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the best and the bravest stood appalled at the apprehenfion of what might follow? not that they were unprepared to perifh in the defence, rather than furvive the ruin of their country, but that they knew millions muft remain to drag the chain of ignominy and difgrace. Whence this difmay-his fad forboding of evils to come, in a nation characterized by manly fortitude, and a fpirit unbroken by misfortunes? Alas! that we should trace it to the foul fource of domeftic treachery-that in her own bofom our country should have fostered the worst enemies to her peace! Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me." Pp. 17, 18.

MISCELLANIES.

ART. XXVIII. Report of the Committee of Secrecy of the Houfe of Commons; ordered to be printed 15th March, 1799. 8vo. Pp. 92. Price Sixpence. Printed at the Anti-Jacobin Prefs. Chapple, Pall-Mall, London.

THIS

HIS is one of the most important documents that was ever fubmitted to the British public; and truly happy we are to fee it published at a price that brings it within the reach of the great mass of the community, by every individual of which it ought to he attentively perufed. The man that can read it without being im preffed with a deep fenfe of impending danger, with a strong conviction of the abfolute neceffity of moft vigorous and inceffant exertion on the part of all who hold their King, their country, their religion, and their laws, in veneration; and who deem their own perfonal fafety, the comfort of their families, friends, and relatives, and the fecurity of their property, worthy of prefervation-must have bofoms impervious to the common feelings of our nature, or minds callous to every generous, every laudable impulfe. Such a horrid fcene of complicated villainy, rebellion, and treafon, as is exhibited in the pages before us, has, happily for fociety, seldom fallen to the lot of man to explore.-And it was referved for the prefent age, in the narrative of its internal plots, confpiracies, and infurrections, to have fuch strong facts, fuch damning evidence, on which to found their judgement, as remove all poffibility of doubt, and leave to the future hiftorian of thefe eventful times, no excufe for mifreprefentation, no palliation for error.

On the 23d of January laft Mr. Secretary Dundas delivered, by his Majefty's command, feveral papers fealed up, that were referred to a committee, the members of which, after a due inveftigation of the fame, and of the facts to which they relate, produced the present Report; which is, beyond example, interefting. The following important ftatement cannot fail, we should hope, to make a proper impreffion on the honeft part of the community

"In the whole courfe of their enquiry, your committee have found the clearest proof of a fyftematic defign, long fince adopted and acted upon by France, in conjunction with domestic traitors, and purfued up to the present moment with unabated perfeverance, to overturn the laws, conftitution, and government, and every exiting etablishment, civil or ecclefiaitical, both in Great Britain and

Ireland,

Ireland, as well as to diffolve the connection between the two kingdoms, fo necellary to the fecurity and profperity of both.

"The chief hope of accomplishing this defign has refted on the propagation of thofe deftructive principles which originally produced the French Revolution, with all the miferies and calamities fince experienced in France, and now extended over a large part of Europe." P. 7.

The committee briefly explain the nature and system of the United Irishmen, as fully established in Ireland; but as this topic has been formerly difcuffed in the Reports of the Irish Parliament, though very properly introduced here, in order to keep up the connection of treafonable events, we fhall make but one extract from this part of the Report, which will ferve to juftify thofe political writers who long fince reprefented the principles of the Conftitutional Society, the London Correfponding Society, and the Friends of the People, as hoftile to

the establishments in Church and State.

"The fociety of United Irishmen was established in the year 1791; and other focieties in Great Britain, particularly The Conftitutional Society, (which had long exilted, but about this time affumed a new character,) The Correfponding Society, (which was initituted in the fpring of 1792) and the focieties of perfons in Scotland terining themfelves The Friends of the People,' (which originated at nearly the fame period,) appear to have adopted, in their fulleft extent, all the extravagant and violent principles of the French Revolution. The events which followed, in the courfe of that year, and the year 1792, encouraged among the leading members of thefe focieties, and other perfons of fimilar principles, a fanguine hope of introducing, into both countries (under pretence of the reform of abufes) what they termed, a 6 new Order of Things,' founded on the principles of that revolution. The degree of bigotry and enthuliafm with which they attached themselves to thefe principles, was manifefted, as well by the fpeeches and writings of the members of these focieties, as by the zeal with which they laboured to propagate, among the lower claffes of the community, a fpirit of hatred and contempt for the exifting laws and government of the country.

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It can hardly be neceffary to bring to the recollection of the Houfe, the industry with which they endeavoured to diffeminate thefe fentiments, by the circulation of their own proceedings and refolutions; uniformly directed to vilify the forms and principles of the British conftitution; to reprefent the people of this country as groaning under intolerable oppreffion; to eradicate all religious principle; and to recommend a recurrence to experiments of defperate innovation, fimilar to thofe which were, at that time, adopted in France. For the fame purpofe, the works of Paine, and other feditious and impious publications, were diftributed throughout almost every part of the kingdom, with an activity and profusion beyond all former example.

