UNION. 



jvovei'iiment to bring it before parliament in the eiifiiing fef- 

 lioii. During the fummer of 1799, the lord lieutenant 

 ▼ifited many parts of Ireland, with a view to conciliate 

 jarring interelis, and was received with great marks of 

 refpeft. 



This nobleman had, by his conciliating humanity, en- 

 gaged the affeftions, and by his exalted virtues and great mi- 

 litary talents, had attrafted the efteem and the confidence of 

 the nation. He was therefore peculiarly qualified for fuch 

 a purpofe. Addrefies were prefented to him by public 

 bodies, wherever he direfted his courfe, moft of which 

 expreffed or implied approbation of a union, and the 

 papers were crowded with declarations in favour of that 

 meafure, figned by the principal landed proprietors. The 

 fecretary, lord Caftlereagh, alfo, was not idle ; feveral who 

 had been adverfe to the union were induced either to change 

 their opinion, or to refign their feats ; and it was generally 

 fuppofed that the minifter would not be again in a minority. 

 Much has been faid of the corruption ufed on this occafion ; 

 it has been charged repeatedly in parliament, and but faintly 

 denied, yet charges of this kind are not eafily eftablifhed. 

 This is certain, that either from gratitude for their fupport, or 

 by a previous arrangement, the relatives of many gentlemen 

 who voted for this meafure were promoted in various ways ; 

 and that for years after, what were called union engagements 

 obftrufted almoft any other preferment at the bar, in the 

 church, or in the revenue and ftate offices. Some have vin- 

 dicated this as neceflary to the attainment of a great benefit, 

 but the true patriot will never admit that a good end will 

 juftify dilhoneil means ; and whatever pofterity may think of 

 the meafure itfelf, the impartial inquirer will be compelled to 

 acknowledge that it had not the unbiajfed fupport of a ma- 

 jority of the two houfes of parliament, and that it was re- 

 garded with abhorrence by the "Teat body of the people. 

 At the fame time, no exertions were fpared by the oppofers 

 of the meafure ; feats were vacated to bring hi aftive com- 

 batants ; money was faid to be fubfcribed to purchafe bo- 

 roughs ; and other means, perhaps not ftriftly conftitutional, 

 were reforted to. Forty-eight members were brought in by 

 one fide or the other, in place of gentlemen who retired, 

 and eight or nine were re-clcfted, on being appointed to lu- 

 crative places under the crown. 



On the 15th of January, 1800, the lord lieutenant 

 opened the fi-fiion, by a fpeech from the throiie, in which 

 ,10 mention was made of the union, and of courfe it was 

 unnoticed in the addrefs propofed by the friends of 

 adminillration ; but Mr. Ponfonby, having required the 

 fpeech of the lord lieutenant at the clofe of the lali fcffion, 

 in which he noticed the proceedings of the Critidi parlia- 

 ment, to be read, moved as an amendment to the addrefs, 

 " humbly to affurc his majefty, that this kingdom is infepa- 

 rably united with Great Britain, and that it is the fenti- 

 ments, wifhes, and real interefts of all his majefly's fub- 

 jefks, that it ever fhall continue fo united, in the full en- 

 joyment of the bleflings of a free conftitution, in the fup- 

 port of the honour and dignity of his majefty '3 crown, 

 and in the prefervation and advancement of the welfare and 

 profperity of the whole empire, which blefTings of a free 

 conftitution we owe to the fpirited affertion of tliis king- 

 dom of its birth-right to a free and independent parlia- 

 ment rcfident within it, and to the parental kindnefs of 

 your majclly, and the liberality of the Britifli parliament, 

 ratifying the fame in the year 1782, and which we have 

 at all times felt, and do now particularly feel it our bounden 

 duty to maintain." Ninety-fix members voted for this 

 amendment, and one hundred and thirty-eight againft it, 

 fo that the rainifter had a majority of foriy-iiuo, on that 



queilion, on which, in the preceding fefllon, there wa« a 

 majority of fve aganiil him. On tiic 5th of February, 

 after a number of petitions agamR the union had been laid 

 on the table, the bufinefs was form.illy introduced by a mcf- 

 fage from the lord lieutenant, in wliic'i. his excellency Hated 

 that he had it in command from his majeftj to lav before both 

 houfes of legillature the refolutions of tht Britifii parlia- 

 ment, and to recommend to their confiderationthe gre.it ob- 

 jefts they embrace. 



