England Responsible for Orange Cruelty 185

of the organization was to secure Protestant ascendancy but beyond these statements the whole programme forms an exquisite piece of satire, which only one subjected to Irish surroundings could have written. The clergy, it has been held, are more credulous than the members of any other profession, and the Rev. Mr. Cupples may therefore have believed in his "Vindication." But that the historian, trained to analyze the value of the material to which he has access, should consider such an array of falsehoods worthy of a place in a credible work is beyond comprehension.

That such rules and regulations may have been written by some well-meaning man will not be questioned. It is equally true that there may have been in the organization, as honorary members advanced in years, some who in private life honestly lived up to their precepts, as it is claimed. But no member who took an active part in the organization could have ever been influenced by them, since frequent repetition, from rape to the torture of innocent persons, of every crime which could be perpetrated by the most lawless characters was committed by the Orangemen during the eighteenth century, wherever they were stationed; the proof of their guilt is beyond doubt. It does not seem possible that any one could read even Lecky's history without being convinced that these men were not falsely charged with these crimes.

In accordance with existing evidence the English Government must for all time stand charged with originating the Orange Organization and with having protected and maintained its members as a political machine to foment constant disorder; above all as an accessory to and often the instigator, through its officials in Ireland, of the frightful crimes committed by this body.

The responsibility of this charge is fully appreciated. If there were no other proof it is enough to state that, had the English Government not fully approved of the course pursued by these men, from the time of the first atrocity committed to their latest outrage in Belfast or elsewhere on the

public peace, they would have been suppressed. This charge is unanswerable, as the name of every member of an Orange Lodge with the time and place of meeting were always within reach of the authorities and at no time were they in ignorance of the proceedings of these societies. On the other hand, let us suppose the existence of a Catholic political organization, having the same intent against the Protestants and with so little regard for the law of the land, can any one doubt that the Government would have failed in annihilating at the very beginning the whole association, individually and collectively?

The fact stands that in every riot or disturbance in Ulster or wherever the Orangemen have been in the ascendancy, the provocation has always been given by these men, while such scenes are unknown in the Catholic sections'; and not only are the local authorities and the magistrates in full sympathy with the Orangemen but the police and soldiers have been made to assume the same position.

Year after year the same scenes of disorder are perpetrated, with no precaution taken until recently to prevent their repetition, and no honest effort is ever made to punish the instigators. But the police appear after the outrage has been committed in time to arrest the injured Catholic; those who acted on the defensive are charged and punished as if they had been the aggressors. In every disturbance which has come within the knowledge of the writer the Orangemen have been the aggressors and, where they have been defeated, the police and soldiers have invariably taken up the cudgel in defence of their friends and have punished the Catholics.

In the past it has made little difference which English political party has been in power because the Orangemen, except for a short time during Gladstone's administration, have been equally secure of protection earned from a Government with which they have had so much in common. Orangemen have always constituted so small a propor'See Appendix, note 13.

Orangemen of No Importance To-Day 187

tion of the Protestant population of Ireland, which on the whole are not intolerant of the Catholic portion, that the fact needs some explanation why they should exercise such a powerful political influence. Honest and fairminded men, who were above reproach in private life, have with honor led the different political parties in England and yet, while possessing nothing in common with the tenets held by the Orangemen, they have not dared institute any measure for the benefit of Ireland at large without the approval of this disreputable organization. In the few instances where the attempt has been made failure has resulted and Ireland has only been benefited when the Irish people have been so united in a demand for justice that their enemies dared not risk the consequences of a refusal.

From an historical standpoint the Orangeman of the present day is unworthy of special consideration since if he wished to be honest an investigation on his part would show that his organization originated in religious prejudice, based upon false charges against his Catholic neighbor, and its continuance has been due to want of Christian charity alone. Owing to the weakness of human nature his development and prosperity were a natural growth responsive to the fostering care of the Government. That he should be wanting in the manly attributes of a healthy moral development and that he is naturally a cowardly bully is due to a guilty conscience, together with a knowledge of the deeds done by his forefathers-and so we leave him.

CHAPTER XI

GOVERNMENT SPIES AND INFORMERS ACTIVE Among the LEADERS OF 1798 IN ROUSING THE PEOPLE TO RESISTANCE-THE GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS OF LIFE, PROPERTY AND EXCESSIVE SUFFERING OF THE IRISH PEOPLE-IRISH LEADERS CHIEFLY PROTESTANTS-CATHOLICS TAKE BUT LITTLE PART EXCEPT IN WEXFORD-SECRET AGENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT PROMISE CATHOLICS FREEDOM OF WORSHIP FOR REMAINING NEUTRAL-GOVERNMENT DISREGARDS ITS PROMISES AND ALSO VIOLATES THE TERMS OF ITS TREATY WITH THE LEADERS

THE evidence now obtained is conclusive that, throughout the entire existence of the organization of the United Irishmen, the English Government was in possession of more accurate knowledge than any individual leader possessed.

Spies and informers had wormed themselves into every branch of the organization where, by their apparent zeal for the cause, they had gained the confidence of the other members. The spies gave accurate information to the Government, while the informers made themselves familiar with the habits of the different individuals and obtained such knowledge as would enable them at any time to testify, in a plausible manner, to anything and against any one as the Government might wish. The "devil's brief" was a species of rascality peculiar to Ireland and it is only within a comparatively recent period that its use has been abandoned or, probably, only laid aside.

The "Battalion of Testimony" in 1798 189

It is an old custom in Ireland for the Government or its agents to arrest any one who might be considered troublesome or whenever it was thought advisable to put such a person out of the way. Some one familiar with the law of evidence would draw up a plausible charge and an informer, properly trained, would be instructed as to what he was to swear to at the trial. By this procedure many innocent persons have lost their lives in Ireland and often their property as well; to gain the latter was frequently the incentive offered to the witness. Bearing false witness was certainly not confined to England's methods in Ireland but the refined degree of iniquity exhibited almost appealed to the sense of the ridiculous and credit at least is due the English for the close observance of "appearances," by means of which procedures were conducted with all outward propriety. Dr. Madden, in his United Irishmen, gives the names of a number of informers, or rather false swearers, who were on the staff of Major Sirr in Dublin during the troubles of 1798, and many other such agents were employed all over the country. Several of these men have written their memoirs, fully exposing the fact that the Government had regularly maintained the system.

Dr. Madden also gives a document, furnished by a correspondent to the Dublin Press in 1798, in which it is shown that Major Sirr at that time had no less than sixty-one men in his employ who could turn their hands to any crime or dirty work at his bidding. Madden writes':

"It appears by the statement of this correspondent, that the members of this 'battalion of testimony' were regularly drilled by Major Sirr and an officer of the name of Fox, and instructed in the act of swearing, deposing, and their other business of informers and fabricators of Information."

By Madden and others it is shown that a certain number of these wretches were attached, with quarters furnished, to

1 United Irishmen, vol. i., p. 466.