IRELAND, 
328 
conftitutional, to grant it longer than from feffion to 
feflion. In 1731 another attempt was made to veit the 
fame in the crown for twenty-one years ; but, when the 
affair came to be debated, the ftr'ength of both parties 
was found to be equally balanced. Immediately before 
the vote, however, colonel Tottenham, having ridden 
polt on the occalion, arrived in the houfe, and determined 
the queftion againft government. 
This circumftance happened during the viceroyalty of 
Carteret’s fuccefl'or, the duke of Dorfet, who was followed 
in 1737 by the duke of Devonfhire, the mod magnificent 
of the chief governors of Ireland fince the time of the 
great Ormond. Unlike 'fome of his predecefTors, who 
had come to Ireland merely for the purpofe of repairing 
a fhattered fortune, this nobleman expended his private 
revenue, not only in a fplendid ltyle of living, but alfo 
in works of public utility. Among the few occurrences 
of his long adminiftration, which palled in unufual tran¬ 
quillity, was the alarm given to the poffeffors of confif- 
cated eftates, by an application of the earl of Clancarty 
to the king, for thi reftoration of his eftates forfeited by 
the rebellion of 1688. Notwithftanding the countenance 
of the Britifh cabinet, the Irifh commons made fo vigo¬ 
rous an oppolition to every attempt to difturb the pur- 
chafers of forfeited lands, that it was found neceflary to 
relinquifh the meafure. Among the afts palled during 
this period, was one in 1737, commanding that in future 
all proceedings in the courts of juftice fhould be in the 
Tnglilh language inftead of Latin. In the winter of 
Ij'clcxridy 1 ti common wi.fli flip nrvrth of EuropCj was 
vifited by a froft of fuch violence, as to be emphatically 
denominated the great froft, which was followed by fucli 
a fcarcity of provilions, that famine very fenfibly dimi- 
rilhed the population. 
The behaviour of lord Cheft.erfield, who was made go¬ 
vernor of Ireland in 174.5, is highly extolled on account 
of his moderation, and the favour he (flowed to the liber¬ 
ties of the people. As the apprehenfions of government 
were then very confiderable, on account of the rebellion 
which raged in Scotland, his lordfnip was advifed to aug¬ 
ment the military force of Ireland by 4000 men. Inftead 
of this, however, he lent four battalions to the duke of 
Cumberland, and encouraged the volunteer alTociaticns 
which formed in different parts for the defence of their 
country. Tliefe battalions he replaced by additional com¬ 
panies to the regiments already on the eftablilhment; by 
which means he faved a confiderable expence to the na¬ 
tion, without augmenting the influence of the crown. The 
fupplies alked by him were fmall, and railed in the molt 
eaiy and agreeable manner to the people; the money at 
the fame time being expended with the utmoft economy. 
There was even a laving, which he applied to the ufe of 
the public. It had been acuftom with many of the lieu¬ 
tenant-governors of Ireland to bellow reverlionary grants, 
in order to purchafe the afliftance of friends in fupport of 
their meafures. Lord Cheiterlield, however, being con¬ 
vinced that this practice was prejudicial to the intereft of 
the nation, put a ftop to it. But the moll remarkable part 
of his adminiftration was, the humanity with which he 
treated the Roman catholics. Before his arrival, the Ro- 
roilh chapels in Dublin had been (hut up ; their priefts 
were commanded by proclamation to leave the kingdom; 
And fuch as difobeyed had been fubjefted to imprifonment 
and other penalties. Lord Chefterfield, convinced that 
the affection is to be engaged 'by gentle ufage, permitted 
them, on the contrary, to exercife their religion without 
difturbance. The accufations • brought againft them of 
forming plots againft government, were difregarded ; and 
fo much was his moderation and uprightnefs in this re- 
fpeft applauded by all parties, that, during the whole of 
his too-lhort adminiftration,the national tranquillity was 
not once interrupted by the fmalleft internal commotion. 
On his leaving the ifland, his bull was placed at the pub¬ 
lic expence in the caftle of Dublin. 
