" for with a lover's appetite, was, when brought to their embraces, "repudiated with a lover's inconstancy."

The people did not take the same means to obtain a reform in parliament, which they had taken to obtain a free trade: for the address had hardly passed the House of Commons, when there posted in volumes of instructions from the people for "free trade, or a short money bill."

The reform of parliament was in fact lost by the people; when the opposition took it up, and the borough patrons were engaged to support it all were ready but the people; for when another attempt was made by the opposition for a reform in parliament, in a motion by Mr. Forbes, and a third attempt by Mr. Ponsonby, who laid before the House of Commons his plan of reform, it is very surprising, in these different attempts, and in these different intervals, the people did nothing: all the attempts of opposition, and the offers of the owners of boroughs were not seconded.* It was, however, singular, that there was to be seen in the Roman Catholic convention, what could not be found in the counties at large, a resolution in aid of the reform of parliament. The causes of this, perhaps, may be discovered in different circumstances: one was, that the Catholic question, which of necessity took the start of reform, prevented any of the southern or western counties from interfering until that matter was settled, and gave the government time to rally: but this would only account for the silence of the people when the first motions were made, not when Mr. Ponsonby proposed his plan, which was after the Catholic business was safe in harbour. Another circumstance was, the jealousy of the Protestant ascendants, who dropped reform when the Catholics were admitted to vote at elections, because they were more afraid of the Catholics than of the boroughs. A further circumstance, was the change of affairs in Europe: during the delay of the Catholic bill, the face of the French war was changed; the French were beaten out of Flanders, and the government were no longer afraid of the Irish: and then, indeed, if the counties had interfered, it would have been of no signification: but before that their instructions would probably have been attended to. There was another circumstance which gave a fatal blow to the reform of parliament; the society of United Irishmen were harshly spoken of by the opposition. Supposing their intentions to be as bad as the country believed them to be, these men could not raise an insurrection, nor bring over a French army, nor plan or execute a gunpowder

It has been much questioned, whether many of the loudest advocates for reform were actually sincere in their professions, from the paucity of the of ferers to surrender up their borough rights. A tolerably accurate list of the boroughs, and their proprietors or patrons at that time in Ireland, may be seen in the Appendix, No. XCVI.

plot; but they could, and did help to damn reform, and save the ministry. The Roman Catholics carried their measures by avoiding the rock on which the United Irishmen split. The Catholics were conducted by men of capacity; their views were enlarged, their language moderate; English principles and English words; they availed themselves of every circumstance, and - every ally; the opposition; the court; the French success; the people of Belfast; and even the United Irishmen, without binding themselves so far to any as to exclude them from the assistance of the other. The French success, by terrifying their enemies, served very much the Catholics; but the Catholics had too much sense to express their approbation of French principles, or to display any treasonable French devices, which damned one of the societies. Their prudent conduct made the king himself their patron; and the lord-lieutenant's secretary moved their bill. The opposition had the merit of supporting the whole of their claims the opposition did not advise the Catholics to insist on all or nothing: the suggestion of a desperate set, that wanted to make the Catholics not their fellow-subjects, but their instru ments; but the opposition struggled to get for them every thing; but if not every thing, as much as they could: and not break with government because they could not get all at once: the Catholics very prudently therefore, did not in terms ask for every thing, while they left every thing open for themselves to ask, and parliament to give. The opposition was not unanimous in the Catholics' petition not joining the twenty-five in the session before the last, by whom their cause was preserved, which otherwise would have fallen.

This long and important session* was put an end to on the 16th of August, 1793, when his excellency made a very interesting

* Besides the acts already mentioned, the following popular acts were passed in the session of 1793, viz. 33 Geo. III c. xxv. An act to encourage the improvement of barren land. xxxi. An act for regulating the trade of Ire land to and from the East-Indies, under certain conditions and provisions for a time therein mentioned. 33 Geo. III. c. xxxiv. An act for the support of the honour and dignity of his majesty's crown in Ireland, and for granting to his majesty a civil list establishment, under certain provisions and regulations, 33 Geo, III. c. xli. An act for securing the freedom and independence of the House of Commons, by excluding therefrom persons holding any offices under the crown, to be hereafter created, or holding certain offices therein enume. rated, or pensions for term of years, or during his majesty's pleasure. 33 Geo. III. c. xlviii. An act to remove doubts respecting the functions of juries in cases of libel. 33 Geo. III. c. lii. An act for the advancement of trade and manufactures, by granting the sums therein mentioned for the support of commercial credit. The same causes which had combined to give a temporary check to the commercial credit of Great Britain, had operated with equal alarm in the sister kingdom. The parliament of Ireland, therefore, evinced the same prompt and preventive care as had been manifested by the English government, by undertaking to make good the sum of 200,000l. which the bank had engaged to advance to certain mercantile houses, with interest at

and impressive speech from the throne; the most prominent feature of which was the expression of his majesty's pleasure at the passing of the bill in favour of the Roman Catholics. It justly portrayed the gratitude which that body owes to the personal tenderness and regards of their sovereign for the great benefits of his reign.

