Poyning's law, was rejected by a large majority.

The failure of thefe efforts of the minority in parliament, appears to have given occafion to the first meeting of the volunteers on the subject of Dec. 28th, parliamentary reform. On the 28 h of December, 1781, the 1781. officers of one of the Uitter regiments came to an unanimous resolution," That to restore the conftitution to its original purity, the most vigorous and effectual methods thould be purfued to root corruption and court influence out of the legislative body:" and with this view a meeting of delegate from the feveral regiments of the province was convened at Dungannon on the 15th of February following.

of

On that day the reprefentatives of 143 corps volunteer troops affembled. Their refolutions, which were adopted in fubftance by all the voJunteers of the fouthern provinces, were confined for the most part to the affertion of the political independence of the kingdom. Thi- primary object being foon after established, by folemu acts of the legislature of both nations, the ardour for parliamentary reformation appeared for a while to have almost entirely fubfided †.

The existence and increase of the volunteer army, after the neceffity which firft gave rife to it had been fuperfeded by the establishment of peace, and after the great conftitutional objects to which it had fecondarily directed its views were fully attained, called for the most serious attention of government.. Accordingly, foon after the tranfactions we have just related, an attempt was made to induce them to difband, by railing under the authority of government a kind of national militia, by the name of Fencible Regi

N

T E.

+ During the course of this, the Irish parliameat paffed the following acts, for the purpose of giving effect to their new conflitution.

An act to empower the lord lieutenant, or other chief governor or governors, and council of this kingdom, for the time being, to certify all fuch bills, and none other, as both houfes of parliament hall judge expedient to be enacted in this kingdore, to his majefly, his heirs and fucceffors, under the great Seal of Ireland, without addition, diminution, or alteration. All fuch bills, thus tranim tted, and returned under the great feal of Great Britain, without addition, diminution, or alteration, and none other, to pass in the parliament of this kingdom. No bill neceffary to be certified into Great Britain as a caufe of confideration for holding a parliament in Ire

land.

An act to limit the mutiny act to two years, and to repeal the other obnoxious parts of the late ftatute.

An act providing that from henceforth all erroneous judgments, orders, and decrees, fhall be finally examined and reformed in the high count of parliament of this kingdom only; and that for this purpote the lord lieutenant, or other chief governor or governors, thall and, may grant warrants for fealing writs of error returnable into parliament.

An habeas corpus law, and one for rendering the judges independent of the crown, were allo enacted.

ments-It is probable that this defign, though too glaring to be concealed, and accordingly almoft univerfally condemned and oppofed by the volunteers, would in time have produced its effect, if fome new object had not been found upon which the united efforts of that body might again be exerted. The reform of parliamentary reprefentation furnished this centre of union, and the difceffion of it was again refumed with great zeal and folemnity.Delegates are affembled from the feveral corp of the feveral provinces ; committees of correfpondence are appointed; and letters are dispatched to the moft celebrated political ipeculators, or parliamentary reformers in Great Britain, for their advice on fo great and momentou⚫ an occafion.

On the 8th day of September, 1783, a general meeting of delegates from the province of Ulfter was held at Dungannon. A plan of reformation was here propofed and agreed upon, and it was refolved, that a grand national convention of reprefentatives from the whole volunteer army fhould affemble at Dublin on the oth day of November following. In thefe measures the volunteer corps of the other three provinces almost unanimously concurred.

The convention in Dublin was both full and refpectable, and the measures were at least commendable for their moderation. On the fubject of parliamentary reform, it was propoled to extend the right of voting in all cities and boroughs to every protestant inhabitant possessed of a freehold or leafehold, for 31 years or upwards, of the value of forty fhilling a year; that is, decayed boroughs, where the number of voters should be less than two hundred in the province of Uifter, one hundred in Munster and Connaught, and Seventy in the province of Leinfter, the neighbouring parithes fhould be admitted to a right of voting and lattly, that the duration of parlia ment should be limited to three years.

