conduct, however, and proceedings, on this trying occafion, demonftrate the danger which threa tens the empire; it establishes the tendency of Ireland to feparation; and that on the prefent conftitutional footing of these kingdoms no barrier is formed to prevent its effect. It is clear alfo, that, without feeking for it, an opportunity may arife again of vacancy in the Crown, or its intermiflion, that Ireland may again feel herfelf called upon to exercise the imperial right by the fpontaneous occurrence of public circumftances, without any arbitrary or uncalled for difcuffion of her right; and it is manifeft, that, on fuch an occahion, her conduct would not be regulated by the interefts and policy of the empire. The parliamentary report of the late rebellion alfo proves inconteftibly, that, fince the year 1789, the principle of feparation has gained rapidly, that it has wonderfully increafed under the mere influence of general political impreffion made by the French revolution, without the actual interference of the French government in the affairs of Ireland, the intrigues of her emiffaries, or her fyftematic and authorized abominations. And the conduct of the Irish Parliament in 1789 fhows, that the influence of England in the Irish Legiflature, through the medium of its patronage, forms a very frail and precarious combination. The fhameful tergiverfasion of the Irish members, at that time, must convince that the honour of individuals is no fecurity on which to repofe the ftrength and happiness of the British empire.

From the first records of her hiftory, Ireland has been particularly and fpecially dif tinguifhed for domeftic diffenfion and divifion." Before her connexion with England, during her. old government, if the term be not much abused in this application of it, the kingdom was fubjected to numerous principalities and authorities, which carried on with each other inceffant and implacable wars. The wildnefs of uncorrected nature marked the face of the country: as favage

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ry unfoftened and unhumanized their manners and practices in war, traces of hoftile incurfion were every where manifeft; and plains, to which Nature had not denied fertility, mouldered into bogs and moraffes. In the violence of civil ftrife, no peaceful improvement could be effected. In the divifion of governments there was nothing national, and thence, as all things fublunary tend to degeneracy and decay, unless fuftained and recruited by collateral aid, the want of culture deteriorated the foil, as the abfence of civil difcipTine ftill farther brutalized the national manners.

On the arrival of the Britons in Ireland, in the year 1172, every thing manifefted to them a country deeply funk in the mifery of ignorance and barbarifm. Before the connexion with England,

refore, neither commerce nor manufacture could have exifted, or any one work of public utility been devifed or executed; and fince that connexion, though in that great length of time Ireland has naturally improved in many important refpects, and that this improvement has arifen entirely from her communication with England, and in its direct proportion; yet, in every period almoft has the had her tranquillity interrupted by general rebellion or local rifings, and has ever been the prey of civil and religious diffenfions. This continual difturbance and uncertainty of the public condition in Ireland has counteracted her natural advantages, and prevented that enlarged intercourfe with England, which would have extended her trade and affimilated the national manners to the fobriety and fubordination of the English character. The truth of thefe pofitions will appear established by the following brief review of the Irish history.

Henry the Second acquired the dominion of Ireland as much by his high reputation for justice as a king and wifdom as a legiflator as by the terror of his arms. The piratical depredations of the Irifh on his English fubjects, their cruel treatment of prifoners of war, and the military levies 66 which

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which his enemy the French King was enabled to
make in Ireland, confiderably induced the English
monarch to fanction with his own authority and
prefence the private adventures of his fubjects
It is remarkable that the fame policy fhould fo
ftrongly apply at this day for permanently uniting
and preferving that which Henry the Second
thought it fo neceffary to acquire. The politic
piety of the times juftified this expedition of Hen-
ry by a papal bull, confecrating the title of con-
queft for the great end of civilization and religion.
Almost all the native princes, who were very nu-
merous, fubmitted to the King, did homage, and
took the oaths of fidelity and allegiance.
tary fubmiffions, however, were not more effectual
and fincere at that time than they are now. The
English colony planted in Leinfter was fubject to
every kind of outrage, and the utmost cruelty
characterized its barbarous enemies: their continual
aggreffions, and the commotions of the country,
determined the unfortunate Richard the Second
on two royal voyages to Ireland. The force with
which he was attended in his firft, fpread terror
and confternation; fo that, as the hiftorians of
thefe times obferve, the Irish had recourfe to a po-
licy, which they often practifed with fuccefs, to
divert the blow which they could not fuftain.
With feigned acknowledgments of paft tranf-
greffions and infincere affurances for the future, all
the powerful leaders of the Irifhry waited upon
the King at his arrival, with fubmiffion and fealty,
and the Earl Marthal was empowered by fpecial
commiffion to receive homage and repetitions, of
fidelity from the Irifhry of Leinfter, which they
rendered on their knees, and were afterwards ad-
mitted to the kifs of peace; and in like manner
the King himself received the fubmiffion of Ulfter.
However, as foon as Richard had departed, and
the military force was diffolved, this humility
was renounced, and, in violation of facred en-
gagements, the public peace was again interrupted,
and the borders of the English pale again fuffered
the ravages of war.

