The Northern Whig Club, Belfast, 1790 "zealous friends of liberty" – Alexander Henry Haliday, Archibald Hamilton Rowan, and William Drennan

I'm chipping away at a big forgotten story around Killyleagh in County Down. In working on that, I have been re-reading the 1840 autobiography of Archibald Hamilton Rowan. I read it just over a year ago, and posted these thoughts on how revolted AHR was by what he witnessed in the bloodbath of the French Revolution. In that autobiography, he refers to being a founder member of the Northern Whig Club, an organisation which predated the formation of the Society of United Irishmen in Belfast in 1791. There is a large overlap between the two organisations. Here is an extract:

In 1790, the Northern Whig Club was formed in Belfast by some zealous friends of liberty, at the suggestion of Lord Charlemont, who had been chiefly instrumental in forming the Whig Club of Dublin. His friend and correspondent, Dr. Haliday, entered warmly into his views, and the club was formed under the most favourable auspices; and with the hope that by promoting the cause of constitutional freedom, the progress of the wild democratical notions, which now began to prevail, might be arrested. Of this society, which soon comprehended some of the most distinguished names in the north of Ireland, Gawin Hamilton, Esq. was appointed president, and Dr. Haliday secretary.

William Hamilton Drummond suggests that it was another United Irishman, William Drennan, who wrote this short biography of Haliday, which was published in the Belfast Monthly Magazine of September 1810:

Alexander Henry Haliday, M.D. a gentleman, who, for the space of half a century, illustrated his native town of Belfast by a character distinguished for private worth, consistent public spirit, much elegant accomplishment, and high professional reputation… In his political principles he was a genuine Whig; not understanding by that denomination, the mere factionary of a powerful party, but the hearty hater of arbitrary power, whether exercised by individuals or by parties; the zealous, yet the judicious advocate of civil and religious freedom; the strong upholder of those popular principles which form the living spirit of the British constitution, and which, at different periods, have called forth all the heroism of British story. It was at the civic commemoration of those illustrious epochs, in which Haliday gave his head and heart to the social celebration, while he supported at the same time the just prerogatives of the crown, as perfectly compatible with the original and ultimate sovereignty of the people.

- from the Autobiography of Archibald Hamilton Rowan, p 149 (online here)

Alexander Henry Haliday is on the Dictionary of Irish Biography here. Terminology like "hearty hater of arbitrary power... advocate of civil and religious liberty ... the living spirit of the British constitution" are not to be expected from the modern portrayals of Hamilton Rowan, Drennan, and the United Irishmen. There are further, seemingly pro-British, remarks in AHR's autobiography. Not at all what I expected to see there. Here are two:

"... equal representation of the people in parliament, which I conceive to be the essence of the British constitution, and which I esteem to be of absolute necessity for the peace and liberty of Ireland..." -  a letter to the United Irishmen from Newgate Prison, written 5 February 1794

"...that tree, to flourish, must grow out of the famed equality of rights under the British constitution, and a real representation of the people in parliament ; it must be fostered by brotherly love and universal benevolence, and not be transplanted from a foreign soil..." - a message to his neighbours of Killyleagh, 24th April 1816

Maybe I am missing a level of irony or subtlety that is way over my head. Maybe he was writing under duress. Maybe the meaning and context of these words carried different meaning then than they do for us reading them today. Or, maybe Archibald Hamilton Rowan's story has been simplified and he has been co-opted as a "mascot" for others' purposes long after his lifetime. There is always more to learn.

More on The Northern Whig Club to follow. 

• Upon Haliday's death, William Drennan wrote that he had been "A genuine Whig ... nurtured under the philosophy of Hutcheson ... in the principles of civil and religious liberty he lived and in them be died". That's Francis Hutcheson of Saintfield. 

• The photos here are of the impressive Northern Whig newspaper building in Bridge Street in Belfast. The newspaper of the same name was founded in 1823; the building is now a restaurant. It is just across the road from the more renowned Assembly Rooms.