··

Mr. Flood undertook to bring forward the difcuffion of thefe topics in the House of Commons; and accordingly, the day following, he moved for leave to bring in a bill for the more equal representation of the people in parliament." The motion was received by a great majority of the houfe with the strongest marks of dilapprobation. Without entering into the confideration of wildom or folly of the plan propofed, it was urged that the house could not poffibly, without betraying its truft, and abdicating its authority, confent to receive propofitions tendered to them at the point or the bayonet, by a body of armed men. That however relpectable they might be in other points of view, yet to fuffer them to befet the house of parliament, and to dictate to the legislature with arms in their hands, would be to ettablish a precedent fubve five of the very existence of all order and government.

The motion being rejected by a majority of 157 to 77, the boule came to a refolution, which was moved by Mr. Yelverton, the attorney ge neral, "That it was now neceffary to declare, that the house would fapport the rights and pri vileges

N O T E.

These letters were addressed to the Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Effingham, Mr. William Pitt, Mr. Wyvil, Major Cartwright, Dr. Price, and Dr. John Jebb.

vileges of parliament against all encroachments," An addrefs was alfo ordered to be prefented to the king, on the motion of Mr. Conoly, "to exprefs the happiness they enjoyed under the eftablifhed government, and to affure him of their determination to fupport the pretent conftitution with their lives and fortunes." The addrefs being fent up to the House of Lords, received their

concurrence.

On the report of these measures to the convention by Mr. Flood, it was agreed, that a counter-address should be prefented to the king, in the name of the delegates of all the volunteers of Ireland," to implore his majesty, that their humble wish to have certain manifett perverfions in the parliamentary reprefentation of that kingdom remedied, might not be imputed to any fpirit of innovation, but to a fober and laudable defire to uphold the conftitution, to confirm the fatisfaction of their fellow-fubjects, and perpetuate the cordial union of the two nations."

The change which foon afterwards took place in the adminiftration of both kingdoms, gave fresh fpirits to the friends of reformation. It was not unreasonably expected that the weight of government would now be thrown into their scale, as the first minitter in England, and the first minitter in Ireland §, had been among the molt eager and loud in fupport of the fame measures in Great Britain. But notwithstanding these Batte. ing appearances, they were doomed to experience a fecond difappointment.

On the 13th of March 1784, March 13th, Mr. Flood again moved for leave 1784. to bring in his ball; as the motion was fupported by a great number of petitions, and all occasion of offence was avoided, by keeping the volunteers out of view; the bill was allowed to be brought in, but, on the fecond reading, it wa rejected by nearly the fame majority as before.

Thefe repeated defeats did not abate the ardour of the Irish reformers in the purfuit of their favourite object; but as all hope of obtaining the deliberate co-operation of parliament was at an end, they turned their applications to a quarter from whence experience had already taught them to look for more effectual exertions; as govern. ment had not yet ventured to question the legality of the volunteer affociation, the people at large were called upon to provide themselves with arms, and to array themlelves under that defcription. Several unpopular acts of the new government, in fome or which parliament was alfo involved by the have it had in them, ferved greatly to increase the general difcontent of the nation.

On the 7th day of June a meeting June 7th, was held of the aggregate body of the citizens of Dublin. It was here refolved to prefent another petition to the king, and in the mean time to endeavour, by a circular addrefs, to ftimulate the body of the people to a general and vigorous exertion.

The petition, after enumerating their feveral grievances, and lamenting that his majesty's adminiftration should have taken an active part in all the meatures of which they complained, flates, "That this was a ci cumftance the more exN T E.

§ Mr. Pitt, and the Duke of Rutland.

traordinary, as the first minister of England had virtuously declared himself in favour of the principal meature which had been rejected; that his majefty had lately thought it necessary to appeal to the electors of Great Britain against the power of an ariftocracy; that on that occafion but one fourth of the people of England exclaimed against their House of Commons, and the fovereign pu dently diffolved a parliament which had lost the confidence of a quarter of the nation, and declared his readiness to adopt whatever he should collec to be the fenfe of his people; and that they therefore looked up to him with the utmost confidence for the immediate diffolution of the parliament of Ireland, in compliance with the almoft unanimous request of his loyal subjects of that kingdom."

