Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-14

Thus for a time the troubles of Ulster
were in connection with the Church OF
England and the
Settles Trouble by Ulster Presby-
Endowing Church. Violent Violent ws,es.
This trouble was settled by George
when he endowed the Irish Presbyterian
Church by an annual gift from the state
known as the "regium donum" This
gift or bounty represented in Ulster what
was given to the Episcopalian Church OF
Ireland in the rest Of the country. and
caused the Presbyterians and the Angli-
cans to dwell in that peace which is
now uniting them against homo rule.
This "regium donum" was continued
until the Church Of Ireland itself was
disestablished In 1863 by Mr.. Gladstone
At that time the amount paid to the
Presbyterian Church by the state was
pensation for its withdrawal the state
paid the church more than $65Oo.O0O.
Winning the good will Of the Presby-
terrain ministry did not at all times mean
the good will of the Presbyterian men or
Ulster in politics.
The trade laws passed by the British
parliament were SO onerous that Ulster.
even then the leading industrial part Of
the country, in 1879 decided to have free
trade which meant then the freedom OF
export and not necessarily the freedom
of import The American war was on,
the French war was on. and Ulster was
loyal to the British throne. So she Or
ganiZed the Ulster volunteers, just as she
has been doing these past two years.
Organized at first to resist a foreign In
vader, the volunteers decided to have
hand In domestic reforms. They wanted
free trade They were Joined by hosts
of Roman Catholic volunteers. and Ire
land presented national and united
front.
The ancient Irish parliament was in eX-
istence, but it had only nominal powers
and was controlled absolutely by the lord
lieutenant and that organization known
as Dublin Castle" A resolution demand
ing free trade was borne by Irish men,
bers and peers to the castle through lines
Of armed volunteers. and in 1ISO the Brit
ish government gave in and removed
many of the onerous restrictions on Irish
trade
But that was not enough. February Is.
1852, the Ulster Volunteers met at Dun
cannon and demanded home rule. They
got it, because the British government
dared not refuse.
Thus began what is known as Grattan's
parliament. which sat from 1852 until the
act of union in 1900. 1t took its popular
name from Henry Grattan, great orator
and patriot, who moved the declaration of
backed up by the volunteers.
~
The parliament was both a success and
failure. Under 1t the prosperity of the
country
Parliament Was Both advanced.
a Success and Failure. ala ~
W
great landowners, while the house of lords
was still under control Of Dublin Castle.
1t did well with legislation, but there was
no executive responsible to the Irish par
lament, and corruption was encouraged
and invited by the divided system. Laws
were passed securing the right Of habeas
corpus and many other reforms insti-
tuted.
Roman Catholics had been absolutely
without political power, although they
represented four-ffths Of the population
OF the country. Grattan put through a
bill giving them the right to vote, of
course under the property qualifications,
but not the right to sit in parliament
William Pitt. who was prime minister
In England, sought to remove the disa-
bilites of the Catholics and sent Lord
Fftzwilliam to Ireland as lord lieutenant
to bring about the reform. He was al
most Immediately recalled by George III
and the old policy of coercion of the
Catholics was restored. Not only was a
bribed majority of the parliament en-
ployed to fix new disabilities upon Catho-
lies. but Presbyterians also were perse-
cuted.
Grattan and his party Withdrew from
the parliament. The whole country was
plunged into disorder The Orange order
was established in Ulster in support of
the new government policy and many
Catholics were forcibly exiled into the
western counties or driven into Con
naught Other Protestants, notably Wolfe
Tone. the great leader Of the rebellion
OF l19S. believed that the way out for
Ireland was separation from England and
reform from within by means of a wild
ened franchise. This was the great civil
The Orange order and the song, 1.-THE
Weartn' of the Green They are mutu-
ally responsible for much of the trouble
In Ireland today.
Ulster men were not a unit in those
days and many of them were on the side
OF the United 1rishmen who fought with
Catholics for Irish liberty
The rebellion was put down and then
Pitt resolved upon the legislative union
Of Ireland with Great Britain He in
tended also to follow 1t with great con-
cessions and reliefs to the Catholic popu-
lation
The act of union was put through in
1900 by bribery and corruption. Some
were bought with titles, others
with money and others were coerced The !
Irish parliament was disbanded, and the |
that Pitt had planned were
never granted. From that moment be- |
gan the final division of Ireland into two |
hostile sections.