Another decisive movement precipitated the crisis of Irish affairs. The French war had encouraged the The volunformation of several corps of volunteers, for the teers, 1779. defence of the country. The most active promoters of this array of military force were members of the country party; and their political sentiments were speedily caught up by the volunteers. At first the different corps were without concert, or communication;1 but in the autumn of 1779, they received a great accession of strength, and were brought into united action. The country had been drained of its regular army, for the American war; and its coasts were threatened by the enemy. The government, in its extremity, threw itself upon the volunteers, distributed 16,000 stand of arms, and invited the people to arm themselves, without any securities for their obedience. The volunteers soon numbered 42,000 men, chose their own officers, chiefly from the country party,made common cause with the people against the government, shouted for free trade, and received the thanks of Parliament for their patriotism.2 Power had been suffered to pass from the executive and the legislature into the hands of armed associations of men, holding no commissions from the crown, and independent alike of civil and military authority. The government was filled with alarm and perplexity; and the British Parliament resounded with remonstrances against the conduct of ministers, and arguments for the prompt redress of Irish grievances. The Parliament of Ireland showed its determination, by voting supplies for six months only; and the British Parliament, setting itself

1 Plowden's Hist., i. 487; Grattan's Life, i. 343.

3

2 Plowden's Hist., i. 493; Lord Sheffield's Observations on State of Ireland, 1785.

8 Debate on Lord Shelburne's motion in the Lords, Dec. 1st, 1779.Parl. Hist., xx. 1156; Debate on Lord Upper-Ossory's motion in the Commons, Dec. 6th, 1779; Ibid., 1197; Hardy's Life of Lord Charlemont, i. 380-382; Grattan's Life, i. 368, 389, 397-400; Moore's Life of Lord E. Fitzgerald, i. 187.

4 Nov., 1779; Plowden's Hist., i. 506.

earnestly to work, passed some important measures for the relief of Irish commerce.1

The volun

legislative

dence, 1780.

The Mutiny Bill made permanent.

Meanwhile the volunteers, daily increasing in discipline and military organization, were assuming, more teers demand and more, the character of an armed political indepen- association. The different corps assembled for drill, and for discussion, agreed to resolutions, and opened an extensive communication with one another. Early in 1780, the volunteers demanded, with one voice, the legislative independence of Ireland, and liberation from the sovereignty of the British Parliament.2 And Mr. Grattan, the ablest and most temperate of the Irish patriots, gave eloquent expression to these claims in the Irish House of Commons.3 In this critical conjuncture, the public mind was further inflamed by another interference of the government, in England. Hitherto, Ireland had been embraced in the annual Mutiny Act of the British Parliament. In this year, however, the general sentiment of magistrates and the people being adverse to the operation of such an Act without the sanction of the Irish legislature, Ireland was omitted from the English mutiny bill; and the heads of a separate mutiny bill were transmitted from Ireland. This bill was altered by the English cabinet into a permanent act. Material amendments were also made in a bill for opening the sugar trade to Ireland.* No constitutional security had been more cherished than that of an annual mutiny bill, by which the crown is effectually prevented from maintaining a standing army without the consent of Parliament. This security was now denied to Ireland, just when she was most sensitive to her rights and jealous of the sovereignty of England. The Irish Parlia

1 Lord North's Propositions, Dec. 13th, 1779; Parl. Hist., xx. 1272; 20 Geo. III. c. 6, 10, 18.

2 Plowden's Hist., i. 513.

8 April 19th, 1780; Grattan's Life, ii. 39-55.

4 Parl. Hist., xxi. 1293; Plowden's Hist., i. 515, &c.; Grattan's Life, ii. 60, 71, 85-100, et seq.

ment submitted to the will of its English rulers; but the volunteers assembled to denounce them. They declared that their own Parliament had been bought with the wealth of Ireland herself; and clamored more loudly than ever for legislative independence.1 Nor was such an innovation without effect upon the constitutional rights of England, as it sanctioned, for the first time, the maintenance of a military force within the realm, without limitation as to numbers or duration. Troops raised in England might be transferred to Ireland, and there maintained under military law, independent of the Parliaments of either country. The anomaly of this measure was forcibly exposed by Mr. Fox and the leaders of Opposition, in the British Parliament.2

The volunteers continued their reviews and political demonstrations, under the Earl of Charlemont, with The volunincreased numbers and improved organization; teers, 1780-1. and again received the thanks of the Irish Parliament.3 But while they were acting in cordial union with the leaders of the country party, in the House of Commons, the government had secured, by means too familiar at the Castle, a majority of that assembly, which steadily resisted further concessions.4 In these circumstances, delegates The convenfrom all the volunteers in Ulster were invited to tion of Dungannon. assemble at Dungannon on the 15th February, 1782, "to root out corruption and court influence from the legislative body," and "to deliberate on the present alarming situation of public affairs." The meeting was held in the church its proceedings were conducted with the utmost pro

1 Grattan's Life, ii. 127, et seq.

2 Feb. 20th, 23d, 1781; Parl. Hist., xxi. 1292.

8 Plowden's Hist., i. 529; Grattan's Life, ii. 103.

4 Plowden's Hist., i. 535-555. Mr. Eden, writing to Lord North, Nov. 10th, 1781, informs him that the Opposition had been gained over, and adds: "Indeed, I have had a fatiguing week of it in every respect. On Thursday I was obliged to see fifty-three gentlemen separately in the course of the morning, from eight till two o'clock." ― Beresford Corr., i. 188; Correspondence of Lord Lieutenant, Grattan's Life, ii. 153–177.

