History of the Irish rebellion in 1798 : with memoirs of the union, and Emmett's insurrection in 1803 . the Sunday (20th) previousto the outbreak, Swayne arrived in Prosperous with his attended at the chapel with Dr. Esmond—a man of greatlocal influence—and then implored the people there assembled, todeliver up any arms which might be concealed, return to their alle-giance, and receive the protection he was authorized to grant exhortation proved ineffectual: some coercive measures—such asthe seizure of cattle, then warranted by martial law—were resortedto; and on the 23
History of the Irish rebellion in 1798 : with memoirs of the union, and Emmett's insurrection in 1803 . the Sunday (20th) previousto the outbreak, Swayne arrived in Prosperous with his attended at the chapel with Dr. Esmond—a man of greatlocal influence—and then implored the people there assembled, todeliver up any arms which might be concealed, return to their alle-giance, and receive the protection he was authorized to grant exhortation proved ineffectual: some coercive measures—such asthe seizure of cattle, then warranted by martial law—were resortedto; and on the 23rd, it was intimated that fear had hitherto preventedthe peasantry from bringing the concealed arms to the town ; and thatshould they be permitted to enter after dark, unchallenged and unmo-lested, on the following night, pikes and fire-arms would be broughtin and deposited in the streets. It is difficult to decide whether the stupidity of Swayne, or thetreachery of Esmond, were most to be condemned. A man, individually,may trifle with himself—but for him who turns right or left from the. IRISH REBELLION. Gl plain path which duty points to, and compromises the safety of thosocommitted to his charge, there can be no extenuation. For Swayneafolly there can be no apology—his pickets should have been doubled—a cart—a ladder—drawn across the street would have marked suffi-ciently where those who came to surrender arms might approach withfull security. A step beyond it, if the challenge billed, the advancedsentry shot the intruder, and the garrison was at once alarmed. So muchfor Swayne—his weakness was inexcusable—he died its victim —ignobly, certainly, but still by the weapon of a foeman : Esmond metthe doom he merited—a halter. Musgraves account of the surprise is, I believe, perfectly authentic. About two oclock on Thursday morning, the 24th of May, the twosentinels were surprised and killed; and both the barracks were as-saulted while the soldiers were
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1854
