Question put and carried, with one negative (Sir Thomas French.) 14th SITTING-April 25, 1793. James Joseph Macdonnell, Esq. in the chair. Mr. Teeling, from the Committee of Accounts, reports the schedule. 1. Resolved, That the same be printed for the use of the members. 2. Resolved, That a deputation be appointed to wait on the Duke of Leinster, to request his permission to place the statue of his Majesty, voted by this Committee, in the lawn of Leinster house, and that this deputation do consist of the following gentlemen, Mr. Fitzgerald, Capt. Sweetman, and Mr. Mansfield. 3. Resolved, That John Comerford, Esq. be continued our Treasurer, and that every county delegate, together with seven delegates resident in Dublin, to be chosen by ballot, be now appointed to superintend the collection and application of money, in pursuance of the said resolutions, and for no other purposes whatsoever; and that it be our instruction to said delegates to transmit to each delegate an account of the money received and expended, as soon as the objects for which they are appointed shall have been accomplished, and that five be a quorum. 4. Resolved, That the delegates to his Majesty, having refused furnishing any account of their expenses on that commission, which must have been considerable, 5. Resolved, That a piece of plate, value one hundred guineas, be presented to each of the five delegates, who presented the petition of the Catholics of Ireland to his Majesty, and that a suitable inscription be engraved thereon. 6. Resolved, That the following gentlemen be requested to sit for their pictures, in order that the same may be placed with those already voted. Sir Thomas French, Mr. James Edward Devereux, Mr. Christopher Bellew, and Capt. Edmund Sweetman, of Wexford. R. MCCORMICK, J. SWEETMAN, Secretaries. LETTERS From the United Irishmen of Belfast during the year 1793. ... pre DEAR EQUAL: We had a meeting of Belfast this day, which was numerously attended, for the purpose of addressing his Majesty for his gracious interposition in favor of Catholic emancipation. We were unanimous. I was Secretary. The . pared a paper which blew hot and cold to his Majesty at the same time. We thought a compliment ought not to be mixed with complaint, and adopted one quite simple but very loyal. County Down meets on Monday. I mean to attend and let you know the result as soon as convenient. January 19, 1793. SAM. NEILSON. DEAR SIR: Yesterday assembled at Antrim, delegates from thirty-five volunteer companies of this county, representing above two thousand men, and unanimously agreed, 1st. To associate all the volunteers of the county into one body, and recommend similar associations to the volunteers throughout the kingdom, preparatory to a union of the whole. 2d. To appoint a committee for one year, who are to have the sole direction of the volunteers of the county, and fix on a mode of exercise; determine the time and place of reviews; appoint Generals, and fix the quantity of ammunition, accoutrements, and stores necessary for each corps. 3d. To a circular address to all the volunteers of the county; and they agreed not to publish any resolutions, and recommend the same to all volunteers. Many corps had got no intelligence of the meeting. From what information we could obtain, there are sixty corps in the county, who amount to about three thousand men, and will be five thousand before midsummer. The gunpowder bill excited universal indignation. We are taking effectual steps to provide the necessary articles and stores for volunteers. Opposition are acting from fear of the people. They will repent, perhaps, when too late, for Government certainly only mean to R. S. humbug them. Farewell. February 12, 1793. MY DEAR FRIEND: Sinclair attends at Dungannon, but it will be too late for you to communicate with him, as we expect the business will be finished on Saturday. The proceedings there and the resolutions from every quarter of the province are the only answers necessary to any person who doubts the Presbyterians. Here many of the Aristocrats propagate doubts respecting the Catholics, but no person cherishes them, and though ignorant of the steps they are taking, we have the fullest reliance on them, and depend they are doing right. R. S. February 13, 1793. MY DEAR FRIEND: I was at Dungannon, and do not dislike the resolutions so much as you seem to do. I wish I saw any thing like them, or even half like them, from the other provinces. As to the third resolution, take it with the commentary, and I fancy, on reflection, you will not disapprove of it. But what signifies resolutions? They will never recover to the people their long lost rights. Or what is more? What signify the united exertions of four or five spirited counties, who aim at rational liberty, without money, without arms, without ammunition, opposed to an armed force of thirty thousand men ; to a secret divan, who have the disposal of £ 32,000,000 annually, and as much more as they choose to borrow, backed by one of the most powerful nations in Europe?