whose love of liberty, they hoped, would at last impart that blessing to them.

Mr. Hussey Burgh protested, that when the house was about to repeal all the laws that oppressed Roman Catholics, he should never chuse to look back upon that cruel code which would stand as an impeachment to the Protestant name, whose greatest glory was universal toleration and benevolence.

On the 15th of February, the order of the day for going into the Catholic bill having been called, a conversation took place upon the propriety of its being then committed, when the house, which was uncommonly crowded with strangers, was appalled by Mr. Fitzgibbon's apprizing them,* that till that morning he had never considered the bill as dangerous; but on reading it over carefully, the first clause had struck him as a repeal of the Act of Settlement, the Act of Forfeiture, and the Act of Reassumption; that if so, it must destroy the new titles under the Popery laws, and entangle the whole kingdom in a maze of confusion. He therefore entreated the friends of the bill to agree with him in putting it off, till those doubts, which had arisen from the first clause were done away; or till that clause could be modified, so as to grant relief to the Catholics without injuring the persons holding under the new titles. He declared himself a firm friend to toleration, and he wished to allow the Catholics a power of obtaining perpetuities, but thought that three or four days delay could not injure their prospect of relief; though by allowing time to make the bill more perfect, it might save the nation from much distress.

Mr. Metge expressed the same opinion; upon which Mr. Grattan observed, that though the bill were incomplete, it was no cause for not going into a committee; it was that very cause that rendered a committee necessary. He then went into a detail of the sundry delays and interruptions the bill had met with in its progress to maturity, and finished with declaring, that if it were not ripe then, it never would be so. Mr. Grattan disclaimed every intention of disturbing property, and was willing to alter the clause complained of, in any way that the learned gentlemen of the bar might think would make it safe.

The attorney general, adverting to the importance of the subject before the house, said, that the opinion expressed by Mr. Fitzgibbon, of the dangerous tendency of the sweeping clause, had struck the house with a panic, and if the bill were then to come forward, it would inevitably fail of success. Many liberal and generous sentiments had been expressed on the subject of giving toleration to Roman Catholics. He heartily subscribed to the wisdom and humanity, from whence those sentiments arose. 1 Parl. Deb. p. 241.

He was particularly happy in hearing those sentiments from gentlemen who represented the northern counties; on that subject, their opinions should have the greatest weight, and as there were no men who valued liberty higher, there were none would be more forward to bestow it on their countrymen. He had himself been a witness of their wisdom and the spirit of toleration that reigned amongst them. He had seen in Monaghan, at the same moment, three prodigious large congregations flowing out from a meeting-house, a church, and a mass-house; and as the individuals that composed them had joined in the street, they have blended and united into one body, with every mark of affection and good will: that was true religious toleration; and the most striking examples of it were to be found in the north. He would not then proceed further than merely to commit the bill, to shew the people that the house was sincere, and fully resolved to give them the utmost that could safely be granted.

The house then went into a committee on the bill, when it was read, and the further consideration of it adjourned to a near day. On the 18th of the month, Mr. Gardiner, who had been absent on the 16th, stated in the house, that the objection taken by his friend, (Mr. Fitzgibbon) which had prevented the business from going on, had been examined by the most eminent gentlemen at the bar, both in and out of the house, who were unanimously of opinion, that it did not contain any of that mischief announced by Mr. Fitzgibbon, which had spread so much alarm. Mr. Walsh, a barrister, and Messrs. Dillon, Grattan and Mason, expressed their satisfaction, that the objection to the progress of the bill had been happily done away. Even Mr. Fitzgibbon abandoned his own opinion.

The awful and critical situation of the great body of the Irish people with arms in their hands, and freedom in their hearts, calls our attention to what was going forwards out of parliament. We have traced the volunteers rising gradually into the use of arms, organized into discipline, and almost united in one common object, which had now resolved itself into the simple determination of attaining an unequivocal legislative independence. this situation, the officers of the southern battalion of Lord Charlemont's Armagh regiment, took the lead, and gave movement to the important measures of the volunteer army: they met, and came to the following resolutions :

FIRST ULSTER REGIMENT, COMMANDED BY THE EARL OF

CHARLEMONT.

In

"At a full meeting, holden at Armagh, on Friday, the 28th "day of December, 1781, of the officers and delegates, of the

"southern battalion of the said regiment, consisting of eleven "companies, pursuant to adjournment.

"Francis Evans, Esq. in the chair. The following resolutions ४ were unanimously agreed to, and ordered to be printed in all "the newspapers published within the province of Ulster, and in "the Volunteer Journal of the city of Dublin.

"Resolved, That with the utmost concern, we behold the lit"tle attention paid to the constitutional rights of this kingdom, "by the majority of those, whose duty it is to establish and preserve the same.

Resolved, That to avert the impending danger from the na❝tion, and to restore the constitution to its original purity, the "most vigorous and effectual methods, must be pursued, to root "out corruption and court influence from the legislative body.

"Resolved, That to open a path towards the attaining of this "desirable point, it is absolutely requisite that a meeting be held "in the most central town of the province of Ulster, which we "conceive to be Dungannon, to which said meeting every volun"teer association of the said province is most earnestly requested 66 to send delegates, then and there to deliberate on the present "alarming situation of public affairs, and to determine on, and "publish to their country, what may be the result of said meeting.

