The end of the Irish Parliament.

Chapter XX.

1798-1800.

Marquis Cornwallis Viceroy - His Qualification for Office - Dialogue with Mr. Howard of Corby - Ignorance of the British Ministry respecting the Irish People - City of Cork supports the Union - Rebellion of 1798 - Grattan and others Absent from Parliament - On his Return attacked by Mr. Corry - Grattan’s scathing Reply - On Bill for O’Donnell’s Motion - The Speaker appeals to the House - Effort of the Viceroy in support of the Bill - Heart of a popular Tumult - The Speaker puts the Question - Carried.

In June 1798 another change of viceroys took place. Marquis Camden, whose administration was well calculated to promote the scheme of Mr. Pitt, and goad the Irish into disaffection to British rule, having effected his object, was recalled, and replaced by a very different nobleman, Marquis Cornwallis. He had served in the British army, but his campaign in America had not reflected any lustre on British arms. Perhaps he hoped to regain his lost laurels in Ireland, when on 20th June he assumed the duties of lord-lieutenant.

There is no d4ubt that Mr. Pitt selected the best man of his party to act as viceroy, in the Marquis Cornwallis. His affable manners and desire to please made him as popular as any nobleman in his position could possibly be; and those who opposed his political views could not help liking him personally. He was an attached friend to one of the heads of the great Catholic house of Howard-Henry Howard of Corby, who in 1799 was quartered in Dublin with his regiment. His son, the late Philip Howard, Esq. of Corby Castle, member for Carlisle, kindly sent me the minutes of a conversation between his father and the viceroy, as follows:- “December 11th, 1799. Dined, Park. After dinner sat by Lord Cornwallis. Addressing him on the subject of the state of Ireland between Catholic and Protestant, I said that I thought, from what I perceived of the state of men’s minds, that the best and most useful part of the Government was to hinder the people cutting each other’s throats.’ He replied, ‘That, unfortunately, was not what the Government had done here.’ I said, ‘I thought that justice began to be done on that score, which, when I came first, was by no means the case.’ This brought on the subject of Union, which ‘he thought the only remedy and means of doing that which, left to them here, would never be done.’ I said, ‘With respect to the Catholics, as it appeared to be an object to conciliate them, that they should be an object of union, that without this the Union was nothing.’ He replied, ’ Certainly the Union without it is nothing.’”

The correspondence of the viceroy shows how well he understood the character of the men who were most strongly promoting the Union. In a letter to General Ross he says: “The ministry knows very little about this country, and they take an interested, violent, and prejudiced party, who call themselves friends to England and the Protestant interests, for the people of Ireland. If a successor was to be appointed who should, as almost all former lord-lieutenants have done, throw himself into the hands of this party, no advantage would be derived from the Union. He was anxious to reform the Government; he disliked the vile crew. However, they must be treated with management and attention, and I have been so fortunate as to retain in a great degree their good-will, at the same time to have acquired the confidence of the Catholics.”

It is strange that at this time, when the country most needed the influence of the comparatively few patriots in Parliament, they should think fit to abandon their trust. Grattan and others, who felt they could not carry the measure they deemed requisite for the relief of the Catholics, returned to their country seats and thus gave the Government full sway to act as they chose. [For explanation see Grattan’s reply to Corry.]

Again negotiations were entered into for another French expedition to aid the rebellion of the United Irishmen, and this time the place of landing was Killala Bay, in the west of Ireland. Here, on the 22nd August, 1798, the French, under General Humbert, to the number of 11,000, landed. They marched on Castlebar, and defeated the British troops under General Lord Lake.

The news of this defeat having reached Dublin, the viceroy, Marquis Cornwallis, at once set out with such troops as he could muster. Humbert with his small force kept the British troops in motion for some days, but at length, being surrounded by 30,000 men, on the 8th September the French surrendered themselves prisoners of war at Ballinamuck. Weakened by rebellion and disheartened by civil dissension, Ireland now seemed incapable of offering any effectual resistance to Mr. Pitt’s project of uniting the legislative body of Ireland with that of Great Britain; some show of popular feeling on the part of the Irish in favour of this measure being deemed requisite.

The Bill for the legislative union between Great Britain and Ireland was moved by Lord Castlereagh. He used no superfluous words, moved it as a commonplace notice, and then resumed his seat. The House indeed, was visibly affected, and many members withdrew before the fatal question was put from the chain After a brief pause, the Speaker rose, and, as if unable to speak, again sat down. But the bitter task had to be performed, and with that air of dignity which ever distinguished his position, and after a brief survey of the doomed House, he pronounced the fervid words, “As many as are of opinion this Bill do pass, say Aye; the contrary say No.” The affirmative was uttered in low yet decisive tones, but in number indisputable. Another pause, and again the voice of the Speaker seemed inaudible. After a brief interval, as though gaining strength to speak what required to be spoken, with his eyes turned away from the Bill he held in his hand, he declared the result was “the Ayes have it;” and, as if getting rid of some hateful object, he flung the Bill upon the table, and threw himself back in his chair as though exhausted by the effort.

In a short time the members left, and thus the House of Commons was abandoned to become the Bank of Ireland.

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