The Free Parliament

An Irish Parliament, with full power to make laws for Ireland, and freed at last from English control, now met in Dublin (1783). Its first important act was to consider a measure of parliamentary reform. The Irish House of Commons was not only defective in that it consisted of and was elected solely by Protestants. Of its three hundred members, at least one hundred were chosen by the influence or the direct orders of the great landlords. It was thus, to a large degree, subject to the will of the aristocracy. As soon, therefore, as the new and free Parliament had assembled, some of its leading spirits proposed that these defects in the House should be remedied, that the Catholics should be admitted to the suffrage, and that the influence of the landlords in the selection of members should be curtailed.

Grattan was still the most conspicuous figure in the House. His genius and eloquence were still unrivalled. Flood was also a member; and, in spite of his holding an office under the crown, was, curiously enough, more earnest in his zeal for reform than his great rival. Among the other patriots, the Earl of Charlemont and the Earl of Bristol (the latter of whom was also the Protestant bishop of Derry) were eminent. Each of these four—Grattan, Flood, Charlemont, and Bristol—was the leader of a party by itself. Grattan wished not only to reform the House of Commons, and admit the Catholics to the right to vote, but he desired to show gratitude to and confidence in the good faith of England, by disbanding the Volunteers. Flood was an advocate of reform, but opposed Catholic suffrage, and was eager that the Volunteers should continue in existence. Charlemont favored the disbandment, but was hostile to Catholic suffrage. Bristol was in favor of keeping the Volunteers, and granting the vote to the Catholics. After a bitter contest, the House of Commons refused to pass the reform bill, although it was loudly demanded by the people. The Volunteers were soon after disbanded and dispersed. But they gave place to another patriotic society, which was destined to play a notable part in the following years. This was the society of the "United Irishmen." It was composed of men from all parts of Ireland, Protestant and Catholic. Its objects were to secure a complete reform of the House of Commons, to unite Irishmen of all creeds and political beliefs in harmony and patriotic action, to get rid of the feuds and dissensions which divided Irishmen, and to make more secure and ample the liberties which Ireland had already won.

At the head of the United Irishmen were two Protestants, Hamilton Rowan and James Tandy. Its leading spirit was Wolfe Tone, a courageous and enthusiastic young lawyer. Grattan held aloof from the movement; but it extended very rapidly throughout Ireland, and soon became, as the Volunteers had been, a formidable force. At first the United Irishmen professed loyalty to the English crown. They declared that they only intended to carry on a peaceful agitation to obtain further reforms. But in course of time, events took place which led the society to inspire a revolt, with a view to achieving the complete independence of Ireland. During the first few years after the Irish Parliament became free, Ireland appeared to be entering upon a career of unheard-of prosperity. Trade revived, and the cities and chief towns assumed the aspect of active business and thrift. The state of things in the country districts did not, however, greatly improve; and so great did the disturbances become, that the Irish Parliament was forced to pass a severe "coercion" law, for the purpose of maintaining order.

Several serious contentions, moreover, arose between England and Ireland. There were disputes as to the conditions of Irish trade; and when George the Third became insane, and it was proposed to make his eldest son, the Prince of Wales, regent of the kingdom, the Irish took sides with the prince, and against Pitt, who was then prime minister. This aroused Pitt's hostility, and was one of the causes which led him later to destroy the Irish Parliament altogether. But the Irish Parliament, during its brief existence, adopted some enlightened and tolerant measures. Grattan succeeded in carrying a bill to allow Catholics to practice as lawyers; and a little later he secured to Catholics the right to vote for members of Parliament (1793). An agitation now sprang up to obtain for the Catholics the right also to sit in Parliament, and to hold civil and military offices. Even Pitt, who had never been friendly to Ireland, seemed inclined to yield to this demand. He sent Earl Fitzwilliam, an enlightened and liberal statesman, to Dublin as lord-lieutenant: and the Irish were encouraged to believe that full political rights would at last be allowed to the Catholics.

Their hopes were frustrated by the obstinacy of George the Third. He utterly refused to consent that the Irish Catholics should have the rights they demanded. This compelled Pitt to once more change his policy. He recalled the liberal Fitzwilliam, and appointed Clare, an avowed enemy of the Irish reform, in his place. Then, by bribery and corruption, Pitt induced the Irish Parliament to reject the bill which removed the restrictions upon the Catholics. The patriotic Grattan did not yet wholly despair. Once more he brought a reform bill into the Irish House of Commons, and was most eloquently aided by the young Irish orator, John Philputt Curran (1797). But this last heroic attempt to save Ireland from anarchy or renewed slavery was not successful. The Irish Parliament was corrupt, and had now become the mere tool of Pitt and the English influence. The failure to reform it, and make it representative of the whole people, had brought about this wretched condition of affairs. Grattan in despair retired from taking further part in public life, and left Ireland to the leadership of more fiery spirits.

The final defeat of all reform, the failure of the Catholics to obtain their political rights, the now complete subservience of the Irish Parliament to the will of Pitt, caused the society of United Irishmen to make an entire change of attitude. Their gatherings became secret. Their adherents were busily armed and drilled in out-of-the-way places. They were joined by many men of ability, rank, and influence, who had hitherto held aloof from it. Prominent among these new recruits were Thomas Addis Emmet, a brilliant lawyer; Lord Edward Fitzgerald, a brother of the then Duke of Leinster; and Arthur O'Connor, a member of the Irish House of Commons. The French revolution had inspired the United Irishmen with a longing and a desire to throw off the British yoke, as the French had got rid of their kings and nobles. France, more-over, was now at war with England; and the leaders of the impending Irish revolt believed that French arms and money would come to their aid when the signal for open rebellion was given.

Wolfe Tone was, from the first, the most active and energetic of the leaders of the United Irishmen. His operations, and those of the society, were made known to Pitt by the spies whom he had sent to Ireland; and Tone was forced to fly. He crossed the Atlantic to the United States. But he had by no means given up the cause of his country. He soon returned over the ocean to France, and there pleaded eloquently for assistance on behalf of the Irish. Meanwhile the more disaffected parts of Ireland were put under martial law; the militiamen, under English command, were quartered in the houses of the Catholics, and committed many robberies and gross cruelties; and the Irish were once more becoming desperate to revenge themselves upon their foreign masters. The French, yielding to Tone's entreaties, supplied him with a fleet, ten thousand soldiers, and a large quantity of stores, arms, and ammunition. But now the elements intervened to dash the hopes of the Irish patriots. As the friendly French ships approached the Irish coast, a great wind-storm arose. The fleet was scattered, and for weeks floated helplessly about, unable to effect a landing; and at last, in despair, returned to France. But the bold spirit of Wolfe Tone was still undespairing. He was resolved to struggle for Irish liberty to the last.