THE RISE AND FALL OF IRISH LEGISLATIVE INDEPENDENCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 8, 13 June 1884, Page 19

THE RISE AND FALL OF IRISH LEGISLATIVE INDEPENDENCE.

(A paper read before the Wellington Irish National League by Mr. J. J. Devine.) (Continued from last week.) A ,OM, OM S A y «Btar« Btar aboQt * b ?s period flashed on the political horizon of Ireland, before whose brilliant light that of all other luminaries there paled and became obscured. It was the politician of untarnished reputation, the patriot of unsullied purity, the statesman whose enthusiastic spirit fired the people, the orator whose burning words are even still quoted as maxims of liberty, the apostle of Irish nationality— the immortal Henry Grattan. The times were favourable *o, this great juncture in Irish affairs. The eventful year of 1775 had come. Colonial America was in arms against the mother country, arising out of a determined spirit on their part to resist taxation i aD ddu ty la ws. England had dealt with her American colonies as she had so long done with Ireland. She was accustomed to impose taxes on the Irish, lay embargoes on their commerce, and crush ' their trade laws, and she thought sac would do the same with her American colonists. These colonisrs, however, rose in arms to resist j the encroachments of the English Government, and England was obliged to send there every available soldier she had. as well as such loreign mercenaries as she could procure. A call was made on Ireland for 4,000 troops. The Lord Lieutenant told the Irish Parliament that if she wonld give England the 4.000 soldiers ehe would give them in return an equal immber of Hessians to keep Ireland as a defence against foreign aggression. England well knew I the valour of Irish soldiers. She had not very long before a bitter taste of it at Fontenoy, where the Irish Brigade made such havoc with her veteran legions, and drew from the king the memorable remark, "Cursed be the lands that deprived me of such subjects." JSngland had thus good cause to know that Irish soldiers would not turn their backs on an enemy as the Hessians were wont to do. It was good fighting and not good running men she wanted for her American campaign. The Irish Parliament gave the 4,000 troops and declined with thanks the Hessians. They sent a message that if England would but give them the arms they would raise a sufficient force among themselves for the defence of their own shores In an unguarded moment, as the context will show, England acceded to their request. This was in 1779. The moment the word was given, volunteers companies were formed in the North. Irishmen, once again, stood shoulder to shoulder for their native land. The movement rapidly spread all over the country. all classes and creeds joining Within a voir of their obtaining arms, Ireland beheld the glorious spectacle of a native army of 50,000 men welltrained and accoutred. At first they consisted entirely of Protes- •• 8 ; J . , hen t.b ese > however, saw the patriotic and sympathetic spirit displayed by their CathVHc feliow-countrym-n. and the practical aid they lent by supplying- money and arms, they threw their ranks open to them. The rank spirit of Orangeism had not then darkened the land ; it is a foul and evil plant of later growth. The catholics joined the volunteer organization with such alacrity and in sneb numbers that shortly after they were admitted to thelrauks.and «o during tne whole time the volunteers were in existence, they formed a decided majority. The volunteers thus became a freely representative army of the people of Ireland recruited from all their ranks and creeds. The war of religions and of castes that had so lone divided the people vanished as a dream. The country looked upon tdem with hope and admiration. They were presented with pieces of artillery by the nation ; the highest ladies wove their fla^s They were officered by the highest nobles and the finest intellects' in the wT^ ry ' asf B f Charlem °nt was their general ; Grattan, 5 'xT&Z if r ead M ra , " f tbe peo^ e were amon S tt*" o ffi cers. JTrom 50.000 they swelled in the course of two years to over 100 000, as perfectly organised and disciplined