closing the chapter of the connection between England and Ireland. When accordingly Lord Lansdowne rose to speak on the 19th March, there was general attention. He began with a strong declaration in favour of the complete emancipation of the Roman Catholics. "As to what passed in 1782," he went on, "the Cabinet at that time, making the exception of one person"—he was alluding to Lord Keppel—"consisted of as great and worthy men, as any that ever existed in this country. They were ten in number, and only three of them were dead; consequently there were six of them to bear testimony to the truth of what he was about to say. He had made some communication, in 1782, about a plan which he had much at heart, but which was not proceeded upon. It did not go to the length of a despatch. It related to what might be called the expense of the system which was carried on under the two Parliaments. This had nothing to do with a Union. Those who had taken a share in the proceedings of 1782 had entered into no pledge whatever about a Union.[1] It was extraordinary that any one should refer to it on the present occasion. Most clear it was, that those who favoured the idea of a Union at this moment were no more acting in violation of any pledge in 1782, than those who were now opposing that idea, neither having entered into any pledge upon the subject. He could not conceive how any man possessed of a clear understanding could think of introducing the idea of any pledge to do nothing as between the two countries since the proceedings of 1782. The present plan could not be said to grow out of those of 1782, any more than those of 1782 could be considered as a bar to any future proceedings." He then proceeded to insist upon the necessity of sincerity and straightforward dealing in everything connected with the Irish, for they were a nation who prided themselves on a scrupulous regard for honour; a part of the national character demonstrated by a popular anecdote, in which a
- ↑ See supra, Vol. II. Ch. III. In an article in the Contemporary Review (1887), "Ireland 1872 and 1887," I have examined the history of these transactions more fully (F.).
