On the 26th, the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act arrived in Dublin, and warrants were issued for the arrest of all the club leaders. Troops were moved upon the principal points where it was desirable, for strategetic and political purposes, to concentrate them. Extraordinary precautions were taken for the capital. Sir Charles Napier was placed in command of a powerful steam squadron on the southern coast, Cork and Waterford being especially menaced by the guns’ of the ships. A proclamation was issued by the viceroy declaring the clubs illegal, and “commanding all persons to withdraw from and abandon the same.” On the last day of July, the privy council held a sitting at Dublin Castle, when it was resolved to place a number of baronies and counties under the Prevention of Crime and Outrage Act. By this means opportunity would be most easily taken to disarm the rebels. The districts put under the stern surveillance of this law were the counties of Kerry, Wexford, Carlow, Queen’s County, counties of Galway, Kildare, Wicklow, Westmeath, Louth; seven baronies of the county Cork, eight baronies in the King’s county, four baronies in the county of Cavan, two baronies in the county Armagh, and the barony of Newry, county Down. Proclamations of reward were also offered for the arrest of Smith O’Brien, £500; for Francis T. Meagher, John B. Dillon, and Michael Doheny, “each or either,” £300. The ground assigned for the arrest was “having taken up arms against her majesty.”
The Hue and Cry gave the following descriptions of the personal appearance, ages, &c., of the leaders:—“William Smith O’Brien, no occupation, forty-six years of age, six feet in height, sandy hair, dark eyes, sallow long face, has a sneering smile constantly upon his countenance, full whiskers, sandy, a little grey. A well set man, walks erect, and dresses well.—Thomas Francis Meagher, no occupation, twenty-five years of age, five feet nine inches, dark, nearly black hair, light blue eyes, pale face, high cheek bones, peculiar expression about the eyes, cocked nose, no whiskers, well dressed.—John B. Dillon, barrister, thirty-two years of age, five feet eleven inches in height, dark hair, dark eyes, thin sallow face, rather thin black whiskers, dressed respectably, has a bilious look.—Michael Doheny, barrister, forty years of age, five feet eight inches in height, sandy hair, grey eyes, coarse, red face, like a man given to drink, high cheek bones, wants several of his teeth, very vulgar appearance, peculiar coarse, unpleasant voice, dress respectable, small short red whiskers.—Richard O’Gorman, junior, barrister, thirty years of age, five feet eleven inches in height, very dark hair, dark eyes, thin long face, large dark whiskers, well-made and active, walks upright, dress black frock coat, tweed trowsers.—Thomas Davy M’Ghee, connected with the Nation newspaper, twenty-three years of age, five feet three inches in height, black hair, dark face, delicate, pale, thin man; generally dresses in black shooting coat, plaid trowsers, and thin vest.—Thomas Devin Keily, sub-editor of the Felon newspaper, twenty-four years of age, five feet seven inches in height, sandy, coarse hair, grey eyes, round freckled face, head remarkably broad at the top, broad shoulders, well set, dresses well.”
The peculiar personal appearance of the men who comprised, with a few others, those who fomented the insurgent feeling in Ireland is of some interest for the page of history, especially of contemporaneous history. The delineation was faithful, and aided very much in rendering concealment difficult, for it prevented the timid from affording shelter to the chiefs as soon as they became fugitives. For the masses, this minute description had an alarming appearance, as if government were well informed of its enemies.
At last the period arrived for the struggle, if ever it was to be made, and contemporaneous with the projected outbursts, movements were made by the Irish residents in Great Britain, the Chartists sympathising with them. The last week of July was especially an anxious period in Lancashire. The chief danger was apprehended in Manchester, but the only occurrence was a demonstration of the clubs, which was made on Tuesday evening, the 26th:—“The members of the several confederate clubs met in their respective club-rooms, and proceeded thence, about nine o’clock, in military order, to a large space of vacant ground adjoining the new Roman Catholic chapel, on the Cheetham Hill Boad. The number present was very great. No speech was delivered, but three cheers were given for ‘the cause,’ immediately after which the assembly dispersed. The intention of holding the meeting having been made known to the authorities, steps were taken to prevent any disorder.”
In Liverpool, and on the opposite side of the Mersey at Birkenhead, it was necessary to resort to very extraordinary precautions. The following extracts from letters written from these places at that time, describe a state of considerable apprehension in the public mind, and the necessity of great exertions to intimidate the Irish population:—“There being reason to apprehend a movement in Liverpool, to act as a diversion in favour of the insurgents, should a rising take place in Ireland, preparations are accordingly being made by our local authorities to guard against a surprise. From the Liverpool papers of Tuesday we learn that twenty thousand special constables have been sworn in in the several wards of that town. Steps have also been taken to organise the corps and to appoint leaders. A place of rendezvous has been taken in each ward, and there a guard is placed night and day, to give the alarm, should the necessity for so doing arise. About one thousand men belonging to the dock works have been sworn in, and amply provided with formidable weapons, and all the public buildings in the town are guarded day and night. There can be no doubt, it is stated, that confederate clubs are being formed in Liverpool, for the avowed purpose of aiding the people of Ireland in any insurrectionary movements which may be originated. The idea is, that by rising in Liverpool, Glasgow, and other places, whenever a rebellion breaks out in Ireland, troops, instead of being sent across the water, will be kept at home to put down disturbances, and thus the forces of the government in Ireland will be considerably weakened. It is stated that clubs to the number of fifty have been established in the former town—that they number one hundred men each. The subscription of each member is 1s. a-week. The money is spent in the purchase of fire-arms, the general price being about 12s. 6d. a-piece. Every night for the payment of subscriptions, a raffle takes place for the muskets, which the members are enabled to procure with the subscriptions. Several arrests have taken place; and it is hoped that the bold front displayed by the authorities will have the effect of preventing the contemplated outbreak. It may be stated here, as a circumstance showing how much on the alert are those who are endeavouring to repress the rebellious movements of the disaffected, that information was received yesterday morning by the authorities, that two sons of Hyland, the notorious pike-maker of Dublin, arrived from that city in Liverpool on Monday last. The magistrates of Birkenhead have requested the inhabitants of that town ‘to act as special constables for six months.’ A summons, signed by four magistrates—Colonel Gregg, Mr. W. Hall, Mr. J. W. Harden, and Mr. J. S. Jackson—was served to every householder, requiring them to attend on Monday at the Town Hall and take the necessary oath, and by half-past ten every respectable inhabitant was sworn. Accompanying the summons was a notice, signed by Messrs. Townsend and Kent, clerics to the magistrates, informing the parties that ‘by disobedience to the precept a penalty of £5 would be incurred.’”
On the 27th the London Times contained the following startling telegraphic communication, which caused the funds to fall, and created alarm throughout the provinces:—
“The whole of the south of Ireland is in rebellion.
“The station at Thurles is on fire, the rails for several miles torn up, and the mob intend detaining the engines as they arrive.
“At Clonmel the fighting is dreadful. The people arrived in masses. The Dublin club leaders are there. The troops were speedily overpowered; many refused to act.
“The military at Carrick have shown disaffection, and have been driven back, and their quarters fired.