un army as any then in Europe lheir bosoms beat as one, for they were pledged to defend their country s freedom, alike against foreigu foes without and English tyranny within. s Writing of this period, the historian Lecky says • - " It was a • moment of supreme dangi rto the Empire The energies of England were taxed to the utmost, and there could be no reasonable doubt that the Volunteers, supported by the people, could have wreste 1 Ireland from her grasp. A nation uuhalntuated to freedom, and maddened by centuries of oppression, had suddenly acquired this overwhelming power. Could its leaders restrain it within the limits of moderation ? Or, if it was in 1 their power, was it in their will? The voice of the Volunteers soon spoke in no' equivocal terns on Irish politics. They resolved that 'citizsns, by learning the use of arms, forfeit none of their civil rights '; a»»d they formed themselves into a regular convention, wi-h delegates and organisation, for the purpose of discussing the condition of the country Their denunciations of tbe commercial and legislative restrictions louder and louder, and two cannon were shown labelled with the inscription, • Freetrade or this I ' a- v "? n l la^- d now became alarmert, and she wanted the Volunteers disbanded. Ireland, however, in that hour was a power ; she was J ll^ jw pne man, and besides she was in arms, and exulSS^ MA e Jt IV f Waß D rT. ripe for acfcion - The immortal Grattan assembled the leaders of the volunteers to devise the best means of utilizing their undoubted power. When they were assembled in convention the queption was raised, • What shall we do with our power ' fi°. mm ™ he F&P Bpmt of Grattan did the answer proceed He said, 'The English Government never will do you justice. Now that you nave-ifae Volunteers at your back, you can speak as an united nation j . ... We will not allow them to lay clown their arms until we have obtained legislative and religious independence for Ireland • the right to make whatever laws ate most conducive for her people.! Ih puisuance of this programme Grattan brought into the Irish House of Commons, of which he was a prominent mooaber. a bill to abolish Pbymng s Act,-wbich, as you will remember, was- a law by -which the Irish Parliament were prevented from paßslng.'any law's

until the permission of the English King and Legislature had been S?i3te + >!n! n h P art ] cular instance. When Grattan introduced of +£ Vnir i?n ab]ect * nd ™™& Irish Parliament, all the weight SrSrpH ff n g lf ?° Vernm .l? t and all the rottenness of the country was arrayed in hostile opposition. There was, however, a power behind the throne greater than the throne ; Grattan effected a flank moveS'rf Hehnedthe fteeeta of Dublin with the Volunteers, he had them drawn up in solid squares with their .pieces of artillery before the Parliament House. Their cannons bore labels with the inscripnSronM Z *•*? "*• ° r *? \ Wlmt elo q u ence and earnesi ia^ was Repealed ' * ""^ W° f £ ° rCe inßtantly **' **»*»tf» wooii'«?t a HrnH mn £ T^ n ? eT^ Q r t ttan g°* the restrictions on the Irish woollen trade abolished. He brought in a Bill on the subject, but the degraded house threw it out. He fell back {again on his VolunSi I a S am , was he successful. It was declared that Ireland was again free to trade in her woollens with any country'she pleased. It was after this second triumph over the venal Parliament that Grattan addressed the House in these memorable words. He said, • GentleEfrf' 7mi Js ei F h Ts B , ltting in this llouse > 80ld and destroyed the trade and liberty of Ireland. I have returned to her her trade, and now I propose to demand of you that you return to her her liberty. Grattan s [next step was to coavene the famous Dungannon Convention, which was held on the 15ch of February, 1782. The idea of the Convention did not originate from himself, but his fiery soul bToSS^ r^ ?? PP ° a TTh^ hh U eSolationß t0 be P assed were Earned oLmnS ° harlemont ' and Flood. The principal were, ' That the claim of any body of men, other than the King, Lords, and Commons ?«w r Sf ' J^^nconstitutional, illegal, and a grievance.' 