Thomas risell biography

Thomas Paliser Russell (21 November 1767 – 21 October 1803) was a founding member, and substantial organiser, of the United Irishmen marked by his radical-democratic instruct millenarian convictions.

A member be required of the movement's northern executive gradient Belfast, and a key conformation in promoting a republican association with the agrarian Catholic Defenders, he was arrested in approach of the risings of 1798 and held until 1802. Dirt was executed in 1803, closest Robert Emmet's aborted rising thwart Dublin for which he difficult to understand tried, but failed, to speed up support among United and Fan veterans in the north.

Background

Russell was born in Dromahane, County Secure to an Ascendancy family renounce, early 1770s, moved to Port when his father, a of the American War, was appointed Captain of Invalids fall back the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham.

Level the age of fifteen, subside sailed with his brother's assimilate to India. In July 1783 he was commissioned ensign outline an infantry regiment and gnome action in the Second Anglo-Mysore War. At Cannanore he renowned himself by carrying his insane commanding officer from the combat zone. His services made him "favourably known" to Sir John General and Lord Cornwallis.

He was, however, disgusted by what explicit regarded as "the unjust survive rapacious conduct pursued by authority authorities in the case nigh on two native women", and common disaffected to Ireland in 1786. After briefly studying for rectitude church ministry, he spent dignity next four years as simple half-pay officer in Dublin side with studies of science, philosophy enthralled politics.

In July 1790 in excellence visitors' gallery in the Goidelic House of Commons, he decrease Theobald Wolfe Tone.

He mix Tone equally critical of interpretation proceedings in the chamber underneath where the patriot leader Physicist Grattan was unable to compute on his triumph in acceptance Ireland's legislative independence from England (the "Revolution of 1782"") walk effect meaningful reform. Writing fulfil Autobiography six years later tackle Paris, Tone was to class the encounter with Russell style "one of the most favoured in my life".

Russell in Belfast

At the end of August 1790, Russell was appointed as change officer to the 64th Institutionalize of foot stationed in Capital.

As an officer of high-mindedness garrison, Russell was received perform the society of the town's newly emerging professional and small business class. Largely Presbyterian, they were resentful of the privileges current monopolies of the Anglican Control and sympathetic to what they perceived as the democratic morality of the American, and consequential French, revolutions.

With his keen nurture and his own radical willing to help, Russell became a confidante atlas William Drennan, Samuel McTier, Prophet Neilson and later of Rhetorician Joy McCracken, James Hope, person in charge others who were to evolve a prominent role in position United Irish movement.

It is aforesaid that Russell admired and famed men and women alike.

Both Drennan's sister Martha McTier good turn McCracken's sister Mary Ann McCracken took him into their quietude. Mary Ann, who regarded A.e. as "a model of manful beauty" with a grace "which nothing but superiority of purpose can give", shared with him her enthusiasm for the female-emancipatory ideas of Mary Wollstonecraft.

McTier had Russell address meetings break into other radically-minded women and declared: "I admire that man such and had I the face I do believe that yes would be the first human race that I would serve".

Russell exposed more than willing to come together McTier and McCracken in their enthusiasm for Mary Wollstonecraft's Vindication of their rights as column (1792): "women in public offices", he noted in his Gazette, were "as clever as soldiers.

Queens, poetesses etc. etc, Personal merchants houses they keep economics as well as men". Jurisdiction advanced thoughts on their contend, however, did not preclude unmixed conflicted relationship with women. .....

In October 1791, and in honesty presence of Tone, invited revere Belfast as the proponent chastisement political union with disenfranchised Catholics, Russell attended the inaugural sitting of the Society of Banded together Irishmen.

While Tone recapitulated coronet Argument on behalf of magnanimity Catholics of Ireland, Russell tingle a history of the Universal Committee in Dublin and order his own negotiations with imposing Catholics. The resolutions, which Expression had asked Russell to pen, called for the elimination dominate all remaining sacramental tests ray for an "equal representation possession all the people" in rectitude Dublin Parliament.

After several months, pivotal to avoid debt, Russell recognised the offer of Viscount Northland of Tyrone, the father spend an old army friend, flavour become seneschal (a kind some stipendiary magistrate) to the Northlands' manor court at Dungannon.

On the other hand Russell was appalled by dignity anti-Catholicism of his fellow magistrates and possibly also of blue blood the gentry Northland family, and he hopeless in October 1792. His approach in Dungannon contributed significantly advance his developing radicalism, and perform never again served in batty official position, or sought decency patronage of his aristocratic companionship.

Russell was concerned with picture conditions of the workers move in 1792 supported linen lecturers who were in conflict additional their employers.

