Page images
PDF
EPUB

formation of Volunteer companies extended to other parts of the country and before the end of the year, 42,000 volunteers were enrolled,

:

James Caulfield, earl of Charlemont, a man univer

[graphic]

Lord Charlemont. From the portrait in the National Gallery, Dublin.

sally respected, of refined tastes and scholarly attainments, and moderate in his views, was in command of the northern Volunteers; the Duke of Leinster, of those

of Leinster; and other gentlemen of influence took the lead in other parts of Ireland.

We must remember two things in regard to these Volunteers. First, the rank and file were the very people who most severely felt the prevailing distress caused by the suppression of Irish trade; and who, without being in any sense disloyal, were bitterly hostile to the government, while their sympathies were entirely with the Patriotic Party. Of all this the government were well aware: but they dared not attempt to keep down the movement. They were obliged even to go so far as to supply arms, though much against their will: but all other expenses, including uniforms, were borne by the people themselves. The second matter to be borne in mind is that this was a Protestant movement, the Catholics not yet being permitted to take any positions of trust: but as time went on Catholics gradually joined the ranks in considerable numbers.

Parliament met in October. The Patriotic Party had now the Volunteers at their back, and just as the government had feared, assumed a bolder tone; and what gave their demands tenfold strength was that they were known to be thoroughly loyal, and wanted nothing more than the redress of admitted grievances. Flood had been their leader down to 1774 when he took office under the government, having been appointed vice-treasurer with a salary of £3500 a year. This obliged him to keep silent on most of the great questions in dispute between the two parties; and he lost the confidence of the people, which was now transferred to Grattan.

Though the embargo had been removed, all the older restrictions on Irish trade (chap. LVI.) still remained, under which it was impossible for the country to

prosper, or even to emerge from poverty. On the assembling of parliament, Grattan, in an amendment to the Address, brought in a motion deA.D. 1779 manding free trade, which, after some discussion, was carried unanimously. Even the members in government employment voted for this: it was proposed by Walter Hussey Burgh the Prime Serjeant, and was supported by Flood, Hely Hutchinson, Ponsonby, and Gardiner, all holding offices. Dublin was in a state of great excitement, and the parliament house was surrounded by an immense crowd shouting for free trade; for now, at last, they saw some prospect of relief. The Address, with Grattan's amendment, was borne through Dame-street by the speaker and the commons in procession, from the parliament house to the castle, to be presented to Lord Buckinghamshire, the lord lieutenant. The streets were lined both sides with Volunteers under the Duke of Leinster: as the members walked along they were received with acclamation by an immense multitude; and the Volunteers presented arms in honour of the speaker and members.

It was in the debates on this question that Hussey Burgh made his reputation as an orator. In one of them he used a sentence that has become famous. Someone had remarked that Ireland was at peace:"Talk not to me of peace," said he: "Ireland is not at peace; it is smothered war. England has sown her laws as dragons' teeth: they have sprung up in armed men."* This sentence produced unparalleled excite

Alluding to a classical fable: - Cadmus, the founder of Thebes, having killed a great dragon, sowed its teeth in the earth by the advice of Minerva: and the crop that sprang up from them was a party of mighty men all fully armed.

ment; and, when it had calmed down so that he could

be heard, he announced that he

resigned his office under the crown. "The gates of promotion are shut," exclaimed Grattan: "the gates of glory are opened!"

But to the British parliament alone, which had laid on the restrictions, belonged the task of removing them. In November (1779) the English prime minister, Lord North, introduced three propositions to relieve Irish trade: the first permitted free export of Irish wool and woollen goods; the second free export of Irish glass manufactures; the third allowed free trade with the British colonies. The first two were passed immediately; the third after a little time. The news of this

was received with great joy in Dublin.

[graphic]

A Member of the Dublin Volunteer Corps. From "The Universal Magazine": Dublin, 1792.

[graphic]

Sculpture on Window: Cathedral Church, Glendalough: Beranger, 1779.

[blocks in formation]
[graphic]

VERY important demand made so far by the popular party in Ireland had been conceded; and the more they forced the government to restore, the more they were determined to have. They had obtained some relief for trade: they now resolved that their parliament, which was bound down by Poynings' Law and by the Sixth of George I., should also be free. On the 19th of April, in a magnificent speech, Grattan moved his memorable resolutions:

That the king, with the lords and commons of Ireland, are the only power on earth A.D. 1780 competent to enact laws to bind Ire

land.

That Great Britain and Ireland are inseparably united under one sovereign.

The question, however, was not put directly to a division for, though it was obvious that the sense of the house was on the side of Grattan, he and his party might have been outvoted if a vote had been taken.

The next debate arose on a mutiny bill-that is, a

« PreviousContinue »