nions of fome of the most authentic and refponfible lawyers in this kingdom, delivered in the moft deliberate, folemn, and public manner.

(Signed) BELLAMONT.

By the Lord Lieutenant and Council of

Ireland.- Proclamation.
CAMDEN.

WHEREAS there exifts within this kingdom a feditious and traiterous confpiracy, by a num ber of perfons ftyling themfelves United Irifhmen, for the fubverfion of the authority of his Majefty and the parliament, and the deftruction of the established conftitution and government: And whereas, for the execution of fuch their wicked defign, they have planned means of open violence, and formed fecret arrangements for raifing, arming, and paying a difciplined force; and, in furtherance of their purpofes, have frequently affembled in great and unufual numbers, under the colourable pretence of planting or digging potatoes, attending funerals, and the like, and have frequently aflembled in large armed bodies, and plundered of arms the houfes of many of his Majefty's loyal fubjects in different parts of the kingdom, and cut down and carried away great numbers of trees, wherewith to make handles for pikes and other offenfive weapons, to arm their traitorous affociates; and have audacioufly attempted to difarm the district of yeomanry corps, enrolled under his Majefty's commiflion for the defence of the realm, and even fired upon feveral bodies of his Majefty's forces when attempting to quell their infurrec. tion; and it is therefore now become neceffary to use the utmost

powers with which government is by law entrusted for the fuppreffion of fuch traitorous attempis: And whereas the exertions of the civil power have proved ineffectual for the fuppreffion of the aforefaid traitorous and wicked confpiracy, and for the protection of the lives and properties of his Majefty's faithful subjects,

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Now we, the Lord Lieutenant, by and with the advice of the Privy Council, having determined, as far as in us lies, to fupprefs fuch daring attempts, and at the fame time defirous to prevent the well-difpofed or mifled from falling into the dangers to which ignorance or incau tion may expofe them, do by this our proclamation forewarn all such to abftain from entering into the faid traitorous focieties of United Irishmen, or any of them, and from reforting to their meetings, and acting under their directions or influence, or taking or adhering to any of their declarations or engagements, and from fuffering them to affemble in their houses, or in any manner harbouring them.

And we do ftrictly charge and command, on their allegiance, all perfons having knowledge or information of the meetings of the aid focieties, or any of them, to give immediate information thereof to fome of his Majefty's juftices of the peace, or to fome officer of his Majefty's forces in the neighbours' hood of the place where fuch meeting is intended. And we do forewarn all perfons from tumultuous or unlawful affemblies, or from meeting in any unusual numbers, under the plaufible or colourable pretence aforefaid, or any other whatfoever.

And we caution his Majefty's

loyal

loyal and loving fubjects, whenever fuch affemblies fhall happen, or that they receive notice from any magiftrates, or from the officers commanding any body of his Majefty's forces, to keep quietly within their dwellings, to the end that the well-difpofed may avoid the mifchiefs which the guilty may bring upon themselves.

And it has become neceffary, from the circumftances before mentioned, to employ the military force with which we are by law entrufted, for the immediate fuppreffion of fuch rebellious and traitorous attempts now making against the peace and dignity of the crown, and the fafety of the lives and properties of his Majefty's loyal fubjects. We have therefore iffued the most direct and effectual orders to all officers commanding his Majefty's troops, by the exertions of their utmost force, to fupprefs the fame, and to oppofe with their full power all fuch as fhall refift them in the execution of their duty.

And we do hereby ftrictly charge and command all our officers, civil and military, and all other of his Majefty's loving fubjects, to use their utmoft endeavours to difcover all pikes, pike-heads, concealed guns and fwords, offenfive weapons, or ammunition of any kind whatfoever. And we do hereby charge and command all perfons having in their cuftody pikes, pike-heads, or concealed guns, fwords, offenfive weapons, or ammunition of any kind whatever, to deliver up the fame to fome magiftrate or officer of his Majefty's troops, as they fhall anfwer to the contrary at their peril. And we do hereby ftrictly charge and command all officers, civil and military, and all other his

Majefty's faithful fubjects, to be aiding and affifting in fuppreffing all traitorous, tumultuous, and unlawful affemblies, and in bringing to punifhment all perfons difturbing, or attempting to disturb, the public peace.

And whereas we have reason to

hope that many of his Majefty's fubjects who have joined the faid traitorous focieties, have done fo without being apprized of the extent of their crimes, and others from intimidation, and that fuch may be willing to return to their allegiance: Now we being defirous to extend his Majefty's pardon to all fuch as are fenfible of their errors, and willing to return to their allegiance, do hereby promife his Majefty's pardon to all fuch perfons fo feduced or intimidated, as have taken`an engagement to the faid focieties, or any of them, who fhall, on or before the twenty-fourth day of June next, furrender themfelves to any of his Majefty's juftices of the peace, being of the quorum, of the counties in which they fhall refpectively refide, and take the oath of allegiance, and enter into fufficient recognizance with two fufficient fure, ties, if fureties fhall be required by the magiftrate before whom fuch recognizance fhall be acknowledged (which recognizance every fuch magiftrate is hereby required to return to the next general feffion of the peace, or affizes, to be holden in and for the county in which fuch recognizance fhall be taken refpectively) to be of the peace and good behaviour for the fpace of feven years, fave and except all fuch as have been guilty of murder, confpiracy of murder, burglary, burning of houses, corn or hay, ftacks of ftraw or turf, maliciously digging R 4

