RIBBONISM, the name of a system of secret associations among the lower classes in Ireland, the objects of which have long been a subject of much suspicion and of con siderable controversy. The first origin of the associations known under this name is involved in much obscurity. From the middle of the last century, secret organizations, variously designated, but for the most part connected with agrarian discontent, have from time to time arisen in Ireland. The earliest of these appears to have been that of the Whiteboys, who appeared about the year 1759. Later in the century the fierce and sanguinary strife to which the relaxation of some of the penal laws under which the Catholics had long suffered gave occasion in the north, and which resulted in the Prot estant organization already described under the head Orangemen (q.v.), led to the Catho lic counter-organization known by the name of defenders; but this association seems to have been for the time purely local, being confined to Armagh and the neighboring counties, in which the violenees of the Protestant party had originated. The severely repressive measures adopted by the government on the outbreak of the rebellion of 1798, and continued for several years, prevented any notable progress of the Catholic organiza tion; and when at length, about 1806, such an organization was initiated, it was of neces shy with the utmost secrecy. The name by which the members of these associations were now known was "Threshers " They appeared chiefly in Sligo, Mayo, Leitrim, Longford, and Cavan; and it is worthy of note that one of their professed objects was to resist the payment of tithes, and even of the stipend commonly, although freely, paid to the Catholic priests by members of their congregations. The associations called (it is supposed from the badge worn by the members) by the name of ribbon societies first appeared about 1808, and originated in Armagh, whence they spread to Down, Antrim, Tyrone, and Fermanagh. There can be no doubt that their real object was a combined action, partly for self-defense, partly also probably for directly antag onistic action against the now wide-spread and formidable Orange confederacy. Their operations from the first were for the most part limited to the counties, chiefly in the n, and n,w., in which the Oran IN associations were sufficiently numerous to be formid able; nor do they appear at any time to have had a footing in the purely Catholic coun ties where there were few or no Orangemen to be encountered. The secret associations of the other districts—the midland', southern. and south-eastern counties—as the " Carders " in East and West Meath. in Roscommon, and part of Mayo; and the " Shaun vests" and " Caravats " in Tipperary, Kilkenny, Cork. and Limerick, had little of the religious element is their organization, being mainly due to discontents arising frun alleged agrarian' and social grievances.
The ribbon association also, no doubt, addressed itself to the same agrarian and social grievances; but it is plaiu that its direct and immediate object was antagonism to the Orange confederation, to which, in some respects, it bore considerable resemblance, although it was deficient in that complete and wide-spread oreiniz:ation which so remark ably distinguished the former body. The ribbon association was divided, like the
Orange, into lodges, and the members of each lodge were bound by a secret oath to "be trne to each other," and "to assist each other in all things lawful." Stated meet ings of the lodges were held, and small money contributions were exacted, both at entrance into the association, and on each occasion of meeting. The members, more over, were known to each other by certain secret signs and pass-words, which were frequently changed, and some of the specimens of which were of a sing,ulairly absurd and ludicrous character. But there does not appear to have been anything like that complete and curious scheme of a "central grand lodge." with its subordinate hier archy of •• county," "district," and " private" lodges. which characterized the great rival confederation. A still more striking and important diff•renee was in the class of men with which the ribbon societies were recruited, They are proved to have consisted exclusively of the very lowest classes, the barnbler peasantry, form-servants. r.ad opera tives of the least intelligent class. No trace appears among :hem of what is so striking is the Orange association—the or even the countenance of the gentry the •l.rgy, the commercial class, hardly even of the farming class, except a few of the sons of farmers of the lowest grade. On the contrary, an attempt which was made, in a committee of the house of lords in 1839, to connect the Catholic clergy and the Catholics generally with the ribbon association, proved a signal failure. as did also the attempt to show that the objects of the association were the overthrow of British rule in Ireland; and it was proved that the Catholic clergy, front the first origin of these asso ciations, have persistently opposed them, anal employed all their influence, and even their spiritual authority. to deter their flocks from taking any part in them.
. From the absence of all statistical information, end• from the ride and illiterate material out of which alone these societies are formed, it is impossible to offer any esti mate of their number or extent. That they still exist becomes abundantly clear on every oceasion of party-strife which arises in Ireland; but they appear to have been replaced in several parts of the country by newer associations, such as the " Phenicians," the " Brotherhood of St. Patrick," anti the "Fenians," an association which is Said to possess large affiliations in America, and among the Irish in the manufacturing towns of England and Scotland. See FENIANS.