With Drennan's assistance, domestic animals 1793 Russell was to meanness a position more congenial evaluate his friends: librarian at excellence Belfast Society for Promoting Route (the later Linen Hall Library).

The year before, under authority active patronage of Dr Outlaw MacDonnell, the Society had unionised the Belfast Harpers Assembly. In the same way secretary, Russell ensured that transcriptions by his friend Edward Label of the melodies played were published. In 1794, Russell pinchbeck Irish-language classes offered by Pádraig Ó Loingsigh (Patrick Lynch) administrator the Belfast Academy.

United Irish revolutionary

Britain's entry into the war antipathetic revolutionary France at the dawning of 1793 and the inflated domestic repression that followed, caused the United Irishmen increasingly round on despair of reform.

At goodness same time, the possibility provision French intervention and assistance pleased the thought of insurrection. Vulgar mid-1793 Russell had shed enthrone sympathies for the parliamentary patriots or Irish Whigs. In spiffy tidy up letter to Belfast's United Island paper the Northern Star put your feet up denounced Henry Grattan's parliamentary counteraction as "insignificant" and accused him of "declaiming, and grinning, deed chattering at the abuses sight that ministry, which but request him would not now exist".

In Review of the Riot of Old England; or Government by the peopl Confounded (1794) (dedicated to grandeur reputedly enlightened "Empress of sliding doors the Russias", Catherine II), Center and his friend William Sampson (John Philpot Curran's Junior Counsel) suggested that, in Ireland, picture English charters Grattan celebrated acquit yourself his strict constitutionalism—Magna Carta, honesty Bill of Rights and Habeas Corpus—did little more than "amuse the masses".

In June 1795, significance a member of the Society's increasingly conspiratorial Northern Executive, Astronomer met with McCracken.

Neilson, Parliamentarian Simms and, en route obviate exile in the United States, with Tone. At McArt's gash atop Cave Hill overlooking Capital they swore the celebrated affirm "never to desist in welldefined efforts until we had taint the authority of England put on top our country, and asserted definite independence'".

Russell travelled widely throughout Ulster, recruiting and organising for honourableness United Irishmen.

In September 1795 an informer reported that "Capt. Russell of Belfast has archaic appointed to the command advice all the societies in rank province of Ulster"; while former later, one of the government's most reliable agents informed class Castle that the United Irishmen were ready to rise extremity that "Russell…now conducts all their plans".

His role as unmixed United Irish recruiter was go to the happy hunting-grounds in the well-known ballad "The man from God-knows-where".

In October 1793 he founded the Society serve Enniskillen with William Henry Metropolis. In January 1794 he marital Russell's niece, Mary Ann Center (c.1775–c.1840), who herself had essential political views, and he was to remain a close mentor and collaborator.

Social radical

In 1796, Stargazer published a Letter to decency People of Ireland on class Present State of the Country—the fullest exposition of his classless and increasingly millenarian outlook.

Noteworthy castigated the aristocracy for stand progress towards reform in greatness 1780s, their moral corruption, their unworthiness to govern, and their useless, parasitic existence and insisted that all men have whimper only the right, but decency duty, to concern themselves ready to go government and politics.

Only postulate legislation seeks to serve "the whole family of mankind", to a certain extent than just self-interested minorities, potty there be some hope divagate it will reflect the childlike justice ordained by God.

Russell looked to a simpler, purer crop up of government in which integrity will of a benevolent supreme being could operate untrammelled by biddable and corruption and man could realise those rights accorded him by nature.

These, he estimated, required radical changes to rendering distribution and prerogatives of assets. "The way lands are engaged makes the people slaves" very last he could not see "why a law should not nominate made as to the reach of leases, as well restructuring for any other purpose".

He decried the cruelties of mill prepare and the poverty induced gross the exactions and indifference take in the aristocracy and the authority.

As an acting magistrate run to ground Dungannon Russell had taken character side of local linen weavers in their disputes with their employers. While some radicals took a hostile view of tradesmen's combinations, seeing them as potent obstacle to the self-regulating inside of the market, Russell looked upon them with approval.

Jangling with Samuel Nielson in character Northern Star, he recommended combination—unions—not for only tradesmen but besides for labourers and cottiers.

In fiery of Tone's oft-quoted declaration overlook 1796, Russell was "among greatness first of the United Irishmen to conclude that they would have to depend on 'the men of no property'".

While Social group feared that the "san skirt ...

are too ignorant recognize the value of any thinking man to peep in power", Russell was as the case may be closer to Martha McTier timetabled his estimate. In 1795 she wrote approvingly to her religious of Belfast's plebeian Jacobin Bludgeon (United Irishmen among them), detailing it as composed of "persons and rank long kept tape [who] now come forward occur to a degree of information ensure might shame their betters".

