lics address govern

3759. attempts of the enemy. The first impressions of this

communication produced such distractions among the people, as had nearly proved fatal to the public credit. In the first transports of popular fear, there was such an extraordinary run upon the banks of Dublin, that several considerable bankers were obliged to stop pay. ment. Circulation was suspended for a time. When the lord-lieutenant, the members of both houses of parliament, the lord mayor, aldermen, merchants, and principal traders of Dublin, by prudently engaging in an association to support public credit, by taking bankers notes in payment, revived it, and saved the

nation from bankruptcy. The catho- Amongst other delusive motives, which at this time

actuated che unwise councils of Versailles, in hazard. the alarming this rash invasion of Ireland, were the false hopes ofinvasion.

holden out to them by some of the expatriated Irish in the service of France, that an invading army would have been immediately joined by the physical force of the country. On the first alarm however of invasion Mr. O'Connor and Dr. Curry called a meeting of the Catholic committee, for the purpose of making a tender of their allegiance to government. Mr. O'Connor drew up the form of an address on 1st of December, 1759; and on the ensuing day, at a meeting of the most respectable merchants in Dublin, it was signed by about 300 persons, and presented to the speaker of the house of commons, to be forwarded by him to the lord-lieutenant. It was received without observation, and laid on the table. No direct answer was given from the castle. Some days elapsed in mysterious silence. On the 10th of December his grace gave a 1759. most gracious answer to the address, which appeared in the Dublin Gazette on the 15th of December, 1759.* The speaker sent for Mr. Anthony M'Der. mott as the delegate from the catholic body, and having by order read the address, the speaker replied, that he counted it a favour done him to be put in the way of serving so respectable a body, as that of the gentlemen, who had signed that loyal address. The acceptance of this address was the re-admission of the catholic body over the threshold of their constitutional rights f. Immediately upon the circulation of the gracious acceptance of this address, the catholics poured in addresses upon the castle, from every quarter of the kingdom, expressive of their loyalty and zeal for their king and country.

It has been credibly asserted, that one strong motive Project of for this favourable disposition to the catholics was to creates

a

Jisturbance dispose that body to an Union with Great Britain, which had then been crudely thought of. It was the

an Union

The address and the Duke of Bedford's answer are to be seen in the Appendix to my Historical Review, No. LXV.

+ Notwithstanding the successful result of this address, it is to be remarked, that a most determined, and not altogether temperate dissension of the Catholic body took place, upon its propriety. The clergy, nobility, and landed interest were anti-addressers : their fears or hopes, or expectancies from the castle convinced them, that as Catholics were not subjects in the eye of the law, it would be presumption to address; and they only could express their obedience by letter. Fortunately for Ireland, this pusillanimous delicacy of the anti-addressers was overruled by the sound sense and policy of Mr. O'Connor and Dr. Curry. VOL. II.

K

1759. obvious interest of the managers of the Irish Govern

ment then to oppose it, and they secretly instigated the mob against it, without appearing to take any part in the opposition. The measure was effectually strangled in embryo. The people was then taught or permitted to view prospectively in union, the deprivation of its parliament and independency, and the probable subjection to the same taxes that were levied in England. These notions inflamed the populace to such a degree, that they assembled in a prodigious multitude, broke into the house of lords, insulted the peers, seated an old woman on the throne, and searched for the Journals, which, had they been found, would have been committed to the flames. They compelled the members of both houses, whom they met in the streets, to take an oath, that they would never consent to such an union, or give any vote contrary to the true interest of Ireland. Divers coaches belonging to obnoxious persons were destroyed, and their horses killed; a gibbet was erected for one gentleman in particular, who narrowly escaped the ungovernable rage of the mob. A body of horse and infantry was drawn out. The multitude at night dispersed of itself. Next day addresses to the lord-lieutenant were agreed to by both houses, and a committee of enquiry appointed, that the ringleaders of the tumult might be discovered and brought to condign punishment. Some members of the house of commons attempted to throw these outrages, like all other national evils, upon the catholics*.

The Duke of Bedford made the most honourable amends to the catholics he could on the occasion, by directing Mr. Joba

Invasion of

The grand embarkation designed for Ireland was to 1759. have been from Vannes in Lower Britanny. To Threatened cover it, a fleet was fitted out at Brest, commanded Conflans

defeated by by M. de Conflans. The execution of this scheme Hawke. was delayed by Sir Edward Hawke, who had blocked up that harbour with twenty-three ships of the line for several months. The British fleet having been blown off its station in November, Conflans embraced the opportunity, and sailed with twenty-one large ships and four frigates. Hawke pursued and came up with the French fleet, which he completely defeated in Quiberon bay, in the midst of a storm,

in the darkness of the night, and on a rocky shore. In the autumn of this year, a marauding squadron Thurot's ex

pedition by way of causing a diversion, sailed under the com- against Irco mand of an enterprising officer, Thurot, from Dunkirk, for the North of Ireland. It consisted originally of five ships, carrying about twelve hundred land forces. The reputation acquired by M. Thurot, as captain of a privateer, raised him to the command of this expedition. Adverse winds drove the squadron to Got. tenburgh. Two of the ships were separated from the rest by the violence of the storm, and returned to France. The remaining three arrived off Carrickfergus in February, 1760, and there landed their forces

1759. reduced to six hundred men. That town, not having

any regular force to defend it, was obliged to capitulate. The country rallied with great loyalty and zeal, and were advancing in a body of about 3000 men, when on the 5th day after their landing, the French re-embarked. The winds not permitting them to return by the North of Ireland, they attempted a passage through the channel. Captain Elliot with an equal force came up with them near the Isle of Mann. Having engaged with them about an hour and a half, they struck, being much injured in their masts and rig. ging; three hundred of their men were killed, and Thurot lost his life in the action*.

On the 25th of October, 1760, George II. died at George II. Kensington, at the advanced age of 77 years. None

of his predecessors on the throne lived to so great an age; none enjoyed a more happy or glorious reign. He was a prince of personal intrepidity. The characters of George II. and of his reign are very differently represented by the several masters, who have drawn them from the life. Parties ran high, particularly towards the close of his reign, which was the tri- . umphant era of Whiggism. An irrefragable argument in favour of Whig administrations in general; which differ from others, by their being conducted upon avowed national principles, even, when the public safety

Death and Character of

As this descent of Thurot was the only attempt to land in Ireland for upwards of two centuries, every particular concerning it may be interesting to the Irish reader. An ample detail of all the circumstances attending it is given in my Historical Review, P. 330, &c.