CHAP. VII.] MR. GRATTAN MOVES THE ADDRESS. 185 ferocious manners. In calling on the Irish Parliament to assist in that war, the Viceroy said,

"You must be duly sensible in such a crisis as the present, which rarely occurs in the course of human affairs, of the advantage of thus endeavouring to profit by the united strength and zeal of every description of his subjects. I have to assure you of his Majesty's most cheerful concurrence in every measure which the wisdom and comprehensive patriotism shall point out for this salutary purpose. On my part you shall find me, from principle and from inclination, thoroughly disposed to concur with his Majesty's paternal wishes, and with the wise measures of his Parliament. On a cordial affection of the whole of Ireland, and on a conduct suitable to that sentiment, I wish to found my own personal estimation and my reputation in the execution of the great trust committed by the most beneficent of sovereigns to my care."

Mr. Grattan moved the address in answer to the speech, and following up the idea expressed by the Viceroy, observed

"To be attached to Great Britain is of no avail, unless you are also attached to one another; external energy must arise from internal union, and, without that, your attachment to England, and your allegiance to the king, though extremely honourable, would be entirely useless.

"His Majesty, therefore, in the second part of his speech, recommends national harmony; he bids perpetual peace to all your animosities; he touches with the sceptre those troubled waters which have long shattered the weary bark of your country, under her various and false pilots for ages of insane persecution and impious theology. It is a continuation of that pious and profound recommendation which enlightened the speech of 1793, when the olive descended from the throne, on the experiment of that advice, and he congratulated the liberality of Parliament: he now spreads his parental wing over all his children, discerning with parental affection and a father's eye, in the variety of their features, the fidelity of their resemblance. He, therefore, over-rules the jingling jargon which disgraces your understanding, and that poverty of pride which is vain of mutual degradation, and creates a real poverty of condition'; and he calls forth all the public and productive energies of all his people, neither resting his throne on the mo

186

GRANT OF MONEY AND SEAMEN. [CHAP. VII.

nopoly of allegiance, no more than he rested your fortunes on the monopoly of commerce."

Mr. Duquery proposed an amendment condemning the war and the conduct of Mr. Pitt, in refusing to treat with the French government. This was rejected, and the address was agreed to.

Mr. Grattan then presented the petition of the Roman Catholics of Dublin, praying for the removal of the restraints and penalties to which they were subject on account of their religion.

These proceedings of the Irish Government and their chief supporter were not only known to Mr. Pitt and his party, but approved of by them; and on the account reaching England, Mr. Burke, on the 29th of January, in a letter to Mr. William Smith, then a member of the Irish Parliament, afterwards Baron of the Exchequer, says, "I congratulate you on the auspicious opening of your session. Surely Great Britain and Ireland ought to join in wreathing a never-fading garland for the head of Grattan."*

Accordingly, on the 3rd of February, in full confidence that faith would be observed towards Ireland, and that the British minister would not recede from his agreement, Mr. Grattan moved that 200,000l. be granted for the purpose of raising men for His Majesty's fleet; and stated that his friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Parnell) would move in committee forty-one thousand men for the home defence, and as the revenue was now equal to the peace establishment, the taxes would be inconsiderable. The motion was agreed to without a division. On the 9th, Sir Lawrence Parsons enquired whether the principles professed by the members of the Government when out of power would be the ruling principles at present. Mr. Jephson said:

* Burke's Works, vol. ix.

CHAP. VII.]

PROCEEDINGS IN THE HOUSE.

187

He rejoiced to see Lord Fitzwilliam in administration, and the persons by whom he was assisted; they were the only persons who projected between the two countries a connection which would be honourable, just, or permanent. These were the men who, in 1782, secured the emancipation of Ireland, and under every discouragement since, had adhered to their professions. Since 1782, the tried friends of Ireland had been excluded from power; the patronage of the Crown most wantonly employed in the house, not to support the empire, but to oppose the people. Necessitous and intolerant individuals had been advanced to direct the public affairs on the principle of "divide et impera," and hence it was that Ireland had been a scene of distress and embarrassment. Through rancour of persecution, and excess of insult, men have been alienated from the throne; but this contagion had not spread far, and the errors of the preceding, would, he was confident, be remedied by the wisdom of the present administration.

