l assistance. They had been ripe for rebellion
through a long succession of ages, and no concessions made to them
soothed their chafed minds. Their turbulence had manifestly increased
from the time of the American war, when the Irish volunteers had been
allowed to arm themselves; and, "whether acting wisely or unwisely,
liberally or illiberally--whether granting concessions or withholding
them, nearly every act of government had tended to augment the
disaffection." For the last ten years concessions had been made to the
Irish catholics, who formed about seven-tenths of the population: but it
was all to no purpose--the more they obtained, the more they wanted. At
length the smouldering embers of disaffection burst forth into a flame.
Early in this year a military commission was appointed by the executive
council of the United Irish, and nocturnal assemblies were held in
various parts of the kingdom. People were, indeed, everywhere sworn
in, and it was finally settled that they should take up arms. Rebellion
commenced by midnight outrages. The most savage atrocities were
committed on those whom the associates were taught to consider as
enemies and interlopers in their domains, which outrages were severely
retaliated by the Orangemen and military. In February, a pressing letter
was addressed by the Irish executive to the French directory, urging
them to send immediate succour, and stating that the people of all
classes throughout Ireland ready to take up arms amounted to 300,000
men. It was soon discovered that mischief was afloat; and on the 28th
of February, Mr. Arthur O'Conner, said to be lineally descended from
Roderic O'Conner, King of Connaught, Binns, an active member of the
London Correspondent Society, and Coigley, an Irish priest, were
arrested at Margate, as they were on their route to France. A paper was
found on the priest, addressed "To the French directory;" and this
paper and the trial which followed put government in possession of many
important secrets. Coigley was executed on Pennenden Heath; O'Conner
was remanded on another charge of high-treason; and Binns was acquitted.
Several arrests took place in consequence of the information thus
gained, and some more papers were discovered in the printing-office
where O'Conner had been publishing the revolutionary journal called,
"The Press." But the most complete information obtained by government
was from Thomas Reynolds, who was deep in the secrets of the assoc