-I say what signifies such exertions, against such opponents, when not supported by the people? In such a situation they become of the nature of sedition; and when against the implied sense of the nation, should terminate. It is true, a few honest men, by going forward, may sacrifice themselves as victims; but is the state of the people bettered by all this? I cannot see how. And I will add, that when a nation does not express a wish to be free, it ought not to be made so, contrary to its will. We have now in this town, one regiment; in Lisburn, five companies and two troops of horse; in Lurgan, two companies and two troops of horse; in Hillsborough, one company and two troops of horse; accompanied in the whole by eight brass fieldpieces and two howitzers, with their proportion of men. These are strong arguments against the people, and in our present state irresistible. If, however, the rest of the nation was ready, this country would not be deficient in spirit. We complain that you give us no account of the proceedings in Dublin; no opinion on the plans of Government; no information how the Catholics relish Hobart's bill; no intelligence of their views respecting reform; in short, that you leave us completely in the dark, at a time when a storm is obviously collecting round our devoted heads. Remember I am a plain honest man, and like to talk my mind without reserve, to those I can confide in. Two persons of indifferent character have been summoned before the Star Chamber from this town. Pray what does this court tend to, or to what point are their views directed? Why do you not inform us on all these points, when you call for news from this sterile corner, where we make all our proceedings public to the world? I wrote to Keogh last night a similar letter, and stated to him that he would probably look upon it as peevish. I dare say you will do the same. Be it so; peevishness itself is gratified by expression, and I feel myself the better for having given it utterance. P. S. You are in a mistake about the French war. It was uncommonly reprobated at Dungannon by a strong resolution. February 28, 1793. DEAR SIR: I dare say you will have heard much of disturbances here. I think it my duty from friendship and fellow-citizenship to state the facts to you. On Saturday four troops of the 17th dragoons, came here from two neighboring towns; at six in the evening about thirty of them burst out from their lodgings, and with drawn sabres, accompanied by about six or eight artillerymen, proceeded to demolish several signs of Dumourier, Mirabeau, Franklin, Washington, &c. From this they proceeded to the houses of several individuals, McCabe, &c. and broke windows, shutters, &c. cutting and abusing every person they met with in the street, in a most unmerciful manner. This military mob reigned for about an hour. The empire of the laws began then to be restored. The officers and magistrates were at length found. The volunteers began to assemble, and the depredators soon took to their heels. Some were secured, but afterwards liberated by their officers. The volunteers mounted guard all night. Yesterday the town met, appointed a committee to inquire and report, and the volunteers reassembled in the evening, filled the houses that were suspected to be attacked, and formed two reserves, in all about four hundred and fifty to five hundred. This turned the scale; the military took the alarm, bowed and begged pardon, and this day the whole regiment of horse were ordered to leave town in fifteen minutes warning by General White, whose conduct has been highly proper. Tranquillity is perfectly restored; we have forgiven the troop and permitted the offenders to depart with their corps; and we remain, standing to our arms, without having offended or given cause of offence to a single military man. March 11, 1793. SAM. NEILSON. MY DEAR FRIEND: Saturday night presented a new scene to the inhabitants of Belfast. A military mob for a while reigning in all their glory. About one o'clock of that day four troops of dragoons arrived in this city, and about half after six, the greatest part of them, with a few artillerymen and a few of the 55th regiment, (quartered here,) began their career by demolishing a sign on which Dumourier was drawn, and breaking the windows of the house. They then proceeded to another ale house which had the sign of Mirabeau; this was treated in the same way; and not a whole pane left in the front of the house. During these exploits every inhabitant that either attempted to approach them, or was passing accidentally, was assaulted, and some of them wounded severely. They then proceeded down North street, destroying a number of windows on their way, till they came to our friend M'Cabe's. This and the adjoining shop, belonging to a Mr. Orr, a zealous volunteer, were attacked with the utmost fury, and parties of them went on to destroy a house which had the venerable Franklin for a sign, and to a milliner's shop, who had trimmed the helmets of the volunteer light horse. But the magistrates and officers of the regiment in town, now appearing, they dispersed, after several of them were taken prisoners. Fortunately for them they did so, for the volunteers began to assemble and would soon have finished them. During this business, the dragoons were repeatedly observed to read a card |