'That we hold the right of private judgment in matters of religion, to be equally sacred in others, as mouraelves ; that we rejoice in the relaxation ot the penal laws against our Uoman Catholic fellow-subjects, and that we conceive the measure to be fraught with the happiest consequences to the union and prosperity of the inhabitants of Irelaud. Irish Protestants of to-day, hark to the words of tolerance and nationality of your illustrious ancestor 1 How |fallen, alas, are the posterity of the Protestants of 1782 1 Two hundred and lorty-two delegates, representing one hundred and forty-three ZfTfi ass £ mbled * n the now historic church of Dungannon. Many of them bore emblems of their rank and station in thi counv 7 'a T . he y P aßSed through the ranks and file of the Volunteers who lined the steep and narrow streets of the town, arrayed . , , 'In helm and blade, „,. . plumes in the gay wind dancing .' The conclave was of short duration, it lasted but from noon till evening. Ihe resolutions submitted were unanimously passed, and were received without with the greatest acclamation and rejoicing They Jw « v* at T et i°f^ held ,. ia various P artß of the co^ry, and land WaS 6 throughout the length and breadth of the A circumstance favourable to the cause which Grattan bad so at heart happened at about this time. The Ministry of Lord North which were responsible for the war with the American colonists' which had brought nothing but disaster to their arms, were forced to relinquish office The Ministry of Lord Rockingham succeeded 1 hey were supposed to be favourable to Ireland ,— perhaps they were constrained to be so The Duke of Portland,' who w£ TmuclTre. spscted in Ireland, and who was known to be favourable to the Irish cause, was as a first step sent over a Ba ß the new Lord Lieutenant. He had carte JZ«»cfo? instructions to concede reforms where desirable Immediately after his arriyal, the Lord Lieutenant, in his speech to ™v ?• Parliament advised them to take into consideration the prevailing state of things with a vie* to reform. This was taken advantage of by Grattan. His cause, if not foiled, would be at list 50 nnTh^ y «?»f laye V i«o Waß IP** the handß of the ParliamSt! So, on the 16th April, 1782, amid an outburst of the wildest joy on the part of the nation, Grattan moved his glorious Declaration of S^T* t n % an . d nati onality-an assertion of Freedom which stands out without comparison in the long scroll of "history. Un that 16th of April, the rose-coloured dawn of a new era seemed to break upon long-suffering Ireland. Dublin was filled with the Volunteers. The bright spring sun that warmed the capiS with its genial rays lit up the gay and glittering masses of the national 51 <£OT£ al £ n e*ts "streets andquays, glancedon their rich banners, and flashed back the brightness of their burnished arms and brilliant uniforms. A large body of them were drawn up in front of ?he B T^ Allege Gree n and the approaches thereto The "Libertv^rflS 6 ?, eck T ° * h l r c » nnons °'* c inscription! .Liberty, or else . Inside the House everything was excite! metit, expectation and commotion. The galleries were crowded from nHSSTZ* I *****"* °* the land ' while u^onS floor belov those who were to participate in the grand dranm were a «ft o °- U y a * aitln & feelings of joy or concern the raising of the* curtain. The regular English soldiers lined the. approaches to thf IStelvSnSnf X h ydv d i Lleutenanfc to pass through/ The serried and statelyranks of the Volunteer*, far outnumbering the regular troops were drawn up alongside to admit with equal honour and pome the man who was that day leaving a sick bed to move'the emancipation of his ; country The hour at length arrived, and Grattan rose. He was ill, but "determination sat on his pale brow." The lightof victory illumined his wan cheek ; triumph flashed from his brilliant though sunken eyes. A great writer describes the scene in the following graphic language :— , " Never had a great orator a nobler or a more pleasine task it was to proclaim that the strife of six centuries had terminated ; that the cause for which so much blood had been shed,and so much genius SXT^ m TT D 5D 5 h '!? triumphed ; and that a new erl bad dawned upon Ireland. Doubtless on that day manj minds reverted to the long night of oppression and crime through which Ireland had straggled towards thar. conception whica had been as the pillar of ™»c» c k Q h But . nov V fc laflt the Promised land seemed I iff S i J be dre J"° °* Swift and of Molyneux was realised. | ±be blessings of independence were reconciled with the blessings of connection ; and in aa emancipatedvParliament < tbe,.patiiot saw th«*

