Page Lord Hillsborough to Lord Buckingham, 6th February, 1780,-Arms Lord Buckingham to Lord Hillsborough, 10th February, 1780,-Pro- Same to same, 17th February, 1780,-Embargo .. Same to same, 21st February, 1780,-Mutiny Bill 412 · 414 € 415 . 418 419 Sir Richard Heron to Sir Stanier Porten, 2nd May, 1780,-Mutiny Bill 421 423 expenses 424 Sir Richard Heron to John Robinson, 20th May, 1780,-Sugar duties 428 Same.. to same, 11th July, 1780,-State of Country Same.. to same, 23rd August, 1780,-Meeting of Citizens-Non- Same.. to same, 7th October, 1780,-Removing Troops. cution of Press . Lord Buckingham to Lord Hillsborough, 11th December, 1780,-Pro- - 432 434 437 LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE OF HENRY GRATTAN. CHAPTER I. Alderman Horan. - Embarrassment of the Government. - The Lord Lieutenant to Lord Weymouth.- Description of the state of affairs. The same to the same.- Question of English laws for Ireland.-Lord Hillsborough succeeds Lord Weymouth. His conduct in the affair of Alderman Horan.-Infatuation of Lord North on the state of Ireland.-Prudent conduct of the Irish patriotsThe Commissioners of Customs to the Lord Lieutenant.-Lord Hillsborough to the Lord Lieutenant.-The Lord Lieutenant to Lord Hillsborough,-advises temporising.-Sir Richard Heron to Sir Stannier Porsen.-Proceedings in the British Parliament regarding Ireland.— Mr. Foster's resolutions as to free trade.-His character.-Lords Hillsborough and Buckingham's letters respecting the embargo. The provisions sent from Ireland.-Danger of supplying the enemy.-Lord Buckingham's letter regarding Mr. Grattan and Mr. Conolly, 17th, and of Lord Hillsborough of the 22nd February, 1780--Exertions of Government on free trade.-Letter of Lord Buckingham of 2d March. -Conduct of the Duke of Leinster.-Exertions of Government against the Declaration of Rights.-Address moved by the Duke of Leinster reflecting on the volunteers -Protest of Lord Charlemont and other VOL. II. B peers against it.-Failure of the Earl of Buckinghamshire to get a similar Address in the Commons.-1780.-Lord Weymouth's letter to the Lord Lieutenant.-The King's directions to oppose any alteration in the Constitution. A An event now occurred which had well nigh involved the two countries in actual hostilities. bold and public spirited citizen of Dublin--Alderman Horan-justly conceiving that an English law should not bind Ireland, unless re-enacted therein, determined to try the question, and ascertain if the Act of William III.* could prevent him from exporting his woollen merchandise to foreign countries. Accordingly, he tendered for export at the Custom-house some Irish woollen goods. The Commissioners applied to Government,and the Lord Lieutenant applied to England. The question of mere power and usurpation was now brought to the test, and it was to be tried whether the trade of millions was to be stopped by the law of another country, not enacted in Ireland. A British frigate was then off the coast, and would in all probability have detained the merchant ship; or, if resisted, would have fired into her. Thus, a repetition of the Boston violence * In 1698, the English manufacturers had addressed King William, complaining that the Irish were applying themselves to the woollen manufactures, to the great prejudice of the trade of England; and they prayed that he would hinder the export of wool from Ireland, except it be sent to England. His reply was-"I shall do all that in me lies to discourage the woollen manufacture in Ireland." and of resistance, as in America, appeared likely to occur. But, at this critical and momentous crisis, the wisdom and temper of the leaders among the popular party was successfully exerted. They moderated and controlled the indignant resentment of the people; thus preventing a convulsion in Ireland, and a war with Great Britain. Nothing further, therefore, was done in the matter; and the question was not brought to issue, but it served to arouse the attention of Lord Hillsborough, who had just succeeded Lord Weymouth as Secretary for the Home Department. Accordingly he addressed to Lord Buckingham a letter, somewhat in a tone of reproof, seeking to cast upon him blame for a neglect which was justly to be attributed to the government of Lord North; his attention had been repeatedly called to the situation of Ireland, by the motions made in Parliament; but he had evinced such a total disregard for her wants, as well as a singular ignorance of her state, that he declared in the House of Commons, "That the distress of Ireland was a child of the imagination; and except where laziness was attended by its never-failing companion-wretchedness-all in Ireland was a continued scene of abundance and festivity." This had been the singular speech of the British Minister only a few sessions before; betraying such ignorance, indifference, and inattention, that it required almost a civil war on the part of Ire land to undeceive the Minister, and awaken the King. The following are the official letters which passed on this subject. THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE CUSTOMS TO THE LORD LIEUTENANT. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, We humbly beg leave to acquaint your Excellency that Mr. George L'Estrange, clerk to the collector of this port, having been summoned to attend the House of Commons on Saturday last, the 20th instant, during his absence, Alderman James Horan went to the office to tender an entry for a hundred yards of old drapery, made of Irish wool, and Irish manufacture, to be shipped on board the Sarah, Hans Madse Malle, for Rotterdam. The objection to the passing this entry, as being contrary to the British Act of the 10th and 11th William III., and some arguments as to the propriety of the measure, being offered to Mr. Horan's consideration, he was dissuaded from insisting upon tendering his entry, which, however, he left in the office with the amount of the duty, until he should consult his friends; and on Monday morning last he went again to the Collector's Office, and told the collector's clerk that he would not at that time insist on the entry being passed, but that he did not mean to give up the point. It appears to us, that this proceeding was not imagined solely by the Alderman, but that it was concerted in order to bring forward the question how far the British law extends to the prohibition of the exportation of Irish manufacture to foreign countries; and as the matter may possibly be resumed, and it is a question of no |