Mr. Grattan's

priety and moderation; and it agreed, almost unanimously, to resolutions declaring the right of Ireland to legislative and judicial independence, and free trade.1 On Motion, Feb. the 22d, Mr. Grattan, in a noble speech, moved 22d, 1782. an address of the Commons to His Majesty, asmotion, Feb. serting the same principles. His motion was de26th, 1782. feated, as well as another by Mr. Flood, declaring

Mr. Flood's

Measures of

ham ministry, April 1782.

2

the legislative independence of the Irish Parliament.3 In the midst of these contentions, Lord Rockingham's liberal administration was formed, who recalled the Rocking- Lord Carlisle, and appointed the Duke of Portland as lord lieutenant. While the new ministers were concerting measures for the government of Ireland, Mr. Eden, secretary to Lord Carlisle, who had resisted all the demands of the patriots in the Irish Parliament, - hastened to England; and startled the House of Commons with a glowing statement of the dangers he had left behind him, and a motion to secure the legislative independence of Ireland. His motion was withdrawn, amidst general indignation at the factious motives by which it had been prompted. On the following day, the king sent a message to both houses, recommending the state of Ireland to their serious consideration: to which a general answer was returned, with a view to the coöperation of the Irish ParliaApril 16th, ment. In Dublin, the Duke of Portland communicated a similar message, which was responded to by an address of singular temper and dignity,—justly called the Irish Declaration of Rights.5 The Irish Parliament unanimously claimed for itself the sole authority to make

1782.

1 Plowden's Hist., i. 564-569; Hardy's Life of Lord Charlemont, ii. 1, et seq.; Life of Grattan, ii. 203, et seq.

2 Irish Parl. Deb., i. 266.

8 Ibid., 279.

4 April 8th, 1782: Parl. Hist., xxii. 1241-1264; Wraxall's Mem., iii. 29, 92; Fox's Mem., i. 313; Lord J. Russell's Life of Fox, i. 287-289; Grattan's Life, ii. 208.

5 Plowden's Hist., i. 595-599; Irish Debates, i. 332-346; Grattan's Life, ii. 230, et seq.

independence

laws for Ireland, and the repeal of the permanent Mutiny Act. These claims the British Parliament, ani- Legislative mated by a spirit of wisdom and liberality, con- and judicial Iceded without reluctance or hesitation.1 The granted, 1782. sixth Geo. I. was repealed; and the legislative and judicial authority of the British Parliament renounced. The right of the Privy Council to alter bills transmitted from Ireland was abandoned, and the perpetual Mutiny Act repealed. The concession was gracefully and honorably made ; and the statesmen who had consistently advocated the rights of Ireland, while in opposition, could proudly disclaim the influence of intimidation.2 The magnanimity of the act was acknowledged with gratitude and rejoicings, by the Parliament and people of Ireland.

dependence.

But English statesmen, in granting Ireland her independence, were not insensible to the difficulties of her Difficulties future government; and endeavored to concert of Irish insome plan of union, by which the interests of the two countries could be secured. No such plan, however, could be devised; and for nearly twenty years the British ministers were left to solve the strange problem of governing a divided state, and bringing into harmony the councils of two independent legislatures. Its solution was naturally found in the continuance of corruption; and the Parliament of Ireland, having gained its freedom, sold it, without compunction, to the Castle. Ireland was governed by her native

1 Debates in Lords and Commons, May 17th, 1782; Parl. Hist., xxiii. 16-48; Rockingham Mem., ii. 469-476.

2 Fox's Mem., i. 393, 403, 404, 418; Lord J. Russell's Life of Fox, i. 290295; Grattan's Life, ii. 289, et seq.; Court and Cabinets of Geo. III., i. 65. 8 Address of both Houses to the king, May 17th, 1782; Correspondence of Duke of Portland and Marquis of Rockingham; Plowden's Hist., i. 605. The scheme of an union appears to have been discussed as early as 1757. -Hardy's Life of Lord Charlemont, i. 107. And again in 1776; Cornwallis's Corr., iii. 129.

4 See a curious analysis of the ministerial majority, in 1784, on the authority of the Bolton MSS. - Massey's Hist., iii. 264; and Speech of Mr. Grattan on the Address, Jan. 19th, 1792; Irish Deb., xii. 6-8; and