But he bore them good humouredly, and told the Chancellor that if he could have a day's cockshooting now and then, he would not mind continuing at his post for years.' The state of affairs in France caused much anxiety to the British Government at this period, and Tumours of a French invasion were prevalent. CHAP. XLI. CHAPTER XLII. CONCLUSION OF THE LIFE OF LORD CHANCELLOR LORD BOWES. CHAP. Rumours of invasion. Address from the Catholics. A French invasion threatened. RUMOURS of a French invasion, in A.D. 1759, under the guidance of Conflaus, caused some attention to be paid to the claims of Catholics. Dr. Curry and Mr. O'Conor,2 men of learning and high personal character, advocated the cause of their oppressed co-religionists with ability and zeal. Nor were their exertions unaided by kind and sympathising Protestants. Alderman George Faulkner, a Protestant, held out his hand to the prostrate Catholic, recognised him as a fellow Christian and a brother, and endeavoured to raise him to the rank of a subject and a freeman.3 A meeting of Catholics was held in Dublin, and an address prepared by Mr. Charles O'Conor, expressive of their readiness to support his Majesty's Government against all hostile attempts, and of their hopes that means might be devised to render so numerous a body more useful members of the community than they could possibly be under the restraint of penal laws. It was presented to the Viceroy by Mr. Ponsonby, Speaker of the House of Commons. This direct allusion to the code, and the hope of some relaxation, caused a cold reception to be given to this address. In the summer of 1759 considerable fears were entertained of the French invasion, and intelligence reached the British Government that Ireland was the place where 1 John Curry, M.D., an eminent physician of Dublin. 2 Charles O'Conor, Esq., of Ballinagar, ancestor of the O'Conor Don, M.P. History of the Irish Catholics, by O'Conor, p. 254. 4 Ibid. CHAP. XLII. tions. the first landing was to be effected. The Lords Clare' and Clancarty were to command the expedition. The Viceroy (Duke of Bedford), then in London, attended a meeting of the Ministry, held at Lord Holderness's house, Viceroy on May 8, and stated that garrisons should be placed requisite in all the large towns for the security of the Protestant precauinhabitants, which would leave him but 5,000 men to meet the enemy. A resolution was then formed to man the greatest fleet that could be got together, to rendezvous at Torbay, and from thence to stretch over to the French coast, in order to deter or defeat the meditated invasion. As an additional precaution, a strong body of infantry was to be encamped on the Isle of Wight, with transports to be kept ready to convey the troops wherever danger was most urgent. As troops could not be spared from England, the Lords agreed that the King's pleasure should be taken about arming the militia of Ulster, The Ulster and sending all officers on leave from the Irish establishments to their posts, which the King immediately agreed to. The Lord Lieutenant at once communicated with the Lords Justices, requiring them to see that everything directed by the English Government was strictly complied with, and the officers not permitted to loiter in Dublin or elsewhere. Militia. the Roman Catholics Lord Rothes, then Commander of the Forces in Ireland, Fears the Primate, Dr. Stone, and the Speaker of the House of respecting Commons, discussed the state of affairs. As some appre- Catholics. hension existed that the Roman Catholics would join the French, the Primate, in a letter to the Viceroy from Dub- Vindicalin, May 28, 1759, thus refutes the notion :- I beg leave tion of the to hazard my private opinion to your Grace, that there is little or no danger to be apprehended from them. This is my firm persuasion, and I would risk all I am worth. upon it. I do not indeed doubt but if a French army were to land, many single vagabonds would be ready to 1 Charles O'Brien, sixth Viscount Clare.-See Lady M. Wortley's Letters, vol. ii. p. 158. by the Protestant Primate. CHAP. Viceroy's message to the Irish Parliament. Mr. Pitt's reply to the Vice roy. take arms with them; but I am almost confident the Roman Catholics of property, whether landed or moneyed, would not assist, but they would rather fear than wish such an attempt from the French; and that some of them would even give assistance towards serving his Majesty. I am well acquainted with several of the heads of that people, and I think I know something of their sentiments.' 1 On returning to Ireland, his Grace the Duke of Bedford acquainted both Houses of the Irish Parliament with the necessity of taking measures for the defence of all most dear to them. He urged a timely preparation to resist and frustrate any attempts of the enemy to disturb the quiet and shake the security of this kingdom. The Lord Chancellor, by order of the Lords, presented an address to his Excellency, and there appeared a spirit exerted for the defence of the country highly gratifying to the Lord Lieutenant. In the reply of Mr. Secretary Pitt to the despatch of the Duke of Bedford, just referred to, that minister entirely ignores the aid of the Roman Catholics of this kingdom; nor was he quite confident of the support of the Protestants. He says, 'As for the zeal of his Majesty's Protestant subjects in that kingdom, no doubt can possibly be entertained of the sincerity of it; but the almost total inefficiency of that zeal, though ever so real, in a conjuncture like the present, and such an unfortunate incredulity and supineness in consequence of it, after so strong and so frequent warnings of danger, cannot but administer here much just grounds of wonder and concern. The kingdom of Ireland, if it will call forth and exert its resources, is, by its wealth, and by the number and courage of its Protestant subjects, well able to repel and defeat, proprio motu, any attempts of the enemy which may hapthe apathy pen to be made there; nor is it prudent for their own sakes, or reasonable in itself, that the Protestant people of Ireland should, in such a critical and decisive conjunc1 Correspondence of the Duke of Bedford, vol. ii. p. 380. Mr. Pitt condemns of Irish Protestants. XLII. ture as the present, withhold their efforts and sit still till CHAP. a descent be actually made upon them unprepared, trusting that the reinforcements from Great Britain (who may in that moment be herself the object of actual invasion) are at once to be sent to put an end to a war which, by a timely exertion of their own intrinsic strength, might have been totally prevented or at once repelled.' 1 Rumour of a Union Great between Britain and Ireland. A report having gone abroad in 1759 that the measure of a Union between the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland was likely to be brought forward and would pass the Irish Parliament, the population of Dublin evinced their hostility to this proposed annihilation of home legislation in a marked and decided manner. Crowds of excited citizens, chiefly tradesmen, surrounded the avenues leading to the Parliament House, and, in order to cause them to disperse, Mr. Rigby, the Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant (Duke of Bedford) addressed them, and assured them there were no grounds for their apprehensions.' The fears of the citizens, however, were not so easily allayed, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Right Hon. John Ponsonby, son of the Earl of Bessborough, who was of a family always popular, next came forward, The Seand with better success. Rigby also made a solemn cretary declaration that if a Bill of Union was brought in, he Viceroy would vote against it,' which satisfied the people, and they Speaker dispersed. Their suspicion of this measure not being address wholly abandoned appeared to receive some confirmation when a motion was made by Mr. Rigby that the Lord Fears Lieutenant be enabled to summon a Parliament without again excited by the usual interval of forty days, in the event of an invasion Rigby's or other emergency.' The citizens considered this was a pretext to enable the Government to pass the obnoxious Union Bill before the nation would be in a position effectually to oppose it. to the and the crowd. motion. December 3, 1759, found the city in a ferment. Popular Fearful excitement is catching; beginning with the lower ranks, excitement it spreads like wildfire, and kindles the masses imme 1 Vide Correspondence of the Duke of Bedford, vol. ii. p. 393. |