LIFE

OF

THEOBALD WOLFE TONE,

FOUNDER OF THE UNITED IRISH SOCIETY,

AND

ADJUTANT GENERAL AND CHEF DE BRIGADE IN THE SERVICE OF THE FRENCH AND
BATAVIAN REPUBLICS.

Written by himself, and continued by his Son; with his Political Writings, and Fragments of
his Diary, whilst Agent to the General and Sub-committee of the Catholics of Ireland, and
Secretary to the Delegation who presented their Petition to his Majesty George III.

HIS MISSION TO FRANCE:

With a complete Diary of his Negotiations to procure the aid of the French and Batavian
Republies, for the Liberation of Ireland; of the Expeditions of Bantry Bay, the Texel, and
of that wherein he fell. Narrative of his Trial, Defence before the Court Martial, and Death.

Edited by his Son,

WILLIAM THEOBALD WOLFE TONE:

With a brief account of his own Education and Campaigns under the Emperor Napoleon.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

Victrix causa Diis placuit, sed victa Catoni.

Pharsalia, Lib. 1, Verse 128.

VOL. II.

WASHINGTON:

PRINTED BY GALES & SEATON.

1826.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, to wit:

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the second day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the fiftieth, WILLIAM THEOBALD WOLFE TONE, of the said District, has deposited in this office the title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as Author, in the words following, to wit:

"Life of Theobald Wolfe Tone, founder of the United Irish Society, and Adjutant General and Chef de Brigade in the service of the French and Batavian Republics; written by himself, and continued by his Son: with his Political Writings, and Fragments of his Diary, whilst Agent to the General and Sub-committee of the Catholics of Ireland, and Secretary to the Delegation who presented their Petition to his Majesty George III. His Mission to France; with a complete Diary of his Negotiations to procure the aid of the French and Batavian Republics for the Liberation of Ireland; of the Expeditions of Bantry Bay, the Texel, and of that wherein he fell. Narrative of his Trial, Defence before the Court Martial, and Death. Edited by his Son, William Theobald Wolfe Tone; with a brief account of his own Education and Campaigns under the Emperor Napoleon. In two volumes. Victrix causa Diis placuit, sed victa Catoni. Pharsalia, Lib. 1, verse 128."

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned;" and, also, to the act, entitled "An act supplementary to an act, entitled 'An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints."

L. S.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the public seal of my office, the day and year aforesaid.

EDMUND I. LEE,

Clerk of the District of Columbia.

JOURNALS

OF

GENERAL TONE,

DURING HIS MISSION IN FRANCE.

PART I.

Comprising his Negotiations with the French Government, at Paris, 1796.

FEBRUARY, 1796.

February 2. I landed at Havre de Grace yesterday, after a rough winter passage from New York of thirty-one days. The town ugly and dirty, with several good houses in alleys, where it is impossible to see them. Lodged at the Hotel de Paix, formerly the Hotel of the Intendant, but reduced to its present state by the Revolution. "My landlord is civil, but dear as the devil." Slept in a superb crimson damask bed; great luxury, after be ing a month without having my clothes off.

February 3. Rose early; difficult to get breakfast; get it at last; excellent coffee, and very coarse brown bread, but, as it happens, I like brown bread. Walked out to see the lions; none to see. Mass celebrating in the church; many people present, especially women; went into divers coffee houses; plenty of coffee, but no papers. No bread in two of the coffee-houses; but pastry; singular enough! Dinner; and here, as matter of curiosity, follows our bill of fare, which proves clearly that France is in a starving situation: An excellent soup; a dish of fish, fresh from the harbor; a fore-quarter of delicate small mutton, like the Welsh; a superb turkey, and a pair of ducks roasted; pastry, cheese, and fruit after dinner, with wine ad VOL. II-1.

