Counsellor Theobald Wolf Tone—His resemblance to Mr. Croker—He is
ordered to be hanged by a military court—General Craig attached in the
court of Common Pleas—Tone’s attempt at suicide—Cruel suggestion
respecting him.
Theobald Wolf Tone was one of the most remarkable of the persons who
lost their lives in consequence of that wild democratic mania, which, at
the period treated of in the former sketch, had seized upon the reason
of so many otherwise sensible individuals. His catastrophe cannot fail
to be interesting:—it affected me much.
This gentleman’s enthusiastic mind was eternally surrounded by the mist
of visionary speculation: it was a fine sailer, but wanted ballast. He
had distinguished himself somewhat in the University as a desultory
declaimer; but, in my judgment, that was the full extent of his
oratorical powers. He was neither high-born nor wealthy:—in fact, I fear
even a certain competency was not at his command; and hence his spirit,
naturally restless, was additionally goaded and inflamed. He had no
steady pursuit; nor was his nature adapted to mental labour:—of
_personal_ activity he had abundance; but was deficient in judgment, and
absolutely destitute of cool common sense.
Yet Wolf Tone possessed considerable talent, together with great
personal firmness and intrepidity; but he knew not the time, place, or
manner of turning these gifts to his advantage. His best qualities were
squandered—his worst exposed; and there was a total absence of that
consolidating power which draws such abilities to a focus.
It is a curious circumstance that Mr. Tone, a decided revolutionist,
married (improvidently enough) one sister, whilst Mr. Thomas Reynolds,
who betrayed the revolutionary friends of Tone and of himself, espoused
another.
Tone was called to the Irish bar; but had been previously over-rated by
the Historical Society, and did not succeed. I thought it a pity (as he
was really a very good-hearted person) that he should not be fairly
tried, and, if possible, pushed forward; and being myself high on the
circuit, I took him round in my carriage three circuits, and thought
well of him; but he was too light and visionary; and as for law, I found
that species of science quite uncongenial to him. His person was
unfavourable, and not gentlemanly; and he had not been much in
society:—his countenance was thin and sallow; and he had in his speech a
harsh guttural pronunciation of the letter _R_. Mr. Croker, of the
Admiralty, resembles him in personal appearance greatly, but is much
Tone’s inferior in elocution. Had Tone had the _hundredth_ part of Mr.
Croker’s _tact_ and _skill_ in working upward, he might this day have
been living and happy.
It is my belief that Tone _could_ not have succeeded in any steady civil
profession. He was not worldly enough, nor had he sufficient
collectedness for his guidance. His biography has been repeatedly
published, and I only intend here to allude to the extraordinary
circumstances of his death;—an event upon which I confess I had many
painful feelings, and not the less so from its being connected with my
own judicial functions.
He had been taken in arms by Sir John Borlase Warren, at sea, in a
French frigate, proceeding to land troops in Ireland. He wore the
uniform of a French officer; but being recognised, brought prisoner to
Dublin, and delivered over for trial to the provost-marshal and military
authorities, he was of course condemned to be hanged. I did not see him
under these distressing circumstances, nor in truth was it my wish to do
so; for although there existed between us no actual friendship, still I
had a strong feeling for a gentleman with whom I had been so well
acquainted.
It occurred to his counsel that the jurisdiction of martial law could
not extend to him, as it only operated on land, and he had been taken at
sea. An application was therefore made to the Common Pleas to have him
brought up by habeas corpus, in order (the point being ascertained) to
be regularly tried before the competent tribunal—the Court of Admiralty.
The habeas corpus being granted, was served on General Craig, who then
commanded in Dublin; but who, considering (as all the generals then did)
that the municipal judges were no more than corporals or quarter-masters
with respect to his Majesty’s forces, refused to obey it, and was
attacked for his disobedience; an order was immediately made for the
general, the provost-marshal, brigade-major, and some others, to be
taken into custody by the officers of the court of Common Pleas
forthwith.
To me (as judge of the Admiralty) this appeal was most distressing. Had
Tone the least chance of escape in any court, or upon any trial, it
might have been otherwise; but he could not be defended; and to have him
brought before me only to witness his conviction, and to pronounce his
sentence, shocked me extremely. His friends thought this course might
prolong his fate a considerable time, and it was supposed that something
might intermediately occur calculated to effect a commutation of the
capital punishment. I knew better! I was convinced that his execution
was determined on: it was unavoidable, and I felt _great_ uneasiness.
The court having, as I have said, ordered General Craig and Major Sandys
(provost-marshal) to be arrested for disobedience, both these gentlemen,
after some hesitation, submitted to the arrest, and the _pursuivant_ was
then directed to bring up the body of Theobald Wolf Tone, on the writ of
habeas corpus.—The judges sat patiently awaiting the officer’s return;
and the decision being of great importance, the court was crowded to
suffocation.
A considerable time elapsed, and still the _pursuivant_ returned not. At
length he appeared, with horror in his looks, and scarcely able to
speak. He informed the court that Mr. Tone, feeling certain of execution
by order of the military, and being ignorant of the motion which his
friends thought might give him some chance for his life, had cut his
throat from ear to ear, and, he believed, was dying! A surgeon now
attended, who reported that the prisoner had certainly cut his throat,
but that recovery was possible: the incision was long and deep, but had
missed the artery, and he still lived. Of course the trial was
postponed; every friend he had (and I think he had many amongst the bar)
rejoicing that poor Tone had escaped a public execution. He lingered
awhile:—and will it be believed, that when the wound had been connected,
and whilst life still seemed to be precarious, owing to the extreme
inflammation,—I say, will it be believed that there existed cruelty
sufficient in the breast of any human creature to advise his
execution—though it would have been impossible to put the sentence in
force without inserting the rope within the wound, and nearly tearing
away the unfortunate gentleman’s head from his body?—Yet such advice was
positively given, for “the sake of example;”—and rejected, I am happy to
say, with horror! I will spare the man who gave it the ignominy which
would thence attach to his name were it mentioned.