54 Lord WeUesley's Administration in Ireland. [[JAN. 



O'Connt 11, the " Algerine Act/' was to unite the catholics into one bond 

 of opposition to the administration: Lord Wellesley was publicly and 

 universally denounced; and even the most moderate objected to the 

 helplessness and indecision of his protection, admitting that he might 

 have good intentions if he dare act upon them ; while many were found 

 to add, that " Hell was paved with good intentions !" The dream of his 

 great name was over ; the catholics no longer paused to consider whether 

 any measure they should adopt would embarrass his government, or force 

 him into re-action ; they no longer consulted his feelings, or respected 

 his wishes ; but, immediately after the bill was passed to dissolve one 

 Catholic Association, erected another on its ruins, which just evades the 

 law by a quibble. 



We have stated that we believe Lord Wellesley's policy was to- make 

 the most of the laws as they stood, without seeking, under any circum- 

 stances, to increase their penalties. There are some evidences yet existing 

 in proof of this. Lord Redesdale, when in Ireland, as beforementioned, 

 complained that there was one law for the poor and another for the rich ; 

 that defect in the judicial code was glaring ; it presented itself at every 

 turn ; it was one of the prominent evils that grew out of the state of 

 society ; Lord Wellesley saw it at once, and applied the only remedy 

 that, under unequal laws, could have restored popular confidence, 

 Petit Sessions : and they had the desired effect for a time , but as they 

 were to be administered by the resident magistracy, the last men in the 

 whole world on whom the peasantry of Ireland could place the least 

 reliance ! their influence gradually diminished, and they are now resorted 

 to more from necessity than any trust in their justice. But we refer to 

 their establishment, not from a conviction of their utility, for, while dis- 

 tinctive laws are permitted to remain on the statute book, such expedients 

 must be temporary in their results ; but as an instance of Lord Wellesley's 

 desire to tranquillize the country by humane and protecting measures. 

 The constabulary police may be cited as another indication of his policy ; 

 but the popularity they have obtained, it must be admitted, arises not 

 merely from their adaptiveness to circumstances, but also from the fact 

 of their being constantly thrown into collision with the Orange magis- 

 trates, which is quite sufficient to secure to them the attachment of the 

 lower orders of the Irish. The appointment of some catholic barristers 

 to offices hitherto virtually closed upon them, and a few decisions of 

 great equity, mercy, and independence, afford abundant testimonies of 

 Lord Wellesley's personal views in his government but the unhappy 

 <( Algerine Act" deprived him "in one fell swoop " of all the honours and 

 rewards of his wisdom, and it became impossible to extricate him from 

 the charge of imbecility on the one hand, and duplicity on the other. 



The new association was formed in very despite and contempt of the 

 law, and what redress was left to the government ? There was a choice 

 of evils. Either to permit this body, which had now grown insolent in 

 the security of its evasion, to persevere in its unconstitutional, though not 

 illegal, career ; or by the adoption of fresh and more unpopular penalties 

 to crush it at once, and still farther abridge the public liberty. This 

 was the dilemma in which the government had placed itself by a weak 

 and ill-advised enactment; and in endeavouring to escape the conse- 

 quences, it exhibited an additional weakness, by abandoning its own 

 system, and submitting to the taunts of the new association, and its re- 

 newed levy upon the people. But, us a counterpoise to this tacit defeat, 