"Resolved, That as many real and lasting advantages may "arise to this kingdom, from said intended meeting being held "before the present session of parliament is much farther ad"vanced, Friday the 15th day of February next, at ten o'clock "in the forenoon, is hereby appointed for said meeting, at Dungannon as aforesaid.

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"Resolved, That as at said meeting it is highly probable the "idea of forming brigades will be agitated and considered, the "several corps of volunteers who send delegates to said meeting are requested to vest in them a power to associate with some "one of such brigades as may be then formed.

"FRANCIS EVANS, Chairman."

The meeting, in consequence of this requisition, was one of the most important transactions in the modern annals of Ireland. As soon as this bold call appeared, the Castle took the alarm. Captain Evans was the ostensible man, but to take him up might bring things to immediate extremities; to take no notice of it might also be dangerous; a middle course was determined on, and every possible means were used to suppress the meeting; the words of the requisition were animadverted on; and many, even of the best friends of their country, wished no meeting had been called.

As the awful 15th day of February, 1782, approached, doubt and anxiety appeared in every countenance; men of every description were deeply concerned in the event; and perhaps there never was a period more critical to a nation.

The administration was considered by them all to have hitherto treated the demands of the people with scorn: and they charged the parliament with having leagued with administration against them: the people with arms in their hands, was bent upon one object, but had no chain of correspondence.

Unanimity among the volunteers could alone give efficacy to their resolves; and thus circumstanced, a meeting was formed, at which Lord Charlemont, Mr. Flood, Mr. Grattan, Mr. Stewart (member for Tyrone,) and Mr. Dobbs, a barrister, attended, at which the following resolutions were settled and arranged, both as to the order and the persons by whom they should be respectively moved.

ULSTER VOLUNTEERS.

"At a meeting of the representatives of one hundred and forty"three corps of volunteers of the province of Ulster, held at Dungannon, on Friday the 15th day of February, 1782, Colonel "William Irvine in the chair.

"Whereas it has been asserted, that volunteers, as such, can"not with propriety debate or publish their opinions on political "subjects, or on the conduct of parliament, or public men:

"1. Resolved unanimously, that a citizen, by learning the use "of arms, does not abandon any of his civil rights.

"2. Resolved unanimously, that a claim of any body of men "other than the king, lords, and commons, of Ireland, to make "laws to bind this kingdom, is unconstitutional, illegal, and a grievance.

3. Resolved, (with one dissenting voice only) that the pow "ers exercised by the privy council of both kingdoms, or under "colour, or pretence of the law of Poynings', are unconstitutional, "and a grievance.

"4. Resolved unanimously, that the ports of this country are "by right open to all foreign countries not at war with the king; "and that any burthen thereupon, or obstruction thereto, save "only by the parliament of Ireland, are unconstitutional, illegal, "and a grievance.

5. Resolved, (with one dissenting voice only) that a mutiny "bill not limited in point of duration from session to session, is "unconstitutional, and a grievance.

"6. Resolved unanimously, that the independence of judges "is equally essential to the impartial administration of justice in

«Ireland as in England; and that the refusal or delay of this right to Ireland, makes a distinction where there should be no distinction, may excite jealousy where perfect union should pre"vail; and is in itself unconstitutional, and a grievance.

"7. Resolved, (with eleven dissenting voices only) that it is our decided and unalterable determination to seek a redress of "these grievances; and we pledge ourselves to each other and "to our country, as freeholders, fellow-citizens, and men of hon"our, that we will at every ensuing election, support those only "who have supported and will support us therein; and that we "will use all constitutional means to make such our pursuit of "redress speedy and effectual.

"8. Resolved, (with one dissenting voice only) that the right a honourable and honourable the minority in parliament, who "have supported these our constitutional rights, are entitled to "our most grateful thanks; and that the annexed address be "signed by the chairman, and published with these resolutions. "9. Resolved unanimously, that four members from each county of the province of Ulster, (eleven to be a quorum) be, and "are hereby appointed a committee till next general meeting, to "act for the volunteer corps here represented, and, as occasion "shall require, to call general meetings of the province, viz.

"Lord Viscount Enniskillen, Colonel Mervyne Archdall, "Colonel William Irvine, Colonel Robert M'Clintock, Colonel "John Ferguson, Colonel John Montgomery, Colonel Charles "Leslie, Colonel Francis Lucas, Colonel Thomas Morris Jones, "Colonel James Hamilton, Colonel Andrew Thompson, Lieut. "Colonel Charles Nesbitt, Lieut. Colonel Alexander Stewart, "Major James Paterson, Major Francis Dobbs, Major James "M'Clintock, Major Charles Duffin, Captain John Harvey, Cap"tain Robert Campbell, Captain Joseph Pollock, Captain Wad"dell Cunningham, Captain Francis Evans, Captain John Cope, "Captain James Dawson, Captain James Acheson, Captain "Daniel Eccles, Captain Thomas Dixon, Captain David Bell, "Captain John Coulston, Captain Robert Black, the Rev. Wil"liam Crawford, Mr. Robert Thompson.

"10. Resolved unanimously, that said committee do appoint "nine of their members to be a committee in Dublin, in order "to communicate with such other volunteer associations in the "other provinces, as may think proper to come to similar resolu❝tions, and to deliberate with them on the most constitutional means of carrying them into effect.*

In order to let the reader into the general spirit of the volunteers, and how faithfully the patriots represented it to the parliament, and also how fully aware of what then was the voice of the people, several of the members were, who, notwithstanding, resisted it in the senate; several addresses and letters from