Tandy, JAMES NAPPER

Tandy, JAMES NAPPER, Irish patriot, was born in Dublin in 1740, and became a prosperous and popular merchant there. One of the chief Protestant leaders of the popular interest, he took an active part in corporation politics, the free-trade agitation, and especially in volunteering affairs, and became the first secretary to the United Irishmen of Dublin. Early in 1792 he challenged the solicitor-general, Toler, for his abusive language, and was ordered to prison till the close of the session by the House of Commons for breach of privilege. As the viceroy had proclaimed him, with a reward for his apprehension, he had the temerity to raise a formal action for illegality against him and his privy-councillors, which was dismissed at the final hearing on November 26. For distributing in County Louth a 'seditious' pamphlet against the corruption of the powerful Beresford family he was about to be tried at the Dundalk assizes in the spring of 1793, when the government discovered the graver matter that he had met the Defenders at Castle Bellingham in County Louth, and taken their oath, with the view of effecting a coalition between them and the United Irishmen. Tandy fled to America, lived awhile at Wilmington in Delaware, and crossed to France in the spring of 1798, where Madden assures us he was raised to the rank of a general of division in the French army. He followed the ill-fated invasion of Ireland, and made a futile landing at Rutland Island, 16th September 1798, but returned on board that same night. He made his way to Norway, thence to Hamburg, the senate of which handed him over to the English government. On 12th February 1800 he was put on his trial at Dublin, but acquitted. But he was detained in custody, and again put on trial (7th April 1801) at Lifford, in County Donegal, for the treasonable landing on Rutland Island. This time he was convicted and sentenced to death, but, from the same motives of policy that engendered the peace of Amiens (27th March 1801), was permitted to make his way to France. He spent the rest of his days at Bordeaux, dying there in 1803. See Dr R. R. Madden's United Irishmen (3d series, vol. i. 1846).