172 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
fencing-master, upon the 16th December. The gallery of this room was set
apart for spectators, and the body of the apartment for those who were in
uniform, about two hundred of whom assembled. Hamilton Rowan and Napper
Tandy were conspicuous at the table-both read parts of the address, and were
busily engaged in circulating copies among the audience. The address-to
which the names of Dr. Drennan and Mr. Rowan were appended, as chairman
and secretary-was of a character too democratic to escape the notice of Government.
It began in the then obnoxious and revolutionary language of France :
--“Citizen soldiers! you first took up arms to protect your country from
foreign enemies, and from domestic disturbance. For the same purposes it
now becomes necessary t,hat you should resume them.” It then went on to
state the peculiar circumstances of the times-the existing grievances-enlarging
on the necessity for reform-the blessings of liberty-and concluded with
this appeal-“ The fifteenth of February approaches-a day ever memorable in
the annals of this country, as the birthday of new Ireland ; let parochial meetings
be held as soon as possible-let each parish return delegates-let the sense
of Ulster be again declared from Dungannon on a day auspicious to union,
peace, and freedom ; and the spirit of the north will again become the spirit of
the nation. * * Answer us by your actions! You have taken time for consideration
: fourteen long years are elapsed since the rise of your association :
and in 1782 did you imagine that in 1792 this nation would still remain
unrepresented ! How many nations in this interval have gotten the start of
Ireland P
Early in January 1793,a fewweeks after the publication of this address,Rowan
and Tandy were arrested-brought before Justice Downes,’ and liberated on
bail.’ Tandy made his escape, forfeiting his bond ; but Mr. Rowan boldly stood
his ground, and almost daily attended the King’s Bench. At length finding
“ no bills sent up to the grand jury against him, he moved the court by counsel,
that the recognisances entered into by him and his bail should be vacated.” This
step forced on the prosecution ; and after several postponements, the trial at last
took place on the 29th January 1794. Curran was counsel for Mr. Rowan,
and although he failed in procuring the acquittal of his client, made an admirable
defence. The speech delivered by this celebrated barrister on that occasion
has been often referred to as one of surpassing eloquence. Several passagesparticularly
those on Catholic emancipation and the liberty of the press-have
been often quoted, and must be familiar to almost every one. He described
his client as “a man of the most beloved personal character-of one of the
most respected families of our country-himself the only individual of that
family-I may almost say of that country.” The Attorney-General and
Prime-Sergeant replied to Mr. Curran, and the Lord Chief Justice (the Earl
How many of your countrymen sunk into the grave !”
1 Afterwards created Lord Downes, with remainder to his son-in-law, S i Ulysses Burgh, the
Dr. Drennan R-as also arrested and brought to trial, but acquitted, aa it could not be proven
subsequent Lord Downes.
that he waa accessory to the publication of the libel.