five per cent; a measure, which renewed and enlivened the current of commercial credit, and prevented its short suspension from being attended with any consequences prejudicial to the trade of the country. In short, the conduct of the government of Ireland during this session, was evidently calculated to restore tranquillity and defeat the designs of those who wished to raise public discontent, and to introduce the principles of French anarchy; while these salutary laws strengthened the executive power in securing the blessings of domestic peace and public security.

"MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

"THE wisdom and liberality, with which you attend"ed to his majesty's recommendation in favour of his Roman Catholic subjects, are highly pleasing to the king. You must be fully sensible of his majesty's gracious condescension in committing to your judgment the applica"tion of the hereditary revenue; and I am ordered by his majesty to signify "his approbation of the provisions which have been made for the support of "his civil government, and the honour and dignity of his crown; and to express his confidence, that your liberal concessions to the Roman Catholics, "and the measures for the regulation of the public expenditure, and for the "limitation of offices and pensions, to which his majesty has been graciously pleased to consent, with a view to the advantage of the public, will cement a general union of sentiment among all classes of his majesty's subjects, in 66 support of the established constitution.

"His majesty has seen with real satisfaction that friendly disposition which "has been manifested by the parliaments of Great-Britain and Ireland, for "strengthening the connexion of the two kingdoms by mutual acts of conces"sion. I am authorized to acquaint you, that an act has passed the British "parliament, to permit goods of Asia, Africa, or America, legally imported "into Ireland, to be imported from thence into Great-Britain. This is a sig"nal proof of her attention to your interests; whilst the confirmation of the "charter of the East India Company by the parliament of Ireland, displays "on your part a cordial zeal for the support of Great-Britain, and a judicious "consideration of the great and essential interests of the empire.

"I am to make my acknowledgments for the many salutary laws you have "enacted to strengthen the executive government, which will materially tend "to defeat the designs of the enemies to the freedom and happiness of this "kingdom.

"The apprehensions of embarrassments, which for a time hung over com"mercial transactions, were to me a subject of the utmost anxiety; and I am "to return you my thanks for sanctioning those measures which I took in support of credit, and which, I trust, have had the happiest effect in pre"venting the ill consequences of such apprehensions.

"The spirit of discontent which prevailed amongst the lower classes of the "people at the beginning of the session, has since burst into acts of riot and in"surrection; and I have been under the painful necessity of employing his majesty's forces, whose steadiness and good conduct have on all occasions been "manifested, and by whose exertions the civil magistrates have been enabled, "in a great measure, to restore the general tranquillity.

"Under all the circumstances of the country, I thought it proper to call "forth a very considerable portion of the militia of this kingdom, I am to ex"press his majesty's approbation of a measure which affords at present mate

Although several excellent laws were passed in the year 1793, yet the administration did not altogether gain popularity by any of them. The leading measures of grace, which affected the great bulk of the people, were attributed to the personal interference of a benign and fatherly sovereign, over the heads and against the wishes of those, who had the preceding year rejected their application for less favours with indignation and insult. The passing of the act so emphatically calculated to destroy all odious distinctions between Irishmen of different religious persuasions, altered the laws, but crushed not the spirit, which kept them up. Great difficulties at first prevailed in raising the different regiments of militia: for although Catholics were rendered capable of serving in them, no Catholic officers were appointed this marked reprobation of all gentlemen of that communion so directly in the teeth of the act, diffused a-general diffidence amidst the lower orders, and it was found necessary to appoint several Catholic officers, before the militia corps could be completed.*

"rial assistance, and lays the foundation of a permanent constitutional force, "that has been found by experience in Great-Britain of great resource in pub"lic emergencies.

"His majesty feels with the greatest concern the expense brought upon his "people by domestic disturbances, added to the consequences of a foreign "war, into which we have been forced by the wanton and unprovoked aggres"sion of France; but you will reflect that you are contending for the preserva"tion of your property, and for the security of your happy constitution.