"So confident were the focieties of the efficacy of thefe meafures, that they appear almost univerfally to have looked forward from the beginning, to the entire overthrow of every exifting establishment, in these kingdoms, and to the creation of fome democratical form of government; either by uniting the whole of the British empire into one republic, or by dividing it into two or more republics. The confpirators in Ireland, unquestionably, always meditated the complete feparation of that country from Great Britain all, however, confidered themfelves as engaged in one common caufe, as far as related to the destruction of the existing conftitution; all looked to the fuccefs of the difaffected in each country, as forwarding their common views; and each was ready to fupport the other in any refiftance to the lawful government; a frequent intercourfe among them was, therefore, confidered as important to their ends; and they all invited, or expected, the countenance and aid of France." Pp. 10, 11.

We ftrenuously recommend this paffage to the ferious perufal of the Earl of Moira, and of all thofe British fenators, and others, who

have pertinaciously infifted, that the diforders in Ireland were the confequence, and not the caufe, of the fevere measures which were adopted for their repreffion!

The proceedings of the difaffected in Scotland are next traced, from the meeting of their General Convention, at Edinburgh, in the winter of 1792, which was attended by Hamilton Rowan, as a delegate from the United Irishmen, and was holden "in concert with feveral focieties in England, particularly the Conftitutional Society and the London Correfponding Society." The transportation of fome of their members-a meafure fo ftrongly reprobated by Mr. Fox, and other members of oppofition; and other measures of precaution taken by the government, put a stop to the public meetings of this band of traitors, who, however, continued, for fome time, to affemble privately, and to carry on their feditious correspondence with their brethren in England.

In defcribing the attempts to affemble a Convention of the people in England," the committee advert to the correfpondence carried on by the members of the feditious focieties with the French; their meeting in London and the vicinity; their violent refolutions and inflammatory addreffes; the inftructions given to their itinerant miffionaries, fent to various parts of the kingdom; and their connections with their fellow-labourers in the vineyard of treason, in Scotland and Ireland. The effect which the different acts of the Legislature, calculated to enable the Executive Power more effectually to check the rapid progrefs of rebellion, produced on these focieties, is accurately described, as well as the means to which they have had recourse for evading them. We are glad to find, that the debating focieties of the metropolis, the dangerous tendency of which we have frequently pointed out, has not efcaped the notice of the committee, who truly state them, "to require farther animadverfion and

correction."

No true Englishman can recall to his mind, without fhuddering, the dreadful mutiny in our fleet, in the year 1796; we had no doubt, at the time, but that it was imputable to the infernal machi. nations of affociated rebels; and the committee have found this to have been really the cafe.

"The mutiny which took place in the fleet, if confidered in all its circumstances, will be traced to an intimate connection with the principles and practices defcribed by your committee, and furnishes the moft alarming proof of the efficacy of thofe plans of fecrecy and concert, fo often referred to, and of the facility with which they are applied, for inflaming and heightening difcontent, (from whatever cause it proceeds,) and for converting what might otherwife produce only a hafty and inconfiderate breach of fubordination and difcipline, into the moft fettled and fyfte matic treason and rebellion. Thefe principles, and this concert, could alone have produced the wide extent of the mutiny, and the uniformity of its operation in fo many and fuch diftant quarters. The perfons principally engaged in it, even in its early stages, were many of them United Irifhmen. The mutineers were bound, by fecret oaths, to the perpetration of the greatest crimes. An attempt was made to give to the fhips in mutiny the name of the Floating Republic,' and this attempt was countenanced both by papers published in France, and by a paper

here

here called the Courier, which has, on many occafions, appeared almost equally devoted to the French cause. In fome inftances, a difpofition was manifefted to direct the efforts of the mutineers to the object of compelling the government of this country to conclude a peace with the foreign enemy, and they, at length, even meditated betraying the ships of his Majefty into the hands of that enemy. All thefe circumstances combine to imprefs your committee with a firm perfuafion, that whatever were the pretences and mifreprefentations employed to feduce from their duty a brave and loyal body of men; yet a fpirit, in itself fo repugnant to the habits and difpofitions of British failors, muft have had its origin in those principles of foreign growth, which the focieties of the confpirators have induftriously introduced into this country, and which they have inceffantly laboured to diffe iminate among all defcriptions of men, but especially among thofe whose fidelity and fteadiness is most important to the public fafety." P. 18.

The United Irishmen have, fince that period, taken infinite pains to promote a diffufion of their abominable principles among our feamen, and have, unfortunately, fucceeded but too well, in many inftances, recorded in the proceedings of Courts-martial, inferted in the Appendix to this Report. One of thefe we shall extract, as affording an inftance of profligacy more truly diabolical than any recorded in hiftory-at least, in British hiftory:

"This court was affembled for the trial of William Regan, Patrick Murphy, George Norton, and James Callancy, seamen of his Majesty's ship Glory-and Edmund Gibbons, John Hoare, and Thomas Dillon, marines, ferving in the faid fhip, for having confpired to murder the officers, and those who should affist them, and then carry the fhip into a French port; and for having, by feditious and mutinous expreflions, endeavoured to keep up a spirit of mutiny among the Irish feamen and marines-John O'Bryan, feaman, allo, for feditious and mutinous expreffions, and wifhing fuccefs to the mutineers-Lawrence Dowd, feaman, for propofing to Patrick Bayle, marine, to blow up the ship, in the event of the Irifh party failing in their attempt.

