a © IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V wJo / & ^ K", y ^ ® ® D ^3 ® 1.0 Iria IM 1.1 1.25 U! Ill 112 2 ;: m ill 2.0 1.8 iiiii^^ 1.4 IIIIM.6 h" "/a o / c- e^ %.. ■r^'7//// °^if <* V ^ •/ 7 0^. ^.^ UU/^.i, "j'^vrnv^"*"* ■w-vr^i^i i iiUlUgi(i[Jlllt. Sciences Corporation 4 ^•v 4? :\ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^9) V ^^ *> ^ ^ ^y\ ^ ^■« % 0" " '08 - r / .1: BOSTOK: «^AflOE, FRANKLIN STREET. 1868. "K. ;f Entered according to Act of Congress, In the year 188S^ Bt PATRICK DONAHOB, In fbo Clerk's OfRce of the District Conrt of the DlBtrict of MasBaehasetta a I, J BTEnBOTYPiHa, 8 SPBUCB 8TU££T, M. T. Vi Y? !H1 ffl I PREFACE. 1^ In offering this volume to the public, a few words of explana- tiou are deemed necessary, not so much for its appearance, as for the arrangement of its contents, Ab to its appearance, the state of Irish aftairs calls for some record, and as, owing to peculiar circumstances, the nearest ap- proach to a perfect chronicle which can now be offered, is an account of those who brought about the crisis and are gdlanUy stn;ggling through it, the present form was adopted. The arrangement is not entirely what might be desired by a strict chronologist; but as the data had to be obtained from widely scattered references and correspondents— the friends or families of those commemorated— and as the pages went to the press when written, it was found impossible to follow perfect chronological order. As a general rule, the characters are grouped, as they acted tc-ether, and thus help to illustrate each others lives; and a slight hint will enable the reader to follow the his- tory of the Irish struggle in a direct course, and to fill up, so to speak, the outline given in the Historical Introduction. Thus (1) in addition to what is said there of the effort in '48 tlie sketches of Doheny, Meany, O'Mahony and Stephens, fur' ther illustrate the doings of that period. (2) Mr. Luby's notice of Philip Gray gives the efforts which imine- m 4 ^ PREFACE. ' diately followed the scattering of ** Young Ireland." (G) The sketch of J. O'Donovan (Rnssa) presents tlie rise of tlie "Phoe- nix Society;" while the progress of the Fenian Brotherhood, and ^ the more recent events — risings, aiTcsts, escapes and trials — con- nected with it, are narrated with intelligible fullness in the noticea of the respective heioee and maityrs of the most historical trans- actions. No effort has been spared to secure and present the most autlientic data. The tiles of the Dublin Irishmav^ Nation, and Cork Herald, and those of the New York IrisJi People, Irish-' American, and Boston Pilot, have been found useful, especially when their reports and statements were corroborated by competent witnesses, or indorsed by actors in the scenes related. A quantity of interesting personal and political history has been placed at the disposal of the writer by associates and relatives of many of the heroes and martyrs, of which free use has been made to give value to these pages. Among those to whom special thanks are due, are General John O'Neill, for official documents ; Colonel O'Connor, Captains O'Rorke, Condon, and Conyngham, and Messrs. T. B. Henessey, (of Boston,) Walter M. J. O'Dwyer, M. J. Heffeman, Wm. J, McClure, M. Moynahan, D. O'Sullivan, and M. Cavanagh, of New York. J. S. 1 i) (S) The he «'Phce- rhood, and rials — con- the noticea deal trans- tho most atlon, and pie, Irish- especially competent A quantity aced at the lany of the ide to give thanks are s ; Colonel 5ham, and O'Dwyer, O'SulUvau, J. S. .: 'S CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. IBISH PBmciPLES AND ENOU8H INTEnKST. The Stuart Policy to Create an Englleh Interest in Ireland-Compllrations Growin... out of Confiscations- Alliance of the IriBh with the Stnarts-All Enghsh Parties Against the Iri«h-Tho Penal LawH-Protestant Patriots- Swift, Molyneux and Lucas-Theobald Wolfe Tone puts Iri.h Politics on the Proper Basis-Revolution of '82 a Failure-Protestants, Dissen- ters Catholics-United Iri.hmen-War of '98- Patriotic Priest-CJenerala -ihe Union," Dr. Johnson and Byron on-Thc Irish Exiles n Franco -Buonaparte and Talleyrand-Emmet's Rebellion -Davis on Catholic Emancipation and Repeal-O'Connell and Grattan-Young Ireland- Davis-IrishConfcderation-The Famine and Coerclon-Mitchel and the itiBUig of '48 U CHAPTER II. IRISH PRfNCrPLES AND ENGLISH INTBnEST-Confmwcrf, Did Young Ireland Achieve a Victory-Tho released Prisoners and the Ex- lies at work- Continuous eftorts to keep up a National Organization- The Feninn Bro,herhood-Its Beginning and Extension-First Congress at Chicago -Declarations and Purposes -Not a Secret Society-The Poles and the Pope-0'Mahony elected Head Centre under the New Constit,,- ReLfrih p"""''f '^\^^'«""°«ti- -Growth of the Brotherhood- Repor of the Envoy to Ireland-Council Enlarged -State of Affairs in Ireland-The L R. B.-James Stephens and his Connection wiU the Organization-Extensive Disafiections-Seizure of the lu.h People and Phi, fri'~^r't "" °''' '''' Country-Third Fenian Congre s lu Plnladelphia-Mr. Meehan's Report-Constitution of the F. B. changed- D fleiH^nces betvveen the '-President" and the "Senate" result fn an - Irish Party" and a " Canadian Party"-Fourth Congress restores he OM Constitution, endorsed by Military Convention-Excitement in Ireland incroascs-Arrest and Escape of Stephens-Lord Wodehouse on tl^ ion li: l^r n ""^T'' '"* ''''' ""'^^« *h^ ^"^-^ ^-''-^- i.