"The successes with which it has pleased the Divine Providence to bless "the arms of his majesty and his allies, afford the best prospect of a happy is"sue to this important contest; and it is his majesty's earnest hope, that a "continuance of vigorous exertions will finally obtain a secure and lasting peace.

"I have entire confidence that in your respective counties, you will exert your utmost influence in maintaining the public tranquillity, and in carrying the laws into full execution. You may be assured, that I shall on all occa"sions take the most speedy and effectual measures, in the exercise of those powers with which I am invested, for the repression of outrage and tumult, and the protection of his majesty's faithful and loyal subjects."

A still stronger instance of the inefficacy of the act to overcome the viru. lence of bigotry and prejudice occurred at the quarterly meeting of the guild of merchants in Dublin: about 130 freemen were present, which was considered a full hall. The principal business of the day was, to take into consideration the petitions of thirty Roman Catholic merchants, praying admission into the guild: the first petition in the order being that of Mr. Edward Byrne, was read, and on the question for granting its prayer being put by the roaster a ballot was demanded by Sir Edward Newenham, seconded by Mr. Edward Druit, of the custom-house; the ballot having accordingly taken place, there appeared,

For Mr. Byrne's admission,
Against it,

Majority against admission,

The next petition read was that of Mr. Valentine O'Connor, and a ballot on that being insisted upon, the admission was also rejected by nearly the same majority.

There were few or no parts of the kingdom in which attempts were not made by a certain party to traduce and vilify the Catholics, in order to defeat that confidence and consequence, which the patronizing countenance of their sovereign had given them throughout the nation. Not only the exclusive distinctions were publicly kept up in corporations, but anonymous charges and slanders were published and circulated with all the industry of envenomed acrimony. The Catholics published protestations against these anonymous attacks, with fresh resolutions and avowals of their loyalty and affection to the king and constitution.*

The petitions were supported by Mr. Joshua Pim, Mr. James Hartley, and Mr. Jeremiah D'Olier, with manly eloquence and irrefragible argument, in which they clearly demonstrated the illiberality and the impolicy, as well as the refractory insult offered to the king and the legislature of the kingdom, in opposing the operation of a bill calculated to unite the people of Ireland, by removing the unwise distinction and incapacity which so great a part of the community had laboured under.

One of the gentlemen (Mr. D'Olier) among other things remarked, that it ill became those who received the public bounty in pensions, to stand foremost in opposing franchise to the most eminent merchants of the kingdom, who so largely contributed by the enormous duties they paid, to support the fund from which these pensions were provided. It was observed on that occasion on an accurate inquiry and investigation of the business, that the majority consisted of

Plain men who really thought church and state in danger,
Pensioners, placemen, and hangers on,
Custom-house officers, &c. &c.

17

The following resolutions of the Catholics of Wexford is given as a specimen of those charges and defences:

"AT a meeting of the Catholics of the town and neighbourhood of Wex“ford, on Tuesday, the 30th of July, 1793;

"James Edward Devereux, in the chair,

"We, the Roman Catholics of the town and neighbourhood of Wexford, "having acquiesced in the resolution and recommendation of our late general "committee, notwithstanding the many degrading and injurious distinc"tions still existing against us, to act no more as a body, but as Irishmen, "united by one will and interest, find ourselves most reluctantly compelled by "different attacks, immediately pointed at our honour, to defend ourselves as "a distinct people; our loyalty has been traduced, our views misrepresented, "and our conduct defamed; we conceive that sinking under such infamous "and audacious slander would be the ruin of our country, and bereave us of "the affections of our king and our fellow subjects; for we have learnt from the "history of all nations, but particularly from our own, that unrefuted calum"nies lead from the extinction of the honest fame of a nation, to the final ex"tinction of her liberties.

"Resolved therefore, That it is a base and scandalous falshood that the "Catholics of Ireland ever entertained the thought or harboured the project, "either in private or public, of severing the sister countries from each other, "or of renouncing their loyalty and gratitude towards a sovereign, to whom, "of all who ever sat upon the throne, they are the most indebted.

"Resolved, That the Catholics of Ireland never sought any other boon but "that of equal law and equal liberty, such as Englishmen possess, and such "as is equally the right of Irishmen, and that they are satisfied for ever to "abide by one common fate with Englishmen, so as they may for ever enjoy