APPENDIX TO THE LIFE OF THEOBALD WOLFE TONE, Previous to his Mission to France. THIS Appendix comprises a selection amongst such of his Memorandums, Notes, and Letters, as we have been able to recover, and deemed illustrative of the character of the author, or of the times in which he lived. They were written with the utmost carelessness, and destined for the perusal of only one or two friends. As my father and his friends had the habit of designating each other by mock names, drawn from any trivial circumstance, the following key will be necessary to understand the fragments of his Journals. Mr. Hutton, or John Hutton-means Mr. Tone. P. P. Clerk of the Parish-Mr. T. Russell, his friend. The Draper, The Jacobin, Mr. Wm. Sinclair Mr. Robert Simms The Hypocrite, Dr. Macdonnell The Irish Slave, Mr. Macabe Whitley Stokes* of Mullnaihack Mr. R. McCormickt • Dean of Trinity College. † Secretary of the Catholic Committee. VOL. I.-18 United Irish leaders in Belfast. United Irish leaders in Dublin. Fragments of Memorandums precious to 1791. June 21, 1789. Fitzgibbon's want of temper and undoubted partiality will let in his resentments and his affections to bias his decisions. But Lord Earlsfort is an ignorant man, and a stupid man, and a corrupt man. Mem. The committee for drawing up the address to the Chancellor, being headed by Egan and Tom Fitzgerald, were said by Curran to be more like a committee for drawing a wagon, than for drawing up an address. Mem. When the Chief Baron, at the time of the King's illness, went over to London, his companions were Curran, Egan, and R. Barrett; on which Fitzgibbon remarked, that he travelled like a mountebank, with a monkey, a bear, and a slightof-hand man. June 20, 1790. My idea of political sentiment in Ireland, is, that, in the middling ranks, and, indeed, in the spirit of the people, there is a great fund of it, but stifled and suppressed, as much as possible, by the expensive depravity and corruption of those who, from rank and circumstances, constitute the legislature. Whatever has been done, has been by the people, strictly speaking, who have not often been wanting to themselves, when informed of their interests by such men as Swift, Flood, Grattan, &c. Mem. Michael Smith went six years round before he made half a guinea. Downes, in the year 1783, received his first brief in a record, by the joint influence and procurement of Dudley Hussey, Dennis George, and Michael Smith; but they engaged him in every cause on that circuit, and he had merit to sustain the recommendation. Mem. Wolfe is the Chancellor's private tutor in legal matters. Fitzgibbon has read Coke and Littleton, under his papa; he has a very intelligent clerk to note his briefs; he has Boyd to hunt his cases; and he has some talents, great readiness, and assurance; and there is Fitzgibbon. Mem. Erskine, who, in England, is not looked upon as a very sound lawyer, knows more law than the twelve Judges of Ireland, plus the Chancellor. August 4, 1790. Wogan Browne, Esq. foreman of the grand jury of county Kildare, sent down this evening to the bar-room a newspaper of the 3d, containing the resolutions of the Whig Club, in answer to a printed speech, purporting to be that of the Chancellor, on the election of Alderman James. It was enclosed in the following letter: "Mr. Wogan Browne presents his compliments to the gentlemen of the Bar; he encloses them "this day's paper, which he has just now received; he requests they will return it to him, and hopes they will find in the vin"dication of the Whig Club, principles similar to their own; as "honest and blunt men must look up to talents for the support "of their most undenied rights, in times when they are so "shamefully invaded." This bold and manly epistle struck the bar of a heap. The father, a supporter of opposition in Parliament, was here only solicitous how he should escape giving an answer, which, indeed, every man, save one or two, seemed desirous to shift on his neighbor. Burn and Burrowes were decided to meet the letter boldly; Brownrigg and Lespinasse for taking no further notice than acknowledging the receipt; the first, on the principle of preserving the harmony of the bar; the latter, for some time, could assign no reason for his opinion, other than that he did not know who Mr. Browne was; but, at length, when pressed, he said, with equal candor and liberality, "that he did not like to “receive any thing from a reformed Papist." The general sense seeming to be for something in reply which should be perfectly insipid, I grew out of patience, and proposed, I confess without hope of its being adopted, a resolution to the following purport: That the Leinster Bar, in common with the Whig Club, and many other respectable societies, felt the warmest indignation and abhorrence of the late unconstitutional proceedings of the Privy Council, in the