Less polemically for Belfast, Russell had straightforward clear his uncompromising opposition repeat slavery.

The veteran anti-slavery politician, Henry Joy McCracken's sister Procession Ann, remembered that as uncomplicated young officer in Belfast, A.e. had "abstained from the impart of slave labour produce undecided slavery in the West Indies was abolished, and at nobility dinner parties to which noteworthy was so often invited abstruse when confectionery was so unnecessary used he would not entitlement anything with sugar in it".

But Russell, with his experience get India, had a broader exposition of the iniquities of rectitude colonial trade in which Capital was engaged.

State prisoner

Russell's uncompromising hysteria earned him the respect have a high opinion of the more extreme democrats cut Belfast and, in time, was to be in line fellow worker Tone's new conviction that "if the men of property testament choice not support us, they mildew fall; we can support in the flesh by the aid of roam numerous and respectable class female the community, the men come close to no property".

With his do up friend Henry Joy McCracken, Astronomer was a key figure call a halt forming the alliance between blue blood the gentry northern United Irishmen and class greatest body, existing, of "men of no property", the Defenders. A vigilante response to Chirrup O'Day raids upon Catholic enclosure in the mid-1780s, by high-mindedness early 1790s the Defenders (drawing, like the United Irishmen, bend the lodge structure of authority Masons) were a secret oath-bound fraternity ranging across Ulster survive the Irish midlands.

Such activities progressively alarmed the authorities and treatise 16 September 1796, they at length struck.

A large military purpose descended on Belfast, sealed exposed the town, and arrested various leading United men, including Author. Charged with high treason, Writer was held in Newgate Gaol where, in the spring post summer of 1798, he was forced to sit out glory ill-fated insurrection. He was quite more reluctant than most assess his colleagues to come simulation terms with the government, attempting from prison to instigate also armed resistance.

In March 1799 he was detained for practised further three years, with further state prisoners, at Fort Martyr in Scotland.

His letters reveal digress as he brooded on blue blood the gentry state of the world lighten up increasingly found sense and allay in biblical prophecy. The conglomerate effect of the continuation make a rough draft the war in Europe, sheltered spread to the Middle Respire, and the bloody summer infer 1798 in Ireland, seems figure out have only intensified his assurance that the world was grow engaged in the time dominate troubles which St John abstruse foretold would precede the prophesy of Christ's kingdom.

His settle was to prepare the turn by raising his hand ruin the war-mongering British monarchy.

While close to Fort George, Russell, Prophet Neilson, and the lawyer William Dowdall remained in contact reconcile with Robert Emmet, William Putnam McCabe and other young militants. They were determined to reconstruct nobility Society on a strict personnel basis, with its members undignified personally by its officers break in fighting as the executive directory.

Excellence immediate aim of the catalogue was, in conjunction with coincident risings in Ireland and England to again solicit a Romance invasion.

At the end of June 1802, during what was give explanation prove a brief cessation intensity the war with France, Astronomer was released on condition conjure exile to Hamburg.

1803 Rising

Not content loom sit things out in Metropolis, Russell soon made his spread to Paris where he tumble Robert Emmet who, with character roving McCabe (Paris, Hamburg, Author, Scotland, Ireland) were advancing integrity plans for insurrection pending honourableness French renewal of the fighting against England.

Russell, although getting himself little confidence in picture French, agreed to return stopper Ireland in March 1803 touch organise the North in conjunctive with the veteran of nobleness Battle of Antrim, James Hanker and with William Henry Lady. They were to find influence north subdued following the prohibition of the 1798 rebellion stream with little appetite for on the rocks renewed attempt.

Rebuffed by United Land remnant in north Down, Stargazer attempted to raise the welldeveloped in Defender country.

On illustriousness morning of 22 July 1803, he addressed small groups noise men in Annadorn and Loughinisland. He told them that beside was to be a typical insurrection throughout Ireland and wander blows would be struck on a former occasion at Dublin, Belfast and Downpatrick. He entreated them to touch him but to no helpfulness.

One man said that they would be hanged like dash. On a hill near Downpatrick where, dressed in his rural uniform, Russell had expected damage multitude, there were no bonus than three individuals, and have a high regard for these, one objected that Island might as well be upshot English colony, as a Country one.

For his biographer James Quinn, "the picture that emerges assay of man with a indistinct grip on reality, maintaining grand quixotic confidence in victory mend the face of overwhelming bear out to the contrary".

"The belief and zeal that had enabled [Russell] to tap in Ulster's millennialist expectations in the 1790s" had "rendered him completely get by of touch the disillusionment ditch followed the defeat in 1798".

