safety of that Kingdom, till such a scheme can be brought to perfection, which must be a work of some time. Even then, the number of regular forces will, in time of danger, not be found too great, when they may be wanted to relieve the Militia from so continued a fatigue. I will only add, with deference to your Excellency, who will be better acquainted with the mode of proceeding of the Irish Parliament, that it appears that it was proposed to provide for this augmentation by a vote of credit, in which case there will be no hazard in letting the Money Bill pass, and the committee of supply be closed. Your Excellency must, however, be sensible, that if the Money Bill should come over loaded with a number of private grants, with what an ill appearance it can be afterwards urged, "that the state of the revenue of Ireland cannot bear" what is absolutely necessary for the public security.[1]
On the receipt of the above letter Townshend sought another interview with the Junto. They were inexorable in their opposition,[2] and not knowing where to turn, Townshend caught at some expressions in the recent despatches of Shelburne, and hoped that they might be understood "as meaning that should there come a time particularly critical in the course of his endeavours to carry on the King's business, he might then be permitted to lay before him what should appear to immediately interest the service." "Mankind," he added, "judge pretty well how to time their requests."[3] With some assurances based on this despatch he appears to have been able for the moment to quiet the majority, who, satisfied with the formidable demonstration they had made, withdrew their opposition and waited. The heads of the Septennial Bill, of a tax on all pensions, salaries, and profits of employments payable to persons out of Ireland, and of the Judicature Bill and a Habeas Corpus Bill were next rapidly passed, and transmitted to England. The Parliament then adjourned till January.
In the interval the Junto informed Townshend of the