election of Alderman James-proceedings no less formidable to the liberties of the capital, than alarming to every city in the kingdom, as forming part of a system, evidently subversive of their franchises, whether established by custom, charter, or the statute law of the land. This resolution the majority seemed determined to conceive that I was not serious in: yet I was. However, being utterly hopeless of support, I did not press it. Two or three civil notes were proposed, of which the following, by Rochford, may serve as a sample. "The Leinster Bar present their compli "ments to Mr. Wogan Browne, and are thankful to him for "his obliging communication of this day's paper, which they "have the honor of returning." However, the sense of shame in the majority was too high to admit so milky a composition, and, at length, after much irregular scuffling, the following was adopted as an answer, on my proposal, which I premised by stating that it had not my own approbation, as being too feeble: "The Leinster Bar re"turn their thanks to Mr. Wogan Browne, for his early com"munication of the resolutions of the Whig Club. However, ❝individually, a majority of the gentlemen present may approve "of the spirit of these resolutions, yet, as many respectable "members are absent, the Bar, as a body, do not feel them"selves authorized to give any further opinion on the subject of "Mr. Browne's letter." The words "majority of gentlemen present," being objected to by Mr. Moore, produced a division to ascertain the point, when nine were for continuing and five were for expunging them. N. B. Such is the public spirit and virtue of the Leinster Bar. Fragments of Notes, Letters, and Memorandums, of 1791. Note of the Editor.-Towards the close of this year, and at the period of my father's first journey to Belfast, he began, as he states in his own life, to keep the regular series of those journals, of which we have recovered these fragments. July 14, 1791. I sent down to Belfast, resolutions suited to this day, and reduced to three heads. 1st, That English influence in Ireland was the great grievance of the country. 2d, That the most effectual way to oppose it was by a reform in Parliament. 3d, That no reform could be just or efficacious, which did not include the Catholics, which last opinion, however, in concession to prejudices, was rather insinuated than asserted. I am, this day, July 17, 1791, informed that the last question was lost. If so, my present impression is, to become a red hot Catholic ; seeing that in the party, apparently, and perhaps really, most anxious for reform, it is rather a monopoly, than an extension of liberty, which is their object, contrary to all justice and expediency. Journey to Belfast, October, 1791. Wednesday, Oct. 11, 1791. Arrived at Belfast late, and was introduced to Digges, but no material conversation. Bonfires, illuminations, firing twenty-one guns, volunteers, &c. October 12. Introduced to McTier and Sinclair. A meeting between Russell, M'Tier, Macabe, and me. Mode of doing business by a Secret Committee, who are not known or suspected of co-operating, but who, in fact, direct the movements of Belfast. Much conversation about the Catholics, and their committee, &c. of which they know wonderfully little at Blefescu. Settled to dine with the Secret Committee at Drew's, on Saturday, when the resolutions, &c. of the United Irish will be submitted. Sent them off, and sat down to new model the former copy. Very curious to see how the thermometer of Blefescu has risen, as to politics. Passages in the first copy, which were three months ago esteemed too hazardous to propose, are now found too tame. Those taken out, and replaced by other and better ones. Sinclair came in ; read and approved the resolutions, as new modelled. Russell gave him a mighty pretty history of the Roman Catholic Committee, and his own negotiations. Christened Russell P. P. Clerk of this Parish. Sinclair asked us to dine and meet Digges, which we acceded to with great affability. Went to Sinclair, and dined. A great deal of general politics and wine. Paine's book, the Koran of Blefescu. History of the Down and Antrim elections. The Reeve of the shire a semi-whig. P. P. very drunk. Home; bed. October 13. Much good jesting in bed, at the expense of P. P. Laughed myself into good humor. Rose. Breakfast. Dr. McDonnell. Much conversation regarding Digges. Went to meet Neilson; read over the resolutions with him, which he approved. Went to H. Joy's, to thank him for his proposing me at the Northern Whig Club. He invited Digges, P. P., and me, for Friday next, which we accepted. Made further alterations in the resolutions, by advice of Digges. Went to Gordon's. Very respectable people, and a large company. Drank nothing. Went, at 9, to the card club, with Gordon and P. P. Came home early, much fatigued, and went to bed. |