In fact he only

his tool Lord Castlereagh. After a most deter-
mined contest and 15 days poll, Colonel Meade
was returned by a majority of 450; which would
have been considerably encreased, had not Lord
Castlereagh withdrawn from the contest, after
having exhausted all his resources. Not having
apprehended so powerful an opposition, he had
not intended to have gone over.
arrived on the 4th day of the poll. After he had
declined the poll, he immediately set off on his re-
turn to London, execrated, humbled and disap-
pointed. He was readily accommodated on his ar-
rival with an English borough out of that ample
store of venal seats in the Commons, which the
minister holds at command, to answer the trade
of Parliament, and which are therefore called Go-
vernment Boroughs. This triumph over political
profligacy in the county of Down was hailed by
the nation at large, as the first atchievement of the
young Marquis, by whose future labours they joy-
fully contemplated the strangling of the monster
of duplicity and corruption*.

The cheering confidence transfused through the county of Down by the successful stand on the young Marquis' interest against the expiring influence of the Castlereagh party, has been recently encouraged by the election of a treasurer for the county of Down in January 1811; when his Lordship's friend the Rev. Mr. Hamilton was elected by 51 votes against 36. Such a supe. riority of the magistrates of that respectable and flourishing county, backed by the single interest of the Marquis of Downshire against the concentration of all the Castlereagh and ministerial forces of the North, marks the progress of political virtue towards that ascendancy, under which alone Ireland can become free, happy, and prosperous.

1835.

1805.

As the various combinations of Mr. Pitt's sysDecline of tem drew to their natural results, the effects of dishealth, &c. appointment and failure shewed themselves not less

Mr. Pitt's

visible upon the mind, than upon the body of that ambitious minister. His temper was soured, and his disorder encreased. Even his panegyrist Mr. Giffard says, that many of his friends about this time fell off, influenced by the declining state of his health and had Mr. Pitt's administration continued, it appeared certain, that serious differences would have soon occurred in the Cabinet, which would have left him in the minority. After the recess, he kept as much as possible from public business. He sent over Mr. Long the new Irish Secretary, to endeavour to settle the differences between Lord Hardwicke and Mr. Foster concerning the patronage of the revenue and other matters: but not with the desired effect. Lord Hardwicke rose in tone and consequence, in proportion as Mr. Pitt declined in health and influence. His Lordship had solicited his recall, and appeared anxious to close his viceregal career with more independance, than he had exhibited at any period of his administration. The indecision and wavering of Mr. Pitt was the only reason, why his successor was not appointed. Lord Hardwicke made a tour into the province of Connaught, and from his answers to the different addresses presented to him in the course of his progress, appeared to be most sensibly affected with the expressions of ap

He has written his life in 6 volumes 8vo.

probation of his mild, conciliatory and just management of his Majesty's Government, which were contrived to be inserted in all the addresses from the corporations and other public bodies. As in the first year of his administration he courted the Protestant ascendancy by rewarding Sir Richard Musgrave's zeal and hardihood in traducing his Catholie countrymen, by appointing him to the collection of the Dublin City Excise, so in the last year of it he sought to sooth the opposite party by peace offerings, displacing Mr. Gif. fard the loudest Protestant declaimer against Catholic Emancipation, and putting the nephew of the Catholic Primate of Dublin into the collection of the Customs of Baltimore. Nothing further worthy of notice happened during the remainder of Lord Hardwicke's administration in Ireland. The Earl of Harrington succeeded Lord Cathcart as commauder in chief: and the Right Hon. Standish O'Grady was appointed Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in lieu of the late Lord Avonmore. Some other less important movements were made in the law department.

1805.

wicke on his de par

ture.

So certain was the appointment of Lord Hard- Address towicke's successor considered, that the time of the Lord HardEarl of Powis' departure for Ireland to take pos- his session of his new government was spoken of in the government prints, as fixed for the middle of January. On the 20th of December a post assembly was holden in Dublin for the purpose of voting an address to the Lord Lieutenant, upou his resignation of the Government of the country.

1305.

Meeting of

Opposition

The address was moved by Mr. Shaw, one of the city members: the gentleman who had voted against the Catholic question by the instruction of his constituents, as he so specially informed the House of Commons on that memorable occasion. The address was carried without a division: and it was voted, that it should be presented to his Excellency in the most respectful and distinguished manner. On the 2d of January the corporation of the city of Dublin waited upon the Lord Lieutenant at the Castle with the address, lamenting that he was shortly to take leave of the country, and expressing their warmest approbation of his management of the government. The Lord Mayor headed the procession, which consisted of eight aldermen and about one-fourth of the commons. This thin attendance on the presentation of the address was occasioned by the late division of the corporation into two parties upon the act passed last session respecting the Dublin paving bill. The present policemen, and the policemen that were to be, formed the ground of difference. The prevailing numbers were for the new policemen. The abuses and inconveniencies under the old police

men were enormous.

The total failure of all Mr. Pitt's plans on the and decline continent, and the vast ascendancy, which Napoof Mr. Pitt. leon had acquired by his late conquest and treaty had filled the unbiassed part of the British nation with dissatisfaction and dismay: and once more casting their longing eyes to peace, they loudly cried out for a change in his Majesty's ministers, as

the only sure means of attaining it. The leading 1906. members of the Opposition met at Lord Albemarle's to discuss the imperious necessity of putting an end to the disastrous system so obstinately persevered in by Mr. Pitt. Mr. Fox spoke decidedly for peace, as he always had done. Even the war party came in, and Mr. Windham spoke warmly for peace, and then, for the first time, declared his abandonment of the pursuit of the war, as it must thenceforth be directed to an unattainable object. Lord Grenville was not present, but sent his written opinion for peace. Mr. Fox thereupon hailed the country upon their perfect unanimity for a safe and honorable peace. So confident was the nation of Mr. Pitt's inability to retain his situation, that a list of the new ministry was handed about on the day of that meeting of the Opposition, which was the 10th of January; and it varied slightly from the subsequent appointments. From the preceding Autumn Mr. Pitt had manifested such unequivocal symptoms of rapid decline, that his physician (Sir Walter Farquhar) found it requisite in December to accompany him to Bath; not so much for the benefit of the waters, as to withdraw him from public business, and the insupportable mortification of reading the dispatches, which were daily arriving with the humiliating accounts of the failure of all his continental plans. The more thinking of his own friends were sensible, though they shrunk from avowing, that notwithstanding he could keep in depression, and refuse freedom to his Majesty's