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It is obfervable, that this perfidious quality, which furmounts all religious barrier, and violates all focial principle, has continued characteristical of the lower Irifh to this hour. In the late rebellion, an enlightened and merciful policy proclaimed pardon and protection; but the very wretches who availed themselves of the benignity of Government, in many inftances, have fince been apprehended in the commiffion of new crimes, and the perpetration of greater enormities. So permanent must be the qualities of men, to whom the improvements of life do not defcend, and whofe political place debars them from any fhare in the general civilization.

From the reign of Richard the Second to that of Elizabeth was one continued feries of disturbance; but in her reign the moft formidable and dangerous rebellion occurred of any fince the reduction of Ireland. The rebels having had the aid of foreign power, the Spaniards effected a landing. in Kinfale, and their ftandard was foon joined by feveral of the Irish lords, particularly by the Earls Tyrone and Tyrconnell, who had marched from the North at the head of a confiderable army; but being engaged by the Lord Deputy Mountjoy, were entirely defeated, The Spaniards fubmitted on the terms of leaving the kingdom; and the rebellious Lord Tyrone experienced the fame merciful indulgence, which, to the immortal honour of Great Britain, has continued to this day her peculiar character, and to which your Excellency's conduct from the commencement of your government has given the strongest atteftation. Lord Tyrone was received to fubmiffion and mercy; and in 1606, King James iffued a commiffion of grace for confirming the poffeffions of the Irish against all claims of the Crown arifing from thẹ attainder of thofe concerned in the rebellion. From this royal clemency and moft gracious favour, a perfect fettlement of the kingdom might have been expected, as no fmall foundation feems to have been laid for the return of general tran

quility

quility. However, nothing could reduce to focial order and fubordination minds fo ferocious and intractable for at that very time, an impunity for rebellion, thefe fame Earls Tyrone and Tyrconnell, and almost all the Irifhry of Uliter, were engaged in a new confpiracy to provoke a general rifing, feize the castle of Dublin, and, for the accomplishment of thefe nefarious purpofes, had actually folicited foreign aid. The fame Providence, however, which at this day preferves and favours the British empire, defeated this confpiracy.

A furprising parallel runs through all the tranfactions of the Irish hiftory, which feem to partake the fame fpirit, and continue the fame character. The trial of Henry and John Shears, convicted in July laft, records a fcheme of treafon wonderfully fimilar, though more artfully laid and more extenfively diffused. In both, the firft facrifice of rebellion was to be the King's reprefentative and council, the English minifters and all the fupporters of English councils were to be devoted to the fury of the mob, and become the first victims for eftablifhing the acquired independence.

The rebellious Lords having fled beyond fea, made violent complaints abroad, that they had been driven from home for matter of religion, and with great injuftice as to their claims and pretenfions; on which the King thought proper to make a declaration, which was published through Europe." But in the late rebellion, the full and free confeffons of the principal traitors have prevented the fuccefsful repetition of this artifice. Befides the convictions and outlawries had against the actors in these rebellions, there was a general attainder by the ftatute of the 11th of King James, by which 500,000 acres of land in the north of Ireland were forfeited to the Crown, which enabled the King to make that Proteflent plantation in Ulfter which has become thefeat of the only manufacture in Ireland, and continues to be diftinguifhed in a very great degree above the reft of the kingdom för its induftry, wealth, and population, though in quality of

foil