Part 43

"History of the University of Dublin," p. 253, &c.

"Froude," vol. ii. p. 104.

"Distinguished Irishmen," vol. v. p. 233, &c.

"English in Ireland," passim.

Barre was over here at that time as Vice-Treasurer, &c. He received the Freedom of Dublin in 1776.

The Bill was to raise the army in Ireland to 15,500 men. Pery and the Nationalists saw that the object of the Crown was to have troops to send to America to crush the Colonists, and this they would not have on any terms. The Government, in reply, passed an Act through the English Parliament, giving satisfactory security that the full force of 12,000 should be kept in Ireland. Nationalists now have not to complain of any want of troops in this country, and we do not hear of their demanding any "satisfactory assurance" of the permanence of the forces.

Nothing could exceed the eagerness of the English Ministry to have the Army Augmentation Bill passed through the Irish Parliament. Lord Shelbourne, the English Home Secretary, wrote to Lord Lieutenant Townshend (March 1768) (a) that he would not hear of Malone's and Hutchinson's suggestions of delay in bringing in the Bill. He further announced that the English Parliament had passed an Act taking off the limitation of the troops in Ireland, imposed by the 10th of William III., and pledging that a full force of 12,000 men should be kept in Ireland. Sexten Pery led the opposition, which defeated the Bill by a majority of four. The Irish parliament was prorogued and dissolved, and did not meet for sixteen months, when they again threw out the Army Bill. Eventually, in November, 1769, Townshend succeeded in having the clause carried in another Act, whereby 3,235 men, in addition to the 12,000 to be kept here, were voted.

In 1775, Lord Lieutenant Harcourt asked for 4,000 men for the king out of the Irish establishment to be despatched to America, and he offered to supply their place by German Protestant troops. Anthony Malone was chairman of the Parliamentary Committee which, after a warm debate, granted the contingent as "armed negotiators," but rejected the Hessians. Grattan afterwards fiercely, and not unfairly, assailed Flood for carrying this discreditable measure. The troops were in time for the surrenders at Saratoga and Yorktown. Lord Edward Fitzgerald, one regrets to read, served on this expedition as aide-de-camp to Lord Moira. Lord Effingham, on the other hand, resigned his regiment rather than serve against those who were struggling for freedom, and he was twice publicly thanked by the people of Dublin.--[Plowden and Mitchell.]

In 1782, the king was allowed to draw 5,000 men out of the kingdom. In 1793, the Irish force was raised to 20,232. Most of these acts were for one year.

(a) "Life of Shelbourne," vol. ii., p. 12.

In the debate (1772) on the Altered Money Bill, Hutchinson seems to have recovered his prudence.

Another page shows how he was compensated for this "trifling profit" of the Prime Serjeancy.

Baratariana says:--

"The Prime Serjeant, then, with a shuffling preamble Like a nag that before he can canter must amble, Betwixt right and wrong made a whimsical shamble, Which nobody can deny.

'Twas important, he said, and availed not a groat; But whether 'twas right or whether 'twas naught, Or whether he'd vote for it, or whether he'd not He'd neither assert nor deny."

One of the rewards that Hutchinson demanded from the Government as the price of his support was, that his wife should be made a baroness. [Lord Lieutenant Townshend's letter, quoted by Froude, vol. ii., p. 67, and by Lord Fitzmaurice, vol. ii., p. 102.]

See note E.

Froude, vol. ii., p. 50.

Walk. Hib. Mag. 1777.

Walk. Hib. Mag. 1791.

In 1771, John Ponsonby resigned the Speakership rather than present to Lord Townshend the adulatory Address of the House of Commons, and Pery was, by Government influence, elected in his room.

See Wellington's Correspondence.

Grattan said Townsend was a corrupter, and Buckingham a jobber in a mask.

On this prorogation, "Baratariana" has--

"Our worthy Lieutenant comes down to the House, Protests their proceedings are not worth a louse, And leaving undone the affairs of the nation, The session concludes with a d----d prorogation, Derry down.

"Here mark, my dear friends, that our ruin's completed Since a parliament's useless which thus can be treated; While they served his foul purpose he'll fawn and collogue them, But if once they do right he'll that instant prorogue them. Derry down."

In 1739 the English parliament passed an Act removing the duties on some of the Irish Woollen Exports, and this was done for the benefit of the English wool manufacturers.

Out of 300 members 104 held places, and 120 were nominated by patrons under the influence of Government. The civil establishment, with its contingent expenses, amounted to over half a million sterling a year, while the entire revenue of the kingdom was under a million and a quarter.--[Pery.] In 1789, Lord Jocelyn presented to the House, by order, the list of pensions. The civil pensions amounted to L97,850, and the military pensions to L5,827.