guarantee of the future prosperity of his country and the shekmah o£ liberty m the lan 1. It was impo 3 9ible indeed not to perceive that there was still much to be done-disqualifications to be rem>vad, anomalies to be i rectified, corruption to be overcome; but Spattaa at least firmly believed that Ireland possessed the vital fore^necessary for all this; that the progress of a healthy public oSn would regenerate and reform the Irish Parliament Is it re-euerated and reformed the Parliament of England ; and that ever v"vear the sense of independence would quicken the sympathy between the people and th-ar representatives. It was indeert a noble Triumph and the orator was worthy of the cause. In a few glowin" sentences he painted the dreary struggle that had passed, tL, mamS of the victory that had been derived, and the grandeur of thl nro«?e<S that were unfolding. • I am now,' he exclaimed;" to address Tfree people. Ages have passed away, and this is tbe first movement in which you could be distinguished by that appellation. I have spo kea on the subject of your liberty so often that £ have nothin* to add and have only to admire by what heaven-directed steps you have proceeded until the whole faculty of the nation is braced up to her own deliverance. I found Ireland on her kaees ; I watched over her with a patient solicitude ; I have traced her progress from injuries to arm*, and from arms to liberty. Spirit of Swift? spirit o? Slolyneu? your genius has prevailed I Ireland is now a nation. In that £S££r ' aQ ' bowing ia ber augusfc P resen3e ' l «v. «£ The resolutions which Grattan proposed were passed without a division-the people's wild excitement without and the orator's voice within, settled the question. They were entP^H « the Regulations of the Hole as « Resolved, That therlis no body of men competent to make laws to bind this natfon except the King, Lords and Oommons of Ireland: nor an r 2 parhamentwhichhathanyauthority or power of any sort what™ |pver in this country, save only the power of Ireland ow - right, the very essence of oZ liberties exUts ar| ht ' which we on the part of the people of Ireland do claim as their birthright a^d which we cannot yield but with our lives." These resokS ? „ then enacted into Jaw in these memorable wor?s. °It ffinJS that the Crown of Ireland is an Imperial Crown anri \ ml enac^ a annexed to Great Britain on »btetf£L^\g\XZg£?& happiness of both nations essentially depend. But that tSwS, f of Ireland is a distinct Kingdom wfth £ Parliament o her owf and Legislative power, and that there is no body of men competent make laws to bind this nation except the King, Lords and Pnm™ of Ireland." Ireland thus claimed her rights fas a free nation Th* 8 Crown of Ireland was an Imperial Crown? She was a na t?on w% her own Parliament her own laws, her own influence, and her own resources. The union with England was acknowlPdWrf ?« +T interests of both countries. 'I& Act was SSSS by 2e Hnghsh Parliament and signed by the English Kiae within £ JL months, and Ireland was unquestionably a faUon once a-Sn ** There ensued then a period oE unprecedented and ll™ a a pio.pe.it, to Ireland. The advance Sf Ireland aCI theTath o f prog.es* was morerap.d than the mostsanguinecon-emplated owini i» tnat confidence whwh a self-governed DeoDle eS!. l^ ? brighter east illumined tho hWou than SS P for c fnW 3 nat Population rapidly increased, wealth multiplied mam \eL? ' Won d to God that the pages of Irish history coulfhSJ' fr> sealed ; that ll.« sequel had not to be told. It is a darknure i* ?«™ history which iec.