Mr. Duquery declared he thought it right, before he voted the money of the people, that he should know what the people were to get.

Mr. Grattan declared that the same principles which he and his friends professed when in opposition, continued to govern their conduct now;-that they would try to give them effect;-and accordingly they reduced the Pension list 44,000l., and the Concordatum list 22,0007.;-they proposed a reduction in the collection of the revenue—an encouragement of the breweries-a restraint on the use of spirituous liquors, and a substitution of a wholesome beverage for the people.

Meantime the Roman Catholics were not inactive:-from all quarters of the nation-from the chief cities, towns, and counties, petitions were presented to the House of Commons praying for the repeal of all restrictive laws; and none of moment were presented from the Protestants against them ;* and on the 12th of February, three weeks after the meeting of Parliament, Mr. Grattan obtained leave to bring in a bill for their relief-three members only dissenting.

Government next proceeded with the new taxes, and the reformation of the police; and Mr. Grat* One was presented from the Corporation of Dublin.

188

SIR L. PARSONS MOTION.

[CHAP. VII. tan obtained leave to bring in a bill for the latter purpose. The reform of the representation, and the repeal of the Convention Bill, were among other measures eagerly looked for by the people; but when the redress of grievances was expected, and about to be demanded, the recall of Lord Fitzwilliam began to be rumoured, and on the 2nd of March, when the report from the Committee of Supply was brought up, Sir Lawrence Parsons proposed that the words in the Money Bill," the 25th of March, 1796," be expunged, and the words, "the 25th of May, 1795," be inserted.

He stated that the grant of supplies and the redress of grievances should go hand-in-hand. The only security the country had, was a short Money Bill; it had been tried in 1779; it had been tried in 1789; and, in both instances, had been of utility. The people had been led to expect great measures; their hopes had been raised, and now were about to be blasted. If the Cabinet of Great Britain had held out an assent to the Catholic question, and had afterwards retracted, it was an insult to the nation, which the House should resent. There had been no meetings; no petitions of the Protestants against the claims of the Catholics. It would thence be inferred that their sentiments were not adverse to the emancipation; this was held out as the leading measure of administration; the Responsibility Bill was another; the Reform Bill was another. In consideration of these measures, additional taxes had been voted to the amount of 250,000l.; but now it appeared that the country had been duped-that nothing was to be done for the people. If the British minister persisted in such infatuation, discontent would be at its height, the army must be increased, and every man must have dragoons in his house.

The motion was rejected by 146 to 24. Mr. Conolly then proposed three resolutions :

"That Lord Fitzwilliam, by his public conduct since his arrival in Ireland, deserved the thanks of the House and the confidence of the people.*

* At the instance of the Chancellor and the Bishop of Ossory, the Lords altered a similar motion of the Duke of Leinster, to "The confidence and thanks of this House."

CHAP. VII.] LORD FITZWILLIAM recalled. 189

"That to prorogue Parliament before the grievances which the people complained of were redressed, would be highly inexpedient.

That these resolutions be laid before His Majesty."

Mr. Conolly withdrew the two last, at the instance of the Government party; the first passed unanimously, and the Speaker, attended by the entire House, waited upon the Lord-lieutenant with their vote, who replied with expressions of satisfaction at finding he was entitled to the confidence of the people; but on the 24th of March he was recalled from the government of Ireland.

Never in the history of any nation can there be found such duplicity-such treachery, and such baseness as was practised towards the people of Ireland. The proceedings of this eventful crisis appear in Lord Fitzwilliam's letters; and, with those here published, they develope the intrigues and unworthy arts that were but too successfully resorted to. Before Lord Fitzwilliam's departure from London, he had settled the outline of his administration. The question of relieving the Catholics from every remaining disqualification had been discussed by the Duke of Portland and the British cabinet, with Mr. Pitt at their head, and they were strongly impressed with a conviction that the work ought to be completed. Lord Fitzwilliam expressly says, in his letters* to Lord Carlisle, what he had in private said to Mr. Burke," that had he found it otherwise, he would never have undertaken the Government;" the only thing he consented to do was not to bring forward the question on his part; but that if the Catholics were determined to bring it before Parliament, he would give it a handsome support.

On his arrival in Ireland he found that an immediate consideration of the question must take * They appeared under the title, "Letters to a Venerated Nobleman."