^ SUSP ndedl" ' T 7 !n ^"T'" -^"'^" ^"^'^ ^'""'-^ Mill-The Irish Members -John B. Dlllon-The O'Donoghue-Passage of the Bill T. . 61 CHAPTER III,, THE INSUKRECTION IN IRELAND-AMERICAN STMPATHT ElTect of the Suspension of the Habeas Cnrpns~The News in Amertca- Arrrlval of Stephens in New York-0'Mahony retires-InvrBioTor I 6 " • Contents. Can/ida-Thfl Canadian Party Dlnrnpt StophonB' 1PIan«--tHs WlHufcifJ • Failure— Uinltitf In Kcsrry— Hnarchlni;vnHRnlH for Kunliins— Omieral ItiHiir. rectlonary MovemeiitH In Irnliind- Proclamation of rroviMlonal Oovcrn- mont— UlotB Amnnj^ tho Sol(iierH— MasHey iMstrayw tiici Movoinont— Irlnii Party in America-Fifth Con^roBB in Now Yorli-(Jreat MeotinR In Union Hquaro— liCttor from Mayor IlofTman— Ni!f,'otlation8 for Union— The CauHo in U. 8. ConfrosH -Bosolutloni! of Sympathy reported by Gen. BanitB— Hpeeches and Vote on It-Tlie Queen declaren Irolimd Tranciuil and thcs People Loyal— Contradicted by Mr. MonHcll and Mr, Brl^'ht— Hoinarlcal)le Speech of Mr. Monsoll— Bri>,'ht declares that Ireland Bhonld not be TraiiquU— Sixth National CongroBB held in Now York- Savage eloctud Chief Executive— RemarkH «u TIB ANCIENT FENIANS. The Fenians— Who Were They— Their Dutlea, Manner* and CuBtomB— Tho OsBianlo Society t. »«#»•• •ift>«««*«>««««*>«**«««»M*>««*«*«****** Iw COLONEL THOMAS FRANCIS BOURKa Bmmot and Bourke— MovementB of Bourke'B Family in America and Canada -At Business- A Family Picture— Joins the Fenian Brother- hood after the War— At tho Third CongresB— Success as Organizer for Manhattan DiHtrlct— Resigns— Why he Went to Ireland— Assigned to tho Tipporary District— Tho Rising- Captured at Ballyhurst Fort— In- dieted for High Treason— Trial— Evidence of the Informors Massey and Corydon— Great Speech In the Dock— Touching Letters to his Mother - Description la his Cell lat COLONEL THOMAS J. KELLY. Birth and Youth— A Printer —Famous Printers— Starts thoNashvlllo nemo. cr«t— Files from Tennessee for his Union Faith— Joins the Army in Cin- cinnati— Wounded— Promoted— Signal Officer on General Thomas' Staff —Health Broken— Enters the Fenian Cause— First Military Eiuoy to Ireland— On Tour of Inspection— Supervises Stephens' Encape— Labors In America-Difference with Stephens -Re turns for the Fight in Ireland —Letter on the Alms of the "Provisional Government." ,. 103 CAPTAIN JOHN M'CAFFERTY. Arrested— Tried— Half-Alien Jury because he Is an American— Acquitted —Envoy from Ireland to America— Address at the Great Jones' Wood Meeting In New York— Goes Bock -The Affair at Chester— Second Ar- rest-In the Dock- Corydon's Evidence— Found Guilty— Speech In the Dock-In his Cell J?? COLONEL- JOHN J. O'CONNOR. Bom on Valentla Island- Emigrates to America— Runs off and Joins the Union Array—Long Service— Promotion— Gallant Action at Spottsylva- nia— Wounded at Cold Harbor— First Lieutenant— Captain— Seriously 1 CONTENTS. WonnflorT \((H\n at Potrtwunr;?— tn romm(in(t of his nnjrJiticnt-Wr.e- torod Out -(J()u>4 to Iroliui.l— ()r,'iuiizoH Korry-Tlio UIhIiil,' -Stiit.'in«at In the Iloiirtoof I^rds-iloportor ArroatodforToloijmphtnir Mllltiiry Dig- aff.M-tloim-O Connor sont to Amorica-IIU AildrMua to the Public— Or- ganizing Tour.,., ... ,. ...,,, ,.,..... 104 CAPTAIN MORTIMER MORIARTf, First Ponfftn Organizer In Oanada-Arrested Qalag to Canipo Bollo-Es- capo8-Ooo« tolroland-ln K.Try-Arr.)Htod on his Way to Tako Com- niand-Oaune of hia Arrest-Wlmt Followod-Trlal-Evldonce of the Spy Talbot-Found Guilty-Sontonce ^..„».*...», ...200 JOSEPH NOONAN. fOntwlth O'Connor'^— Arrostodln London -Marvolous Escape ftora hit Captors-Ro-Arreatod at Athoratana-Brought to Dublin -Itlot In Klliar- noy— Trial— Sentence. 218 CAPTAIN MICHAEL ORORKE. ♦' 0' Rorko. alias Boecher "-Blrth-Pamily Kmljfrate to New York-M.-m- orieb of the Boy Make him a Robol-Jolna the Phcenlx Brlfjade— Entura the United Statea Service -Irish Lei,'ion-8ad Scone at the Battle of Spottaylvanla-Hla Father Klllod-Takon Priaoner-Muaterod Out-Ooea to Ireland -Ilia Duties in England and Ireland -Narrow Eacape from Oorydon— Sent to No w York 223 STEPHEN JOSEPH MEANT, Birth-Early -Writings for the Proaa-Publiahoa a Vohime of Poema at Six- teen-0'Connoir8Reporter-E.^tabli8hea the Irish National Magazine- la the Clnha-On the Irish. Trihwie-Bromn and Meany Teat the Bight of the Police to Sell the National Journaia-Arreatcd Under the Suspen- sion of Habeas Corpus, ISW-Reloased -Journalla-.n -Emigrates to the United Statea -Editor of the Toledo (Ohl ) Commercia/-Centre-At the Third Congresa-A Senator-Address to the Parent Trunk of Feninniara —Resolutions at Jonea' Wood -Goes to England -Arrested -Tried for Treaaon-Felony-Pino Speech in the Dock-Expoaes Overtures Made to Him to Betray the Fenians— Sentenced 231 " CAPTAIN P. J, CONDON. Ifonth and School Days-Emigrates to Amerlca-Entera the Army-In the Irish Brigade-Goea to Iroland-Arrested-Correapondence with U. S. Consul-Liberated— Goes a Second Time to Ireland-Arrested Airain— Tried— Acquitted 254 PETER O'NEILL CROWLEY. JOHN EDWARD KELLY, CAPTAIN JOHN McCLURE. Three Fenians give Battle to the Waterford Column and Police-Sketch of Peter O'Neill Orowley— Martyrdom of hia Uncle, Father O'Neill— Tlw 8 CONTEM-S. Mnrtyr'B Heir— His High CTiaracter— Sketch of John Edward Kelly— Goc'f to Echool in Haliiax— Emigrates to T3oston — BeccmeB aPilnter— Joint ihe Fenians in New York— Passion for Mil'tary knowledge— In- structs the Emmet Guards in Boston— Goes to Irelanu—iiiiLtary Instruct- or in Cork— Views on Irish Eevolution— Duties as Agent of the