armament was conveyed in safety to the British harbours, and from that moment all thoughts of a descent in force on Ireland were laid aside by the French Government, and the war in the Channel was confined to contests of frigates or small vessels, in which the superior skill and prowess of the British sailors almost uniformly gave them the advantage.

the

lic

I.

1799.

95.

the project of Union at the instance

Before the project of a union was again brought forward by Government in the Irish Parliament, it under- Changes in went several modifications, on the suggestion of Lord Castlereagh, calculated to render it more acceptable to of Lord the opponents of the measure in Ireland. These altera- Castlereagh. tions consisted chiefly of details regarding the adjustment of the public debt of the two countries respectively, and very delicate matter of admitting the Roman Cathopeers, who were only six in number, to vote for the representative peers in the British Parliament. These changes were the subject of a long correspondence between the English Government and Lords Cornwallis and Castlereagh, by whom the liberal side in all these questions was warmly supported. By their temper and conciliatory measures the objections of most of the supporters of this measure were removed; and the Catholics, as a body, satisfied with the disposition of Government, were content to remain neutral, or give it a lukewarm support, without any distinct pledge in words as to future removal of the disabilities under which they laboured being given by the English Government. Lord Castlereagh expressed himself as full of hope that these alterations would insure the success of the measure when next brought forward in Parliament. Lord Cornwallis was by no means wallis to equally sanguine, and seemed extremely doubtful whether Duke of anything could overcome the repugnance of the ruling Dec. 9, Protestant interests in the country to a measure so Cornwallis likely to prove fatal to their long-established oligarchical 148, 149. domination in the island.1 1*

"Your Grace and Mr Pitt will, I trust, both have an opportunity of satisfying Lord Clare's feelings in respect to the line hereafter to be pursued

1 Lord Corn

Portland,

1799;

Corresp. iii.

CHAP.

I.

1800.

The measure

the Irish

House.

At length the eventful day, big with the future destinies of the British empire, and for which both parties had made the utmost efforts, arrived. The Articles of Union 96. had been most carefully gone over between Lord Castleis carried in reagh and Mr Pitt, and the former had the satisfaction of informing the latter, immediately before they were brought forward, that, as amended, they had obtained the cordial concurrence of the leading friends of the measure in Ireland. The task now devolved on Lord Castlereagh of introducing the measure to the House, and it was one of such serious difficulty and responsibility, that his position excited grave apprehensions in the breasts of his friends. "I pity from my soul," said one of them, "Lord Castlereagh; he has a phalanx of mischievous talent, and a

towards the Catholics before he leaves London. Of course no further hopes will be held forth to that body by the Irish Government without specific directions from your Grace; and I fairly confess I entertain very great doubts whether any more distinct explanation than has already been given, would at present be politically advantageous. It is enough to feel assured that we are not suffering them to form expectations which must afterwards be disappointed, under the disadvantage of having dexterity, if not duplicity, imputed to Government in the conduct of the measure. The more I consider the terms of union you are prepared to offer to Ireland, the more confident I feel that the measure must ultimately succeed. I shall have a strong case to state to the Irish Parliament; I wish I could appeal to an audience solely intent upon the public question."-LORD CASTLEREAGH to the DUKE OF PORTLAND, November 28, 1799; Cornwallis Correspondence, iii. 147.

Lord Cornwallis was by no means equally sanguine. "It is a sad thing to be forced," said he, "to manage knaves, but it is ten times worse to deal with fools. Between the one and the other, I entertain every day more doubt of our success in the great question of Union. We have a lukewarm, and, in some instances, an unwilling majority; the enemy have a bold and deeply interested minority, which will, I am afraid, even after our friends are reckoned, run us much nearer than most 'people expect."- LORD CORNWALLIS to GENERAL ROSS, December 28, 1799; Cornwallis Correspondence, iii. 153.

"I do not feel very bold: every day produces some symptoms of defection, and I hope our friends in England will be prepared for the worst."-LORD CORNWALLIS to GENERAL Ross, December 24, 1799; Ibid., iii. 152.

"The Articles of Union having now been gone through by our leading friends, I can venture to assure you that the arrangement affords them all the fullest satisfaction. The question of expense they consider as most satisfactorily and liberally settled between the two countries, and the only alteration they seem to wish is the introduction of some words in the clause which I have the honour to enclose, which may more distinctly explain, on the face of the resolution, the particular circumstances which would warrant the substitution of common taxes in lieu of proportionate contributions." - LORD CASTLEREAGH to MR PITT, January 13, 1800; Cornwallis Correspondence, iii. 159.

"1

CHAP.

I.

1800.

ander, Esq.,

ham, Jan.

Cornwallis

161.

host of passion, folly, corruption, and enthusiasm, to contend with. The Catholics yesterday came to some absurd resolutions. Grattan has, you know, the confidence of 40,000 pikemen he is to be introduced to the House to-night. The passions of the bar and many of the country gentry give them a favourable accolade." 1 Great1H. Alexprices were given by the Opposition for seats: Mr Grat- to Mr Peltan gave £2400 for his; and as much as £5000 was freely 15, 1800; offered. Dublin was in the most violent state of agita- Corresp. iii. tion, and though it was known Government would have a majority, yet as it was in part made up of unwilling supporters, it was very doubtful whether, though at first carried, the measure might not be ultimately defeated, as it had been on the former occasion. Lord Castlereagh moved the address in a most manly speech, and Sir L. Parsons proposed an amendment, to the effect that the House declined the Union. The debate lasted eighteen hours, and was conducted with great ability by Mr Plunkett, Mr Grattan, Mr Bushe, Mr Ponsonby, and many wallis to others on the part of the Opposition. The result, how- Duke of ever, though not so favourable as Lord Castlereagh had Jan. 16, anticipated, gave a decided victory to Government; Cornwallis the amendment was rejected by a majority of 42, the 160-164. numbers being 138 to 96.2

2 Lord Corn

Portland,

1800;

Corresp. ii.