up,

can no longer spread itself under the infidious pretence which it had artfully affumed of improving the conftitution. In the measures, whether of vigilance or of coercion, which you have recommended for its extinction, I fhall not relax. It will be my temper to ftudy the neceflary acts of severity and rigour by conciliatory offers of clemency and pardon, to exhort the infatuated and deluded to abandon their deceivers, and to fummon the guilty to repentance; but at the fame time it is and will be my fixed purpofe to proceed with vigour against those who, regardless of every warning and admonition, fhall continue their defperate efforts to invoive this flourishing country in all the horrors of infurrection and invafion, of bloodthed, and of anarchy. I have already the fatisfaction to acquaint you, that great numbers, who had been unfortunately feduced, have returned to a fenfe of duty, and been admitted to his Majefty's clemency: and I trust that, by perfeverance and energy, every veftige of ditaffection will be effaced, and univerfally give way to the return of that spirit of loyalty which has fo long been the diftinguished characteristic of this kingdom. I cannot omit to congratulate you on the unimpaired luftre of that fpirit which fo confpicuoufly fhone forth when the enemy's fleet appeared on our coafts; nor can I too often repeat my full fenfe of your wisdom in the eftablishment of diftrict corps. I have the most fatisfactory accounts of their improvement in difcipline, as well as of their exertions in quelling and preventing infurrection; and I have myfelf witneffed the unexampled exertions, good conduct, and military appearance of the

corps of the metropolis, whose unceafing and unwearied vigilance, at a molt important crifis, checked every attempt to produce confufion by riot and tumult, at the fame time that it deftroyed the hopes of our enemies, and reftored confidence to the country in general. Your judicious augmentation of pay to his Majefty's regular and militia forces, which muft render their situation fo highly comfortable, is at once a feafonable and honourable acknowledgement of their fteadiness and loyalty. The traitorous efforts which have been made to entice them from their allegiance, have had a fatal effect in a few lamentable examples. I truft, however, they have excited in the minds of others fo timely a repentance, and in the reft fuch indignation and abhorrence, that no future danger can be apprehended. Your wife inftitution of a finking fund, in the midst of financial difficulties, cannot be too much applauded, and will prevent any ruinous depreciation of fund-ftock; and, being established before the national debt has accumulated to any oppreffive magnitude, will tend to prevent its becoming dangerous:-a measure so truly calculated for preferving the refources of the ftate, and fupporting public credit, muft fecure to you the gratitude of an enlightened people. His Majesty is exerting every proper effort to produce a speedy and fecure peace. It will be our duty to affift those efforts, by convincing our enemies, from the ftate of our preparation, and the unanimity of our fpirit, that they can hope for no advantage by prolonging the calamities of war. Wherever your abilities, your influence, and exertions, can be moft

advantageously employed on your return to your several counties, I am confident they will be moft confpicuoufly difplayed. A conftant intercourfe with your immediate neighbourhood must give you the opportunity of affording to the people both affiftance and example, of reclaiming thereby the deluded and ill-difpofed, and confirming the well-affected in their duty and allegiance. A forward fpirit of loyalty, which in moft parts of the kingdom has fuccefsfully checked the progrefs of treafon, will be ftrengthened and diffufed by your prefence and exertions. It will be my ambition to fecond your activity and zeal, and to co-operate with your efforts for reftoring the tranquillity and profperity of the kingdom. We have a common and facred caufe to defend, the independence and conftitution of Great Britain and Ireland, from which both kingdoms have derived innumerable bleffings under his Majefty's aufpicious reign. They were purchafed by the dearest blood of your ancestors in a crifis not lefs formidable than the prefent. I truft we shall not fail to imitate their great example; and that we fhall be enabled, by fimilar courage and continued firmnefs, to tranfmit to our pofterity inviolate, that invaluable inheritance which their valour rescued, and their perfeverance preferved.

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has no reference whatever to the refpective interefts of England and Switzerland; and that his fole object is to excite and encourage plots against the internal and external fecurity of the French Republic, charge Citizen Mingaud to invite and require the government of the canton of Berne, and alfo the other Helvetic cantons, if neceffary, to give directions for Mr. Wickham's immediate departure from the territories of Switzerland.

(Signed) REVELLIERE LEPAUX, Prefident, LAGARDE, Sec. Gen.

Reply of the Canton of Berne. THE Republic of Berne, always holding in the highest estimation the good intentions of the French Republic, has taken into mature confideration the note tranfmitted to them by Citizen Mingaud, in the name of the Executive Directory of the French Republic.

They have to remark that, for nearly a century paft, British agents have uniformly refided in Switzerland; and that Mr. Wickham, whofe departure from Switzerland is required by the Executive Directory, being accredited to all the ftates of the Helvetic confederacy as Minifter Plenipotentiary, the Republic of Berne cannot decide feparately on a fubject which fo effentially involves the rights of others, and the neutrality of the Helvetic Body, as declared and re

tive Directory.