<r.is ho»v that independence which l.ariH, ?V Onr dTv ll ?hV£ JS^"""? ° f the term ' f-Tand teoa a m hh l UU o St beC ° T^ day that had first broken m such splendour and greatness for Ireland was alas soon to become overclouded and end in storm and strife {doom and mis.iy The Volunteers unconsciously give the firS blow. 1 hough they had gained for Ireland all that waf souit they still remained banded together. The old esprit de coZdid 5 however, long animate them. When at the next cot S of t2 officers it was submitted that they should demand [ thS n«mS i emancipation of their Catholic felloi-countrym e n?a m^ori^e not m favour of doing s->. Though the penal laws had »hftJ • their severity, the Oitoolic. still labourefunde Three "&££s£ lions : they could not sit in their native Parliament, they could n^ even vote for the return of a member though f,,, m nl B l ■ , of the population of the country anf , "4 co™ d^rSfoS 8 Ugher pesiuons in the legal and military profLw I ? Keller Bills, initiated by the* Irish ProteV XathiserfS been frou^time to time reluctantly passed by the S. K^? 1 k tn.se restrictions «ere still left to embitter The Stho ic^vSo hi hoped for so much from there for aied Parliament They w^et£ bulk of the people and yet were not allowed a voice initl cTunHl, It must, however, here be confessed that it was more the nS£™ J policy of the English Protestant Government raXr than P from rancorous sectarian spirit of the Irish Piotes'ants that +h\ rro , m 4 . aQ y things existed. The strength of the^over»meS J«f „<= S ? Btate of the catholics f,om obtaining redress ,alSS^^l^^^ evidently fished 10 foment leligious dissensions a|a Z *k the land Viewed m the light of subsequent events, there is no Uonht that ha i the Union not been conicm plated, the Catholics woidd have iln emaucipated. Grattan and Plunkett year after year hi 1! 7 > and pleaded with an eloquence worthy' If&*Zj££g£ $£% their fellow-countrymen 10 complete einnnciDation bur t» - » j ear they were defeated by the iufiuence of BS^ GovernrJeJ who" o; d t±nT U WlSh t0 86e COUCOrd a " d amity eSi3t --oi "he People f;he lii-h Parliament never was a representative body Th« ..one party in the Housa of Lommons, kd by Smta? Oorin R ud others, Juggled hard and unceasingly to pWmSJSreJS?^ reformation bo as to make it a representative yan d mirror of the nation, but without avail Tho,^ • y , ncl doubt but at this time is w, 7 Z , flrm^LSS of 'th^Gov? 16 m,nt at ths instance of litt, not only to " S2t afl auS' at icform, to purify the Parliament by a 1 !l? S tauon witnin its walls of the people, but also sysfemaSff t increase us corruption. Places were' multiplied to an enormool

extent ; titles were conferred indiscriminately for this purpose. Pitt had maayjeady tools at hand to effect his dirty ends, coaspicuous amongst whom was the infamous Castlereigh. Pitt's policy was to corrupt and degrade, that he might eventually destroy the Irish Parliament. Tnen came the beginning of the end. The English irovernaaent had got the element of dissension introducei by their prototypes in Ireland. A fatal division was effected. England aeain played her old game of fostering dissausious ; of pitting creed against creed, class against class. The Volunteers ware advise 1 in a triendly manner to ksep up their spirit and their streugta, as Ea<*land would never forgive them for w iat they had done. ii ?? y L however > unfortunately heeded not the sa 2 e advice ; they allowed the eletnants of disunion aad intolerance to gain admission into their ranks. Soia after this a law was insidiously parsed through the Irish Parliament, the fatal effaot of which they did not perceive at th 3 moouat, it atviar cJnplecaU efe^l taa dispjnioa aad disbandment of the Volunteers. The regular army was increas >d and a native militia officered from England, was raised. Betweeu the two the Irish Volunteers were crushed out. Toe Bullish party now grew bolder as they saw with satisfaction and relief the disband, ment of the Volunteers, and the seeds of fatal dissuasions and class distinctions which they had disseminated springing up and maturiu" Tney now endeavoured to systematically draw a veil of deceptio"a before the eyes of the people. Then began a series of bad laws under which whatever hesitating elements of dissappointment or disaffection there were, were brought into conflict, developed and fermented, m order that affairs might culminate in civil war and