formalities, never to meet again. His Excellency wound up the speech which he delivered on this occasion by adverting to the Union in the following impressive manner :

I cannot conclude without offering to you and to the nation at large my personal congratulations on the accomplishment of this great work, which has received the sanction and concurrence of our Sovereign, on that auspicious day which placed his illustrious family on the throne of these realms. The Empire is now, through your exertions, so completely united, and by union so strengthened, that it can bid defiance to all the efforts its enemies can make to weaken it by division, or overturn it by force. Under the protection of Divine Providence, the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland will, I hope, remain in all future ages the fairest monument of his Majesty's reign, already distinguished by so many and such various blessings conferred upon every class and description of his subjects.

His Majesty, when closing the Session of the British Parliament on the 27th July, thus expressed him-. self:

It is with peculiar satisfaction I congratulate you on the success of the steps which you have taken for effecting an entire union between my kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. This great measure, on which my wishes have been long earnestly bent, I shall ever consider as the happiest event of my reign; being persuaded that nothing could so effectually contribute to extend to my Irish subjects the full participation of the blessings derived from the British constitution, and to establish, on the most solid foundation, the strength, prosperity, and power of the whole Empire.

The grand question of Union being finally disposed of, his Majesty's Ministers in both countries now applied themselves to the regulation of details connected

with the important interests of trade, commerce, and manufactures, as involved in that comprehensive measure. The letters of Lord Auckland, then President of the Board of Trade, of Mr. Rose, and of Mr. Beresford, as well as those of Lord Castlereagh himself, afford some insight into the intricacy and perplexing nature of the inquiries and calculations into which it was necessary to enter, in order to place the two countries on a footing of as perfect equality on every point as it was possible to attain.

Another great object occupied at the same time their most serious attention. This was the conciliation of the two principal classes of Nonconformists, constituting the great mass of the population of Ireland the Roman Catholics and the Presbyterians, who, in general, if they had not taken an active part in favour of the Union, had at least not shown any hostile disposition towards it. For the Presbyterians was proposed an increase of the annual donation, which had long been granted to them by the Crown for the support of their ministers-a design not long afterwards carried into effect. A provision for the Roman Catholic Clergy also was contemplated. In answer to queries addressed by the Government to the Prelates of that persuasion, relative to the state of their Church, information embracing the minutest details was furnished; but the Correspondence for 1801 will show what causes prevented at that time its application to the purpose for which it was collected. In case such a plan should ever be seriously entertained, this mass of statistical documents would

be found infinitely useful, as forming forming a groundwork of information absolutely necessary to be obtained.

On the subject of the Roman Catholics generally, the letters of the Bishop of Meath, in one of which he treats specifically of a provision for their Clergy, are too instructive and too impressive, even at the present day, not to demand the most earnest attention.

Myles Keon, Esq., to Lord Castlereagh.

Keon Crooke, near Carrick on Shannon,
January 8, 1800.

My Lord-The success that has attended my exertions in Roscommon to obtain signatures in favour of the Union has vexed and surprised a great many, indeed, for it was boasted that I should not get one, and no wonder this should be said for I never knew an instance, on any former public occasion, where people was not bound by illegal oaths, that an opposing unanimity so much prevailed, and this was what I did not at all expect to meet with. However, from the arguments I made use of with the Clergy and laity of the Roman Catholic persuasion in particular, and with several Protestants likewise, I engaged Lord Roscommon, his brother-in-law, Mr. James Begg, of Beech Abbey, Mr. O'Donnel, of Greyfield, Mr. Reynolds, Parish Priest of Kilroonan, and many others, to take an active part. My brothers-in-law, Mr. Hu. O'Beirne, and Mr. Patrick Walsh, always co-operated with me in Leitrim and Roscommon. The consequence of this was that I forwarded yesterday, to Colonel Littlehales, the signatures of upwards of 1,500 Catholics, exclusive of the Protestant signatures; and my idea is, which I humbly submit to your Lordship's consideration, that none but the signatures of the Noblemen and

Gentlemen of known property and freehold should be published at full length; the number of the rest to be mentioned in one line; and for this reason, that the common freeholders and landowners may not be exposed to the resentment of their landlords by having acted contrary to their advice. Very few would have signed if this had not been promised to them. Mr. Hu. O'Beirne (who tells me he had the honour of some conversation with your Lordship) is very capable, from his local knowledge, to point out who the independent freeholders are that may, with safety to themselves, have their names set forth; and who (for the reasons assigned) may be enumerated in one line. I have before made these observations to Colonel Littlehales. My name and others are to be met with in different declarations, to induce our acquaintances to sign. This Mr. O'Beirne will be able to certify: I had not time to do it myself. I suppose Serjeant Stanly will assist on this occasion he wrote to me to send him such signatures as I should be able to obtain, but I thought it would be more expeditious (as the time was short) to forward them directly to the Castle.

In all that regards this business, from the beginning, I have acted to the best of my judgment and with unceasing diligence; and I shall continue to support Lord Cornwallis's administration with all the ability I am master of, both from principle and inclination.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

MYLES KEON.

Lord De Clifford to Lord Castlereagh.

King's Weston, January 10, 1800. My dear Lord-I beg to return you my sincerest acknowledgments for the very obliging manner in which your Lordship has at various times communicated to me the outlines of the plan for the intended measure of Union. It is with great regret I feel myself necessitated to oppose a measure so warmly

adopted by your Lordship and the rest of his Majesty's Ministers; but, the more I consider it, the more I feel convinced that the advantages that may accrue to Ireland from it are extremely doubtful, and that the attempt to force it upon the country is fraught with the greatest danger, particularly at this time, when I should have imagined it would have been much more advisable to strengthen the hands of Government to the utmost, than to drive many of those into opposition who have hitherto been in the habit of supporting Administration. At the same time, I must beg to assure your Lordship, that it is far from my wish to join in any illiberal attempt to impede and embarrass Administration. All that I desire of my friends is, that they should firmly oppose the Union.

Mr. W. Rowley arrived here last night, and has shown me your Lordship's letter of the 2d inst. I feel truly sensible of the very delicate and flattering manner in which your Lordship has been pleased to communicate Lord Cornwallis's kind intentions towards me; but I must take the liberty of observing that your Lordship does me but justice, in supposing that my conduct upon this important question would not be influenced by any such considerations.

I have the honour to remain, &c.

DE CLIFFORD.

Robert Bradshaw, Esq. to Lord Castlereagh.

Belfast, January 13, 1800.

My Lord-Although a very ample apology might be deemed necessary for intruding on your Lordship's time at present, you may, perhaps, not be displeased at hearing how we are now going on in this place. Until very lately, Union was a subject very little talked about, less understood; it has now become a very general topic, and, although the great majority approve of it, we have some dissentients. The cotton business, though at present considerably damped, is certainly an