I. R. B. —Plans at the Time of the Rising— Sketch of John McClure— Native of New York— Joins the 11th N. Y. V. Cavalry— Service— Mustered Gut — Goes CO Ireland— Attacks Knockadoou Station- Crowley, Kelly and Mc- Clure ii) the Mountains— Fight in Kilcloony Woods— Capture of McCJure anrl K(-lly— Death of Crowley— His Funeral— Popular SymT^athy- Mc- Clure and Kelly in the Dock— Manly Speeches— Sentence 2C1 MICHAEL DOHENY, GENERAL MICHAEL CORCORAN, JOHN O'MAHONY, JAJVIES STEPHENS. Sketch of Michael Doheny— Youth at the Plough— Desire for Knowledge— ,;itudie8 Greek anU Latin— Life in London— Writes for the Press— Admit- ted 10 the Bar— National Orator !n the O'Connell Movements— Joins Young Ireland Party, and Writes for the Nation and rribvne— Escap-iP to France and Comes to America— Life in New York- Hopes for Trcland— Death. Sketch of General Corcoran— Son of a Half-Pay Officer —In the Constabulary— Emigrates to America— Joins the 69th N. Y. S. M. -Orderly Sergennt, Lieutenant, Captain— Complimented hy the In- spector-General— Elected Colonel— Refuses to Parade the 69th in Honor of the Prince of Wales— Court-Martialed— Breaking Out of the Rebellion —Advises the 69th to go to the War— Court-Martial Qutished, and Popu- lar Applause— Services of the 69lh— Crrcoran Captured ai Bull Run— In Prison— Held as Hostage for a Privateer— Cabinet Council on Exciianj^e of Prisoners- Liberated— Great 0\ation— In "-e Field Again with the Irish Legicn— Defeats Pryor and Baffles Longi^u-eet-Defence of Washing- ton— Death. Sketch of John O'Mnhony— Porition in M8— What Influ- eiiced his Political Career— Hereditary Disputes Between the O'Mahonys and the Earls of Kingston— Death of O'Mahony's Father— Leaving the Family Residence at Kilbenny— First Ideas on the Land Question— Shel- tevs th3 Young Ireland Outlaws— Joined by Savage- The " Reaping of Moiilough "—Risings in Septtmber- Projects the Release of OBrien— Perilous Escapj— To Wales— To France. Sketch of James Stephens- Civil Engineer— In Kilkenny in '48— Takes Charge of O'Donohue en rnt te to Smith O'Brien— Remains with the Latter— At Killcnanle and Bal- Hngarry- On the Hills— Escnpes to France— O'Mahony and Stephens in Paris—Join a Revolutionary Sciety— O'Mahony a Gaelic Tutor- Ste- phens the French Trans' tor of Dickens- O'jUahony Goes to America— Stejdiens to i. ir.nd— Arrested- Repudiates British La.v i:efore the Mag- istrates-Escape from Prison— In America— Retirement— O'Mahony De- fines his PiCecnt Position 280 TH^.Mi».S CLARKE LUBY. ioins Young Ireland In M8, and Gives up his Worldly Prospects— In a Kaw Movemen! ii '49- Arrested— Paaiotism vs. Family Patronage— Na- ooNTEjrrs. 9 ttom Jonrrallsm-TravolB with Stephens-Appearances In PufcHc- V eifcs America-The IrM People Svi^ed-Arrested-The Special Com- mi slon the First Since the Trial of Emmoi, In Dublin-Speech in the ^ock- Repudiates Assassination -Sentence -Interesting Sketch of Phihp Gray by Mr. Luby ^ o,, • 317 PHILIP GRAY. Remain, in the South after '48-With O'Mahony and Savage-Hardships- 328 JOHN O'LEAEY. ''" Arconl? Vl!r7~'^'"l^ I^fluences-O'Leary a Man of Moans -At Colk-ge^-Goes to France-To America- Returns to London and /.t "Tr!"'^"'''™ ''^ ^'"'"^'^ Cause-Spreading the Fenian OrgaM zation-The /n,/,, Peoj>ie~TM Sagacity with which it was Conducfed- Arrested-In Court-The Tral-Speech in the Dock-Sentence.. ".!.. . 336 JEREMIAH O'DONOVAN (ROSSA). ^'''"i?.^?''^ Struggles-Goes to Skibbereen-National Views of Rossa andM Moynaban-Starts the Pha-nix Society-Its Character and Pro! gress-Scares the Peace-Mongers-Eevival Throughout Cork and Kerry -Members of the Society Arrested-Mr. O'Sullivan (Agreem) Convicted -Cork Prisoners offered Liberty, but Refuse Unless Agreem is Liber ated also-Ros.a Prevents Illumination for the Prince of Wales-Pa rades for the Poles-Comes to New York-Returns- A Manager of ^e st. T'^v "■''^"^~'^""'-^''''"^« Himself-Detiance of the Court -Special Vengeance on Him-Uarsh Sentence-Cruel Treat mentTn Pnson-Notices of Captain William O'Shea, Mortimer 7Ioynahan, Colo- nelP.J. Downing and Colonel D.J. Downino- " .. ° «j44 CHARLES JOSEPH KICKHAM. His Family-Sad Accident when a Boy-A Sludent-His Love of Rural • Sports-ln the Cabins of the Poor-Forms a Club in '4&_Literature -Espouses Keogh's and Sadlier's Tenant-Right Party-Treachery of tie Leaders-Literalure Again-Becomes a Fcnian-Arrest-Trial-Defen s Bimself-Speech in the Dock-Scntence-Cruel Treatment in Prison ! 353 DENIS DOWLING MULCAHY. Sonol a Patriotic Tarmer-Fenian Propagandist-Studies Medicine-H's Fine Api>carnnce-Arrosted-Tnal-Spc.ch in the Dock-Colloquy with the Judi,e- Guilty-Sentcnce-Suflerings in Prison-Writ of Error .... ggg JOHN FLOOD, EDWARD DUFFY, MICHAEL CODY Flood Arrested with McCflerty-Aids to Release Stephens-Position in he Organization. Dnlly Arrested with Stephens-Sick in Prison- L,berated-Re-Arrested and Identified-Trials -Flood, Duffy and Cody found Guilty-Their Speeches in the Dock-Sentences o,^ 1» <»'* I 10 0ONTENT8. GENERAL JOHN O'NEILL. Birth— Local Inspiration at Clontibret— Emigrates to U. S.— At Basiness— Military Loaniny:B— Goes to tlie Mormon War— The Rebellion-Ser- vices In— Promotions— Military Instructor— Lieutenant of the 5th In- diana Cavalry— His Dash— Whips Morgan's Men at Bufflngton Bar— Sick — Pigliting Again— Resigns— Romantic Marriage— A Fenian— The Repre- sentative Man of the Canadian Party— The Invasion of Canada— He Commands the Expedition— Battle of Ridgeway— Conflict at Port Erie —Not Supported— Arrested by U. S. Authorities while lie-crossins 383 DECL.