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THE UNION.
The Irish Parliament had run its course, and had involved the unhappy
country in chaos, bankruptcy, revolution, and bloodshed. Lord Clare--a
late and reluctant convert to the policy of the Union--said in the Irish
House of Lords (Feb. 10, 1800)--
"We have not three years of redemption from bankruptcy, intolerable
taxation, nor one hour's security against the renewal exterminating
civil war. Session after session have you been compelled to enact
laws of unexampled rigour and novelty to repress the horrible
excesses of the mass of your people: and the fury of murder and
pillage and desolation have so outrun all legislative exertions
that you have been at length driven to the hard necessity of
breaking down the pale of municipal law, and putting your courage
under the ban of military government--and in every little circle of
dignity and independence we hear whispers of discontent at the
temperate discretion with which it is administered.... Look to your
civil and religious dissensions.


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