the whole of the Irish nation, that the profperity, welfare, and felicity of that kingdom, had but little fway in determining their conduct towards it. Hence the Tory party, which still perfifted in their old principles to oppofe the Whig administration, being joined by those, who threw their eyes upon the real state of their country and exerted their efforts to advance its profperity, the whole of the old and new party acquired (and perhaps not undefervedly) the common appellation of patriots.* This was the party, which Primate

* Amongst these fhone confpicuoufly Dean Swift, whofe Drapier's Letters have at all times been confidered amongst the most effectual engines used in procuring the reverfal of Wood's patent. The subject is there treated with much force and perfpicuity, and the pernicious confequences to Ireland are pointed out with peculiar judgment and effect. In the fame spirit did the dean write his State of Ireland; The Prefbyterians Plea of Merit, and afterwards, Reafons for repealing the Sacuamental Teft, written in the Stile of a Roman Catholic, and several other works. In his State of Ireland, he fays, "Ireland is the only kingdom I ever heard or read of, either in ancient or "modern story, which was denied the liberty of exporting their native commodities and manufac"tures wherever they pleased, except to countries at war with their own prince or state: yet "this privilege by the fuperiority of mere power, is refused us in the momentous parts of commerce: befides an act of navigation, to which we never confented, pinned down upon us and rigorously executed, and a thousand other unexampled circumftances as grievous as they are "invidious to mention." Then enumerating several, he adds, "in all which we have likewise "the honor to be diftinguished from the whole race of mankind." So fenfible was Swift of the wretched state of policy in the government of Ireland, that he wrote an effay which he intituled, Maxims controuled in Ireland. He fets out by obferving, that there are certain maxims of state founded upon long obfervation and experience, drawn from the conftant practice of the wifeft nations, and from the very principles of government, nor ever controuled by any writer upon politics. He then undertakes to prove (he unfortunately fucceeded too well in proving) the falfity of the following maxims as to Ireland.

ift. That the dearness of things neceffary for life in a fruitful country is a certain fign of wealth and great commerce: for when fuch neceffaries are dear, it must abfolutely follow, that money is cheap and plentiful.

2d. That low interest is a certain fign of great plenty of money in a nation.

3d. That the great encrease of buildings in the metropolis argues a flourishing state.

4th. That people are the riches of a nation. The practical inverfion of these axioms in Ireland, is the most damning proof of the infelicity and bad government of that country. In fupport of his obfervations on the fourth of these maxims, he tells a too lamentable truth: that above one half of the fouls in that kingdom then fupported themselves by begging and thieving, whereof two thirds would be able to get their bread in any other country upon earth: he therefore faid, "he rejoiced "at a mortality as a bleffing to individuals and the public." In order to form an unbiaffed judgment of the ftate of Ireland at the period under confideration; it is fitting to fee what the great

manager

Primate Boulter always affected to term the difcontented, and not unfrequently the king's enemies: and of whofe fuccefsful oppofition, to the measures of those whom his grace termed the king's fervants, and confequently his friends, he had complained. In no inftance were the exertions of the patriots more brilliantly fuccefsful than in oppofing Mr. Wood's patent for coining half-pence, which they confidered as one of thofe infamous jobs, of which fuch loud and repeated complaints have been fince heard in Ireland.

As there had not been for many years a coinage of copper in Ireland, the low medium of half-pence and farthings had become very fcarce; and the deficiency was found to be attended with great inconveniency. Applications were made to England for a new coinage; but in vain. What was refufed to the loud and impreffive voice of the Irish nation, was granted to the intriguing and unfair influence of a fpeculating individual, one William Wood; who obtained a patent for coining copper half-pence and farthings for the use of Ireland, to the amount of 108,000l., and which he made of.

manager of the English intereft in Ireland fays on the other fide of the queftion. Primate Boulter upon his arrival in Dublin in November 1724, informs his grace of Canterbury, "that I have little "to complain of, but that too many of our own original esteem us Englishmen as intruders." Within a fortnight, he informs the Duke of Newcastle, that, "We are in a very bad state, and the people fo poisoned with apprehenfions of Wood's half-pence, that I do not fee there can be any "hopes of juftice against any person for feditious writings, if he does but mix fomething about "Wood in them." "All forts here are determinately fet against Wood's half-pence, and look upon "their eftates as half funk in their value, whenever they shall pass upon the nation. Our pamphlets " and the discourses of some people of weight run very much upon the independency of this king"dom: and in our prefent ftate, that is a very popular notion."" Though all people are equally fet against Wood here, yet many of the present madneffes are fuppofed to come from Papifts mixing with and fetting on others, with whom they formerly had no manner of correfpon"dence." Upon a report of an appointment having been promised of the See of Dublin on the illness of Archbishop King, who had been translated from Derry to that fee in the year 1702, Primate Boulter tells the Duke of Newcastle, "If I be not allowed to form proper dependencies here, "to break the present Dublin faction on the Bench, it will be impoffible for me to serve his majesty "further than in my fingle capacity. I do not fpeak this, as if I did not think there are fome on the

English Bench, that would do very well in Dublin, and would heartily join with me in promoting "his majesty's measures: or that I do not esteem it wife gradually to get as many English on the "Bench here, as can decently be sent hither: but that I think being on the English Bench alone is "not a fufficient qualification for coming to the best promotions here, and that an imprudent per"fon may be easily tempted by Irish flattery to set himself at the head of the Archbishop of Dublin's party in oppofition to me: and befides as there is a majority of Bishops here that are natives, "they are not to be difobliged at once." (4th of March 1724.)