In the addrefs, the complicated hardships they had suffered from the abule of power were de tailed with great warmth and freedom; the continuance of thefe fufferings they attribute to the detects of their reprefentation in parliament; and they appeal to experience for the inefficacy of every means they had employed to obtain redrefs. They therefore call upon and conjure their fellowfubjects to unite with them in the pursuit of fome more efficacious plan for the removal of the general calamity; and with this view they propofe that five perion fhould be elected from each county, city, and confiderable town, to meet in Dublin in national congrefs.

But the most remarkable feature in this addrefs was, a propofition to admit the Roman catholic fubjects of that kingdom to a participation in the rights of fuffrage at the election of members of parliament. Though this measure was not only confonant to the general principles of the reform they meditated, but promised no fmall acceffion of ftrength to the common caufe, yet the fincerity of the Irish proteftants on this point, farther than it ferved the prefeat turn, has been much doubted.

In a former volume we had occafion to remark, as one of the confequences of the general calamity in which the late war had involved the country of Ireland, that the prejudices entertained against the papists in that kingdom appeared, in fome degree, to be giving way to more liberal, wife, and equitable fentiments. The volunteer, at a very early period, expreffed their abhorrence of the unjult and impolitic treatment of so great. a majority of their fellow fubjects; they recommended their caufe to the attention of their legislature, and, in fome counties, even invited them to range themselves under the fame banners in the field, But the great political objects then in view being obtained, no other relief was granted to the catholics, than the repeal of a few of the most cruel and oppreffive claufes in the laws enacted against them §.

N Ο T E.

When

When the business of equal reprefentation began to be agitated, the cafe of the Roman catholics was again bught forward, and the delegates of the meeting at Dungannon, in the year 1783, were infructed to confider of the beft pan of admitting them to an equal participation in the benefits of the projected reformation. At the fubfequent meeting of the convention in Dublin, when that subject was proposed for their confideration, a pretended letter was produced from. the Earl of Kenmare, purporting to convey the general fentiments of the Roman catholics of Ireland, in which they were made to exprefs their prefent fati faction with what had been already done for them, and that they defired no more than peaceably to enjoy the privileges they had obtained. But though this letter was publicly difavowed, both by the refpectable perfon from whom it was faid to have come, and by a general affembly of the committee of the Irish catholics, who acknowledged therafelves to have too great a refemblance to the reft of their species to be defirous of oppofing any thing that tended to their relief, and that they thould receive any indulgence the legislature should be willing to grant them, yet, in the plan of reform digefted at this meeing, they were left precifely in the fame fituation as before.

But to return to the proceedings of the citi zens of Dublin,An application was made to the lord I eu enant to convey their petition to the throne. For anfwer to their request, he informed them, that though it was his duty to convey the papers they prefented, yet he found himself obliged to accompany them with his entire difapprobation; as they contained unjust and indecent reflections upon the laws and the parliament of Ireland, and as they tended to foment fatal diffenfion among the people.

The credulity of the Irith reformers was proof againit all difapprobation. They could not be perfuaded, but that the English minifter would heartily concur in the fupport of meatures founded on principles which he had himieli so often and to oftentatiously avowed. Accordingly, on the 8th of July, July 8th. a petition to the king was conveyed to Mr. Pitt, by the inhabitants of Belfait, nearly of the lame tenor with that of the citizens of N Ο T E.

with certain exceptions, and to dilpofe of them by will or other wife; to defcend according to the course of common law, devifable and tranf ferable in like manner as the lands or proteftants, By the fame law, certain penal acts refpecting the hearing and the celebrating of mais; for forbidding Roman catholics to keep a horse of or above the value of five pound; empowering grand juries to levy from them, in their respective diftricts, money to the amount of tuch laffes as were fulamed by the depredations of privateers; requiring them to provide in towns proteftant watchinen; and forbidding them to inhabit the city of Limerick, or fuburbs, were repealed.