libitum, but still the pain bis; provoked with the Frenchmen grumbling at the bread; made a saying: Vive le pain bis et la liberté! I forgot the vegetables, which were excellent; very glad to see such unequivocal proofs of famine. Went to the Comedie in the evening; a neat theatre, and a very tolerable company; twenty performers in the orchestra; house full; several officers, very fine looking fellows; the audience just as gay as if there was no such thing as war and brown bread in the world. Supper just like our dinner, with wine, &c. N. B. Finances. The Louis worth 5,000 livres, or about 200 times its value in assignats; the six-franc-piece in proportion. My bill per diem, for such entertainment as abovementioned, is six francs, (five shillings) and my crimson damask bed 20 sols, or 10 pence; coffee in the morning 12 sols, or sixpence; so that I am starving in the manner I have described, for the enormous sum 6s. 4d. a day; sad! sad! Paid for my seat at the theatre, in the box next to that of the Municipalité, 80 livres in assignats, or about fourpence sterling Be it remembered, I lodge at the principal hotel in Havre, and I doubt not but I might retrench, perhaps one-half, by changing my situation; but hang saving.

J

February 4. A swindler in the hotel; wishes to take me in; wants to travel with me to Paris; says he is an American, and calls me Captain; is sure he has seen me somewhere. Tell him perhaps it was in Spain. "A close man, but warm;” it wont do. He tries his wily arts on an old Frenchman, and, to my great surprise, tricks him of about one guinea. The Frenchman finds it out, and is in a rage; going to beat the aventurier, who is forced to refund. This is our first adventure. My friend was no American, which I very soon found out; for there is no halting before cripples," as poor Richard says.

February 5. A new arrangement with my landlord; 1 now pay 58. a day for every thing, including my crimson damask bed; walk out; every third man a soldier, or with something of the military costume about him. In the evening the Comedie; Blaise and Babet, and the Rigueurs du Cloitre, a revolutionary piece; applauses and honorable mention. I can account for the favorable reception of the latter piece, but the former is as great a favorite, though the fable is as simple as possible. Two lovers fall out about a nosegay and a ribbon, and, after squabbling through two acts, are reconciled at last, and marry. The

sentiments and the music are pretty and pastoral, but what puzzles me is, to reconcile the impression which the piece, such as I have described it, seemed to make on the audience, with the sanguinary and ferocious character attributed to the French. February 6. It is very singular, but I have had several occasions already to observe, that there is more difficulty in passing silver than paper. I have seen money refused where assignats have been taken currently. This is a phenomenon I cannot understand, especially, when the depreciation is considered. The republican silver is received with great suspicion. People have got it into their heads that it is adulterated, but, even so, surely it is worth, intrinsically, more than a bit of paper. So it is, however, that assignats are more current. The Comedie again. The Marseillaise Hymn sung every night, and

se, "Tremblez Tyrans," always received with applause. The behavior of the young men extremely decorous and proper, very unlike the riotous and drunken exhibitions I have been witness to in other countries. The women ugly, and some most grotesque head-dresses. Supper, as usual, excellent; the servants at the hotel remarkably civil, attentive, and humble, which I mention, because I have been so often tormented with blockheads arguing against liberty and equality as subversive of all subordination. I have no where met with more respectful attendance than here, nor better entertainment, and all for five shillings a day.

February 7, Sunday. I was curious to observe how this day would be kept in France. I believe no body worked; the shops were half open, half shut, as I have seen them on holidays in other countries; every body walking the streets. A vessel from Boston was wrecked last night within twenty yards of the Basin, and an unfortunate French woman lost, with two little children. She had fled to America early in the Revolution, and was now returning to her husband on the restoration of tranquillity. God Almighty help him! She might have been saved alone, but preferred to perish with her infants: it is too horrible to think of. Oh, my babies, my babies, if your little bodies were sunk in the Ocean, what should I do? But you are safe, thank God! Well! no more of that. Comedie again; house quite full, being Sunday; Mad. Rousselois principal singer; just such another in person, age. manner, and voice, as the late Mrs. Kennedy, but a much better actress.