UNION. 



The proceedings in the parliament of Great Britain will 

 now demand our attention. On the 22d ot January, 1799, 

 the fame day on which it was brought before the Irifh par- 

 liament, a mcdage from the king was delivered to the houfe 

 of lords, by lord Grenvllle, one of the fecretaries of ftate, 

 and to the houfe of commons by Mr. Dundas, the other 

 f'cretary, recommending it to both houfes toconfidcr of the 

 moft effectual means of finally defeating the defign of fepa- 

 rating Ireland from England, and of fettling fuch a com- 

 plete and final adjuftment as would beft tend to improve and 

 perpetuate a conneftion effential for their common fecurity, 

 and to confolidate the ftrength, power, andrefources of the 

 Bntifh empire. In the lords, an addrefs exprefling a readi- 

 nefs to concur i"n any meafure which might be found nccef- 

 fary or expedient towards the confolidatioii of the general 

 interefts of the Britirti empire, was carried without oppo- 

 fition ; but in the commons, a fimilar addrefs was warmly 

 oppofed by Mr. Sheridan, who ufed arguments of the fame 

 nature as thofe of the Irifh oppofition. He particularly 

 dwelt upon its being a breach of what he called the final 

 arrangement in 1782, and it was much difputed, whether 

 this had been intended to be final or not. General Fitz- 

 patrielc, who had b^-en fecretary to the duke of Portland, 

 lord lieutenant at that time, as well as Mr. Grattan and 

 others, maintained that it was fo underftood ; whillt the duke 

 of Portland himfelf and lord Yelverton alTerted that further 

 meafures were in contemplation. It feem. a matter of httle 

 confequence in what manner it was regarded at that time, 

 but as the veracity of neither party can be called in queltion, 

 it affords a ftriking proof of the difficulty of afcertaining 

 the views by which public men are aftuated. Mr. Sheridan 

 moved an amendment, but it was feebly fupported, and 

 finally withdrawn. On the 31(1 of January, notwithftanding 

 the amendment adverfe to a union, which had been carried 

 in Ireland, Mr. Pitt brought forward eight refolutions in a 

 committee of the houfe, which were to form a ground-work 

 for articles of union. He did not difpute the competence 

 of the parhament of Ireland to accept or rejeCl any pro- 

 pofition, but he had a right, as a member of the parlia- 

 ment of Great Britain, " to exprefs the gener;d nature 

 and outhne of the plan, which, in his ellimation, would 

 tend to infurc the fafety and the happinefs of the two 

 kingdoms." In the courfe of a very eloquent fpeech, Mr. 

 Pitt faid, " in anfwer to the queftion, what are the pofitive 

 advantages that Ireland is to derive from a union, I might 

 enumerate the general advantages which Ireland would de- 

 rive from the effects of the arrangement, the protecfion 

 which the will fecure to herfelf in the hour of danger; the 

 mofl effcftual means of increafing her commerce, and im- 

 proving her agriculture ; the command of Englifli capital ; 

 the infufion of Enghfh manners and Englifh mdullry, nc- 

 ccflarily tending to ameliorate her condition, to accelerate 

 the progrefs of internal civilization, and to terminate tliofc 

 feuds and difl'enfions which now diftraC^l the country, and 

 which fhe does not pofTefs, within herfelf, the power either 

 to controul or to extinguifh. Slie would fee tiie avenue 

 to honours, to dillintlions, and exalted fituations in the 

 general feai of empire, opened to all thofe wliofe abilities 

 and talents enable them to indulge an honourable and lau- 

 dable ambition. But, iTidependent of all thefe advantages, 

 I might alfo anfwer, that the queftion is not what Ire- 

 land IS to gain, but what Ihe is to preferve ; not merely 

 how (he may befl improve her fituation, but liow fhe is 

 to avert a preffing and immediate danger. In this view, 

 what file gains is the prelervatioii of all thofe blefiings 

 arifing from the Britilh conlUiution, ami which are infepa- 

 rablc from her conncdion with Great Briiain." 



