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ed necessary to the one, were conftantly and spontaneoufly entered into with kindred zeal by the other : No-the connexion has been preferved in a manner and by means which, howfoever neceffary, and in whatever degree neceffary, the friends of this country, and the true friends of both countries, have long deplored. The influence, or rather the commanding power of the fuperior country was complete; this country existed as a dependant province; the legal code fubftantially originated with, or at least was modified by the government of Great Britain; reftraining laws, framed to preferve the civil and religious establishment, against the great majority of the people, who were hoftile to both, fecured the country, but enchained the exertions of the inhabitants and for a long period, the Proteftants of Ireland zealously concurred in this fyftem of policy; which they confidered as necessary to their own fafety, as well as to the national dependence upon England. The confequences were, that the inhabitants in general were confined to poverty and dependence; the aristocracy, at an immenfe diftance in rank, felt nothing in common with them, employed but rarely the means of conciliation, and enfured depreffion rather than promoted profperity; while the middle ranks of life, in which are found the qualities. that refift oppreffion on the one fide and promote induftry on the other, were fcarcely to be found in the community of Ireland.

This kind of connexion no doubt, and preferved by these means, might fubfift for ages without any ferious apprehenfion of being endangered. But a state of fociety was induced, which militated against national happiness

happiness, and which hardly the clearest necessity could reconcile to a liberal mind.

The linen trade, however, which had been early encouraged, and had fpread with animating fuccefs over a large diftrinct of the North chiefly Proteftant; the provifion trade of the fertile South; and fome other fcattered advantages, contributed, with the advancement of furrounding nations, to carry Ireland on in the general progrefs of the rest of Europe. This gradual improvement; its natural confequences,-diffused property and independent fpirit; the habit of living together in the exercise of the arts of peace; the frequent interchange of good offices; and the exemplary conduct of many of the Roman Catholicks; all tended to create in every rank and fect, the honest wish, that the natural advantages of the country might be promoted; and that fame liberality on the fubject of religion might be extended, as the forerunner of cordiality and profperity. The mutual communication of fuch fentiments begat and promoted liberality and publick fpirit. A comprehenfive and enlightened policy in the cabinet and parliament of Great Britain concurred with that liberality and publick fpirit. In conformity with these sentiments, which the last twenty years, the restraint of which the Roman Catholicks complained have been removed; they have now enjoyed for a confiderable time, and with very general concurrence, compleat toleration in religion, and every privilege in the acquifition and employment of property that rational man could defire; and at length has been added the elective franchise, by which not only an operative motive is given to the landholders to

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grant ufeful leafes to the Roman Catholicks of the poorer clafs, but confiderable confequence and influence follow to the general body. In the meantime the fpirit of independence claimed, and the increafing, power of the country demanded, other and important privileges and benefits. The precarious ftate of publick affairs in the American conteft, as well as the wisdom of British councils, fuggefted the propriety of conceffion. Accordingly, the parliament of Ireland was declared and confirmed compleatly independent; and this country acquired, equally with Britain, not only unrestrained commerce with the rest of the world, but a participation in the colonial and plantation trade, which Great Britain had gained by great industry and enterprise and at enormous expence, The confequenees were important. Confidence and liberality gained upon the Proteftant mind. We feemed to have forgotten all former animofities and calamities, and to contend only for fuperiority of zeal in atoning to each other and to our country, for all the evils which the demon of difcord had driven us to inflict. Industry, activity and ingenuity were called forth: the useful and productive arts of life were more earnestly cultivated we were enabled to reap larger benefit from the extenfion of British commerce: riches, power and independence increased: a scene of national profperity opened to our view: and our hearts enjoyed the hope, that religious bigotry and hatred would never again disturb our harmony, obstruct our purfuits, or blast our profpects.

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We feemed to be liberalized; we become independent; we acquired great advantages. How have these circumftances

circumstances operated in combination with the extraordinary opinions and extraordinary events of the prefent day?

We are living in a period, in which every evil that could afflict fociety, has been engendered, matured, and poured abroad, by a depraved nation, which, after deftroying within its own territory, all law, religion, focial order, moral principle, and natural fentiment, has fought, by every means, whether of vicious ingenuity or ferocious violence, to uproot. the establifhed policy of every furrounding ftate. Britain faw the danger advancing. She stood in the breach. She rallied the nations. They retired, difunited, funk, and exhaufted. She alone maintained the conflict; arrested the progrefs of organized barbarifm; and fecured hope to the civilized world. On former occafions fhe had been commiffioned to fave the liberties of Europe; but now the seemed destined to fave, not merely established laws and liberties, but every facred principle that marks human fociety dear, and without which life would ceafe to be a bleffing. In this arduous conteff, her defperate enemy well knew the fide on which only fhe was weak, and where only fhe could hope to destroy her. Advantage was taken in Ireland of the great struggle in which Great Britain was engaged. Myriads of demagogues, the most destructive and deteftable things that can infeft a nation, correfponded with the enemy, imported the principles of France in all their malignity, and roused the difloyalty of the people by every art and pretext: and an organization, as it is called, was fecretly carried on, by which the phyfical force of the country was prepared, under

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fit leaders, to join the invading foe; in the wild hope that, loyalty and the established religion being destroyed, Ireland would become feparated, and the religion of the multitude reign in more than fancied fplendour. Now it is unfortunately to be remarked, that while Ireland was avowedly and compleatly dependent upon Great Britain, although national profperity was retarded, yet this country, notwithstanding occafional discontents and partial difturbances, was preferved in perfect fecurity; and experience has fhewn, that the removal of restrainfts, the enjoyments of privileges, even greater than had been expected, and an independent legislature, have not ftrengthened either our internal fecurity of our connexion with Great Britain.

Not long before the commencement of French revolutions, a demand for a change in the legislature of this country, which should make it more dependent upon popular paffions and popular arts, was fo fyftematically and fo boldly made, that parliament feemed to be overawed, and the friends of our eftablifhed laws and religion trembled for the confequences. A convention, an armed convention, fimilar to the late ruling clubs of France, in which members of the legislature, affifted, framed the plan which was to be dictated to parliament. Fortunately, the influence of the property poffeffed in this country by the English Ariftocracy, and the difcernment and firmness of many members of the legislature, fruftrated the attempt; and indeed it must be owned that, many of the members of that convention, and of the then minority in parliament, have lived to witnefs fuch proceedings and events, both

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