e blessings they would preserve, and aware of the risks they might
incur.

A petition was presented to the house from the mayor and leading
merchants of Liverpool, expressing gratitude for this measure, and
declaring the apprehensions entertained from the active communications
passing between the disaffected in Ireland and the large Irish
population in Liverpool. In all the great towns of Lancashire sympathy
with Ireland was expressed, and threats were made of firing the
manufactories and the merchants' stores, to prevent the dispatch of
troops to that country. A Mr. MacManus, a trader in Liverpool, was the
most prominent person among the disaffected in Lancashire. This person
procured a beautiful uniform of green and gold, and proceeded to
Ireland, expecting to appear on the field of action as an extempore
commander. The police were on his track, and he was arrested, with
all his military finery, and committed to prison, without even having
signalised himself in command of a corporal's guard of pikemen. Mr.
MacManus was an honest man to the cause to which his whole heart was
given. The night before he left for Ireland, he slept at the house of
a merchant in Manchester, named Porteus; that gentleman used all his
influence to dissuade his friend from so mad an exploit, but in vain.
The embryo chief left a considerable store of pistols in the custody of
Mr. Porteus, which were delivered to the chief constable of Manchester.

The vigorous proceedings of the executive, both in England and Ireland,
compelled the Irish leaders, without waiting for the harvest, to
decide upon a course of action. Their first project was to seize the
metropolis. It was garrisoned by about twelve thousand men--a small
force, had there been unanimity and determination on the part of the
Irish people; but the leaders were obliged to fly to the provinces, or
conceal themselves, in order to avoid arrest; and, in fact, they felt
that the fortitude of the clubs could not be relied upon for so bold an
enterprise. After all their preparations and their boasting, the
members of the clubs--their chief reliance--were too few in number, and
inadequately armed for such an exploit.

The project was then adopted for the leaders to repair to those parts of
the country where the clubs were most numerous, and supposed to be most
resolute, and there proceed with their organisation until the government
attempted to arrest them, when the clubs were to rise for thei