Lord Chefterfield 'having left Ireland in the fpring of 
1746, the ifland continued to be governed by fords-juftices 
until the 13th of September, when William earl of Har¬ 
rington came over with the powers of lord-lieutenant. A 
conteft in the election of reprefentatives for the city of 
Dublin this year called forth the abilities of Mr. Charles 
Lucas, fo much celebrated for his patriotic virtues. Hav¬ 
ing fome years before been admitted a member of the 
common-council, he refolved to exert himfelf in behalf of 
the privileges of his fellow-citizens. The powers of this- 
city-corporation, as well as of others, bad been changed 
by authority derived from an aft in the time of Charles II. 
and among other innovations, for the purpofe of aug¬ 
menting the influence of the crowm, they deprived the 
commons of the power of choofing the city magiftrates. 
This was now vefted in the board of aldermen ; which 
being fubjeft in the exercife of its jurildiftion to the ap¬ 
probation of the privy-council, was confequently depend¬ 
ent on government. Mr. Lucas complained loudly of the 
injury; but, as this law could not be altered, he fet him¬ 
felf to inquire, whether incroachmeuts, which could not 
be juftified by law’, had not been made on the rights of 
the citizens ? Having fatisfied himfelf, by fearching dili¬ 
gently into ancient records, that his apprehenfions were 
well-founded, he publilhed his difeoveries, explained the 
nature of the evidence refulting from them, and encou¬ 
raged the people to take the proper fteps for obtaining 
redrefs. The confequence of this was a conteft between 
the commons and aldermen, which lafted two years. The 
former ftruggled in vain to recover their loft privileges; 
but ibe exeilions of Lucas in every ftage of the difpute 
had rendered him fo refpeftable among his countrymen, 
that on the death of fir James Somerville he was encou¬ 
raged to declare himfelf a candidate for a feat in parlia¬ 
ment. This being highly agreeable to his wilhes, he was 
elefted accordingly; and diftinguilhed himfelf, not only by 
the boldnefs and energy of his fpeeches, but more efpe- 
cially by a number of addrelfes to his countrymen. In 
fome of thefe he particularly confidered the feveral branches 
of the conftitution, and pointed out the encroachments of 
the Britifh legiflature. Government, alarmed at his bold¬ 
nefs, determined to crulh him by the hand of power; for 
which reafon the molt obnoxious paragraphs were extract¬ 
ed from his works, and made the foundation of a charge 
before parliament. The commons voted him an enemy 
to his country; and addreffed the lord-lieutenant for an 
order to prafecute him by the attorney-general. The uni- 
verfal efteem in which he was held could not fereen him 
from minilterial vengeance: he was driven from Ireland ; 
but, having fpent fome years in banilhment, he was once 
more enabled, through the exertions of his friends, to 
prefent himfelf as a candidate for the city of Dublin. 
Being again elefted, he continued to diftinguilh himfelf 
by the lame virtuous principles for which he had been 
from the beginning fo remarkable; and died with the 
charafter which he had prelerved through life, of the 
incorruptible Lucas. 
In the year 1753, a remarkable conteft took place be¬ 
twixt government and the Irifh parliament relative to 
previous confent. As the taxes for defraying ftate-expences 
are itnpofed by the reprefentatives of the people, it thence 
naturally follows, that they have a right to fuperintend 
the expenditure of them; and, by an infpeftion of the 
journals of the houfe of commons, it appeared, that from 
the year 1692 they had exercifed a right of calling for and 
examining the public accounts. When any furplus re¬ 
mained in the treafury, it was alfo cuftomary to difpofe 
of it by bill for the good of the public. In the year 1749, 
however, a confiderable fum having remained in the trea¬ 
fury, the difpofal of this money in future became an ob¬ 
ject to miniftry. In 1751, it was intimated to parliament 
by the lord-lieutenant, the duke of Dorfet, “ that his ma- 
jelty would gracioufly confent, and recommend it to them, 
that fuch part of the moneyas then remained in the treafurv 
fhould be applied to the reduction of the national debt.” 
As this implied a right inherent in his n&ajgfty.to difpofe 
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