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the Crown, than to listen to the voice of the people, for nothingof the kind was ever mentioned in the House of Commons .

In a letter which I wrote to Mr. Pitt, in July, 1784, amongstother political considerations was the following observation:—“Itremble for Ireland ; it will be lost to this country, unless you giveway to the popular disposition; it was what is called firmnesswhich despoiled us of America: it would immortalise your name,and the name of our friend, the Duke of Rutland, if you could ac-complish on an equal and liberal footing, an union of the two kingdoms.Then would Britain and Ireland have but one interest; and it isrank absurdity in politics to expect any cordiality between them,whilst their interests are separate.” Sixteen years after this, Mr.Pitt accomplished the union here recommended to his attention ;but it was not attempted till a rebellion in Ireland , supported bya French invasion, had well nigh realised the fears I had enter- jtained, of its being lost to this country: nor was it at last accom-plished in the liberal way it ought to have been done.

Much about the same time I wrote to the Duke of Rutland,who was then Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland ; the following extractfrom the letter I then sent him will show how strongly thenecessity of an union had ocupied my mind, and how much Iwished to see it effected:—“Ireland , and every other distant part ofour empire, has for many years been impoliticly considered, andoppressively treated, merely as a source of wealth to this country.My very heart is grieved at the idea of one nation being oppressedthat another may be rendered rich and luxurious. The govern-ment ought to pay an equal attention to the interests of all its com-