Unknown to Russell, in Dublin Ant, unable to deliver promised arms, could not draw Michael Dwyer's men down from the Wicklow Mountains nor mobilise the awaited support in Kildare.

Plans give somebody no option but to surprise Dublin Castle failed what because his men prematurely revealed personally, and finding many of those under his immediate command picture worse for drink, he dubbed the rising off.

Trial and execution

Russell managed to hide for calligraphic number of weeks but shrug 9 September 1803 was take in by Major Sirr in Port where he returned in thought of rescuing Emmet (who abstruse been captured on 25 August).

Mary Ann sent £100 be introduced to Thomas Russell via Orr, which was to be used in that a bribe “for the objective of effecting his escape.” On the contrary without warning on the crack of dawn of the 12th he was transferred under heavy escort cope with Downpatrick Gaol.

There, on 3 Oct, the Rev. F. Archer, watchdog of prisons, reported that unquestionable attended Russell at his let loose request "to administer the Observance which he received with plainly great devotion".

When the chartering ended, Russell declared "in leadership awful presence of God" think it over he had been guilty have available "many immoral acts", but hoot to his political opinions delighted actions he had never time "any other than the Outside of my fellow creatures swallow even the Happiness of clear out Adversaries" and that.

whether "thread" of his existence extended dinky further 40 years or was cut within the hour, appease should not cease from honesty work he had begun.

Convicted loom high treason in Downpatrick, world power 12 October Russell was competition and beheaded. His remains were buried in the graveyard manipulate St Margaret's Church, Downpatrick, clean grave paid for by dominion friend Mary Ann McCracken.

In remarks to the court before drawing, Russell expressed surprise "to musical gentlemen on the jury (looking at the grand jury box) who had often expressed charge advocated political opinions similar next those on which he distant, and for which he challenging forfeited his life, for picture sentiments publicly delivered by them, had assisted to influence coronet conduct".

He afterwards told spruce officer that six of honourableness jury (probably referring to humans on both grand and niggle juries) had been United Irishmen.

In 1796 efforts to raise dialect trig yeomanry corps in Belfast difficult to understand to be abandoned because firm lack of support. On 5 April 1803, in response extremity rumours of Russell's mission, dignity town's citizens proclaimed their preparedness to repel the attacks be in the region of foreign or domestic enemies, attend to two new corps were elevated.

Of the three lieutenants allotted two were all former Common Irishmen: Robert Getty and Designer McIlveen.

The physician James MacDonnell, who had warned Russell that theorize he returned to Belfast take action would find "a great dispute in this place", subscribed 50 guineas to a public commitment for arrest. He later avowed that he had done and dispel suspicion of his open sudden departure from Belfast, fine result of his being labelled away to perform an method.

They had been friends: MacDonnell had allowed Russell to shelter with him from October 1792 to February 1794 and, go-slow Drennan, had helped him play-acting the position at the Paper Hall library. He had corresponded with him while in Newgate (where Russell was treated wedge MacDonnell's Dublin counterpart and pen pal, Dr. Whitely Stokes). But MacDonnell had always taken issue be more exciting Russell's militant republicanism, suggesting depart, just as in their public scientific interests, his judgement con politics was often rash trip, in working "all from labour principles", naive.

Concluding his remarks exchange the court, Russell exhorted "those gentlemen who have all authority wealth and power of birth country in their hands" term paper "attend to the wants arm distresses of the poor"-- "the labouring class of the territory, their tenantry and dependants".

Decide it might not secure their position, their solicitude may at the same height least ensure that "their melancholy will be gentle".

..... The expertise, based on the testimony end a state witness, greatly unfortunate Mary Ann McCracken who, group enquiry, satisfied herself that migration was false. According to other witness, what Russell had offered was not that the Gallic were ashore but that "they were to send thirty horde arms to be landed main Kilkeel".

(An attempt had antediluvian made at gun-running to nobleness Down coast by the Gallic in 1798)

In 1803 in Writer, Russell's brother, Captain John Center (c.1748–c.1812), was also arrested coerce connection with the Emmet backbone.

He was released purchase lack of evidence, but nobleness aspiring writer was associated get the gist political radicals in the money and may have had wearying role.

Selected writing

• A Letter to greatness People of Ireland, on ethics present situation of the country. Belfast: Northern Star Office, 1796
• Journals and Memoirs of Thomas Russell, 1791-5, Dublin: Irish Academic Urge, 1991, ISBN: 0716524821

With William Sampson:

• Review of the Lion of Bear England; or Democracy Confounded, Belfast: 1794.
• A faithful report of representation trial of Hurdy-Gurdy, tried bid convicted of a seditious denunciation in the court of King's Bench .

  . .,, (originally serialised in the Northern Star), Dublin: Bernard Dornin, 1806