A long and fpirited debate took place, in confeqnence of 

 which the houfe did not adjourn till half paft tuclve on the 

 following day, when a motion for referring the lord lieu- 

 tenant's meffage to a committee was carried by a maji;rity 

 of 43 ; the ayes, including the tellers, being 158, and the 

 noes 117; fo that, reckoning the fpeaker, 276 members 

 were prefent at the divifion. The great abilities of Mr. 

 Grattan, which had been voluntarily call into obfcurity, by 

 his retiring from parhament, were once more brou'Tht before 

 the public on this interefting occafion. Mr. Saurin and 

 Mr. Buflie, who now fill the important fituations of attor- 

 ney and folicitor general, alfo diftinguifhed themfelves in 

 oppofition to the meafure, in addition to the gentlemen who 

 fpoke in the preceding felTion ; fo that lord Caftlereagh, 

 with very inadequate fupport, had to withftand a combi- 

 nation of men of talents, fuch as have feldom co-operated 

 on any other occafion. It feemed as if in this laft ftruggle 

 for independence, Ireland had united all her powers of elo- 

 quence, farcafm, and inveftive, to refift her fuppofed 

 enemies. In a debate which took place in the committee 

 of the whole houfe, on the firll article of the union, Mr. 

 Grattan oppoled the meafure with fuch a degree of vehe- 

 mence, that the chancellor of the exchequer (Mr. Ifaac 

 Corry ) accufed him of alTociating with traitors, and of dif- 

 affeftion to the government. The reply of Mr. Grattan 

 to this harlh and unwarrantable charge was fo pointed and 

 fevere, that Mr. Corry conceived himfelf under a necedity 

 of relenting it by a challenge. A meeting enfued, and Mr. 

 Corry was wounded. The queftion, however, was carried 

 by a majority of 161 againft; 1 1 j ; and as the difcufiion pro- 

 ceeded, the numbers of oppofition appeared to diminilh. 

 There was, however, no relaxation of the energy with 

 which the union was oppofed. The table of the houfe 

 was crowded with petitions, the debates were frequently 

 protrafted through the whole niglit, and the minifter was 

 harafied by frequent divifions. On the 13th of March, be- 

 fore the committee had gone through the refolutions, fir 

 John Parnell moved, " That an humble addrefs be prefented 

 to his majefty, praying that he will be gracioufly pleafed 

 to diflolve the prefent parliament, and call a new one, 

 before any final meafure ftiall be concluded refpedling a Ic- 

 giflative union between Great Britain and Ireland." This 

 motion was, of courfe, fupported by all the force of 

 the anti-unionifts ; but on the divifion it was loft by a 

 majority of 46. A fimilar divifion, after a very long de- 

 bate, took place on tlie queftion for receiving the report of 

 the committee, which was delivered on the 21ft of March, 

 and being agreed to by t!ie houfe, was fent to the lords for 

 their concurrence. On the 27th of March, the refolutions 

 were returned with fome amendments, the leading articles 

 hiving been carried in the upper houfe by a majority of 75 

 to 26. On the 2d of April, the refolutions, as they finally 

 paffed the Irifli parliament, were laid before the Britifh 

 houfe, in which, though there were feveral fpirited debate?, 

 the meafure was carried by a great majority. In the lords, 

 the principle was carried by 82 to 3, and the final divifion 

 was 75 for and 7 againft. In the commons, a motion of 

 Mr. Grey's for an addrefs to his majefty, " That he would 



be 



