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legislative authority of the national council sitting in Dublin.' Its judicature was equally overborne. The appellate juris diction of the Irish House of Lords was first adjudged to be subordinate to that of the highest court of appeal in England, and then expressly superseded and annulled by a statute of the English Parliament. The legislature of Ireland was that of a British dependency. Whether such a Parliament were free or not, may have little concerned the true interests of the people of Ireland, who owed it nothing but bondage; but the national pride was stung by a sense of inferiority and dependence.

The subordination of Ireland was further testified in anCommercial other form, at once galling to her pride and injurestrictions. rious to her prosperity. To satisfy the jealous instincts of English traders, her commerce had been crippled with intolerable prohibitions and restraints. The export of her produce and manufactures to England was nearly interdicted all direct trade with foreign countries and British possessions prohibited. Every device of protective and prohibitory duties had been resorted to, for insuring a monopoly to English commerce and manufactures. Ireland was impoverished, that English traders should be enriched.*

New era

Such were the laws and government of Ireland when George III. succeeded to its crown, and for many years opened under afterwards. Already a "patriot" party had arisen George 111. to expose the wrongs of their country, and advocate her claims to equality; but hitherto their efforts had been vain. A new era, however, was now about to open ;

1 10 Henry VII. c. 22 (Irish); Carte's Life of Ormond, iii. 55; Lord Mountmorres' Hist., i. 360; Comm. Journ. (England), June 27th and 30th, 1698; Parl. Hist., v. 1181; Plowden's Hist., i. 244; Statute 6 Geo. I. c. 5.

2 6 Geo. I. c. 5.- Parl. Hist., vii. 642; Lord Mountmorres' Hist., i. 339. 8 32 Charles II. c. 2 prohibited the export of cattle, sheep, and live stock; 10 & 11 Will III. c. 10, interdicted the export of wool, and other statutes imposed similar restraints. See Parl. Hist., xix. 1100, et seq.; Swift's Tract on Irish Manufactures, 1720; Works, vii. 15; Short View of the State of Ireland, 1727. - Ibid., 324.

and a century of remedial legislation to be commenced, for repairing the evils of past misgovernment.

Residence of

One of the first improvements in the administration of Ireland was a more constant residence of the lordlieutenant. The mischievous rule of the lords jus- lord-lieutices was thus abated, and even the influence of the parliamentary undertakers impaired; but the viceroy was still fettered by his exclusive cabinet.1

tenant.

Attempts were made so early as 1761 to obtain a septennial Act for Ireland, which resulted in the passing Octennial of an octennial bill, in 1768.2 Without popular Act, 1768. rights of election, this new law was no great security for freedom, but it disturbed, early in the reign of a young king, the indefinite lease of power, hitherto enjoyed by a corrupt confederacy; while discussion and popular sentiments were beginning to exercise greater influence over the legislature.

Executive

mons, 1769.

A new Parliament was called, after the passing of the Act, in which the country-party gained ground. The Conflict government vainly attempted to supplant the un- between the dertakers in the management of the Commons, and the Comand were soon brought into conflict with that assembly. The Commons rejected a money bill, "because it did not take its rise in that House;" and in order claim to originate to prove that they had no desire to withhold sup- money plies from the crown, they made a more liberal bills, 1769. provision than had been demanded. The lord-lieutenant, however, Lord Townshend, marked his displeasure at this proceeding, by proroguing Parliament as soon as the supplies were voted, and protesting against the vote and resolution of the Commons, as a violation of the law and an invasion of the just rights of the crown. So grave was this 1 Adolphus' Hist., i. 331.

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2 This difference between the law of the two countries was introduced to prevent the confusion of a general election, on both sides of the channel, at the same time. - Walpole's Mem., iii. 155; Lord Chesterfield's Letters, iv. 468; Plowden's Hist., i. 352, 387; Hardy's Life of Lord Charlemont, i. 248–

3 Lords' Journ. (Ireland), iv. 538. The lord-lieutenant, not contented

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Oct. and

8

difference, that the lord-lieutenant suspended the further sit-
Repeated ting of Parliament, by repeated prorogations, for
prorogations. fourteen months,1 -a proceeding which did not
escape severe animadversion in the English Parliament."
Parliament, when at length reassembled, proved not more
Dec. 21,
tractable than before. In December, 1771, the
1771. Commons rejected a money bill because it had been
altered in England; and again in 1773, pursued the same
course, for the like reason, in regard to two other money
bills. In 1775, having consented to the with-
Nov. 1775. drawal of four thousand troops from the Irish es-
tablishment, it refused to allow them to be replaced by Prot-
estant troops from England,5 - a resolution which evinced
the growing spirit of national independence. And in the
same year, having agreed upon the heads of two money
bills, which were returned by the British cabinet with
amendments, they resented this interference by rejecting the
bills and initiating others, not without public inconvenience
and loss to the revenue. This first octennial Parliament ex-
hibited other signs of an intractable temper, and was dis-
solved in 1776.8 Nor did government venture to meet the
new Parliament for nearly eighteen months.

