hall.

Gloucestershire, John Elwas, of Colesbourne.

Hertfordshire, Archibald Paxton, of Watford, esqrs. Herefordshire, Sir Henry Tempest, of Caldwell, bart.

Kent, Samuel Chambers, of Woodstock-house.

Leicestershire, Henry Greene, of Rollestone.

Lincolnshire, Henry Hopkinson, of Castle-Bytham.

Monmouthshire, Caple Leigh, of Pontypool, esqrs.

Northumberland, sir John Edw. Swieburne, of Capheaton, bart. Northamptonshire, Martin Lucas, of Northampton. Norfolk, John Motteux, of Beauchamp Wells. Nottinghamshire, Samuel Bristowe, of Beesthope. Oxfordshire, George Stratton, of Great Tew.

Rutlandshire, Samuel Raeve, of

Ketton.

Shropshire, Thomas Dicken, of Wem.

Somersetshire, James Bennet, of North-Cadbury. Staffordshire, Joseph Scott, of Great Bar.

Suffolk, George Rush, of Benhall.

County of Southampton, John Norris, of Hawley. Surrey, Robert Hankey, of Putney.

Sussex, Charles Pigou, of Frant. Warwickshire, Francis Fauquier, of Stoney Thorpe.

Worcestershire, Edward Dixon, of Dudley.

Wiltshire, Edward Hinxman, of Great Durnford, esqrs. Yorkshire, Sir Rowland Winn, of Nostell, bart.

SOUTH WALES.

Carmarthen, Richard Mansel Philips, of Coedgain. ⚫ Pembroke, Gwynne Vaughan, of Jordanston.

Cardigan, Pryse Loveden, of Gogerthan.

Glamorgan, John Goodrich, of Energlyn.

Brecon, Edward Loveden Loveden, of Llangorse.

Radnor, John Boddenham, of Discoed, esqrs.

NORTH WALES.

Caernarvon, Evan Lloyd, of Porth yr Aur.

Anglesea, Hugh Wynne, of Beaumaris, esqrs.

Merioneth, sir Thomas Mostyn, of Corsygedol, bart.

Montgomery, John Palmer Chichester, of Gyngrogfawr.

Denbighshire, John Wilkinson, of Brymbo-hall.

Flint, Thomas Mostyn Edwards, of Kilken Hall, esqrs.

SHERIFF appointed by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in Council, for the Year 1799.

Cornwall, Edmond John Glynn, of Glynn, esq.

Report of the Committee of Secresy to whom the several Papers, which were presented (sealed up) to the House, by Mr. Secretary Dundas, upon the 23d day of January 1799, by his Majesty's command, were referred; and who were directed to examine the matters thereof, and report the same as they shall appear to them to the House.

and Copenhagen House, the state trials, attack on the king's person, treason and sedition bills, &c. &c. It then comes to the naval mutiny, and states as follows:

During the remainder of the year 1796, the system continued to operate silently and secretly; but, in the beginning of the following year, its contagious influence was

that have satisfied themselves a design has long been entertained, by societies animated by French principles, to overthrow the constitution, and separate Ireland from Great Britain. The utmost diligence, it is said, is still employed to sustain and revive these societies. Secresy, with respect to the sources of many parts of the information is indispensable to good faith and public safety. The committee applaud the activity of government informers, and add, they may be the more depended on now, as what intelligence they formerly gave has been confirmed. The report then takes a view of the nature and system of the society of the United Irishmen, from their institution in 1791, and traces the origin and progress of the similar societies in Great Britain, their correspondence with France, the Scotch convention, the meetings at Chalk Farm

where it was the least to be suspected, and produced effects which suddenly threatened the dearest interests and immediate safety of the country with the most imminent danger.

The mutiny which took place in the fleet, if considered in all its circumstances, will be traced to an intimate connection with the principles and practices described by your committee, and furnishes the most alarmiag proof of the efficacy of those plans of secrecy and concert, so often referred to, and of the facility with which they are applied for inflaming and heightening discontent (from whatever cause it proceeds,) and for converting what might otherwise produce only a hasty and inconsiderate breach of subordination and discipline, into the most settled and systematic treason and rebellion. These principles and this concert could alone have produced the wide extent of

the

there had been a meeting of all the delegates in England and Scotland held in London; but that their resolutions could not be obtained till the next provincial meeting to be held on the 25th of March.

