Irish History Synopsis: The Beginning of the Union to Victoria

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Subject:
Irish History Synopsis: the Beginning of the Union 1801-Victoria

The Act of Union began with a failure of the crops in the south of Ireland in the years immediately following the Union.
The beginning years of the Century resulted in a tedious sparing between the nationalist Irish and the English Parliament.
In 1802 Catholic emancitpation sought after by the catholics and the same relief being desired by the dissenting Presbyterians were exasperated by religious anamosity felt in the country.
Lord Castlereagh [Stewarts of Down] was approved to be President of the Board of Control.
Riots occurred in Derry between Orangmen and Catholics where some were killed.
The prodistants were very agressive against the catholics killing them as catholics assembled for midsummer penances.

Castlereagh devised a plan to increase the Regium Donum grant whereby the state[English] rather than the church synod should distribute payment to mininsters.
Before a mininster could be granted this payment he must prouduce a guarantee of good character and that he was loyal .
This plan was approved by Parliament thereby incorporating the presbyterians mininster and flock to their thinking and creating a zelous loyalty to the State by a subordinate eccleastical asristocracy.
This distribution and inclusion did not include the Catholics.

By 1803 young Robert Emmett issued a manifesto and insurection broke out in the southern provinces.
But in Ulster, Tom Russell met with apthy to any revolutionary spirit.
He was avoided and the Catholic Church urged the flock not to listen to him.
He began to fear for his saftey but still, hidden in a cave declared himself to be General of the Northern District.
Both he and Emmett were arrested tried and excecuted in September.

The movement was infiltrated with spys and informers for the government.
The Irish catholics continued to petition the Pitt government for religious and civel emancipation.
In March 1805 these petitions were presented to both houses of Parliament by Grenville and Fox after Pitt refused to present them.


Discussion was postphones till May. A member from Armagh, Dr Duigenanan was vehemently anti catholic against emancipation.
Grattan rose to defend the petition and to castigate Duigenanan for his bigoted presentations, claiming the member had delivered invectives against the catholic religion, invectives against the past, invectives against the future, and invectives against the present generation.

However after two days debate the Fox motion was set aside until i a committeee approved in Febuary 1807 was composed to draw a new petition.This committee containing the name of Daniel O Connell.

Discord continued in Ireland between the prodistant orange and the catholic green party.
In June 1808 a group of men women and children convorting around a mid summer bonfire when yoemen appeared under the control of a sergeant who ordered fair like procedings halted and than ordered his men to present arms and fire.
Although the Lord Lieutenant the Duke of Richmond considered direct intervention that was not activated and the perpetrators were never caught or charged but one, who escaped with the connivance of Lord Gosford.

The attitude of the orange yoemen was that they had a right to kill any catholic Irish found offensive to them and that any of their members charged should be rescued by physical force.

A second motion for emancipation was presented in Parliament by Grattan and was again regected 213 agaisnt to 89 for.

In 1811 a third petition was presented and again regected 146-83.

The first adutation for repeal of the Union was begun in Dublin by Daniel O Connell.
He called for a coaltion of prodistant ,presbyterian and catholic with a spirit of unity in reacall of the United Irishmen.
In 1813 Grattan placed a forth Emancipation Bill in the English Parliament calling for admission of the excluded believers to Parliament, corporations, civil and militray offices.
This bill was dropped.

By 1815 turbulance in some baronies of Ireland was so prevelant that these districts were proclaimed- put under martial police law.

Waterloo fell to Wellington and gloom desended in western Europe including Britain and irleand.

Ireland remained tranquil and the Seditious Meetings Act was not applied to Ireland.

In Jan 1820 George III, old , mad , blind and despised died.

Also in that year Henry Grattan gave up the spirit having served 20 years in the Irish Parliament and 15 years in the new Union English Parliament.

Lord Wellesly was Viceroy of Ireland.

Plunkett brougt in a series of 6 resolutions on the catholic question asking the oath of disbelief and transubstantiation[ the doctrine that holds the belief of the change of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ] be repealed, and to modify the Kings supremancy in spiritual as well as temporal matters.
These resolutions although opposed by Peel were carried.







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A Second Bill in March 1821 required that no person could be a Bishop or Dean of the Roamn Cathloic Church whose loyalty and peaceable conduct had not been previously established.
Every priest should swear that he would not recognise any Bishop whose loyalty was not satified; that he would not correspond with the Pope or the Pope's agents; that he would not correspond with Rome on any matter touching his civl allegiances.

