Mitchel had written for The Nation, which supported Daniel O'Connell's Repeal Association, but resigned to create his more radical paper, advocating sedition.

The gap for a more radical publication was first filled by The Irish Tribune, which appeared on 10 June and contained a memoir of Mitchel, however the first issue also contained an advertisement for Martin's new journal with a claim that it was the "successor to the United Irishman" and would be assisted by two other Young Irelanders, Thomas Devin Reilly and James Fintan Lalor.

The Crown and Government Security Bill had gone from its first reading to law in the month of April, mentioning Mitchel and resulting in the Act of Parliament under which he had been charged.

A seditious article of Lalor's from The Irish Felon was quoted on 22 July by the prime minister, John Russell, who additionally referred to The Nation.

Lalor was quoted by the Marquess of Lansdowne and Baron Kerry, Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, two days later in the House of Lords, after which the Habeas Corpus Suspension (Ireland) Bill was passed.