Cleveland Row, May 25th, 1798.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,
Accounts of a very satisfactory nature have been received here this
morning from Dublin. They were upon the very brink of an
insurrection, which was to have taken place on the 22nd. They had
intelligence of it, and by the arrest of Lord Edward Fitzgerald and
the two Sheares's, who were at the head of the plot, they have not
only disconcerted this plan, but have procured indisputable
evidence for proceeding against these traitors, and have now, I
trust, the certainty of convicting them. A special Commission is
preparing for the purpose of bringing them to trial as speedily as
possible, but it will require about a month before all the forms
can be got through. We are sending back O'Connor to them, and it is
probable that his trial may be included in the same Commission.
They write on the 21st, in the best possible spirits, from the
Castle. The attack was intended against Chapelizod, the magazine in
the Phoenix, and the Castle, at the same time; and in order to
increase the confusion, the houses of some of the leading people
were also to have been attacked, and the individuals, at the head
of whom of course was the Chancellor, were to be put to death. The
camp near Dublin was also to be assaulted.
In the desk of one of the Sheares's was found the proclamation
ready drawn, which was to be issued for the establishment of the
Republican Government.
A letter was written on the 21st, to the Lord Mayor of Dublin, by
Lord Castlereagh, to acquaint him with this design, and to order
him to make search for arms, &c., and a message was to be sent to
Parliament the 21st or 22nd. They are not quite sure that the idea
of the insurrection was abandoned, even after this blow-up; but
they were so completely on their guard, that there was nothing to
be apprehended.
You will have seen that Lord E. F. made a desperate resistance when
he was taken. It is, however, supposed that Ryan will recover,
though stabbed in the belly. They had already taken about two
thousand pikes in Dublin alone, and great numbers in the adjacent
counties. On the whole, I trust that with vigorous measures, such
as every one will feel this crisis requires, the seeds of the
rebellion will be crushed.
I think there are full grounds to proceed against Lord Thanet and
Co. for a conspiracy to rescue, as well as for the riot. O'Connor's
acquittal is imputed to Miller's charge, and _that_ to his being
completely exhausted, so as to omit some of the most material
points in the evidence.
Ever most affectionately yours,
G.