O Connell denounced the Bill, as did all Ireland, and the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and clergy.
This Commons originated Bill along with the previous Plunkett rsolutions added were passed on the third reading. However Lords opposed the Bill from Lords Eldon, Liverpool and the Duke of York. The Bill was regected in Lords and set aside.

In Ireland Orangemen vs Ribbonmen aggravated the spirit of anamosity between Church and State.

A royal visit was planned for George IV in July 1821.
George being the first English king to go to Ireland since William III.
He remained in Ireland for a month under his plan of consiliation. He assured the Irish his 'heart had always been Irish' and shook hands with the lowest of subjects.
The loyal subjects among the nationalists welcomed the King's advances including Dan O Connell.
But in Oct, Nov and Dec outrages dislodged the euphoria County Cavan being one of the most notorious areas of disturbance.
'Hatred of each other for the love of God' became the signature expression of the day.
Antrim and Armagh hurled insults and provocative remarks about followed by riots amongst the people.
Courts could not obtain adequate unpurged testimony and threw out cases brought before them.

ON July 12 1823 at the Meghara Fair Orangemen and Ribbonmen quarelled. The Orangmen were driven to the Barracks where the provided themselves with arms and amunition. They fired into the Ribbonmen killing and wounding 20 or 30 of them. This was followed by an attack on Catholic dwellings in the area.

The Catholic Association of Ireland was founded by O Connell and Sheil and friends
to adopt legal and constitutional means to achieve Catholic Emancipation.
The organization was open to all who subscribed for membership. Meetings were held on Saturday.Reporters were allowed to attend.
Subsciptions were solicited in every town ,village and parish.
Everyone applied for membership at the rates they could afford and a Forth Estate arose in Ireland, that of the common people.
The King however, opposed the Association.
A Bill was brought in Febraray of 1825 to prevent unlawful societies and to prevent collection of money subsciptions for the purposes of releiving greviences. and to prohibit communications between affillliated societies.
This Bill supported by Plunkett was passed and given the Royal Assent in March 1825,
thus ending the Catholic Association without a struggle

A Committee was formed to study ways of dealing with this legislative dismissal of the Association.
21 noblemen were assembled to work out a compromise solution and submit a report.
This recommended a new Association with Dublin as its Headquarters, with sub offices in every Irish county acting independantly of each other.
12 shillings was made the new membership fee regardless of creed or or political affiliation.
This precedure suficed to engage Catholic Emancipation activity until the Act directed agains the Association expired in July 1828.

During this period a vacancy occured in County Clare when Vesey Fitzgerald was appointed to the Board of Trade.
O Connell was offered as a candidate by the Association to which he was elected.
When he went to Commons he was presented the Oath of Supremecy and Abduration which he refused to take.
This caused exitement in the countys as O Connell was refused his seat.
In the north the Association sent Lawless to represtnt them. The entire population o f County Monahan followed him in numbers of 20 to 30 thousand.
These being annimated with a desire for lawless behavior presented a serious menace.
The magistrates called out the miltary to check them.

In 1829 the King again in his speech from the Throne regretted Irelands Association as dangerous to the public peace and advised Parliament to remove the Civil disabilites of the catholics in conformity with the Church and State.

Peel brought in a bill to supress the Catholic Association and to remove the civil disabilities of catholics.
This bill heard 10 March 1829 and on Marhc 18 passed and on the thrid reading March 30th passed 320-140
In Lords the Bill was passed on April 10 and recieved the Royal Assent on the 13th.

On April 15 1829 O Connell again appeared at the House to take the newly enacted Oath.
This the House refused to allow him to do claiming he was elected before the new act he was still required to take the old Oath of
Supremacy and Abduration .
He refused again and was returned to Ireland to seek re election.Passing the cry of Repeal he was again returned for Clare with no contest.

Goerge IV died on Saturday 26 June 1830, the English Crown being taken by his brother Willaim of Clarence third son of George III of Hanover as William IV.
As William IV arose to the Throne England cried out for Parliamentary reform.
The Duke of Wellington of Waterloo fame, retorted that no reform was needed and would not be considered arousing more popular ire.
Wellington resigned and a Whig ministry was formed under Grey and Lord John Russlell.

On March 1 ,1831 a Reform Bill was introduced inthe Commons by L Russell.
The bill failed as it had no majority and Parliament disolved.
Rioting occured at the elections.
When a new Parliamentof reformers was formed the Bill again passed Commons but was regected by Lords on the second reading.