97.

efforts of

sition, and

Downshire.

This division was decisive of the question; the more especially as eighteen seats which required to be filled up Treasonable for the most part returned Government supporters. The the OppoOpposition went great lengths on this defeat, calling on dismissal the counties to come forward and save the country; but of Lord no serious disturbance took place. The efforts made Jan. 27. by the Opposition were such, however, as to intimidate not a few of the Government supporters, and excite some alarm for the final success of the measure in the breast of Lord Castlereagh himself. Every species of intimidation was resorted to-political, moral, and personal-to check the majority, and petitions from twentysix counties were presented against it. A treasonable handbill was thrown off and widely circulated, call

I.

1800.

CHAP. ing on the yeomanry of Ireland to rise and save the country; and it was asked whether 60,000 Irishmen, with arms in their hands, would stand tamely by and see the constitution of their native land sacrificed. To such a length did the excitement go, that the Marquess of Downshire, not content with speaking on all occasions in the most vehement strain against the measure, and sending round a circular to the counties calling on them to petition against it, took steps to get a petition to the same effect signed in his regiment of militia. This imprudent step, tending as it did to the subversion of military discipline and the arraying of the armed force against the Government, was immediately and decidedly met by Lord Cornwallis. He at once deprived him of the command of the regiment, and he was soon after informed that his Majesty had no further occasion for his services. as lord-lieutenant of the county of Down. This spirited act, which was entirely approved by the English GovernPortland, ment, and was, as Lord Cornwallis justly observed, "entirely in unison with the Irish character," produced the very best effect; and, by showing both the firmness of Ministers and their confidence in the cause, powerfully contributed to ultimate success.1 *

1 Lord Cornwallis to

Duke of

Feb. 4, 1800; Cornwallis

Corresp. iii. 178, 179.

98.

culties in

As the measure went on in both Houses of Parliament, Fresh diffi- the difficulties and the anxiety increased, and it became even doubtful whether it would ultimately pass. In the Lords, indeed, the majority of Government was very great on the first resolution in favour of the Union, being 75

the way.

*Lord Downshire had transmitted to Carlow, where his regiment was quartered, the draft of a petition against the Union; and the writers of the letters transmitting it-Captain Boyd of the Down Militia and "Jeffry Foresight"-asserted that officers and privates, whether freeholders or not, even those who were under age, were indiscriminately called upon to sign it. The soldiers, as might be expected, were in many cases ignorant of the contents of the paper presented to them for signature. Some imagined it was a petition in favour of the Union, others that it was a request that the Union should not be carried out of the country. Lord Downshire asserted that the only object was to get such of the men as were freeholders to sign the county petition, and there seems no reason to doubt that this was his lordship's view. But even in that view the act was improper, and of bad example, and was rightly and at once met by Government."-See Cornwallis Correspondence, iii. 179.

CHAP.

I.

1800.

to 26; but in the Commons things wore a different aspect for several weeks. Every resolution was made the subject of a separate debate and division; and the whole contest fell on Lord Castlereagh, who had singly to sustain the conflict with a phalanx of concentrated ability arrayed on the other side. The orators who then led the Opposition in the Irish Commons-Mr Grattan, Mr Plunkett, Mr Ponsonby, Mr Bushe-were the most eloquent that Ireland had ever produced, and they had the immense advantage of speaking to a willing sympathetic audience in the House, and in the presence of an excited and enthusiastic public in the country. Lord Castlereagh had no effective support in debate in the Lower House, and although he had a majority of votes, the hearts of the greater part of the members were on the other side. The ability, temper, and judgment with which he led the Ministerial party, and sustained the debate in those arduous circumstances, was above all praise, and called forth the applause even of his opponents. * Nor was one quality awanting which, important in all public crises, was especially so in Ireland at this time. His personal courage was undoubted; his moral intrepidity equal to any emergency. On one occasion, when Mr Grattan May 26. had said that "Lord Castlereagh's assertion, that the measure was agreeable to the sense of the people, was

* "Lord Castlereagh entered into a full examination and refutation of the Speaker's argument on the former night, wherein he had endeavoured to show that if the Union had taken place before the war, this kingdom would have been more in debt by ten millions. His Lordship showed the fallacy of this statement with great force and perspicuity, and established to the satisfaction of the committee the positions he had laid down in his original speech."-LORD CORNWALLIS to DUKE OF PORTLAND, February 25, 1800; Cornwallis Correspondence, iii. 199.

"Mr Ponsonby was replied to by Lord Castlereagh with great and confessed ability. His Lordship entered fully into a detailed state of the public mind from the time the question was first moved. He showed that when the people were left to themselves there was a general disposition to acquiesce in the measure, and, among the loyal and well-informed classes, to approve it; and that the public expressions adverse to the measure had been brought about by manœuvre and artifice. Seventy-four declarations had been made in favour of a union by public bodies in the kingdom, of which nineteen were from freeholders of counties."-LORD CORNWALLIS to DUKE OF PORTLAND, March 5, 1800; Ibid., 203.