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HISTORY OF IRELAND.

CHAPTER V.

Administration of the DUKE of RICHMOND.

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The Lord Lieutenant and Scer

free of the

OF this administration suffice it to observe, that it consists of men devoted to the principles and system of a party, which worked itself into power, by pledging themselves to be adverse to Catholic tary madconcession. This pervading principle will be the city. ready comment to unravel and explain every cir-, cumstance of difficulty and mystery, that may occur throughout the chapter. On the 22d of April, whilst the adjourned Quarter Assembly of the Common Council was convened in William-street, Dublin, an order was sent down from the Lord Mayor and Board of Aldermen, for presenting to the Lord Lieutenant his freedom of the city in a gold box, with an address congratulating him upon

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his appointment to the government of Ireland. A similar order was also sent to Sir A. Wellesley, with his freedom to be presented in a silver box, with an address of congratulation. Both these orders were founded on a petition of several of the Commons, stating, that it was customary so to proceed. On which occasion Mr. Giffard said, that though he were convinced, that every man, who heard him would be emulous to make his respect to the two illustrious persons in question, yet he believed they would be actuated by far different motives than mere custom; for one, he voted for those marks of respect to his Grace the Duke of Richmond, as due to him on account of his high rank and estimable character; but, above all, because he trusted he would prove a true representative of our good and gracious King, and like him maintaining the constitution in Church and State, secure the internal peace, tranquillity and prosperity of Ireland. With regard to Sir Arthur Wellesley, he voted for the compliment to him, first, as a countryman, and of an illustrious family long honored and beloved; secondly, on account of his amiable character; and thirdly, because he had, under the auspices of that excellent Statesman, the Marquis Wellesley, extended the renown of the British empire, and displayed our conquering banner, on the farthest borders of India. Certain persons were appointed to draw up the address, which was soon after presented by the whole Corpora

tion.

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takes leave

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His Grace had not been two days seated on the vice-regal throne, when he was waited upon by Lord The Bar Fingal, and he took that opportunity of expressing his firm determination to adopt a strict and equal Chancellor. administration of the laws uninfluenced by the passions or prejudices of any party whatsoever. Be-fore the new Lord Lieutenant set about the arrangements, he strongly pressed Mr. Plunkett to continue in the situation of Attorney General. This he refused, and upon his resignation, Mr. Saurin was appointed to succeed him. It was generally believed, that this gentleman had twice before declined the offer of that honorable situation. His motives for accepting it under a government overtly pledged to resist Catholic concession to Ireland were consequently much canvassed. Mr. Bushé was appointed Solicitor General. When the Chancellor, after having given judgment in a cause of great moment, was about to quit the Court on the 28th of April, he was detained by the Attorney General, requesting to know, "Whether his Lordship meant to sit on the following day?" Upon being answered in the negative, Mr. Attorney General addressed him nearly as follows. "My Lord. Having by the desire of the Bar had the honor to present you with their unanimous congratulations on your appointment to the Seals, they cannot be silent on the present occasion; and through me are anxious to repeat to you the sentiments, which they then expressed. I must, my Lord, be permitted to convey to you the high sense, which is entertained by the Bar of the dili

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gence, the zeal, the talents, and the integrity,
with which you have discharged the duties of your
office*, and the deep regret they at this moment
feel at your separation from them. I must also be
allowed to express their grateful acknowledgments
of the uniform courtesy and impartial attention,
which you always manifested towards every mem-
ber of their profession," To which the Chancellor
replied nearly in the following words.
"I feel
most sensibly this approbation of the Bar, which
you have so kindly communicated; at the same
time, I must be permitted to ascribe it, as much to
their partiality, as any merit of mine. When the
King was pleased to appoint me to the high office,
which I had the honor to hold, it was my firm de-
termination, conscientiously to discharge the du-
ties, which belong to it, to the utmost of my abi-
lity; I am inclined to think, I have not been alto-
gether unsuccessful, having obtained a commenda-
tion of a body so capable of forming a correct
judgment as the Irish Bar. I feel great satisfac-

The merits of Mr. Ponsonby as Chancellor were more precisely set forth by Lord Howick on the 3d of July, when the House of Commons was debating upon his pension." Of the honor of Mr. Ponsonby he believed no man ever entertained a doubt; and he would now appeal to the gentlemen of Ire land present, whether there ever had been on the chancery bench in that country a more upright and efficient Judge; or one, who had rendered such universal satisfaction? The truth was, that when appointed to that office, he found the business "in arrear six years. 600 motions and 427 causes; he cleared all the motions and 200 causes, besides the current business of * his court; and had he remained in office only some months longer, would have cleared the whole.”

tion from the character of the nobleman, who has been appointed my successor, that the duties of the situation will be discharged by him in a manner far beyond that, to which my humble talents could pretend." On the next day Lord Manners arrived in Dublin, and the Great Seal was put into his hands. Some days after, Sir Jonah Barring ton, the Judge of the Irish Admiralty, was presented to his Majesty at the Queen's House by Lords Hawkesbury and Westmoreland, and kissed his Majesty's hand on his new appointment*; after which his Majesty conferred the honor of knighthood upon him. There ended the new legal arrangements under this administration. The only civil place carrying with it no political authority or consequence given by the late administration to their own particular friends, was the place of MusVer Master General of Ireland to Mr. Bowes Daly, the brother-in-law of Mr. G. Ponsonby and Mr. Thomas Sheridan. That was now returned to Lord Lecale, who held it under Mr. Pitt's administration, of which he was a prime favourite, and staunch supporter.

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of Parlia

The dissolution of Parliament, which the new Dissolution ministers affected in the cant of the day to deno- ment. minate an appeal to the people, being not then of four months standing, was warmly contested, though carried by a great predominancy in the cabinet. It was a measure neither calculated, nor

The office of the Judge of the Irish Admiralty was then for the first time granted for life, with an encreased salary of £1,200 Vide what was before said upon this subject, p.

& seq.