"dear and sacred is so seriously threatened, I have finally determined to 1798 "accept the command in chief of the armies of the United States, with "the reserve only that I shall not be called into the field, till the army is "in a situation to require my presence." When these transactions were made public, all Europe was filled with astonishment at the disclosure of such a scene of venality in the French cabinet. Talleyrand, after some delay, published his defence; in which he attempts to refute the charge-calling it " a deplorable monument of credulity and contradictions."-It rests with the reader to make his choice between the representations of three American ministers on the one hand, and that of monsieur Talleyrand on the other, who must either deny the charge, or be branded with eternal infamy. GREAT i h State Papers. 318. Annual Register. 247 1799 GREAT BRITAIN AND HOLLAND. 1799. IT had long since been observed and lamented that the kingdom of Ireland, owing to deep-rooted evils arising from religious tenets, from social habits, and political, circumstances, had not kept pace with other countries in those agricultural improvements, that advancement in commercial wealth, and that civilization and refinement of manners, which are essential to national prosperity. And it was now seen that our enemies, availing themselves of the wretchedness and discontent originating in these causes, were labouring, by secret artifice and open force, to effect a separation of Ireland from the British crown; well-knowing that, in the present state of Europe, such a country could not maintain its independency, and that, if disunited from Great Britain, it must become dependent on France. This had been evinced not only in the insurrection which had taken place here in the late year, but in the intrigues which had been carried on with our enemy by the disaffected in different parts of the British dominions.-As the best preparation for a gradual removal of these evils, and the most effectual mean for strengthening the hands of government, it was now proposed to render the empire more entire and compact by an union of the British kingdoms, on the broad basis of an equality of interests, an equality of privileges, and a unity of power. This was brought forward by a message from his majesty to the two houses; in which, after adverting to the unremitting industry with which our enemies persevered in their avowed design of accomplishing the separation of Ireland from this kingdom, he recommends it to the legislative legislative bodies "to provide in the manner which they shall judge most expedient for settling such a complete and final adjustment as may best " tend to improve and perpetuate a connexion essential to their common "security, and to augment and consolidate the strength, power, and "resources of the British empire."-Mr. Dundas, as secretary of state, having laid several papers before the legislature relative to the proceedings of certain societies in Ireland and the rebellion in that country, then moved for an address to his majesty,† importing that the house would proceed, with all due dispatch, to a consideration of this important subject. In the warm debate which ensued, Mr. Sheridan delivered, with his usual animation, his reasons for opposing the measure. He deprecated it as a measure which, he was confident, his countrymen would disapprove as inconsistent with their independency-as an union which must be accomplished by surprise, fraud, corruption, and intimidation, and which would place the Irish nation in a worse condition than they were before. He asserted that the parliament of Ireland was independent; that there was no power whatever competent to make laws for that country.-He opposed it, he said, as an infraction and violation of the acknowledged independence of Irish legislation; because he was of opinion that the union could not prevent the separation of that country by France; and because it was not possible, in the present state of Ireland, that the people could declare and act upon their genuine sentiments. Upon these grounds he moved an amendment, imploring his majesty "not to listen to the counsels of those "who shall advise or promote such a measure at the present crisis, and "under the present circumstances of the empire." The premier, in answer to these objections, maintained the competency of the legislatures of Great Britain and Ireland to sanction the proposed incorporation; and adduced the precedent which the Scottish union afforded. He vindicated the government from the charge of accomplishing the measure by surprise, by saying that a proper interval would be allowed before they took the sense of parliament upon the subject.— He recommended the union as the most effectual means for reclaiming Ireland 1799 + January 22. b a State Papers. 207. ap. Ann. Regist. Ann. Regist. 204. 1799 66 66 Ireland from its deplorable state of distraction, and misery. "The evils "with which Ireland was afflicted," he said, lay deep in the situation of "the country. They were to be attributed to the manners of its inhabitants, "to the state of society, to the habits of the people at large, to the unequal "distribution of property, to the want of civilized intercourse, to the jaring discord of party, and, above all, to the prejudices of religious "sects. This deplorable situation of the country was not to be remedied by any act of the Irish parliament, but by gradual, sober, and dispassionate improvement and civilization; by the circulation of capital; by the social "intercourse naturally arising from commerce; by the diffusion of social "habits; by the dissemination of liberal sentiment; by removing party distractions; by suppressing factious associations; by allaying hereditary "feuds between two nations subsisting in the same island; and by the "extinction of religious prejudices. For such remedies we must look to "the provisions of an independent legislature, removed from the seat "of the complicated disease; which should not be partial to either party, "but the fair arbiter and kind parent of both; which should not be liable "to local influence, nor subject to popular incitement; and which should "be fully competent to make head against the lawless inroads of destruc❝tive innovation and anarchy."-The complicated grievances and defects in the state of the country he ascribed to the imperfection of the Irish constitution. "With respect to the confinement of property in a few hands, the extraordinary disparity of rank, and the scanty means of social improvement, all contributing to misery in one extreme and oppres"sion in the other, how could these grievances be remedied but by a "closer connexion with Great Britain? The situation of Ireland must also be remedied by an influx of capital and the circulation of wealth: and "whence were these to be supplied, but by assimilating it with Great "Britain? He did not merely say, let Ireland be united; but, let her be "blended with us, let her partake of every solid benefit, of every eminent advantage that could result from such incorporation." On the day appointed for further deliberations on this measure, Mr. Pitt said, " that when he proposed it to the house the last time, in order Annual Register. 208. January 31. " to cr "to fix the present day for its further consideration, he indulged a hope "that the result of a similar communication to the parliament of Ireland "would have opened a more favourable prospect, than at present existed, "of its speedy accomplishment. But while he admitted and respected the rights of the parliament of Ireland, he felt that, as a member of the parliament of Great Britain, he also had a right to exercise and a duty "to perform. That duty was to express, as distinctly as he could, the "general nature and outline of the plan which, in his conscience, he thought would tend, in the strongest manner, to ensure the safety and happiness of both kingdoms. If parliament, after full explanation and "mature deliberation, should be of the same opinion, he would propose "that its determination should remain recorded as that by which the par"liament of Great Britain was ready to abide; leaving to the legislature " of Ireland to reject or adopt it hereafter upon a full consideration of "the measure." 66 66 The premier then laid an outline of the plan of incorporation before the commons in the form of eight resolutions, the merits of which were repeatedly and elaborately discussed in both houses. In the lower house, Mr. Dundas made an ample display of the benefits which might be expected to arise from the proposed union, adding the rapid increase of wealth and prosperity of the Scots, and the amelioration of their social condition, in support of his argument. "It has been triumphantly asked," said he, why not give all these advantages to Ireland without an union.". "Without an incorporating union," he replied, "they would be of no "avail: for the strength and resources of both countries must be consoli"dated, in order to enable Ireland to reap the full advantage from such "concessions. It is from confidence in the strength of government alone "that a communication of capital and other advantages can arise. In " addition to this it might be observed, that the English government could "not, consistently with the duty they owed to their British fellow-subjects, "make such concessions to Ireland under its present constitution and "separate legislature. Concessions of such a nature could not be safely granted until an imperial parliament possessed the control over the d Annual Register. 210. resources 1799 |