JB/137/393/001

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1819 June 20

TC 2 11 Notes
To Erskine Irish Volunteers
(2) (2 Democratic ascendency

+ Copy down to the period
mark in the margin
ending with the word
"known"

Plowden p.512. To such an alarming crisis was the political state of
Ireland now brought, that the people began + to look up to the armed associations
for redress, rather than to their Representatives in Parliament.
But hitherto these bodies having acted only in detached companies, knew
not their own strength. They found it necessary for their grand project,
to form themselves into regular battallions and establish a system
of Communication with each other. Long had the original
cause on occasion of the volunteers, arming in self defence agst
a foreign enemy, been sunk into the more interesting object of asserting
the Constitutional independent rights, and procuring a free
and open trade for their Country. As far back as the close of the year ) +
1778, the armed associations in Ireland were computed to amount )
to 30,000 men: and they had been encreasing from that period: )
they clad and armed themselves voluntarily; they cheerfully learned )
the use of arms, and freely submitted to the most exemplary discipline; )
but their transcendent attention was to instil into each other
an uniformity of political sentiment and determination not to
quit their arms, till they shd have accomplished the complete liberation
of their Country from the Sovereignty of the British Parliament.
In the beginning of the Year 1780, they entered upon the plan of
general organization, they appointed reviews for the ensuing summer;
and share their exercising Officers and reviewing Generals,
and thus the foundation of Irish Union was laid. They now openly
declared their opinions on the state of public affairs; and the newspapers
teemed with resolutions of the different corps, all in unison
declaring, that Ireland was an Independent kingdom, and fully entitled
to all the uncontrould rights, privileges, and immunities of
a free Constitution: that no power on earth but the King, Lords
and Commons of Ireland could make Laws & bind them; and
that they were ready with their lives and fortunes to resist the
usurptions and encroachments of any foreign Legislature. Such
were at this period the universal sentiment of the Irish people,
if the will of a people
can be known.

Identifier: | JB/137/393/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 137.
Date_1	1819-06-20	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	137	Main Headings	radicalism not dangerous
Folio number	393	Info in main headings field	to erskine irish volunteers
Image	001	Titles
Category	collectanea	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	c2 / d11 / e2
Penner	jeremy bentham; john flowerdew colls	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	47110
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