fuch bafe alloy, that the whole mafs was not worth 8000l. Of this base coin he poured an immenfe infufion into Ireland. Brafs multiplied beyond example: was not only ufed in change, but attempted to be forced in payments. The Irish nation took the alarm, and made it a national caufe: and it may be faid to have been the first, in which all parties in Ireland had ever come to iffue with the British Cabinet. The Irish parliament, in an address to the throne, told the king, they were called upon by their country to represent the ill confequences to the kingdom likely to refult from Wood's patent: that the diminution of the revenue and the ruin of trade was the profpect, which it prefented to view. An application from the privy council of Ireland to the king spoke the fame language: and addreffes from moft of the city corporations throughout the kingdom to the like effect were handed up to the throne. At the quarter feffion, the country gentlemen and magiftrates unanimoufly declared against it. And the grand jury of the county of Dublin prefented all perfons, who attempted to impofe upon the people of Ireland the bafe coin, as enemies to government, and to the fafety, peace and welfare of his majesty's fubjects. It was not to be expected, that an individual speculator, who could raise an interest with the British Cabinet more powerful than the united voice* of the whole people of Ireland, fhould forego all his golden profpects of enormous gains from the oppofition of those, whom he had in the first instance baffled and defeated. He ftill commanded fuch influence with his patrons, as to bring forth a report from the privy council of England in his favor, which caft very fevere (not to fay indecent) reflections upon the parliament of Ireland, for having oppofed his patent. After the nation had been kept in turbulent agitation for a year by the real or imaginary effects of this job, tranquility was as last restored by his majesty's revocation of the patent, which put an end to the currency of this base money, and opened to Ireland a dawn of confidence, that their fovereign's ear would not be for ever shut against the united voice of his Irish people.ț

Little

* For the address of the commons to the king, in the first instance, vide 3 Journ. 325, and for their address to his majesty on his gracious answer to the first address, page 368.

+ The Primate Boulter found the real spirit of the nation fo pointedly against enforcing Wood's patent, that he was compelled even reluctantly to recommend its revocation. "As the feffion of parliament," faid he to his grace the Duke of Newcastle on the 3d of July 1725," is now drawing near, I hope my lord lieutenant will be empowered in his speech to speak clearly as to the "business of the halfpence, and thoroughly rid this nation of their fear on that head: I fhall

"hope

Little elfe happened during the remainder of the reign of George the firft, that in any manner affected Ireland: he died on the 11th of June 1727. His enemies have never charged him with any perfonal vices: having come to the throne at an advanced period of life, his deportment and manner were rather referved and formal: he was attentive to bufinefs: and had the good fortune to have the merits of his reign attributed perfonally to himself, whilft its defects were thrown upon the corruption and false principles of his minifters.

66

"hope if that is done we shall have a pretty easy feflion." And "if the dread of Wood's halfpence is effectually removed, I hardly doubt of a good iffue of the feffion." The primate, though he could have no doubt of the impropriety and mischief of Wood's patent, yet in the true ftile of courtly protection to its own creatures, he always contended "that Wood could not be "fuppofed willing to refign it without a proper compenfation, (as if the obtaining fuch a patent "had been a work of meritorious or laborious fervice) and that the feditious and clamorous beha"viour of too many here, must rather tend to provoke his majesty and his ministry to support the patent, than to take any extraordinary steps to fink it: and that therefore the most proper way "feemed to be, the propofing some reasonable amends to Mr. Ilood, in order to his refigning the patent." (Letter to the Duke of Newcastle, 19th of January 1724.) However, upon the 25th of September 1725, he tells Lord Townsend, "I must likewife acknowledge the obligation "we all lie under here for your procuring fo great an inftance of his majefty's goodnefs, as the "revoking of Wood's patent."

CHAP

}

CHAPTER IV.

THE REIGN OF GEORGE THE SECOND.

UPON the demife of George the First, his fon afcended the throne with

out disturbance or oppofition. Now for the firft time fince the Revolution did the Roman Catholics of Ireland venture to approach the throne by a public act of their body. The penal laws had been fomewhat multiplied, and rigorously executed during the late reign. It was still fresh in the minds of the Catholics, that the fevere laws of Queen Ann were faid to have been paffed against them as a punishment for their having neglected to address her on her acceffion to the throne. The extreme virulence, with which they had been recently calumniated from the prefs, the pulpit, and the fenate, on account of the rebellion of 1715, deterred them from offering any address upon the acceffion of the Hanover Family. At this juncture, however, they drew up an addrefs of congratulation, which in a dignified manner expreffed loyalty to their fovereign, and pledged them to a continuance of their peaceful and quiet demeanour. It was prefented to the lords juftices, by Lord Delvin and feveral respectable Catholic gentlemen; but it was received with filent contempt. The lords juftices, who were humbly entreated to transmit it to his majesty, never condefcended to make an answer to thofe, who prefented it; nor has it been known to this day, whether it reached the hands of the fovereign, or were strangled in its birth by the heads of the English interest, who dreaded nothing fo much as the united loyalty of the people of Ireland. The fevere ordeal, which Catholic loyalty had paffed during the reign of George the First, had it seems so far blunted the edge of calumny, that public vituperation was confidered no longer prudent. The great engine, patron, and fupporter of the English intereft in Ireland, was Primate Boulter; who well knew that the oppofite party, hitherto known by the diftinction of Tories, which he affected to call the difaffected, and the king's enemies, were acquiring daily ftrength by the acceffion of all thofe who, as -patriots, preferred an Irish to an English interest in their native country;

and