New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-09
IRELAND A CENTURY AGO.
NEW LIGHT On The TIMES OF GRATTAN
AND PITT

An important contribution to Irish history has iust
been made by the publication by the Historical Manu-.
scripts Commission OF Great Britain OF some II The
papers OF Mr. j. y. Fortescue preserved In the Drop.
more collection These deal with the state Of Ireland
and the course OF politics during the from 1882 to
| 1900 one Of the most interesting In the modern
history Of that country. In the year first named.
! Lord Temple went to Ireland as Lord Lieutenant. in
the >hclburne Administrations He was the eldest
Of George Grenvile. who had succeeded the Earl OF
Butte as Prime Minister in 1853; and he was nc
companicd by his younger brother. W. W. Grenville.
as Chief secretary. lie quickly found himself con.
fronted By an Irish question" OF formidable char
actcr.
The Rockingham Ministry. by repeating the old
Irish act known us Poynings law, and Other restrain
Ing laws passed subsequently, in the British Legisla-
ture had conceded the legislative and judicial
supremacy Of the Irish Parliament In Ireland IN a
manner accepted as sufficient BY the Irish leader.
Grattan and his friends, on the other hand. Graf
fans political rival Flood, insisted that formal re-
nunciation by the British Parliament Of the power
Of binding Ireland by enactments was necessary 10
! the security Of Irish independence Al hrst TINS
controversy appeared to have little practical I'M
nor;ancc. moderate Of all parties being opposed
10 further agitation but speech Of Lord Abingdon In
the British House Of Lords. TO which Lord shelbnrne
modc no reply and judgment pronounced by Lord
| Mansfield I'm the English Court OF Kings Bench on an
IRISH case brought before him by appeal Creating an
Impression OF English bad faith. stirred all ireland
into angry ferment. In the course OF a few weeks
the great body of public opinion veered round to the
side Of Flood, and raised what had been regarded rs
Il factious cav into q National question. This rapid
, change OF popular feeling Is graphically described in
letters dated July Il and 30 and August !. from
the Earl OF MOrningon. an lriSl peer better known
by his later title OF Marquis Wellesley, Offering con-
Crtuatlons and assistance to his old school friend
GrcnvilIe The sudden rise Of Flood and the grow
- tlaff p-f m al
ability and virtue" vIvidly skeched A short so
joun in Dublin completely converted Lord Temple TO
the Irish view Of the political situation. In concert
with most of the leading Irish politicians, including
Glattan he drafted Remuneration BILL ana streuousy
pressed It's adoption on the English Government ana
I'm order that he might have confidential channel OF
communication with the Cabinet ard with the King.
he sent his chief secretary, who was VI. T. Tor the
County OF Buckingham. to reside in London
Lord Temples letters to Grenvil,e, following e~h
other in rapid succession, almost monopolze NE space
covered by the period OF his first residence IN lrelahn
namely. from the end OF November l'62 10 the END %
April 1888. They show intense irritation at the re-
luciancc to which. however he applies much harsher
epithes OF the English Ministry to adopt his BILL
Irritation arising to extent from sense OF the
Justice cf Irish demands and Of the danger OF refusing
them. BY repeated threats Of resigna ion to which
the safe OF Ireland lent emphasis, he In a manner,
coerced the Cabinet into accepting his proposals.
4
tDecemberl by that spirit OF independence which
has here carried everything" But the Renunciac1
bill cid no, become a law until Lord >helburne had
resigned Office strong distrst OF the Prime Miniser
pervades this part of the correspondence The order
OF ST. Patrick, OF which he was founder, also NILS
large space in Lord Temples letters to Grenville
during his period. He appears 10 have framed the
statutes In an exclusive spirit They limited the
number OF ordinary members to sixteen Irish peers
and no peer below the rank of earl admitted rs an
original member Another projec, wmch appears
from letter dated February o. 1883, To have been
suggested 10 him by Lord sheburne, occupied much OF
the Lord Lleutcnants attention. This was to plant
colonv OF (oncvcse cxiles and endOw Genevese Col
lece IN Ireland. lis execution seems 10 have gwen
him much trouble. on December FL, l'o2 he an
uncos that he has at las, determined to settle them
on the Curagh OF kildare On January IL foio"lhs
swiss" that Ireland should lend Elooooo more
demands on February he has decided 10 fix them
T., tho ncichborhood Of Waterford" wishing TO remove
Them from the Northern Republicans and place them
where they mi ;ht make an essential reform ID 'he
religion Industry and manners of the South, VINO wah
# more' \ little later on. March :. proposal OF the
| swiss" That Ireland should lend 100000 more
has cooled his phanthropIc ardor. II Is not clear
from he subsequent correspondence, "heuleE LIS
scheme was "A success or failure.
Letter, from Mr. Pitt and Lord Buckingham. written
during the winter 0 l'-s9. are hed win ln'ereSth.
details in regard TO the condition Of the King the
schemes OF Parliamentary leaders, the political views
Of the Prince OF Wales. the constitutional powers Oh
the Lord Lieutenant the Regency bill, and the I'M
certain state Of Irish opinion. The policy OF the
Government was to postpone consideration OF the
Kings illness In the Irish Parliament until PITTS pro-
po,as for limited regency had been adopted by the
/ British Legislature, and then to pass an irish oi'
framed on the same lines. In order to carry thess
points Lord buckingham labored during the recess.
by liberal of patronage and promises and SUI
Of IN
ALLEGIANCE Of his majority in both Houses. At nrst MS
homes of success were sanguine, provided MIR. fltl
remained In Office. But rs the meeting OF Parliament
drew near they In great measure dashed py ths
treachery" of Lord Earlsford and Others in whose
fidelity he had trusted. aud gave place 10 gloomy
iorebodngs. The prospect grew darker every uay'
Gratan In with Fox declared against resnc'
lions on tho Princes authority rs Regent The news
from En- gland LETT no hope OF the Kings convalescence
or Of Pitt retaining once under the Prince OF Wales
The Lord Licutenans threats and promises aValled
nothing against those "layished' with equal freedom
tms rlrTS"S rom cans parliament together.
and when. In Difference TO the wishes OF the Eashsn
Cabinet the Irish session ~aS op "nSl o orIid"aton
and dismay abandoned by the whole merceiary army
Of phcemen and pensioners VINO a9 re Sf hi,
Official advisers only FzHerber the Chief secretary,
and the Mtomey General n VINO aSR 10
dread from Mr. Fox, remained faithful. An au1irS "
the Prince OF Wales asking nm To assume tc
mcnt OF Ireland with full regal powers during the IN
capacity OF his father voted without division ~
both Houses. did not dare Lord buckingham
writes on February :, TO resist the question or any
question without promising that there snoun Ue ~
division for II had not the bench of Ministers wouH
actually have been left TO my secretary and the MOT
u,y-t General as every had declared their intention
~ ouitfing the House rather than divide against ne
ncu, government" After much vacation, ana III
some fear shown by his writing, IL You hear OF nia
cnng into The Liifey YOU must not be surprised" the
/ Iord Lieutenant. yielding 10 pressure from Mr: ny
refused to forward the Address OF Parliament 10 ths
| Prince OF Wales. 49, .,.
There are many letters from Lord westmoreishha
and his Chief Secretary, Major Hobart during tho
course conn OF the year 100 These deal chiefly with
creations of and bishops; and other deah so q,
| Nav the Viceroy. who elsewhere conforms with good