IRELAND. 323 



for a partiality in favour of the trade of England prevented justice 

 from being done to Ireland. But several incidents which happened 

 afterwards, at length operated strongly in favour of that kingdom. 

 When a large body of the king's troops had been withdrawn from 

 Ireland, in order to the employed in the American war, a considera- 

 ble number of Irish gentlemen, farmers, traders, and other persons, 

 armed, and formed themselves into volunteer companies and associa- 

 tions, for the defence of Ireland against any foreign invaders. By 

 degrees, these volunteer associations became numerous and well- 

 disciplined ; and it was soon discovered, that they were inclined to 

 maintain their rights at home, as well as to defend themselves against 

 foreign enemies. When these armed associations became numerous 

 and formidable, the Irish began to assume a higher tone than that to 

 which they had before been accustomed ; and it was soon manifest, 

 that their remonstrances met with unusual attention, both from their 

 own parliament, and from that of Great Britain. The latter, on the 

 1 1th May, 1779, presented an address to the king, recommending to 

 his majesty's most serious consideration the distressed and impover- 

 ished state of the loyal and well-deserving people of Ireland ; and 

 desiring him to direct that there should be prepared and laid before 

 parliament, such particulars relative to the trade and manufactures of 

 Great Britain and Ireland, as should enable the national wisdom to 

 pursue effectual measures for promoting the common strength, 

 wealth, and commerce of his majesty's subjects in both kingdoms* 

 To this address the king returned a favourable answer; and in Oct. 

 of the same year, both houses of the Irish parliament also presented 

 addresses to his majesty, in which they declared, that nothing but 

 granting Ireland a free trade could save it from ruin. Notwithstand- 

 ing which, it being soon alter suspected, by many of the people of 

 that kingdom, that the members of their parliament would not exert 

 themselves with vigour in promoting the interests of the nation, a 

 very daring and numerous mob assembled before the Parliament- 

 house in Dublin, crying out for a free trade, and a short money bill. 

 They assaulted the members, and endeavoured to compel them to 

 swear that they would support the interest of their country, by voting 

 for .a short money bill ; and they demolished the house of the attorney 

 general. The tumult at length subsided : and two Irish money bills, 

 for six months only, were sent over to England, where they passed the 

 great seal, and were immediately returned, without any dissatisfac- 

 tion being expressed by government at this limited grant. 



In the mean time the members of the opposition in the English par- 

 liament very strongly represented the necessity of an immediate 

 attention to the complaints of the people of Ireland, and of a com- 

 pliance with their wishes. The arguments on this side of the ques- 

 tion were also enforced by the accounts which came from Ireland ; 

 that the volunteer associations in that kingdom amounted to forty 

 thousand men, unpaid, self-appointed, and independent of govern- 

 ment, well armed and accoutred, daily improving in discipline, and 

 which afterwards increased to eighty thousand. The British minis- 

 try appeared for some time to be undetermined what part they should 

 act in this important business ; but the remembrance of the fatal 

 effects of rigorous measures respecting America, and the very criti- 

 cal situation of Great Britain, at length induced the first lord of the 

 treasury to bring in such bills as were calculated to afford effectual 

 commercial relief to the people of Ireland. Laws were accordingly 



