gives rife to debates in

is

'

men

ddlbcratkm, printed
the public

tlie

the cbjcii

"

of

ozir

purfuU

Houfeof Commons, and

wanting,

luill

begin

Arrived at that period,

our bufmefs will be nearly accompli/hcd."

for as

fought for Irom

is

on the fubjedl (probably, as we have feen the

ifhanics of Sheffield doing}.

repeatedly to difcuji

the different neiufpaper:, will

mind to^vjrds

acknc'.vledgi-d by every rank to be

reafon

In

many

yet, from

every fociety in the ifland

if

*'

their

it

to

exercije

five or fix

wc prcfume
,

in

me*
tliat