marshal of the barracks of Dublin, and Major Sandys, to bring up the body of Tone."

Chief Justice." Have a writ instantly prepared."

Curran." My client may die whilst the writ is preparing."

Chief Justice." Mr. Sheriff, proceed to the barracks, and acquaint the provost-marshal that a writ is preparing to suspend Mr. Tone's execution, and see that he be not executed."

"The court awaited, in a state of the utmost agitation and suspense, the return of the sheriff. He speedily appeared, and said, 'My lord, I have been to the barracks, in pursuance of your order. The provostmarshal says he must obey Major Sandys-Major Sandys says he must obey Lord Cornwallis.' Mr. Curran announced, at the same time, that Mr. Tone, the father, was just returned, after serving the habeas corpus, and that General Craig would not obey it. The chief justice exclaimed, Mr. Sheriff, take the body of Tone into custody-take the provost-marshal and Major Sandys into custody, and shew the order of the court to General Craig.'

"The general impression was now, that the prisoner would be led out to execution, in defiance of the court. This apprehension was legible in the countenance of Lord Kilwarden, a man who, in the worst of times, preserved a religious respect for the laws, and who, besides, I may add, felt every personal feeling of pity and respect for the prisoner, whom he had formerly contributed to shield from the vengeance of government on an occasion almost as perilous. His agitation, according to the expression of an eye-witness, was magnificent."

Tone, who, according to the memoir given by his son, had long contemplated suicide in the event of a probable failure leading to an ignominious death, had consummated the act he had previously decided upon effecting. That execution would succeed conviction he was assured-and as, in those days, no delicacy was observed towards the unfortunate, circumstances occurred which probably, hurried the event he had resolved upon :

"It is said that, on the evening of that very day, he could see and hear the soldiers erecting the gallows for him before his windows. That very night (according to the report given by his jailers), having secreted a penknife, he inflicted a deep wound across his neck. It was soon discovered by the sentry, and a surgeon called in at four o'clock in the morning, who stopped the blood and closed it. He reported that, as the prisoner had missed the carotid artery, he might yet survive, but was in the extremest danger. Tone murmured only in reply, "I am sorry I have been so bad an anatomist.'

Of course all legal intervention to stand between the unhappy culprit and his doom was now found unavailing :-The sheriff returned at length with the fatal news. He had been refused admittance in the barracks; but was informed that Mr. Tone, who had wounded himself dangerously the night before, was not in a condition to be removed. A French emigrant surgeon, who had closed the wound, was called in, and declared there was no saying for four days whether it was mortal. His head was to be kept in one position, and a sentinel

Arthur Wolfe, Viscount Killwarden. Chief Justice of the King's Bench, Incland. murdered by the Insurgents in Dublin 1803.

was set over him to prevent his speaking. Removal would kill him at once. The chief justice instantly ordered a rule for suspending the

execution.

That humane act was now unnecessary, for death was about to release the prisoner:-"On the morning of the 19th of November, he was seized with the spasms of approaching death. It is said that the surgeon who attended whispered that, if he attempted to move or speak, he must expire instantly; that he overheard him, and, making a slight movement, replied, "I can yet find words to thank you, Sir; it is the most welcome news you could give me. What should I wish to live for?' Falling back with these expressions on his lips, he expired without farther effort."

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE INSURGENTS OF '98- -CAUSES OF THEIR FAILURE-THEIR LEADERS-THE
-M'SKIMMIN'S NARRATIVE-

CATHOLIC CLERGY-ESPIONAGE INFORMERS-1
MAJOR SIRR.

IN looking back to the historic transactions of the years which closed the past century and ushered in the present, although the political consequences which resulted from the Irish insurrection will strike the observer as truly remarkable-in a military view, the insurgent outbreak of '98 was confined to desultory warfare, of short duration, and marked only by the common-place occurrences attendant on civil contests, and the efforts of the many against the few, when mere physical force arrays itself against bodies disciplined in the art of war. It is anomalous but true, that with every natural quality to form the soldier, the Irish peasantry are, as a mob, probably, the least formidable in Europe. Hence, with enormous numerical superiority, the insurgent masses made but a sorry figure, when arrayed against their enemies their efforts, without combination or direction, as a consequence producing the ruinous defeats, which discipline and unity in action will ever inflict upon disorderly crowds who attempt to try conclusions in the field-and, with but rare exceptions, the conflicts between the royalists and rebels assumed rather the character of a slaughter than a fight.

The man who will be guided in opinion by the records of these troublous times, will repudiate the favourite doctrine of the demagogue, who babbles about "physical force," and the power of "the people"-a false term used commonly to designate "the mob." In the construction of the Irish, the military matériel is predominant. Brave, active, mercurial-impassive to weather-endurant of fatigueindifferent to thirst and hunger-sufficiently excitable to attempt any thing and yet plastic in the hands of their instructors, and passing with cheerfulness through the ordeal required to form the soldierwith all these, comprehending every military qualification, as a sectional portion of a mob, the Irishman is contemptible. To mould the soldier you must first unmake the man. Under his teacher's hand the very nature of the peasant undergoes a change—and discipline, like steel applied to flint, elicits natural energies that otherwise would have continued dormant for ever. With amazing rapidity the Irish peasant evolves from the slough of ignorance which hitherto had veiled the superior qualities that heaven had given him—and he, who but a few years before, seemed destined for the lowest purposes of humble drudgery, is seen foremost among the first in breach and battle-field, and pointing to sluggard spirits the road to victory.

That a people, whose natural construction was essentially martial