\RATIONS IN THE DOCK. Moore, the Pikomaker -John Haltigan— Bryan Dillon— John Lynch— Jere- miah O' Donovan— Thomas Duggan— Charles Underwood O'Connell— J. B.S.Casey ("TheGaltee Boy ")— Michael O'Regan— John Kinnealy— James O'Connor— C. M. O'Keeffe— Cornel 'us O'Mahony— C. Dwyer Keane— Martin Ilanly Carey- Daniel O'Connell— William Francis Roan- tree— Patrick John neyburnc— James Flood— Hugh Francis Brophy— Patrick Doran— M. A. O'Brennau 39g SWORD AND PEN. Captain J. A. Geary— In the War— Starts a Circle in Lexington— Goes to Ireland— His Wit Saves Him from Arrest in Dublin— Shoots a Head Con- stable who Attempts to Arrest Him in Limerick— Sheltered by the Priests— Arrives in New York -At Ridgeway. Captain Jas . Murphy— In the War- Goes to Ireland-Ar-ested— Released— Re-Arrested— False Imprisonment— Comes Back to America. Arrested. John K. Casey (" Leo")— Arrested— Opinions of his Poetry John Locke (" The Southern Gael")— His Talents and Nationally— Arrested— The "Council of Ten" Arrested— Names of the Members. Arthur Forrester. Gen. Fariola- List of School-Masters Active Fenians 421 DARING ESCAPES. John Kirwan— In Papal Brigade— An Active Fenian Centre— Wounded at Tallaght— Arrested— Placed in the Meath Hospital— His Escape from it. Colonel Leonard Takes Part in the Drogheda Rising— Mysterious Ap- pearance ill a House, and Escape from it— Arrest of Colonel T. J. Kelly and Captain Dacey in Manchester— Remanded— Crowds in Court —Driven oflF in the Prison Van Handcuffed and Guarded by Police— The Police and Mob Defeated— The Van Broken Open and the P-isun- ers Released. Wild Excitement. Captain Dacey. Captain Lawrence O'Brien— Goes to Ireland— Arrested— Committed for Trial— Bold and Mysterious Esf^pe from Clonmel Jail 433 CRUISE OF THE "ERIN'S HOPE," 443 WILLLAM J. NAGLB AND JOHN WARREN. Arrested— Position as American Citizens— What is Citizenship 450 .0 ill THE STRUGGLE FOR IRISH NATIONAUTT. ■*♦►- CHAPTER I. IRISH PEmCIPLES AND ENGLISH INTEEEST. The Stuart Policy to Create an English Interest In Ireland-CompHcatlons S m!, "'"T '''' '"^'^-^'^^ ^^°^' Laws-Protestant Patriotf- ? ooerBa iri"" '"f ^"^^^-^h^^bald Wolfe Tone puts Irish Politics on the Proper Bass-Revolut.on of '82 a Failure-Protestants, Dissenters, Catholics -United Inshnaen-War of '»8-Patriotic Priest-Generals-The "Union "Dr Johnson and Byron on-The Irish Exiles in France-Buonaparte and Tklley rand-Emmet^s Rebellion-Davis on Catholic Emancipation andRepealL OConnell and Grattan -Young Ireland-Davis-Irish Confederation-The Famine and Coercion-Mitchell and the Rising of '48. " Eighty-two" and " Ninety-Eiglit » stand out prom- inently in Irish history. The last quarter of the eighteenth century is a monumental era— recording the achievement of the legislative independence, the horrors of the civil war, and the extinction of the Irish Parliament. Few, save students of history, look beyond these great events; but, through the two cen- turies previous, there was enacted a wild and fero- cious, a romantic and remorseless history in the de- 12 PENIAN HER0E9 AKD MAHTTES. 'if : voted island. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries are deeply, horribly saturated in Irish blood. But the conflicts cannot reasonably be accounted national, al- though they were at times characterized by patriotic motives and elements. They were the natural re- sults of the extermination of the native Irish, and the planting of their inheritances by the adherents of James the First and his successors— those Stuarts, whose primal idea was to create and sustain "an English interest in Ireland." This was the touch- stone of the Stuart policy, which was to be furthered and fostered, at all hazards, by every intrigue, and the sacriiice of every vow and tie, religious, legal and polit- ical. The wars which grew out of these land questions, together with the risings and revolts of a more avowed patriotic character, became as frequent, as complicated, as inveterate, as treacherous and bloody as a number of rival parties, all hating each other, and each ready to join the English to weaken the others, could make them. Thus the English Protest- ants and English Catholics in Ireland alternately feared and hated the English ascendancy, according as it was manifested by a Cromwell or a William of Orano-e in opposition to the Catholics, or by a Charles the Se- cond or a James the Second in supposed oiDposition to the Protestants, but who were actually intriguing to f I MM) HISTORICAL INTEODtJCTIOir. 13 as conciliate them. While the English Protestants and Catholics were thus afraid and watchful of each other on religious grounds, as the Government pa- tronized or persecuted them respectively, they had, at the same time,, an identity of interest in hating, watching, and uniting against the natives. On the other hand, the memory and result of con- fiscations and pillage had overcome, if they had not totally swept away, all the tolerant amenities which a common religion might be supposed to protect. The Irish Catholic hated the English Catholic as much as the English Protestant feared both. Tlie old Irish were jealous of, and would not coalesce with, the Irish of English descent; while distrust on every Bide created and excused unnatural apathy, where it did not inspire ignoble treachery. But for these feuds and follies Cromwell could not have struck terror throughout the island, sacrificing not only the Irish, but the Catholics of