The right honourable gentleman then proceedr;d to flate, 

 that a union would be the means of fecuring permanently 

 to Ireland the great commercial advantages which fhe then 

 held at the difcretion of Great Britain, while it would 

 open a more free and complete commercial intercourfe • 

 and intimated, that " if ever the overLoariuT power of 

 prejudice and paffion fliould produce that fatal confequence 

 ( reparation), it would too late be perceived and acknow- 

 ledged, that all the great commercial advantages which 

 Ireland at prefent enjoys, and which are continually in- 

 creafing, were to be afcribed to the liberal conduft, the fof- 

 tering care, of the Britilb empire, extended to the filler 

 kingdom as to a part of ourfelves, and not to any thing 

 which had been done, or could be done, by the independent 

 power of her own fcparate legillature." After enlarging 

 upon fome other points, and replying to fome objeftions, he 

 concluded with moving that the refolutions be referred to a 

 committee of the whole houfe. Mr. Sheridan urged that, 

 " under the prefent circumflances of tlie convulfed and 

 difordered fyftem of pohcy and general goverimient of Ire- 

 land, it was not only impolitic, but even unfafe, to agitate 

 the difcufTiou of topics, the iffues of which were to lay the 

 moil hardy and flout-hearted proflrate at the feet of a 

 Britifh minifler." Tliis indeed feemed to be the principal 

 objection urged againfl the refolutions, that the difcufCon 

 would tend to inflame Ireland, already in a flate of 

 confiderable irritation. When the houfe divided on the 

 ([ueflion of the fpeakcr's leaving the chair, the ayes were 

 140, the noes 15. On the 7th of February, the day fixed 

 for confidering the refolutions, Mr. Sheridan, after fome 

 prefatory remarks on the flate of Ireland, in the courfe 

 of which he allerted that all the advantages propofed 

 might take place without a union, moved the following 

 refolutions : 



" That no meafures could have a tendency to improve and 

 perpetuate the ties of amity and conneftion, now exifling be- 

 tween Great Britain and Ireland, which have not for their 

 bafis the manifefl, fair, and free confent of the two countries. 

 That whoever fitall endeavour to obtain the appearance 

 of fuch confent and approbation, in either country, by em- 

 ploying the influence of government for the purpofcs of 

 corruption and intimidation, is an enemy to his majefly and 

 the conllitution." 



In the latter rciblution, Mr. Sheridan particularly al- 

 luded to the difmiilal of the chancellor of the exchequer 

 and prime ferjeant, becaute they would not fupport the 

 union ; but Mr. Pitt maintained, that if many gentlemen 

 were connefted together with the fair intention of afting for 

 the fervice of their country, it would be neceffary, in order 

 to preferve a unity of aClion, that they fhould agree in their 

 fyllem. The previous queflion was carried by 141 to 25. 

 In the debate which followed on the motion for the fpeaker's 

 leaving the chair, Mr. Grey (now earl Grey 1 urged, that the 

 calamities of Ireland were not caufed by the independence of 

 her legiflature, but had been in great meafure owing to the 

 conduct of government. " Look," faid he, " at the liif- 

 tory of Ireland, and you will find, that if it had not been 

 fir the interference of Britilh councils, and of Dritilh in- 

 trigue, none, or but few of the evils which were felt would 

 ever have taken place : evils of which government was the 

 parent, and whicit were now made the reaton tor taking 

 away all the femblance of liberty among the Irifli people. 

 All the feuds ami religious aninioilties and dilieiilions which 

 had diltraCled lieiand had been caufed by government, and 

 yet government was making ule of thefe evils as a pretext 

 for taking away the liberty of the people of Ireland." 

 The motion was carried by 1 49 t" 24 ; but from the latenefs 

 3 C 2 of 



