serted by their Leaders--Agrarian Outrages and their
Cause--Foundation of the United Irishmen--Cruelties of the
Orangemen--Government Spies and Informers--Lord Moira exposes the
Cruelty of the Yeomanry in Parliament--Mr. Orr's Trial and
Death--Details of the Atrocities enacted by the Military from a
Protestant History--Tom the Devil--Cruelties practised by Men of
Rank--Licentiousness of the Army--Death of Lord Edward FitzGerald--The
Rising--Martial Law in Dublin--The Insurrection in Wexford--Massacres at
Scullabogue House and Wexford-bridge by the Insurgents--How the Priests
were rewarded for saving Lives and Property--The Insurrection in
Ulster--The State Prisoners--The Union.

[A.D. 1783-1800.]

Parliament was dissolved on the 15th of July, 1783, and summoned to meet
in October. The Volunteers now began to agitate on the important
question of parliamentary reform, which, indeed, was necessary, for
there were few members who really represented the nation. The close
boroughs were bought and sold openly and shamelessly, and many members
who were returned for counties were not proof against place or bribes.
But the Volunteers had committed the fatal mistake of not obtaining the
exercise of the elective franchise for their Catholic fellow-subjects:
hence the Irish Parliament obtained only a nominal freedom, as its acts
were entirely in the hands of the Government through the venality of the
members. On the 10th of November, one hundred and sixty delegates
assembled at the Royal Exchange, Dublin. They were headed by Lord
Charlemont, and marched in procession to the Rotundo. The Earl of
Bristol, an eccentric, but kind and warm-hearted character, who was also
the Protestant Bishop of Derry, took a leading part in the
deliberations. Sir Boyle Roche, an equally eccentric gentleman, brought
a message from Lord Kenmare to the meeting, assuring them that the
Catholics were satisfied with what had been granted to them. He had
acted under a misapprehension; and the Bishop of Derry, who was in fact
the only really liberal member of the corps, informed the delegates that
the Catholics had held a meeting, with Sir Patrick Bellew in the chair,
in which they repudiated this assertion. Several plans of reform were
now proposed; and a Bill was introduced into the House by Mr. Flood, on
the 29th of November, and warmly opposed by Mr. Yelverton, who was now
Attorney-General, and had formerly been a Volunteer. A stormy scene
ensued, but b