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with this speech on the prorogation, further entered a separate protest in the Lords' Journal. -Commons' Journal (Ireland), viii. 323; Debates of Parliament of Ireland, ix. 181; Plowden's Hist. of Ireland, i. 396; ii. 251 Grattan's Mem., i. 98–101; Lord Mountmorres' Hist., i. 54; Hardy's Lift of Lord Charlemont, i. 290.

1 From Dec. 26th, 1769, till Feb. 26th, 1771; Comm. Journ. (Ireland), viii. 354; Plowden's Hist., i. 401.

2 Mr. G. M. Walsingham, May 3d, 1770; Parl. Hist., v. 309.

8 Comm. Journ. (Ireland), viii 467; Adolphus, ii. 14; Life of Grattan, i. 174-185.

4 Dec. 27th, 1773: Comm. Journ. (Ireland), ix. 74.

5 Comm. Journ. (Ireland), ix. 223; Grattan's Life, i. 268.

6 Viz., a Bill for additional duties on beer, tobacco, &c.; and another, imposing stamp-duties.

7 Dec. 21st, 1775; Comm. Journ. (Ireland), ix. 244; Plowden's Hist. i. 435.

8 Plowden's Hist., i. 441.

The old Parliament was prorogued in June, 1776, and afterwards dis

war.

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In the mean time, causes superior to the acts of a government, the efforts of patriots, and the combinations Effect of the of parties, were rapidly advancing the indepen- American dence of Ireland. The American colonies had resented restrictions upon their trade, and the imposition of taxes by the mother-country; and were now in revolt against the rule of England. Who could fail to detect the parallel between the cases of Ireland and America? The patriots accepted it as an encouragement, and their rulers as a warning. The painful condition of the people was also Condition of betraying the consequences of a selfish and illib. the people. eral policy. The population had increased with astonishing fecundity. Their cheap and ready food, the potato, - and their simple wants, below the standard of civilized life, removed all restraints upon the multiplication of a vigorous and hardy race. Wars, famine, and emigration had failed. to arrest their progress; but misgovernment had deprived them of the means of employment. Their country was rich in all the gifts of God; fertile, abounding with rivers and harbors, and adapted alike for agriculture, manufactures, and commerce. But her agriculture was ruined by absentee landlords, negligent and unskilful tenants, half civilized cottiers; and by restraints upon the free export of her prodHer manufactures and commerce, the natural resources of a growing population, jealousy of English rivals. To the ordinary restraints upon her industry was added, in 1776, an embargo on the export of provisions. And while the industry of the people was repressed by bad laws, it was burdened by the profusion and venality of a corrupt government. What could be expected in such a country, but a wretched, ignorant, and turbulent peasantry, and agrarian outrage? These evils were aggravated by the pressure of the American war, followed

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were crushed by the

Solved: the new Parliament did not meet till October 14th, 1777. — Comm Journ., ix. 289, &c.; Plowden's Hist., i. 441.

1 Grattan's Life, i. 283.

by hostilities with France. The English ministers and Parliament were awakened, by the dangers which threatened the state, to the condition of the sister-country; and England's peril became Ireland's opportunity.

restrictions

removed, 1778.

2

Encouragement had already been given to the Irish fishCommercial eries in 1775; and in 1778, Lord Nugent, supported by Mr. Burke and favored by Lord North, obtained from the Parliament of England a partial relaxation of the restrictions upon Irish trade. The legislature was prepared to make far more liberal concessions; but, overborne by the clamors of English traders, withheld the most important, which statesmen of all parties concurred in pronouncing to be just. The Irish, confirmed in the justice of their cause by these opinions, resented the undue influence of their jealous rivals; and believed that commercial freedom was only to be won by national equality. The distresses and failing revenue of Ireland again attracted the attention of the British Parliament in the ensuing session. England undertook the payment of the troops in the Irish establishment serving abroad, and relieved some branches of her industry;® but still denied substantial freedom to her commerce. Meanwhile, the Irish were inflamed by stirring oratory, by continued suffering, and by the successes of the Americans in a like cause. Disappointed in their expectations of relief from the British Parliament, they formed associations for the exclusion of British commodities and the encouragement of native manufactures."

Further re

strictions removed, 1779.

1 Grattan's Life, i. 283-289, 298, &c.; Hardy's Life of Lord Charlemont, i. 368-379.

2 15 Geo. III. c. 31; Plowden's Hist., i. 430.

8 Parl. Hist., xix. 1100-1126; Plowden's Hist., i. 459-466; 18 Geo. III. c. 45 (flax seed); c. 55 (Irish shipping); Adolphus' Hist., ii. 551-554; Grattan's Life, i. 330.

4 Parl. Hist., xx. 111, 136, 248, 635, 663.

5 King's Message, March 18th, 1779; Parl. Hist., xx. 327.

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7 Plowden's Hist., i. 485; Grattan's Life, i. 362-364; Hardy's Life of Lord Charlemont, i. 389.

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