The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Tandy, James Napper

TANDY, James Napper, Irish patriot: b. 1740; d. Bordeaux, France, 1803. As a Protestant leader of the popular movement he took zealous action in corporation politics, free trade agitation and volunteering affairs, and was elected the first secretary to the United Irishmen of Dublin. In 1792 he sent a challenge to the solicitor-general, Toler, and was condemned to prison till the close of the session by the House of Commons. As the viceroy had offered a reward for his arrest, he raised a formal action for illegality against him and his privy-councillors, which was dismissed at the final hearing. For distributing in County Louth a seditious pamphlet, he was about to be tried in 1793, when the government discovered that he had met the Defenders and taken their oath, with the view of effecting a coalition between them and the United Irishmen. Tandy fled to the United States, but crossed to France in 1798, where he was raised to the rank of a general of division in the French army. He joined the ill-fated invasion of Ireland, and made a futile landing at Rutland Island 16 Sept. 1798. He escaped to Hamburg, the senate of which city handed him over to the English government. On 12 Feb. 1800, he was put on trial at Dublin, and acquitted. He was again put on trial (1801) for the treasonable landing on Rutland Island. This time he was sentenced to death, but, from motives of policy, was permitted to make his way to France, where he spent the rest of his days. He was the hero of the familiar Irish song, ‘The Wearing of the Green.’