The address which the delegates of United Britons were so stated, at the provincial meeting of the 1st of February 1798, to have brought with them to the Irish National Committee, your committee have inserted in the Appendix. About the same time a most seditious paper, sent from the London Corresponding Society to the Society of United Irishmen, signed J. T. Crossfield, president, Thos. Evans, secretary, dated 30th January 1798, (also inserted in the Appendix), was published in Ireland, in a paper called "The Press," and the original seized in March 1798, in consequence of the apprehension of Arthur O'Connor in England.

The priest O'Coigly, referred to in these transactions, and who has since been convicted and executed at Maidstone, was a native of Ireland, and went from that country to Cuxhaven in 1797 with another Irishman who was obliged to fly from Ireland, and passed into Holland at the time when the Dutch fleet under Admiral de Winter was about to sail, with a large body of troops, on an expedition destined against Ireland. When that fleet had sailed without the troops, O'Coigly and his companion went to Paris, where finding themselves thwarted by the jealousy of the resident envoy from the Irish union, O'Coigly returned to England about the middle of December 1797, and went to Ireland in January 1798.

Whilst in Ireland, he appears to have had interviews and correspondence with lord Edward Fitzgerald,

and others of the Irish conspirators; and he returned to England about the middle of February 1798.

Intelligence was conveyed to government of this man's designs, and particularly of his intention to pass into France, for the purpo.es which afterwards appeared to be the object of his mission: he was therefore narrowly watched, and on the 28th of February 1798, he was, together with Arthur O'Con nor, John Binns, Allen, and Leary, taken into custody at Margate, in the attempt to obtain a passage to France. The particular circumstances attending these attempts are detailed in the evidence on his trial. One of the papers seized by the officers who apprehended him was an address from "the Secret Committee of England to the Executive Directory of France," set forth in the Appendix; clearly demonstrating the traitorous views of those who formed the address, and were instrumental in the attempt to transmit it to France.

It appears also to your com mittee, both from previous and subsequent information, that Arthur O'Connor, who had been, to the moment of leaving Ireland, one of the members of the Irish Directory, was not only going to France, in the confidence that, when there, he should be considered and received as an accredited agent, but was confidentially employed by the remaining members of that Directory, who were at that time dissatisfied with the conduct of Lewins. Further intercourse between the United Irishmen, the French Government, and the British Societies; formation of new Societies, and their proceedings.

At the meetings of the London Corresponding Society, for above

two

two years before this time, it had been avowed that the object of the society was to form a republic, by the assistance of France.-Reform in parliament, or even annual elections, or universal suffrage, were therefore no longer mentioned, Your committee have abundant reason to believe, from the information laid before them, that a person of the name of Ashley (one of the persons arrested in 1794) and who had, for a long time, been secretary to this society, was now acting as their agent at Paris, and had recently given them hopes of the succour of a French army. Meetings were held to contrive the means of procuring arms, to enable them to co-operate with a French force, incase of an invasion. The leading members of the disaffected societies were also in the habit of frequenting an occasional meeting, which was held at a cellar in Furnival's Inn, and was first formed for the purpose of reading the libellous and treasonable publication called The Press. This place gradually became the resort of all those who were engaged the most deeply in the conspiracy. It was particularly attended by Arthur O'Connor and O'Coigly, previous to their attempt to go over to France, and by the persons chiefly instrumental in carrying on correspondence with the Irish conspirators; and secret consultations were repearedly held there, with a view to projects which were thought too dangerous and desperate to be brought forward in any of the larger societies. Among these plans was that of effecting a general insurrection, at the same moment in the metropolis, and throughout the country, and of direeting it to the object of seizing or assassinating the king, the royal

family, and many of the members of both houses of parliament. An officer of some experience in his majesty's service, was selected as their military leader; and sanguine hopes were entertained that they could command a sufficient force to effect their desperate purpose, in the first instance, by surprise. But although the apprehensions that they could not as yet collect sufficient numbers to maintain and secure their advantage, appears for the time, to have deterred them from the attempt: yet the general language held among these persons, at this period, proved that they had brought themselves to the opinion that matters were nearly ripe for measures of open violence.

Attempts were at the same time made to form in London, upon the plan of the United Irishmen, the Society of United Englishmen or United Britons, before referred to and O'Coigly and John Binos appear to have been leading persons in that design. It was proposed to divide this society into four districts, including a large part of the coasts of this kingdom the most exposed to invasion: and it was also in contemplation to combine the operations of this society with those of a society of United Irishmen; of which your committee will find it necessary separately to take notice.

Most of the societies through England, which had used to correspo d with the London Corresponding Society, had also about this time adopted the same plan of forming societies of United Englishmen; and finding their communications by writing to be harzardous, they avoided, as far as possible, the keeping any papers; used cyphers, or mysterious words, in the few writings that passed between

them,