March 14th 1798: The Belfast News Letter on the 9th re prints in full the controversial comments of liberal MP Sir Laurence Parsons in parliament four days earlier.
Parsons, of Birr Castle, King's County, boldly claims that the United Irishmen initially appealed to "a few only, [but] the intemperate language of Government with respect to this society, even while its measures continued to be perfectly fair and constitutional, prevented its falling finally, perhaps, into oblivion and it was only the extraordinary attention and severity with which they had treated it, that encreased (sic) its numbers and forced it into a society or conspiracy most formidable indeed to the country".
It is reported that Lord Castlereagh, "in a most animated speech", rejects Parsons' motion calling for an inquiry into the causes of the crisis and emphatically wins the division 136 to 19 votes.
The weakness of the moderate position is underscored by yet another high-profile attack on an active magistrate as highlighted by Faulkner's Dublin Journal on the 10th. Sir Henry Mannix of Richmond (Cork) is mortally wounded by republican assailants which, coming so soon after the brutal killings of Col Mansergh and Uniacke, indicates the vulnerability of the south Munster gentry and, by association, government ascendancy.
A major blow, however, is sustained by the United Irishmen on the 12th when a raiding party led by Town Major Sirr seizes the bulk of the Leinster Directory in Oliver Bond's house in Bridge St, Dublin.
Acting on information supplied by Kildare delegate Thomas Reynolds of Kilkea Castle to the spy William Cope, 18 men are rounded up who are known to Camden's circle as being "at the head of the conspiracy". Simultaneous searches are made of Leinster House, where the disaffected Lord Edward Fitzgerald lives, as well as the city homes of veteran conspirators Richard McCormick, Dr William McNeven, Thomas Addis Emmet and Derryman William Sampson.
Bond, a wealthy Donegal merchant, is one of the most respected United Irish leaders and a figure of great standing among radicals in his native Ulster. The more obscure delegates arrested in his home number Christopher Martin of Dunboyne (Meath), Peter Ban nin of Dunshaughlin (Queen's County), Peter Ivers of Carlow town and John McCann of Church Street (Dublin).
The late arrival of the Wexford men, however, shields their own identities and the strength of the organisation they represent from the authorities. Several of their less fortunate comrades are questioned in Dublin Castle prior to their removal to Kilmainham gaol on the 14th. They include "a young gentleman of very ancient family in Wicklow of the name of [William Michael] Byrne" who refuses to confess despite having been seized with illegal documents concealed on his person.
Byrne of Parkhill, Glen of the Downs, is a Rathdown baronial delegate on the Wicklow County Committee and liaises with the Cork networks on behalf of the Leinster Directory.
One of his Wicklow loyalist enemies writes to the Journal from Carnew on the 13th with news that "Lord Moira's `innocents' are becoming active in this neighbourhood. Last night they burned the haggart (sic) and out offices of Mr Sherwood [at Tomacork] . . . one of the most extensive in the county." The real significance of the incident lies in the fact that Sherwood is second lieutenant of the Arklow Southshire Cavalry, an Orangeman and that the arsonists dared to strike within a mile of Carnew's strong garrison.