bloodshed. The redress of crushing grievances was looked upon as hopeless from the Irish Parliament, now in the octopus grasp of the English minister by means of his minions in the Irish Government ±ne Convention Act was next passed, by which not only was it impossible to again enrol the Volunteers, but Irishmen could not even assemble in the fewest numbers to hold meetings or to discuss the political situation. One injustice followed quickly upon the footsteps of the last ; one oppression after another struck heavily on the ; hearts of the people. Tne Catholicssaw tnem selves made the sport of tha Ministry; year afteryear was cheir.;ompleteemaacipaaou almost guaranteed, oaly to have their hopes again dashed to the ground. The Protes- | tauts saw no hope for reform in the Parliament. A coatiuuanc-* of manifest abuses and a recurrence to English tyranny was the prospect which loomed ahead for all castes and creeds. A sulleu, m-nic-mg attitude overspread the country, and pervaded the hearths of every class. At length, goaded to desperation by ths actions of tne Government in 1798 the people arose to strike one more blow for their country. •' their altars, and their fires." Theylstruck, but, alas ! they struck in vain, and they went down before the ruthless oppressor wounded, dispirited, and enslaved. I \vill draw a veil over that dark era of anarchy, c irua^e, and desolation-the picture is too fearful to contemplate. The rebelhou ot 9J>, with all its immediate attendant horrors, and all the subsequent accumulated miseries it entailed, lies at the door of England and her Minister, Pitt. There U the most ample evidence to iustifv ttus assertion ; ths charge was then and ever will be laid against them. It was anticipated, and they were informed of the anticipations, but they heeded not. It was the direct consequence of Pitt's raachmatious to rob Ireland of her Parliament. The people of Ea<r. land were jealou, of Ireland's success and prosperity during the first few ye trs she had free trade, so to gain their popularity a°nd to pander to their views, Pat doomed the Irish Parliament, the guerdon 1 f^ rtusfl » t0 destruction. He then sowed the seeds of discord ana of disunion, religious animosities and social inequalities and disorganisations in the country, the fruit of which he gathered by the Act of Union. The rebellion was quickly repressed Ine i Irish Government were prepared for it, because it was they who goadei the people into it. The Irish, thus crushed and tyrannised over, were easy victims to overcome in the final contest. Nothin" now remained to prevent Pitt and his myrmidon, Castlerei<*h, from carrying into effect taeir project of annihilating the Irish Parliament lime precludes my showing at any leugta how this was effectel' besides, what bopts it now to disentomb the bitter past ? Bribed cor' rupted, aud betrayed, the Irish Parliament, consisting, be it known" tt only seventy representatives of the people, and two hundred and thirty nominees of the aristocracy, in 1800 passed the Act of Union by which the right of Ireland to make her own laws was basely su: rendered, and, so far as could be done, the national life of Ireland vvhs a thing ot the past. Since then Ireland's laws are made for her by Englishmen ana Scotchmen. Almost all the intellect and merit ot the country was opposed to the Union. If the combined exenions vi almost all the men of talent and patriotism in the country could uave bayed the Parliament, the Union would never have been passed luen- ettorts were, however, without avail when gold was iv the balance, and the drastic policy of Pitt triumphed. The Union was earned, in a word, by everything venal. I caunot conclude better than by quoting the epigrammatic words, the condensed eloquence ot Henry Grattan. He said: "A set of political cut-throata weS brought into the House at a cost of a million and a half, to sell their country aud themselves. They did not belong to Iceland Some were soldiers, all were slaves. Everything was shame, and hurrT aad base triumph. Titles and distinctions were scattered broadcast' Ine minions of Pitt and Castlereagh fattened on the spoil and tlouushed on the ruin of their country." y (,Concluded.~)