power to a greater number, and do not give liberty to all, it will only ftrengthen the ruling and weaken the oppreffed body; fo that when the flave fhall have acquired fufficie ent courage to fpeak, the obftinacy of the citizen will compel him to act. We cannot forget the language made ule of to intimidate the Catholic from profecuting his claims, and that thofe very claims, fhortly after having been rejected with fcorn, were admitted with refpect. The fame line of prudence and wisdom will, we are perfuaded, be pursued in the cafe of reform, whenever convincing proof of the public fentiment fhall be received on that fubject, and the kingdom, by the restoration of univerfal fuffrage, be delivered over to uninterrupted peace and happiness.

1

Contemplating this grateful profpect, we fmile, with much internal fatisfaction, on hearing those intemperate and abufive expreffions, which the members of oppofition make use of against this fociety. We fmile at their inability to conceal the vexation and difappointment they have felt on finding themfelves forfaken by the people-(that people, whose Majefty they infult, but whofe forbearance they at the fame time folicit-on finding themfelves falling, like the oftentatious balloon, from that height, to which they had risen by a fort of inflammable levity, and there sustained folely by the breath of popular favour.

We smile at the curious coalition of political parties against our Society-to see them all club their wifdom and their wit, to manifest to the whole country that we are really formidable-but we are rather inclined to pity that forced fraternity, that monftrous conjunction which, in spite of the horror of instinct, and the antipathy of nature, can join in one common effort the highest genius with the lowest ribaldry-how great must be the panic that can unite fuch extremes! We can bear, as we have born, the common

place

place invective against this Society; but we feel fome indignation, when they, who should look on themselves as the purchased property of the people; to whofe fortune every man, even "the Beggar on the Bridge" has contributed; whom the "shouts of the mob" have raised to the height of their fame-when fuch men inveigh against armed beggary and shabby fedition---we cannot but remember a time, when the usual adjunct to their own names was "Shabby and Seditious Incendiaries." It is not manly, it is not decorous to deal out this contumelious language against the great mafs of mankind. The ufe of contemptuous terms disposes to contemptuous treatment, and thofe, whom we vilify as mob, we foon learn to flight as men. It is the unequa partition of rights, and what refults from this, the arrogance of power, and the abasement of poverty, which make mob, instigate to tumult, and goad to infurrection.

If the people were refpected, they would revenge the constituted authorities; but to gain this refpe&t, they must poffefs those rights, which are the prerogative of their nature, and the worth of manhood.

VOL. III.

I

CHAP.

CHAP. IV.

Earl Fitzwilliam appointed Lord Lieutenant--- Addrefs of the Roman Catholics to him--- His anfwer---Address of the Proteftant diffenters-His answer---Recal of Lord Fitzwilliam intended--- Addrefs to him of the Freemen and and Freeholders of Dublin thereupon---Proceedings of the Freeholders, &c. of Co. Kildare.---National Debt.--Meeting of Parliament under Lord Camden.---Motion respecting the removal of Lord Fitzwilliam.---Mr. Grattan's Speech.---Trial of Rev. Mr. Jackson.---Lord Lieutenant's fpeech on concluding the fessions.

ON 4th January, 1795, the Earl of Weftmoreland was

fucceeded in the government of Ireland by the Earl of Fitzwilliam: the latter was univerfally received with every degree of public approbation, and the general voice of the country feemed to exprefs unanimous fatisfaction at this appointment. Congratulatory addreffes were presented to him on his arrival, from all claffes and descriptions, through every county and from almoft every town.-The following may ferve to fhew in what estimation this nobleman was held, even by those of the most oppofite persuafion.

An addrefs prefented to his Excellency the LORD LIEUTENANT, by a numerous body of ROMAN CATHOLICS, who went in proceffion from the Rotunda to the Caftle.

"May it pleafe your Excellency,

"We, his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects the Catholics of the city of Dublin, beg leave to approach

your

your Excellency with our most fincere and heart-felt congratulation on your appointment to the high and important office of Lord Lieutenant of this kingdom.We entreat your Excellency to believe, that it is with more than ordinary gratitude we receive this additional proof of the paternal goodness of our most gracious Sovereign, in deputing a Nobleman who, from his character, fituation, and talents, his intimate connexion with, and extenfive property in this country, we entertain the most founded hopes, will ftrenuously and fuccefsfully promote the interefts of Ireland-and our gratification is still heightened by the ftrong impreffion we feel, that those men will stand foremoft in your Excellency's confidence, who have on all great occafions appeared the most powerful fupporters of the intereft of their country—and to whofe exertions the Catholics of Ireland are so peculiarly indebted.

"Relieved, as we have been recently, from the preffure of many severe and degrading incapacities-we hope to manifeft to your Excellency, that our gratitude is commenfurate with the benefits we have received, of the value and extent of which we are deeply fenfible-and we can, with confidence, affert, that when it fhall feem good to the Legiflature to remove thofe difabilities which yet remain, our demeanour will be that of men worthy of receiving complete relief from a gracious and beneficent Monarch, and a liberal and enlightened legiflature.

"We entreat your Excellency to receive our fincere profeffions of loyalty to our Sovereign, to whofe paternal recommendation we feel so much indebted-and of inviolable attachment to the principles of our most excellent conftitution, into whofe bofom it is our utmost ambition to be admitted; and, we truft that to your Excellency's administration is referved the glory of compleating te I 2

benevolent

benevolent wifh of the Father of his People, for the union of all his fubjects in fentiment, intereft and affection, by an abolition of all partial reftrictions, founded only on religious diftinction ;-thereby infuring fecurity and protection to the Catholics, and ftrength, honour, and profperity to Ireland."

To which his Excellency was pleased to reply:

« Gentlemen,

"I return you thanks for this Addrefs. The fpirit of loyalty which it breathes towards his Majesty's person and government, the attachment which it evidences to our happy constitution, the approbation of my principles and of my past conduct, which it conveys, and the confidence it profeffes to repofe in my difpofitions, to employ the great truft his Majefty has placed in my hands, in promoting the welfare and happiness of this kingdom, cannot but afford me fingular fatisfaction.

"From the fubmiffive and peaceable conduct of the Catholics of Ireland, under the preffure of restrictions, which confiderations of temporary policy, and circumftances peculiar to fome unhappy periods of civil diffenfion, had impofed, there is every reafon, at this day, to rely on them for firm fidelity and cordial allegiance. The language you now hold confirms this reasonable expectation; while the gratitude you exprefs to our beloved Sovereign for his paternal care, to which you fo loyally and juftly afcribe the first openings of your emancipation, and the sentiments you entertain of the magnanimity of a liberal and enlightened parliament, that rofe fuperior to the prejudices of ages, and displayed a cordial difpofition to cease to discriminate between his Majefty's fubjects, when every motive for that difcrimination had ceafed, must be highly fatisfactory to efery defcription of your fellow-fubjects. Such declara