So much of the former act as forbad them to teach fchool publicly, or to inftruct youch of their own profeffion in private, was alfo repealed; and a law enacted to permit them to have the guardianship, the care, and the tuition of their own children.

Dublin. In the month of September, Mr. Pitt informed them, in his answer, "That he had undoubtedly bees, and ftill continued, a zealous friend to a reform in parliament, but that he muft beg leave to fay, that he had been so on grounds very different from those adopted in their petition. That what was there propofed, he confidered as tending to produce ftill greater evils than any of those which the friends of reform were defirous to remedy."

But the cause of reform received about this time a more fatal blow, from the difunion which broke out amongst the volunteers themselves, on the fubject of admitting the Roman catholics to the rights of election. In an addrefs prefented by the Ufter corps to their general, the Earl of Charlemont, after fome ftrong expreffions of their destation of aristocratic tyranny, they hint at the neceffity of calling in the aid of the catho lics, as the most juft as well as effectual means of opposing it with fuccefs. In answer to this addrefs, the Earl of Charlemont lamented that, for the fit time, he felt himself obliged to differ from them in fentiment. He was free from every illiberal prejudice againft the catho lics, and full of good will towards that very refpectable body, but he could not refrain from the most ardent entreaties that they would defift from a pursuit that would fatally clog and impede the profecution of their favourite purpofe.

As this nobleman was very highly and very defervedly refpected by the whole nation, his opinion was eagerly embraced both by the timid, whofe apprehenfions were alarmed by the boldnefs and extent of the project, and by a great number whose prejudices against the catholics appear rather to have been diffembled than cured. In the month of October, the thanks of the corporation of the city of Dublin were voted for his conduct on this occafion.

The meeting of a national congrefs, was a measure of too alarming a nature, not to attract the most serious attention of government; and

it

appears to have been their refolution to take the most vigorous fteps for preventing it if poffble. A few days previous to that which was fixed for the election of delegates for the city of Dublin, the attorney-general addreffed a letter to the theriffs, expreffing his very great surprise, at having read a fummons, figned by them, calling a meeting for the purpose in queftion.He obferved, that by this proceeding, they had been guilty of a moft outrageous breach of their duty; and that if they proceeded, they would be refponfible to the laws of their country, and he fhould hold himself bound to profecute them in the court of King's Bench, for a conduct which he confidered fo highly criminal, that he could not overlook it. Thefe threats fucceeded fo tar as to intimidate the sheriffs from attending the meeting in their official capacity; but the meeting was nevertheless held, delegates were cholen; and in revenge for the attorney's letter, feveral ftrong refolutions were agreed to, relative to the right of assembling themselves for the redress of grievances.

But government, having once fet their faces against the election and aflembling of delegates, purfued a mode of conduct that had fufficient of

refolution

refolution in it at leaft. From denouncing threats, they proceeded to actual punishments.

Henry Stephens Reiley, Elq. high fheriff of the county of Dublin, in confequence of his hay ing called together and prefided at an affembly of freeholders, who met on the 19th Aug. 19th of Auguft 1794, for the purpofe of choofing and inftructing their delegates, was the first object of ministerial prosecution on this occafion. The attorney-general proceeded against him by attachment from the court of King's Bench. The affembly, and the refolutions they came to on this occafion, figned by Mr. Reiley, in his character of fheriff for the county, were both declared to be illegal, and Mr. Reiley was fentenced by the court to pay a fine of 5 marks (31. 65. 8d.) and to be imprisoned one week.

This mode of legal procefs, except for the purpose of bringing perfons before the court, to receive the fentence of fuch court for contempt of and difobedience to its orders and directions, has fo feldom been reforted to, that even the le gality of the process itself, on any other ground than the one above mentioned, has remained a matter of general doubt and uncertainty.

In the prefent cafe it met with much lefs oppofition than might have been expected. Clamours without doors, and debates within, on the subject, there certainly were, but both too feeble and ill-concerted to promise any fuccefs.