English extraction, who were not less antagonistic to the older natives than himself. As Cromwell beat the Stuarts in the field, so did he outshine them in the magnitude of his confisca- tions. He signalized it by blood and tears in the four provinces. He extended tlie Plantation of Ul- ster, divided Leinster and Munster among his soldiers and money-lenders, and sent those he had not time to massacre to " Hell or Connaught." n 14 FENIAN IIEK0E8 AND MAETYE8. Oliver's death and tlio Restoration of tlie Monar- chy and the Stuarts, brouglit some uneasiness to tlie Puritan settlers. Tlie Loyalists who had lost their properties supporting the Stuart cause in Ireland, claimed the restitution of their estates. This would have been just, but it would also have interfered with the establishment of an "English interest in Ireland," by giving power and influence into the hands of Irish Chieftains. These land claims were subjected to te- dious routine, forms, equivocation, and fi'nally an Act of Settlement, which, passed by a Parliament from which Catholics were excluded, naturally ignored all interests save those of Protestants. Thus the unfortunate and beggared Catholic cava- hers who had supported Charles the First, were denied recognition or restitution when his dynasty was restor- ed. The successful enemies of Charles beggared the Irish Catholics for supporting him. The successful friends of Charles kept them in beggary. A compli- cation of circumstances still controlled the destinies of these insulted people to the Stuart interest; and they had the further ill-fate of shedding more blood, and freely spilling their own for that ungrateful race in tho succeeding reign. Their wrongs and their errors forc- ed them to join with James the Second, because the Cromwellians (as the settlers under « the Protector" and their descendants were called) and Protestants HISTORICAL INTRODUOTION, 15 espoused the cause of William, to save their holdings in Ireland, already put in jeopardy by tlie repeal of the Act of Settlement, under which they liad revelled in the forfeited estates of the Irish victims of the four previous reigns. The exigencies of the English planter «ird Cromwellian land-owner gave hope to the ejected Irish Catholic, and he attached himself to the fortunes, or rather, as it proved, misfortunes of James, not through any great faith in him, or love for him ; but simply because it was the only opportunity of striking a blow at the English interest, as represented by the adheients of William of Orange— that very English interest which it was the subtle purpose of J ames him- self to perpetuate. Through a consciouRuess of the double part he was playing, James, while he threw himself on the faith of the Irish, was so distrustful of them, coupled with the desire to conciliate some of the Protestant leaders, that he disbanded several Irish re- giments soon after his arrival. He was a mean and irresolute leader, seeking to achieve by a self-delusive vacillation, which he thought diplomacy, the power he should have grasped by an assured victory. No better indication of his character is needed than that ' given by Sarsfield on the retreat from the Boyne, when James's distrust of his adherents breaking forth, the Irish officer exclaimed : " Exchange but kings, and we fight the battle over again." iQ f» FENIAN HEROEa AKD MAKTYRS. Tho precipice upon wliicli tlio Englisli interest in Ire- l^md stood during tlio Willianiite war, and until the IrcHtj of Lmiorick, warned it against being found in such a dangerous position in any futnre Jn.ergencv. To prevent tlio possibility of a recurrence, tho PenLl laws were established-a code whieli, as a deep stu- dent and shrewd political pliilosoplier of Irisli birth wlio devoted In's life and intellect to tho glory of Encr! land, Edmund Burke, said, "was a machine of wi"o and elaborate contrivance, as well fitted for tho oppres- sion, impoverishment and degradation of a people, and the debasement in them of human nature itself as ever proceeded Irom tho perverted ingenuity of man » This terrible legal extermination of tho Irish emanated less from intolerance than inhumanity, for the con- trivers were too crafty to be fanatics, and only heart- less and remorseless enough to be despots, in tho widest and meanest acceptation of tho term. Intended to send all Catholics to tho grave, the Penal Code took hold of them in tho cradle. The children of Catholics could not bo educated in Ireland save by Protestant teachers, and could not be sent out of Ireland without being guilty of a Penal offence. Catholic children were to be educated in the English interest or not at all ;-their brains were to be kindled by the light of Protestant wisdom, or left in total darkness. Mi ffiSTOBIOAL INTBODtJCTIOir. 