CHAPTER IV.

ceeds the

Administration of the Marquis of Buckingham.

1788. Upon the death of the Duke of Rutland, Mr. Pitt Marquis of

Buckingselected the Marquis of Buckingham as the fittest per- ham suc son to give effect to his system of government over Duke of

Rurland. this part

of the British empire. When in January, 1788, his excellency met the parliament, his speech bespoke entire approbation of the Duke of Rutland's administration, and called upon the house to pursue the same measures. The address was therefore opposed, by Mr. Parsons, who indignantly spurned the insult of summoning the house to sanction the abominations of the late administration. If, said he, the press be not liberated, attachments discontinued, and the police and riot act be not abandoned, it is evidently the intention of ministers by fomenting discontent and turbulence to goad the country into rebellion.

Upon Mr. Secretary's* bringing in a bill for reco. Tithes. vering a just compensation for tithes with holden in the years 1786 and 1787, Mr. Grattan moved for a committee to enquire, whether any just cause of discontent existed amongst the people of the province of Munster, or of the counties of Kilkenny or Carlow, on account of tithe, or the collection of tithes; and if

1783.

Secret system of the new vice. roy.

to report the same, together with their opinion there. upon*. It was negatived by 121 against 49. Stifling enquiry was a favourite maxim of Mr. Pitt's school.

The new viceroy affected to conceal, even from his friends, the plan and principles of his administrationt. As far as could be collected, it was generally concluded, that the late system was to be followed up: consequently the same system of opposition was adhered to. Notwithstanding the new lord-lieutenant's attack upon the subaltern officers of the revenue, and domestic restrictions at the Castle, the gentlemen of the opposition did not give him credit for any economical reform in the original dispensation of the public money. Mr. Forbes was zealous, though unsuccessful, in his efforts against the pension list and other Government extravagances. The attempts of the patriots to enforce economy were baffled by singular logic. The house had, it was observed, given 'credit to the

present government for their intentions of economy; they were therefore laid under restrictions never imposed on any other government. The most violent attack upon the minister, during this session of parliament, was Mr. Forbes's motion for an address to the crown, in order to leave to posterity, on the face of the Journals, the grievances, under which the people laboured in the year 1788*. The minister carried the question of adjournment by 103 against 40. Mr. Conolly's motion for the repeal of the hearth-tax was rejected even without a division. Mr. Dennis Browne referred to an assertion of the lord-lieutenant in conversation, that he had rather put his right hand into the fire, than grant a pension to any person, which every honest man should not approve of. Sir Henry Cavendish, though staunchly devoted to that administration, remarked, that doubling the pensions of members might be avoided, “ for he, that had 4001. a year for his vote, would not refuse voting, though he were to be refused 400l. a year moret." The feelings of the people without were in strict unison with the sentiments of the patriots within the walls of parliament; and the lord-lieutenant finding himself pressed by the weight of talent, influence, and popularity of those, who had ranged themselves in opposition to his measures, got rid of them by an early prorogation. This afforded him an opportunity of

scrutiny into

ments.

1788. attending more ininutely to his favourite system of

economical reform. Economical Animated with a laudable indignation against the the depart. rapacious and bare-faced practices of the clerks, and

other subaltern officers in the different departments of government, his excellency seized all their keys, examined himself their papers and accounts, subjected them to the most rigorous scrutiny, and demanded instant payment of outstanding balances. An univer: sal panic seized the whole; many defaulters fled the country, one cut his throat, and some few relying on the sympathies and countenance of their immediate superiors in office, stood the brunt of enquiry, and either eluded by dexterity or softened by false promises the anger of their indignant governor. Some were ultimately dismissed with disgrace. In these secondary departments nothing was so minute, which the scrutinizing eye of his excellency would not descend to inspect. The profligacy of official profu. sion was incredible: peculation reigned in every

de. partment, where public money was handled, or public property disposeable: the public accounts were wound up yearly with formidable balances in the hands of collectors, treasurers, and paymasters, or arrears due by former great officers, who had received their employments without security, or had been discarded for misconduct, or were dead, or had fled, or had become bankrupt. Such was the inveteracy of

* When Mr. Corry was made surveyor of the ordnance, his first act was, to lock up and seal the desks of the several clerks, who were dismissed instantly,

this disease, that each preceding viceroy, on close 1789. inspection, had been afraid to touch it; until the Marquis of Buckingham, with more courage ventured to develop the dark workings of these official peculators. In the ordnance and treasury, the grossest frauds pervaded almost every department. The public stores were plundered with impunity in open day. The arms, ammunition, and military accoutrements, condemned as useless, were stolen out at one gate, and bought in at the other, and charged anew to the public account. Journeymen armourers, who worked in the arsenal, seldom went home to their meals without conveying away a musket, a sword, or brace of pistols, as lawful perquisites, and sanctioned by the connivance of their superiors. Clerks 'in subordinate departments, with salaries not exceeding 1001, per annum, kept handsome houses in town and country, with splendid establishments; some of them became purchasers of loans and lotteries: all exhibited signs of redundant opulence.

In the course of the year 1788, the county of Ar- Peep of Day magh was disturbed by the increased animosity and Defenders. outrages of the Peep of-Day Boys, and Defenders. They had been advancing in numbers, system, and ferocity, ever since the year 1785, when near a thousand men on both sides met for a regular engagement. Originally they were all presbyterians; but in process of time some Roman catholics having enlisted on one side, it was contrived by: the party, which they opposed, to denominate them

Boys and