It is probable too, that the apprehenfions that many perfons began to form of the delegates themselves, whom they looked upon in fome mealure as a new order rifing up in the ftate, might induce them to acquiefce in, if not to approve of, an extraordinary and unufual mode of proceeding on this occafion.

But government did nor confine their profecutions to Mr. Reiley.Having once adopted a mode of proceeding, which fo effectually anfwered the end for which they defigned it, informations were moved for, and attachments granted against the different magiftrates who called the meetings, and figned the refpective refolutions of the freeholders in the counties of Rofcommon and Leitrim. At the fame time, the prefs too came under the lafh of the attorney general; and the printers and publishers of fuch news-papers as had inferted the obnoxious refolutions, fuffered with the magiftrates who had figned them.

Notwithstanding these violent measures which adininitiation were purluing, the national congrefs met, pursuant to its appointment, on the 25th day of October. But as it was Oa. 25th. far from being compleat in point of Dumber, and feveral of its most respectable members chose to abfent themselves, they adjouned, after having passed a number of refolutions to the fame purport with those which had been agreed to at the previous meeting; and exhorted, in the most earnest manner, the communities which had not fent reprefentatives, if they refpected their own confiftency, if they wished for the fuccefs of a parliamentary reform, and as they tendered the perpetual liberty and prof. perity of their country, not to let pats this opportunity of effecting the great and neceffary confirmation of the constitution.

1785.

At their fecond meeting, which was held on the 2d of January 1785, the reprefentatives of twenty-leven counties, Jan. 20, and of most of the cities and confiderable towns of the kingdom, amounting in the whole to upwards of two hundred persons, affembled. Their proceedings appear to have been of the fame nature as thofe they had before adopted, with only this difference, that in the propofed application to the Houte of Commons, it was agreed to confine themselves to the moft general terms, and to leave the mode of redre fa as free and open as poffible to the confideration of parliament. After several adjouroApril 20th. ments, they held their final meetings on the 20th of April; and on the 12th of May, the bill which Mr. May 12th. Flood had again brought in, in pursuance of their common object, was again rejected.

During the, courfe of the proceedings relative to parliamentary and conftitutional reformation, interefts of a more preffing and important nature frequently divided the attention of the people, and were purfued with a more intemperate degree of zeal and violence. It should feem as if the manufacturers of Ireland had conceived an opinion, that the reftitution of commercial freedom would operate like a charm, and diffufe in an inftant that general profperity over the nation, which could only be the effect of a long courfe of frugal, attentive, and perfevering industry.The fallacy of these fanguine expectations was foon apparent; and the evil, if not partly cauf. ed, was greatly aggravated by the idlenets of the lowest class of people, and that neglect of their proper occupations of the better fort, which was the confequence of the general difpofition to political speculations.

Towards the end of the year 1783, the dif treffes of the manufacturers of Dublin had arifen to fuch a height, as for a fhort time to fuperlede all laws, and to reduce the city to a late of anarchy and confufion; as a temporary remedy to this mifchief, fubfcriptions were fet on foot for their relief, which were very liberally fupported, and in the mean time a committee was appointed by the Houfe of Commons to take into confideration the flate of the manufactures of the kingdom. Mr. Gardiner who took the lead in that bufinefs, paffed over into England, in order to confult with the king's minifters on the alarming exigence of affairs; but, as fhould appeze from the event, without being able to agree with them on the adoption of any specific measures.

On the 31st of March 1784, the houfe took into confideration the report of the committee; on which occafion Mr. Gardiner brought forward a plan, for which the people had been for fome time been extremely clamorous, namely, that of protecting duties—of protecting their own ma nuictures, and enforcing the confumption of them at home, by laying heavy duties on fimilar manufactures, imported from other countries,

After ftating the nature and extent of the diftreffes under which the manufacturers laboured, Mr. Gardener adverted to the feveral modes which had been propofed of affording them relief. The fi it was to force the home confumption by non-importation agreements.-This was

a mea.