17 E,^ery profession, save that of medicine, was forbid- den to tl>o CatLolie. Even tI,o,,,h eduea.ed I 'a Protestant, the CntLolie student or scholar eonld not Boelc the reward of cultivation in any save one of tho .era, pro essions-nnless he disclaimed his fatheJ iehg,on and claimed his father's property In the trade and commerce of all corporate towns, Cathohes were held as pirates and outlaws; bein: ^•■d y excluded from joining or participating ^.erein! In these towns, a Catholic could not sell anything save iiimsclf. -^ ^ land f„ a longer tenure than thirty-one years. Ko Catholic could inherit the lands of a Pretestant lelattve, or own a horse of greater value than five pounds. If be was possessed of a valuable animaT any I^-otestant jockey or gentleman, or both in T ' cojd fancy .t and take it by paying five pounds. ' ^ A Cathol^ elnld, becoming a Protestant, could sue ns parents for maintenance, the amount to be decided hy tho Court of Chancery. An eldest son oecoming a Protestant made hi, f ' ' " '" '■*■"' "^''"'°" '•" f- I^-S -cured to «.e convert, with a proviso limiting the portion of all the rest of the family to one-third Pnests were hunted like w^olves, and a reward and .pond g.ve„ to any who would become a lamb wiZu the Cromweman fold. !l I- iihi 18 FENUN HEROES AND MAKTYE8. Davis has well epitomized these Penal Laws in verse : «♦ They bribed the flock, they bribed the son, To sell the priest and rob the sire ; Their dogs were taught alilce to run Upon the scent of wolf and friar. Among the poor Or on the moor, Were hid the pious and the true — While traitor knave, And recreant slave, Had riches, rank, and retinue." The history of Ireland, during the Penal Days, is dark and gloomy enough. Occasionally we find great utterances from noble Protestant men in behalf of the general rights of the kingdom ; such as Molyneux' Case of Ireland, Swift's Drapier Letters, and Dr. Charles Lucas's persistent protestations against the encroach- ments on the Constitution. Molyneux' brave little book was burned by the common hangman ; a reward was offered for the discovery of the Drapier, and his printer arrested ; and Lucas had to exile himself into England, to escape the laws enacted by and for the English interest in Ireland. A still stranger commen- tary on the laws of those days is afforded by the fact that the principles for which Lucas had to fly from Ire- land were extolled in England, and drew from such a cast-iron Tory as Samuel Johnson, the strongest en- comiums. Indeed, Johnson's allusions to Lucas are HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION. 19 aws in Oays, is id great if of the ix' Case Charles icroach- e little , reward and his ;elf into for the ommen- the fact 'roin Ire- 1 such a gest en- Licas are quoted to show that the former was greatly mi.srepre- sented by those who regarded him as " ahjectly eub- missive to power." " Let the man," says Johnson, " thus di-iven into exile, for having been the friend of his country, be received in every other place as the confessor of liberty ; and let the tools of power be taught in time, that they may rob, but cannot impov- erish." Though having a patriotic purpose none of the en- deavors of those able men might be accounted na- tional in the correct sense of that idea. Molyneux' was perhaps the most so, though Swift's subtle, blunt, and polished philippics against the introduction of Wood's half-pence, created the most universal excite- ment, and succeeded in accomplishing the object sought. The labors of those trusty men are famous because they were famous in their day. They were ahead of their surroundings in vigor of conception and boldness of expression, and deserve all pi-aise. It re- mained, however, for Theobald Wolfe Tone to give a positive character to the Irish mind in politics. Other and able men looked to concessions. lie alone re- garded Eights. They were hampered by illustrating ideas which in various forms already existed. Basing his views solely on the Eights of Ireland, and not contemplating the welfare of England, with which he deemed he had no 20 yjSNIAN HEROES AND MARTTRfl. concern, Tone brcatlicd a new lifo into and unveiled a vast and fresh purpose to tliose wlio desired tl.e bene- lit of the Irisli people in Ireland. Otliei^ Imd fonoht parties, and for sueeesses wliieh left large portionrof the people in as dark despondency and degi-adation as before. Tone labored to unite all, and as he said, to Bubstitute the common name of Irishman in place of the distmetions which had been used to keep them asunder. He withstood the temptations of mere poli- tics as a means of personal advancement, and discarded the overtures made to him by leading parliamentarians of the day. The ground upon which they stood was confined, the prospect presented was narrow, because the purposes contemplated wore selfish and purely self- reflective. When Tone suiweyed the state of Ireland he saw her mferior to no country in Europe in the gifts of na- ture; blest with a temperate sky and a fruitful soil- intersected by many great rivers; indented round her whole coast with the noblest harbors; abounding with all the materials for unlimited commerce; teemin<. ^ith inexhaustible mines of the most useful metals'^ filled by four millions of an ingenious and gallant peo' ple-with bold hearts and ardent spirits; posted i.oht m the track between Europe and America, within iiity \ miles of England and three hundred of France; yet with all these great advantages « unheard of and un- . mSTORICAL INTRODtrCTIOIT. 21 known, without prido or power, or name; without ftuihiissadori^, nniiy or navy; not of hiilf tho conse- qnoneo in the empire, of" whieh she has tho honor to make a })art, witli the 8ine .ith aggravation, Lou/thelnd JT^r -en ; ,et this we boast of, and eSl a ^^^^^"^ xib^ocracj and lifted no weio-ht fmm +i tlie DeoTilp T] . . '^^^to^t irom the necks of -o3;j;:s:::;-*;-^oatoias3. will Bliow to anv „« ^- , ■ "^ '^"^''e <^i"ded . WsdednJoTs. "'''"'"'' "^^'^'^-'•W of J in easy enjoyment of tlie einireh tl,B I. .