corporate exclufion her own petty advantages and paltry pomp?

When the queftion of union was first promulgated, it certainly did create a fort of general alarm; the populace declaimed againft it without knowing why, and the little orators of the day thundered their philippics without knowing wherefore; the bar, and every man muft defer much to that reputable body; the bar was eager to meet and enlighten the people with its opinion on the cafe, and it was a liberal opinion in one fenfe, for it was given without the influence of the accuftomary fee; but difputation is l'efprit du corps, and, notwithstanding they had fo good a caufe to be unanimous, there was oppofition, debate, and protest against the vote of the day-nay, it was remarked that fome of the moft brilliant ornaments of the bar for legal knowledge and for commanding eloquence, kept aloof from the scene, and that many of that defcription, who were prefent, kept a profound and fagacious filence on the fubject. The mountain laboured, and a mouse was born! Behold the opinion of the meeting on the cafe of a legiflative union between Great Britain. and Ireland.

cr

Refolved, that the measure of a legislative union of this kingdom and Great Britain is an innovation, which it would be highly dangerous and improper to propofe, at the prefent juncture, to this country."

This refolution does not fay that the measure would be ruinous to the commerce and independence of the country-no-it really says, this is a dangerous period to agitate the question, but in future it might prove a beneficial innovation.

The

gentlemen of the law do not oppofe the conftitutional legality of the measure, they only hesitate as to the time of promulgation-it is very poffible for a man to be a good lawyer and a very bad politician; fomething like this appears in the resolution under confideration, for to common fenfe it would appear, that when our irrevocable connexion with Great Britain is openly and powerfully attacked by foreign force and domestic treason, that is the point of time, because it imperiously proclaims the neceffity, by union, to defeat the one and to crush for ever the hopes of the other.

I had almost forgot the attorneys, those never failing friends to the good of the community! they too met, and for the public benefit, as ufual, took an active part in the general confufion.

But the high-flyers of afcendancy, the corporations, and other corporations, taking their tone from the metropolis, have with peculiar pertinacity fet their faces against any future conceffion to their catholic brethren-brethren?-they will not admit of any relationship, and affect to look with horror on a meafure which has in its foundation the neceffary means of ultimately reftoring to that preponderating body, the rights of their country. What! no pity? no, once and for ever! This

conduct

conduct of the corporations recals to memory a picture very finely touched by the pencil of Shakefpear, of a herd of deer, full of the pafture, difdaining to commiferate the sufferings of an unfortunate and languishing brother, who from the hunter's aim Sweep on, ye fat and greafy citizens, you will not stay to greet that poor and broken bankrupt there."

had ta'en a hurt.

What can be found in the oppofition of the corporations but an intolerant and unenlightened fpirit? intolerant, because it proceeds directly from an apprehenfion of catholic freedom; and unenlightened, because it is wrapt up in self, and blind to the general intereft not only of the empire but of their country*.

Perhaps they think their own immediate interest will be affected; it is time it fhould, the monopoly is difgraceful to the spirit of the British conftitution. There is one reflection, however, that may yield them much confolation: Years muft roll away before the effects of corporate participation can be felt: for them the tables will long groan under the bounty of Providence, and the good things of this life! When the ftomach is full, and wine has had its effect, the honeft citizen is no martyr to politics or religion! But the lucid

* It is melancholy to reflect that this excluding policy, dangerous as unjuft, did, at one time, work itself into the minds even of the grand juries of the kingdom; witnefs their refolutions never to admit the catholic to a participation of the elec tive franchise in any time to come-monftrous and abfurd!· did the fe gentlemen believe they were to live for ever?

moment

moment will arrive, when even the corporations fhall acknowledge the neceffity of union, and folicit the boon which they now idly reject! They know the benefits of fecurity, and they cannot long remain blind to the neceffity of erecting the fortrefs of Proteftant Afcendancy on a firm, broad, and imperial foundation. "Our conftitution," fays Mr. Burke, "is not made for great, general, and profcriptive exclufions; fooner or later it will deftroy them, or they will deftroy the conftitution."

Should union be enacted, the coronation oath may continue without the alteration of a fingle letter; for the king may fafely and folemnly engage to maintain the laws of God, the true profeffion of the gospel, and the proteftant reformed religion as by law established; as the religion of the empire will be proteftant not only in the letter of the law, but in the practice of the people ; and thus the established church will be "fundamental and effential for ever in the united kingdoms."

But it has been faid, "Don't unite, for what fecurity have you that the terms of union will be kept in violate? the fame power that makes can deftroy;" granted; but we have the fecurity of intereft; intereft, that great and univerfal cement, national as well as individual, muft from the very nature and end of civil fociety be the directing power, and conferving principle of this confummation fo devoutly to be wifhed. Can the land be annihilated? no; can the people be extermi

nated?

nated? no; does Great Britain expect to draw any benefits from this country? certainly; will the, then, to obtain those benefits, and to increase her own ftrength by fecuring their continuance, adopt a ruinous policy, leave the land a waste, and cruth the spirit of industry and commerce among its inhabitants? absurd fuppofition; it is morally certain, that, union rivetting the connexion, it must be the intereft and felfish duty of Great Britain to nurse the population and riches of Ireland, in order that she may participate in the phyfical power of that population, and in the political energy of thofe riches-What! would the wisdom of Britain leave the land a lump of morbid matter, pregnant with disease, and haftening to diffolution? If that were her policy, why propose union? why wish to unite diftemper, that might infect herself? no, feparation, our exifting feparation, theoretically independent, but undermining the conftitution to fupport the government, would more rapidly accomplish the deftruction of our political fabric. As far as any human foundation can be fafely built upon, this is an immoveable bafis; her profperous exiftence is allied to the profperous exiftence of this country; Britain is powerful, and could stand, but not firmly, without Ireland, but Ireland muft fall without the fupport of Great Britain.

This great truth has been long feen and felt by th wifeft heads and pureft hearts in both kingdos, and therefore it has become a ftate axiom,

that