AN HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE STATE OF IRELAND. CHAPTER VI. FROM THE establishMENT OF THE IRISH LEGISLATIVE INDEPENDENCE IN THE YEAR 1782 TO THE BREAKING OUT OF THE REBELLION IN THE YEAR 1798. of WE have traced Ireland through centuries of calamity and oppression in all the variety of irritation, despondency, moderation, firmness, resentment, and submissiveness, at last settled in the enjoyment of a free and independent constitution, by the liberal, manly, and constitutional conduct of an administration, which though short-lived has left this country a practical lesson, that the principles, which have carried a minority into power are not always abandoned by them, when they have acquired it. To the Rockingham administration did Ireland owe her independence in 1782. It remains for us to consider the use made of it by that country. The appointment to the vice-regency Ireland had been ever considered as a principal part of the support and strength of the British administration. Upon this ground was the Earl Temple appointed under the administration of Earl Shelburne. He had intermarried with the daughter of Earl Nugent, upon whom her father had on the marriage settled the bulk of his large domains in Ireland. Lord Nugent had on every occasion, both in public and private, proved himself a sincere and warm lover of his country: the relative gratitude of the Irish to his son-in-law, the character and accomplishments of the new viceroy, and the virtues of his amiable consort, had ensured him a most cordial welcome and an anticipated earnest of his zealous efforts for the happiness and prosperity of the Irish people. He succeeded the Duke of Portland on the 15th of September, 1782, and was received with public expressions of joy and satisfaction. During the short period of Lord Temple's continuance in the government of that kingdom, his chief attention appears to have been directed to the establishment of a system of economy throughout the different departments; a reformation superemi-, nently necessary. The short-lived administration of Lord Shelburne, of which Lord Temple was no inconsiderable support, determined his vice-regency on the 3d of June, 1783. He was in power long enough to have brought upon himself much invidious opposition, from several secondary dependants upon the Castle, who dreaded nothing so much as a scrutiny into the system of their abuses; and not long enough for the nation to have felt the happy effects of so laudable an investigation. His lordship's indefatigable assiduity and perseverance in scrutinizing the accounts, minutiæ and details of office were wholly unprecedented. It was during the Rockingham administration, that the conclusion was properly put to the contest between Great Britain and the American colonies; for in February, 1782, the British House of Commons came to the following resolution : "That an humble address be presented to his majesty, most "humbly to represent to his majesty, that the further prose"cution of offensive war on the continent of North America, "for the purpose of reducing the revolted colonies to obedience "by force, will be the means of weakening the efforts of this country against her European enemies; tends, under the pre"sent circumstances, dangerously to increase the mutual enmity so fatal to the interests both of Great Britain and America, " and, by preventing an happy reconciliation with that country, "to frustrate the earnest desire graciously expressed by his ma'jesty to restore the blessings of public tranquillity."* แ Measures having been accordingly adopted for terminating the unfortunate contest, the peace was concluded by Lord Shel * To which address his majesty returned this answer : "GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. "There are no objects nearer to my heart than the ease, happiness, and prosperity of my people. "You may be assured that, in pursuance to your advice, I shall take such "measures as shall appear to me to be most conducive to the restoration of "harmony between Great Britain and the revolted colonies, so essential to the "prosperity of both parties; and that my efforts shall be directed in the most effectual manner against our European enemies, till such peace can be ob"tamed, as shall be consistent with the interests and permanent welfare of my kingdoms." burne's administration; which could not fail to infuse joy into the Irish nation, and render them more reconciled to the sudden change of that administration, through which they had obtained their independence, in which Lord Shelburne bore a considerable part. The parliament of Ireland was not then sitting: but it has been observed, that the questions of simple repeal and positive declaration or renunciation of rights was kept up by the armed bodies of the volunteers with a warmer spirit of difference, than they had been within the walls of parliament. And as these differences could not be concealed from the British parliament, it behoves us to consider, how they were induced to act upon them. On the 19th of December, 1782, in the British House of Commons, Colonel Fitzpatrick begged to call the attention of government to the circumstance, which had given some alarm to the people of Ireland, the decision of an Irish cause in the court of King's Bench in England. He wished just to beg that ministers would, before the recess, give some intimation of what they intended to do in that question. Mr. Secretary Townshend assured the honourable gentleman, that government had spent many hours in the business of Ireland, and they had the strongest dispositions to do every thing in their power to confirm the happy settlement, which had taken place last session. He explained the late decision to have arisen from a circumstance, which could not be provided against, viz. that the cause had been in the court for eighteen months, and the judges were bound to decide upon it. Colonel Fitzpatrick said, that he was only anxious, that satisfaction should be given to the Irish nation on this ground, and that they should learn, before the recess, that this country was well disposed to give every necessary satisfaction. This was particularly to be wished, because pains had been taken to spread ideas, that what had been done was not sufficient for the security of Ireland; and on the score of this decision surmises had been thrown out against the friends of order and reason, who were convinced of the rectitude of the intentions of Britain. He understood, that there were several other causes in the court of King's Bench. Mr. Secretary Townshend assured him there were not. Though there were two appeals before the House of Lords, which had also been there before the act of last session; but he understood, that they would be removed, and pains had been taken to prevent any more appeals from being brought to England. The Attorney General explained the reason of the late decision very clearly, and said it was impossible for the noble lord (Mansfield) at the head of that court, who was the pride and |