fortunately proved abortive. It never could have been advantageous to levy the sum of 50,0001. * upon a distressed country, to purchase the probable introduction of turbulence and discontent, with a thousand self-exiled martyrs to democracy, from the Antibazilican school of Geneva. Although the coalition administration had taken place from the beginning of April, yet Lord Temple did not quit the government till the 3d of June, 1785, when he was succeeded by the Earl of Northington.

This was the sum voted.

1783.

1783.

Dissolution of parliament, and

it's consequences.

CHAPTER II.

Administration of the Earl of Northington.

THE reports of an immediate dissolution of parlia ment, which in fact took place on the 15th of July, 1783, had thrown the whole nation into a new political fever. The volunteers assumed to themselves the whole merit, without allowing any to their representatives, of having acquired the constitution of Great Britain. They considered it a disgrace to quit their arms, whilst any benefit to their country could be obtained by them. They bent their thoughts to the improvement of the state of the representation of the people in parliament, as the only remaining object wanted to complete their civil liberty. They were encouraged in this pursuit by the addresses of the county of York and some other counties to the commons in England, as well as by the persevering efforts of the Duke of Richmond, Mr. Pitt, and other then popular members, to bring about a reform in the representation of the people of Great Britain. Committees of correspondence were instituted with the most forward and zealous advocates for reform in England, and the letters received from them were circulated with avidity throughout Ireland*.

* These letters were from the Duke of Richmond, Dr. Price, Mr. Wyvil, Dr. John Jebb, Lord Effingham, Mr. Cartwright, and others,

. I

meeting of

gates re

• On the 1st of July, 1783, at a meeting of the dele- 1783. gates from forty-five companies of the province of General Ulster, assembled at Lisburne in pursuance of a pub- the delelic requisition, it was resolved unanimously, That a solved on. general meeting of the volunteer delegates of the province of Ulster, on the subject of a more equal repre- 1 sentation of the people in parliament, should be held at Dungannon, on the 8th day of September. Many spirited resolutions and addresses were published.

representa

tion in par

liament.

The eve of a dissolution, the speculations upon the State of the new elections, and the successful efforts of the patriots in the people's cause, had worked up the elated minds of the volunteers to an enthusiasm for parliamentary reform little short of that, which they had before evinced for free trade and legislative independence, The state and constitution of their house of commons was fully and fairly set before their eyes. It consisted of three hundred members; sixty-four of them were sent by the counties, the remainder by cities and boroughs. The sixty-four from counties were in some measure, in the option of the people, and about as many more from the cities and boroughs might, by extraordinary exertions of the people, be freely chosen. Upon that calculation, the people by possibility might send one hundred and twenty-eight members to parlia ment. The other close boroughs sent the remainder one hundred and seventy-two. These were the property of some few lords and commoners; and being the majority, the house of commons, as it stood, was consequently the representative of an aristocracy. The

1783.

New parlia

ment meets

Thanks

voted to

*several resolutions made in contemplation of and at the convention of Dungannon were emphatically expressive. of the necessity of reform, and were circulated with unabating industry.

When the new parliament met, Lord Northington congratulated them upon their being in full possession and enjoyment of those constitutional and commercial advantages, which had been so firmly established by their last parliament. It was judiciously contrived by government, that a motion should be made for the thanks of that house to the volunteers, for their spirited endeavours to provide for the protection of their country, and for their ready and frequent assistance of the civil magistrate in enforcing the due execution of the laws. This being unanimously carried, prevented any other motion, likely to have been dictated by the intemperance of some volunteer member, that might have attributed very different effects to the armed associations, as very different effects were unquestionably produced by them.

On the second day of the session, Mr. Gardiner Lord Tem- moved a vote of thanks to the late governor Lord ple. Temple. He had received addresses of thanks from every county in that kingdom, for his conduct as chief governor, and nothing but the sanction of that house was necessary to render the thanks of the people universal. Mr. Cuffet seconded the motion, as

The several addresses, resolutions, and letters upon the subject of reform, are to be seen in my Historical Review, vol. II. p. 33 to 43.

+ Now Lord Tyrawley.

kaving been witness to the many anxious days 1783. and nights he had spent in preparing plans for the welfare of Ireland, which his short stay prevented from being carried into execution*.

to Lord

ton's admi

Sir Henry Cavendish moved for retrenching the Opposition government expences, which brought on a most Northing. violent debate, and a division, which ascertained nistration. the force of the opposition to the administration of Lord Northington. Mr. Flood warmly supported his friend's motion; but recommended an amendment to extend the retrenchments to the military establishment. Sir Edward Newnham charged the British ministry with having taken the royal closet by assault, under the pretence of economy, and lessening the undue influence of the crown; they had deceived the people: for in Ireland their substitutes proved the friends of prodigality, and enemics to economy: in power their actions were the reverse of what their professions had been when out. Government resisted the motion as premature, till the national accounts had been gone into. The debate became so personal and over-heated between the two rival patriots, Messrs. Flood and Grattan, that they were both ordered into custody, in order to prevent any mischievous consequences from their unhappy difference. Twenty-seven divided for the mo tion, and eighty-four against it,

*Only three gentlemen stood forth in the invidious light of opposing this vote of thanks. They had all three been charged as public defaulters, or as debtors to the King.

† 11 Journ. Com. p. 35.

Their speeches on this occasion brought to light many inter