118] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



crease of wealth and prosperity to 

 Ireland, but on principles of reci- 

 procal benefit to both countries ; 

 which must ultimately tend to con- 

 solidate the connection, and aug- 

 ment the strength and resources of 

 the empire. With regard to the 

 idea that parliamentary reform could 

 not, after an union with Ireland, 

 be resisted, on the ground of inno- 

 vation, lord Grenville said, that 

 parliamentary reform should always 

 be resisted by him, as it ever had 

 been, on account of its general 

 dangerous tendency, and its hosti- 

 lity to the genuine and vital prin- 

 ciples of the British constitution ; 

 which, as experience had proved, 

 was fully adequate to all its pur- 

 poses. 



The marquis of Townshend ap- 

 proved of an union with Ireland, as 

 the most effectual means of educa- 

 ting and civilizing the natives of 

 some part of that country. Even 

 in certain parts in England they 

 were not a little deficient in educa- 

 tion and civilization, but in none 

 so ignorant and barbarous as in some 

 parts of Ireland. The marquis 

 himself knew a place there, where 

 an attorney and a publican, the 

 stewards of the landlord, raised 

 what contributions they could, with- 

 out returning a fourth part to the 

 proprietors, and oppressed the poor 

 people who had no magistrate to 

 interfere for them. 



The earl of Westmoreland took 

 a general view of the distractions, 

 religious and political, which, for 

 some years past, had agitated Ire- 

 land. These, he thought, were al- 

 most unavoidable, under the exist- 

 ing form of government in that 

 country, and, of course, to be re- 

 moved only by the expedient of a 

 legislative union with this country. 



He admitted that a respectable 

 party in Ireland, and a number of 

 well-intentioned persons, were hos- 

 tile to the union : but the greater 

 part of this hostility, he said, pro- 

 ceeded from prejudice, want of in- 

 formation, or the influence and ex- 

 ertions of the evil-minded and de- 

 signing : but all the traitorous, and 

 disaffected in that country were, 

 to a man, opposed to the union, 

 and for an obvious reason — that it 

 would annihilate their system, and 

 render all things abortive. 



Lord King considered the mea- 

 sure in question, carried as it had 

 been, rather as a species of con- 

 quest in Ireland, where not only 

 the means of corruption ha"d been 

 used, but intimidation also. The 

 introduction of the thirty-two peers 

 and one hundred commoners into 

 the united parliament would, he 

 thought, materially increase the in- 

 fluence of the minister, which 

 would be much strengthened by the 

 circumstance of the Irish exchequer 

 and establishments being kept se- 

 parate from those of this country. 



Lord Darnley ansv/ered, in a 

 very able manner, the principal 

 objections to the union. With re- 

 gard to the great objection of its 

 being likely to shake the British 

 constitution, he said, that no possi- 

 ble plan, of some parliamentary 

 representation for Ireland, could 

 have been devised so consonant 

 to popular principles, as that be- 

 fore the house, which selected from 

 the present Irish house of commons 

 all the members for counties, with 

 a few only for the principal cities 

 and towns, and made the election 

 of peers for life. 



In the house of commons, Mr. 

 Pitt, in the course of a long speech, 

 in defence and commendation of 