-l revenue, the ai-rny, the navv tl,„ ^' *^^ Porations, and all n t f T^' '"■■'S'^"-'"=y. A'c cor- ' "^ "" institutions receivin» or »vwj- =di:onitrr;"'--=^^-^^^^^^^^^ aloneheheldllrrint:-^^^^^^^^ est in Ireland; and England mX k t "'"'■ -e-es, augmented their" ZL 1 et tT ' ' ' "'*■ perpetual trepidation, gave tliem '" ' ''"''' "' , gave tJiem her protection, and :(!' 5t tin's our nemies of Wlio was ks of the 'd in the our ruin, distress- le hands ' receive oflrish- on !" lands of lects of classes livided bi'ce of HISTORICAL INTEODtTCTIOIT. 23 took in exchange the commerce and the liberties of Ireland. The events of the American Kevolution em- boldened the Catholics and Presbyterians, and forced the Protestants into some slightly beneficial measures of redress, but they remained attached to their pro- tectors, a party property, an aristocracy. The Dissenters — double in numbers to the Protest- ants — were chiefly manufacturers and traders, and did not believe their existence depended on the immuta- bility of their slavishness to England. " Strong in their numbers and their courage, they felt that they were able to defend themselves, and they soon ceased to consider themselves as any other than Irishmen." They formed the flower of the Volunteer Army of '82, and were the first to demand Eeform. The Catholics were numerically the most formi- dable, embracing as they did, the peasantry of three provinces, and a considerable portion of the business class. The exactions of the Penal Laws had left them but a small proportion of the landed interest. " There was no injustice, no disgrace, no disqualification, moral, political or religious, civil or military, that was not heaped upon them." Under such a system, it is no wonder that the peasantry were both morally and phy- sically degraded, and the spirit of the few remaining gentry broken. Tone aspired to infuse into the Catholics a spirit II !!f' 'It , i 2* •■WlAlf BEEOES Am v,,^ »f C'^il and religions liberty T, J-^fee of their po,;ti„„ ^,,^- .^"= overwhelming in- -"- of right as a »an as^lf '"""""^ '» ^- ffl^ desire was to unite , " "' ^"'^''-'^orn man «'- P-ont to the" 'r " "" °--'-. -d »d the eviis of En! • f f''^^-"'"-'? «>e go.ern;ent « ''ght. His objects and T ""■'""" '" ^««™ cKeated. " To s4.ert IT"^ ""^ «"'^ '"--^1/ in- «ovo™„,ent, to break the nf"""^ "^ °" ^'^ocrable «- '--e.-fe".-ng sour e of !,?""'"" "''"' ^"-^'^d, *« --rt the ind;pend elfl""' ^"""''=^' ^'^ "nd 7 objects. To unite the l7 """""^-Aese were «'^o'-h the memory of a " * ''"'^'' °' ^'■^'^"''. *» f ""e the common nam rif"™"'' »"^ '» -"> <3«"ominations of Rotes al P t"'"' '" ^'^^^ «f 'he -these were m^,«oans"' '''"'''= ^"^-^ ^--nter «o5;srSe:s:r^^^^^ ;.'>oM and n,ight, step ^^^J^ ^ ^-'"^^d. It was d.sentangIepobtie3fi.„^X '™ "^tionah'ty to P'an surn,o„nted the ^e£r;i'"" ''^^^- ^o-'s -»de,he island for cen : " i^™'"- -^ch i,ad -o-eless depredation on the o T'* '' " ^""^ '" ^- '•^t"''"t.-on on tl,e othe, t°"^^^"<^. -"d as savage ^eended from such reeH;,i 7"""' *" ^'«»ents dl -'•""--"tofthe:rtt:::rr^^^^^^^^^ ^ ^^la Wood-anoint- inSTOEICAL WTlJODCCnoN. 25 ed passions, into a passion for an ennobling common oVct-to bind them as elose in ii-iendship as tbey had been knit in fight, was an original, daring, and judged by the obstacles to be overcome, almost sub- lime scheme. Tone founded the first Society of United Irishmen on urn, October, 1T91. On the l.th Octob:; 1798 the sevent', anniversary of the foundation of practical patriotism in Ireland, he was captured on board the Mc^ 74 guns, the admiral's ship of a portion of the third expedition he had projected in Iranceand Hamburg, for the aid of Ireland. Between those dates a wonderfully inspiring history was enact- ed m Ireland. United Irishism spread into all ranks inflammg alike Catholic peasants and Protestant peera with a divine fervor, and bringing round the common altar of then- country noble clergymen of every d^ nommation. The Eev. WiUiam Jackson, a Protestant clergyman, undertook to sound the Irish in 1796 on the sulycct of an alliance with France, was betraVed by an English attorney, and died in the dock. Messrs Warwick, Stevelly, and William Porter, Presbyterian clergymen, were hanged. Eev. William Steele Dick- son, ot the same denomination, who had been the early a^iseiter of Ireland's independence and advocate of his Uithohc fellow-comitrymen, was, for nearly two years Adjutant-General of the United Irish of Ulster " Bet' 2e FENIAlf niiBiOm A5fl> MAfiTYBS. ter die courageously in the Held than be butchered in the houses," said Father John Murphy, putting him- Belf at the head of his flock, after the yeoman had burned his chapel over his head, in May '98. The royalists did not know the flame they were kindling, when they set fire to the little chapel of Boolavogue. " We must conquer or perish" cried this priest-leader to his pikemen, at Oulart Hill, and they conquered. This reverend General Murphy was heard fvom at the battle of Enniscorthy, at Yinegar Hill, and other tough conflicts : as also were Father Philij> Roche, who commanded at the bloody fight at Tubberneering, where Col. Walpole fell, and was subsequently elected generalissimo of the Wexford troops ; and the soldier- priests, Moses Kearns and Nicholas Redmond, who drove Col. L'Estrange and his dragoons into Newtown- barry, and even had the audacity to engage and rout the garrison of over five hundred troops. Kearns sub- sequently made a desperate defence of Enniscorthy against General Johnston, and carried a serious wound from the fight, which led to his capture. Father Clinch, with those named, was one of the leaders of the patriots on the great but disastrous day of Yine- gar Hill. Another prominent and brave priest-leader was Father Michael Murphy. The history of the pa- triot priests of '98 affords a thrilling chapter, which should be separately set forth for the sake of the noble HISTORICAL mTRODtTCTlOJT. 