"It appeared in the evidence, that Regan was expected to be appointed Captain of the Glory, in the event of their getting to France; that the leaders would be promoted, the value of the fhip given to them, and then to proceed with the French against Ireland.-The annexed loyal declaration and addrefs of all the Irifh in the fhip was given to Captain Brine, as a cloak for their proceeding, and with a view to throw the officers of their guard.

"Honoured Sir,

"We. whole naines are hereunto annexed, natives of Ireland, with grief and anxiety have heard, lately, of a horrid plot or confpiracy having exifted in this fhip, attributed entirely to us, and which the late unhappy disturbance in Ireland, and the recent horrid tranfactions on board the Cæfar, give too great a colour to, and thefe rumours having been induftrioufly circulated by fome defigning men, for the evident purpofe of creating a divifion and party fpirit between the English and Irifh, we, for ourselves, do folemnly swear before Almighty God, whose awful name we would not take in vain, that we do not know of any plot or confpiracy, or mutinous ajembly in the fhip, now, or at any other time; and that we will, to the last moment of our lives, defend our King and glorious conflitution againft all enemies, foreign and domeftic; and that we will, to the utmost of our power, apprehend and bring to condign punishment, any perfon or perfons who fhall dare itir up any fedition or mutiny, or endeavour to caufe any divifion or mitunderstanding between us and our brave brethren in arms; Englifhmen, to whom we are bound by every tie in nature, and whofe intereft and our own are infeparable.

"We cannot close these few lines without exprelling our grateful and heartfelt fenfe of the excellent and humane ufage of Captain Brine, and all his officers, to

What are we to think of the patrons and fupporters of this paper?-We mean thote on this fide of the Channel; more particularly the young BARONET, whofe purfe has principally contributed to prolong its exiftence.

the

the fhip's company; and we do not hesitate to pronounce him a villain, a traitor to his country, and an enemy to mankind, who fhall difturb that tranquillity, but for the fubject of this addrefs, we fo happily enjoy under our excellent officers, whom we fhall fupport, honour, and obey, to the last moment of our lives.Relying, Sir, upon your well known goodnefs of heart and humane difpofition, we have thus humbly prefumed to lay our fentiments before you, unbiaffed by ali other confiderations but thofe of the welfare of our King and government, whom we honour and revere refpectfully, leaving it to yourfelf to make this public, or otherwife, as you, in your wifdom, fhall think fit. With hearts full of loyalty to our King and country, and the greatelt veneration for your public character and private virtues, we conclude with hoping you will do us the juftice to believe that thefe are the real fentiments of our hearts. Ilonoured Sir,

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Nothing can difplay, in a more ftriking point of view, the abominable tendency of thefe principles than the conduct of the wretched men, who could thus folemnly invoke the Almighty to atteft the truth of a declaration which they knew to be utterly falfe! Such confummate hypocrify, combined with fuch determined villainy, proves, inconteftibly, the decided fuperiority of modern French principles over all other modes of vice, in debauching, corrupting, and vilifying the human mind, and in eradicating every principle of true religion, morality, and honour. When we confider

the frequent inftances of perjury, the moft grofs, flagrant, and atrocious, which have occurred during the late rebellion in Ireland, we cannot, for a moment, hefitate to afcribe them to the influence poffeffed by the Catholic priests over the minds of their deluded followers; their exhortations to keep no faith with heretics; their promife of abfolution from all engagements, however facred; and the hopes of reward holden out by them for a ftrict adherence to their injunctions, could, we are convinced, alone fuffice to give to the principles which we have defcribed, fo fudden and complete an effect. It was referved for the monstrous combination of atheism, with fuperftition, to belie the experience of paft times, by demonftrating the fallacy of the maxim-Nemo repente fuit turpiffimus. When we look forward to the poffible confequences of the adoption of fuch principles, by particular claffes of the community, we are filled with horror. May the wifdom of the Legislature be timely exerted to provide remedies adequate to the evil; and among thefe, the fevereft poffible punishment fhould be inflicted on men, who, availing them felves of the fpiritual influence which they enjoy over the temporal conduct of their flocks, encourage the most dangerous of all crimes, by the promife of impunity, and the hope of reward.

Similar means have been employed to feduce the foldiery, but, happily, not with the fame effect; and the steadiness with which thefe brave men have, with very few exceptions, refifted the infernal arts of the rebellious hordes of miffionaries, has excited the rage of the difaffected, who inceffantly brand them as "regimented affaffins," and revile them in all their proclamations and addreffes. The progrefs of difaffection is traced, by the committee, up to the prefent day; and the connection between the London Correfponding Society

NO. X. VOL. II.

U u

and

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