The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-07-09
THE IRISH Union

We extract from the Boston Post the following
brief and comprehensive account of the Legisla.
tive Union Of Ireland to England
" There are many Americans who do not un
derstand the practical evils necessarily resulting
To Ireland from the Legislative union with Emo
land nor they any better informed in relation
to the motives Of the British government in pro.
curing il, and the adopted for carrying il
The statesmen Of England were desirous of OBJ
tanning the absolute control of Ireland, which thew
could not possess while she had a separate para-
ment and for the purpose Of procuring majority
IN favor of the measure in the Irish parliament
protestant body, the English government, paid the
vast sum of six millions of dollars in buying up
close and rotten nomination bnroughs which thew
caused 10 be represented by Englishmen, Scotch
men, and lrishmen who were to be had for
price. Seven millions more were spent in actual
brihes. by the caitis Of corruption" as Gra;tan
called them.
Lord Castereagh promised. first, immediate
catholic emancipation; second that Ireland should
have representation in the united parliament
based upon Formulation and its revenue and rental
upon scale. which, if fairly applied. would have
given Ireland 1863 members in the house of com
mons, instead of 100. which was all that was ac
tnally allowed To her. BY departing from the
principle proposed. the voice of Ireland in the i'm
perial parliament was slenced far all prac,i,.aI
real relief.
She only obtained five additional members
when by her relative population. revenue, and
rental, as compared with England, she was emil
tied TO Il additional members Every county in
England with more than so 900 inhabitants 90,
an increase of one member, and every county with
more than 100000 got an increase of two mem
hers There is no comfy in Ireland with oopu
Iatlon less than 10000. yet no county 90, any
additional member. For inetancn NUnrooo.L;..
having then population of 81 1856, had under
the reform bill two additional members four in
all. The population of the county of Galway was
Then 5ol ,4OI, hnt got no addition, and has only
two members. Leicestershire 1877 .276. had two
additional members, four in all Tipperary, $50.
500, had no addition, and has only two members
The comfy of Cumberland, popula tiun but 1866
6Sl. two additional members-four in all and
Cork. population 1870. no addition and but two
members. An equal disparity as to the number of
qualified voters exists.
Third, it was promised by Castlereagh that the
Irish revenues should only be applied to the nav
ment of the Irish debt which, though heavy. was
not TO be compared with the debt of England
and that for this purpose he said it Z" wa. abso.
lutely necessary that the respective debts of the
countries should remain distinct" This pledue
has been utterly disregarded, and the revenues of
Ireland have been regularly applied to the paw
nent OF the interest on the English debt. to the
amount of hundred millions of pounds; and be-
yond this the six millions of dollars paid by the
English government for purchasing nomination
horoughs, for carrying the Union was. after the
union, transferred to the account of Ireland. and
paid out OF her revenues. In these facts NAV be
found the real causes of the past and present con.
dition Of lreland--a nation of more than nine mil
lions OF people. without government. or an effec
tive voice in any government"