27 example furnislied by their devotion and sacrifices. Aroused by inlmman barbarity and oppression, they made common cause with their persecuted flocks. They showed them how to fight on the field ; and how to die, if need be, on the scaffold, as did Roche, John Murphy, Kearns, Redmond, Prendergast, Quig- ley, and others. Father Michael Murphy was vouch- safed the nobler death on the field, being torn to pieces by a cannon-ball while leading on a division of pike- men at the battle of Arklow. The war for national independence, projected by the United Irishmen, was forced into a premature explosion by the government. On the 30th March, 1798, Lord Camden, the viceroy, proclaimed all Ire- land imder Martial Law. The proclamation was a brutal incentive to riot. Armed with it the military and " authorities" went about the country exasper- ating suspected localities, creating feuds for the sake of punishing individuals, and involving individuals that whole districts might be plundered. What was true of one locality was but too true of all. " The in- human tortures instituted by the yeomen, the barbari- ties inflicted without regard to age or sex, the scourg- ings, pitch-caps, house-bi'.-nings, and murders, then drew a distinct and bloody line between those wlio acted for, and under the j^rotection of, the government and the people. 'No man was safe, no woman invio- I / 28 PENIAK HEROES AND MAfiTYRS. ^ Je pnvate pique found vent in pnblie vengeance; and the mag.stracy felling into the hands of Orange iact,o.«s, was at once witness, judge, jury and execu- While the people on the one hand were goaded into u bea..able agony, the leaders of the people on the other hand were sei.ed, hanged, banished, put out of he way w,th indiscriminate fury. The betrayal of the plans and several prominent leaders by the infa- mous Tho,a,. Reynolds, the Arnold of Ireland, on the ' «1 tl'e rising, with the distraction which followed the Lght wh,ch documentary history has thiwn on Wie period, the chances of success of the United Irish men loom into very gi-eat proportions, while the des- tmies of England seem to have been heid by a very slender thread Madden is right when he says of the United Irish Society, that « whether viewed in its re- . suits, the character of its members, or the nature of its proceedings, it may certainly be regarded as a confed- eracy which no political or revolutionary society tint has gone before it has surpassed in importancefb 'l ' •ess of design, and devotion to its principles." On be ot ler hand, England's incontrovertible danger may be judged from the fact that had either one of Tonel r H HISTORICAL mTKODrCTTON-. ^Q expeditions been favored with a fair wind to carry it to Its destination, England could not have held Ireland, and half of her prestige would have been gone It is not disputed that England was saved by the elements that scattered Tone's expeditions. The active civil war lasted less than five months, that is from the ris- mg of the people, 20th May, to the capture of Tone . but Its extent, and the vigor with which it was sus' tamed may be comprehended from its cost to the peo- pie and the government. The English employed 137,000 men to suppress the « insurrection." Its cost m money is variously estimated at thirty millions and hfty miUions pounds sterling. The English lost twen- ty thousand men ; the Irish fifty thousand. The royal- ists received one and a half millions sterling for dam- ages to property. No estimate can be made of the damage perpetrated on the property of the people It may be indicated by the fact that the Catholic churches burned, of which any account was kept amounted to sixty-nine. This, as Madden says, " may afford some criterion by which we can judge of the number and extent" of other outrages on property be- longing to persons of that communion. The "Union" followed the "rebellion," and in the reckless corruption and infamy by which it was carried was a fitting sequel to the murderous barbarity by which the latter was precipitated and concluded. KJ O" WOTAN HEROM ANT, MARTYM. T«-cntv.-„no year, l,..fi,r„ «,« TI„i„n was cffoctcd Oiiinilcl .lolms.iir well (•hai-u-t,.,-!;,.,] tl • , Joul,l a„,l ,1,.| govern KngUud i„ «,c.l'o act„al J I icay ot either of tlioso personaLW but fi.lt tl . and that Buonaparte did not. The oS o h t^ ' was to aggrandize France and to d T and so far a. ./,„, obiee ^l to 'T^' ^"'''"'^' effort in Ireland that lUt' T' ""^" *« ^"^ pose." Tims the nnl v ''""^ *° ^'' P"--- -esofp;::r"r~:r;r'"^^^^^^^ England, nnder favor of Z ""' """^ Amiens, dated March BM m^T''^ !'"''' "' »ae, indulged in b, the staC 7 'rr '''"^ —the virulent flhn.« ^ t> ^ *^^ powers ^'^Hiourn^Cairun^^^^^^^^^^^^ tHe French Minister at ^rnltS;: ^o^' pnnces and the French emigrants in En° , ', °"^''°° protestations against those ^'ool^s'Tv '" -becoming publications" upon The F T "' -..convinced the hopeful af^lXl^lt; il niSTORTCAT. INTRODUCTION. 88 that war was inevitable. The fire of '98 was still snioul(leriii^^^^^^ fron, Lis conneetions ent, ■"■ "'^ "™'"""'- ""d E»n,et ^ee..erL:;:;:::;::i---'^. ^->^n tHej>ette..„,J;S;;.:-;- euch a man " nn^ „ i i , , -^ ^' ^^ esteem of at Fo« Ge;.rj : :'',''^7'