UNION. 193 



would it not be more for the public intereft to have a fixed 

 permanent plan, than the prefent illiberal and injurious fyf- 

 lem ? The military lift of Ireland, on an averge of the laft 

 feven years, has amounted to 528,544!. to which add 8o,oool. 

 penfions, and the total makes 608,544!. Would it not be 



wife in Ireland to fay to the Britifh government <c I will 



pay you a neat feven or eight hundred thoufand pounds * a 

 year, applicable to your annual fupplies, or paying off your 

 debt, and leave the defence of the kingdom entirely to your 

 own difcretion, on condition that I lhall never have any mi- 

 litary charge or penfions laid on me ; the remainder of the 

 revenue to be at the application of my own parliament, for 

 the ufes of interior government only, and for the encourage- 

 ment of the trade, manufactures and agriculture of the king- 

 dom. That you lhall give me a fpecified freedom of commerce, 

 and come to a liberal explanation of the powers of your at- 

 torney general, the privy council, and Poyning's act.'* It 

 would be the beft bargain that Ireland ever made. 



If the government was once placed on fuch a footing, the 

 office of lord lieutenant would be that of a liberal reprefen- 

 tative of majefty, without any of thofe difagreeble confe- 

 quences which flow from difficulties eflentially neceflary for 

 him to overcome ; and the government of England having 

 in Ireland no views, but the prolperity of that kingdom, 

 would neceflarily be revered by all ranks of people. The par- 

 liament of the kingdom would ftill retain both importance and 

 bufmefs, for all that at prefent comes before it would then be 

 within its province, except the military, and complaints of 

 penfionjifts and reftricted commerce. Perhaps the advantages 

 of a union would be enjoyed without its inconveniencies, for 

 the parliament would remain for the civil protection of the 

 kingdom, and the Britifh Icgiflature would not be deluged by 

 an addition of Irilh peers and commoners, one.reafon among 

 others, which made the late Earl of Chatham repeatedly de- 

 clare himfelf againft fuch a meafure f. 



The great object of a union is a free'trade, which appears to 

 be of as much importance to England as to Ireland ; if this was 

 gained the ufes of an entire coalition would not be numerous 

 to Ireland ; and to England the certain revenue, without the 

 neceflity of buying majorities in parliament, would be a great 

 object. But as to the objections to a union, common in Ire- 

 land, I cannot fee their propriety ; I have heard but three 

 that have even the appearance of weight; thefe are: i. The 



VOL. II. N increafe 



* / bare mentioned feven hundred tboufand pounds, but the 

 Jum 'would depend of courfe on the liberality of the return, a 

 free trade would be worth purchafing at a much higher rate. 



t The Earl of Shelburne has affured me of this faff ; nor let 

 me omit to add, that to that nobleman I am intlnbleicl for the out- 

 line of the preceding plan. 



