CHAPTER V. Administration of the Earl of Westmoreland. 1790. Westmore ceeds the Bucking THE Earl of Westmoreland succeeded the Marquis Earl of of Buckingham in the government of Ireland. It was land sucobserved by some of the opposition, that the change Marquis of was but a continuance of the former administration, ham. under a less unpopular head: the secretary and most other servants of the crown were continued in office. Strong effects were produced by the establishment of a Whig club in Ireland, in imitation of that of England. It was a frequent theme of panegyric to Mr. Grattan, and of invective to Mr. Fitzgibbon. The heads of most of the great families were members of it, and it contributed not lightly to give popularity to the leading objects of their institution, which it was the uniform policy of Mr. Pitt's system to counteract. The administration of the Marquis of Buckingham formed an eventful era in the modern history of Ireland. Thence evidently is traced the commencement of those popular workings, which ended in the explosion of 1798. Parties are at issue upon the effects of the system. The Whigs contend, that the people were goaded into rebellion by it's impolicy and atrocity; the friends of Mr. Pitt lay the salvation of the country to it's wisdom and firmness. Facts bespeak their own consequences. When the poor in Munster, from the 1790. failure of Mr. Grattan's motion for their relief, despaired of redress, fresh disturbances broke out, and the military force was consequently encreased. In the north, the Peep-of Day Boys had acquired an ascendancy over the Defenders. Their enmity was wickedly fomented by the upper orders, for the purpose of breaking up that union of protestants and catholics, which had been effected by their serving together in the volunteer corps. In Armagh, the most protestant county of Ireland, the De fenders were goaded into a more systematic resistance, by the encreasing frequency and atrocity of the domiciliary visits for disarming them, under pretext of the law's disabling catholics from bearing arms: but which these Defenders, who were mostly catholics, now found necessary for self-defence. Government sent down some troops of horse, which secured tranquillity, whilst they remained on the spot. The contests were so serious, that in the absence of the troops, fifty of a side have fallen in a day. The Defenders organized and strengthened themselves. They afterwards became more formidable; but were never aggressors, till they were compelled to emigrate from their own district. Parliament meets. In forts of the patriots. Lord Westmoreland met the parliament on the 21st effectual ef- of January, 1790. The whole of this session was a series of violent though fruitless struggles for the great points, which the patriots contended they were entitled to by the constitution, and had pledged themselves to their country to persevere in pressing upon * The oath and rules of the Defenders are to be seen in vol. II. Historical Review, p. 276. the government till granted. When the address was 1790. moved, Mr. Grattan strongly marked his disapprobation of the measures of the late administration; they had been ill governed. He pressed upon the increase of the pension list, and the expences of the ordnancet. He moved, That the resolutions of that • 10 Parl. Deb. p. 7. + Mr. Grattan's oratory is not only sublime, but historically instructive, (10 Parl. Deb. p. 15). "Such has been the conduct of your reformer. This was the man; you remember his entry into the capital, trampling on the hearse of the Duke of Rutland, and seated in a triumphal car, drawn by public credulity; on one side fallacious hope, and on the other many-mouthed profession; a figure with two faces, one turned to the treasury, and the other presented to the people; and with a double tongue, speaking contradictory languages. "This minister alights; justice looks up to him with empty hopes, and peculation faints with idle alarms; he finds the city a' prey to an unconstitutional police-he continues it; he finds the country overburthened with a shameful pension list-he increases it; he finds the house of commons swarming with placemen-he multiplies them; he finds the salary of the secretary increased to prevent a pension-he grants a pension; he finds the kingdom drained by absentee employments, and by compensations to buy them home-he gives the best reversion in the country to an absentee, his brother! He finds the government at different times had disgraced itself by creating sinecures, to gratify corrupt affection he makes two commissioners of the rolls, and gives one of them to another brother; he finds the second council to the commissioners put down because useless-he revives it; he finds the boards of accounts and stamps annexed by public compact-he divides them; he finds three resolutions, declaring, that seven commissioners are sufficient-he makes nine; he finds the country 1790. house against increasing the number of the commissioners of the revenue and dividing of the boards, be laid before his Majesty, with an humble address, that his Majesty would order to be laid before them the particulars of the representations, in consequence of which two new commissioners of the customs had been added, notwithstanding the resolutions of that house; and also that his Majesty would communicate the names of the persons concerned in recommending that measure. The motion was vehemently opposed by government, and negatived upon a division, by 135, 80 only having voted for it. The like fate attended the motion of Mr. Curran, for the particulars of the causes, consideration, and representations, in consequence of which the boards of stamps and accounts had been divided, with an increase of salary to the officers; and a communication of the names of the persons, who had recommended that measure. Thus also failed Mr. Forbes's efforts for a place bill and a pension bill. Each debate grew warmer than the preceding. The opposition upbraided the treasury benches with being bought and hired to vote against their convictions and the welfare of their country; they taunted them with the want of ability, honour, and honesty. The attorney-general charged his opponents with imperious turbulence and overbearing, to attain that power, which they envied in others. On has suffered by some peculations in the ordnance-he increases the salaries of offices, and gives the places to members; to members of parliament." this occasion the opposition increased by twelve. In the like proportion was outvoted Mr. George Ponsonby's motion for disclosing the names of those, who had abused the confidence placed in them, by advising the growth of public expence, by many new and increased salaries, annexed to offices granted to members of that house, no fewer in number than fourteen. The perseverance and powerful talents, with which Mr. Grattan kept up an aggressive warfare during the whole of this session, rendered him personally obnoxious in proportion as he was formidable to the castle interest. tan's extra charge nisters. At the close of a very severe debate, Mr. Grattan Mr. Gratgave particular offence to government by a novel mode ordinary of arraigning the ministers. He then read the follow- against miing paper. "We charge them publicly, in the face of their country, with making corrupt agreements for the sale of peerages, for doing which, we say they are impeachable; we charge them with corrupt agreements for the disposal of the money arising from the sale, to purchase for the servants of the castle seats in the assembly of the people; for doing which we say they are impeachable; we charge them with committing these offences, not in one, nor in two, but in many instances; for which complication of offences, we say they are impeachable; guilty of a systematic endeavour to undermine the constitution in violation of the laws of the land. We pledge ourselves, to convict them. We dare them to go into an enquiry. We do not affect to treat them as other than public malefactors. We speak to them in a style of the most |