Lord Anglesay was again appointed Viceroy for Ireland but the ministers were so absorbed in reform they had no time to questions of order in Ireland or the knawing question of Church of Irleand tithes.

In May 1832 a Reform Bill for Ireland was introduced by Stanley the Chief Secretary.
The Bill was designed to relieve unequal representation of the 7,700,000 population in which 700,000,000 were represented by only 64 representatives, and to raise the voting franchise to tenant holders of 50 pounds a year and leaseholders of 99 years to10 pound s to give these groups the vote.
Dublin constituancy would be raised from 15,000 to 16,000 and Belfast would have a constituancy of 1500 to 2300 instead of 13; and would raise the ordinary franchise from 5 pounds to 10 pounds.
O Connell and Sheill opposed the Bill .
This oppostition was indicated by indicating that in some counties of Ireland not more than 300 persons could pay the franchise fee. and the favoritism of electors thereby to prodistant counties able to pay the 10 pounds.
Stanley however, replied that Parnell, an accountant and impartial man had contended that 50 pounds increase would add to the catholic constituancy.
This reform Bill was passed by both houses and given the Royal Assent on August 7 ,1832.

The social condtions in Ireland was deplorable.

A Coersion Bill was introducd in Lords to rectify this condition. Lord Grey was the Prime Minister at this time.

There were at this time some 9000 crimes of violence in the countryside within the preceeding 2 months peroid.
Murders were committed.
Juries refused to convict and intimidation entered almost every household.
The law had no authority.
The state of Ireland was abysmal.
This Coersion Bill was passed 29 March 1832, 345-86 and recieved the Royal Assent.
Political gatherings were banned by the Lord Lieutenant Anglesay and the Volunters' were not needed'.
OConnell had reestablished this force. These were disbanded by the LL who proceeded to put action to his words.
The offences throughout Ireland dimminshed.

By 1834 with the Coersion Bill in full force crime and outrage were becoming rare but discontent was rife.
The tithe question remainded unaddressed.
The King recommended Parliament consider it in his speech from theThrone ,however opposed any repeal for the legislative union.
The King considered the Union a bond of national strength and safety and was for prevention of reform.
He declared to maintain the Union by all means in his power under the blessing of Divine Providence.




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The entire session of this Parliament was devoted to Irish affairs.
The Parliament reduced the number of Prodestant Bishops in Ireland to reflect their adherents number per parish and reduced the stifend from 12,600 pounds per year to 8,000 pounds a year. ATithe Bill was introduced abolishing parishes where public worship had not been held in 3 years.. 66 such parishes were found.
136,600 pounds of tithes money were gathered from these counties for these parishes.
Reduction of the cess [taxes] filled the Assendany with dismay.they strongly objected to the Tithe Bill which was passed 30 July ,135-81.
This ended the great struggle between the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland.
The Irish Church question had attracted universal attention.

The Prodistants alarmed at the proposed loss of their priviledge and favored status petitioned the King with a 1400 clergyman document outlining the proposed loss of the priviledge. The King upheld the petition.
A vote of no confidence was taken and a new government was formed under Melbourne. A Tory reaction was approved and favored by King William who grew wary of the reform spirit.
He dismissed the Melbourne cabinate and placed Sir Robert Peel at head of government.
After four months Peel fell and Melbourne was returned to power in April 1835.

A town council reform act [ Municipal Reform Act] was passed giving freemen and rate payers the right to appoint town counselors who than elected the magistrats from among themselves.

Hrenry Phipps,Earl of Mulgrave became Lord Lieutenant in 1835. Perrin was Attorney General and set aside the Crown Prosecutors rule requiring Catholics to be set aside when called to jury duty ending Irish jury padding.

Under Melbourne the tithe settlement , reform of municipal corporations and Irish poor laws were enacted.

The tithe settlement surplus revenues of the Church of Ireland at around 58,000 per annum were applied to religious and moral education in Ireland.
This bill was twice regected but O Connell organised a National Association for promotion of Reform.
The Association was resisted in Ulster under Dr Henry Cooke who is now represented by a statue of Bronze in Belfast popularly known as the Black Man due to its tarnish.

These Radicals and Catholics made an ounslaught against the Orange Order which by 1835 had great power in Ireland having lodges in the Army.
The Duke of Cumberland, son of George III was Grand Master.
The Orange Order was investigated by the House of Commons Committee which uncovered a conspiracy to change the sucession in favor of Cumberland the Kings brother.

Frederick Agustus Duke of York and Albany, when informed of the Orders illegalities resigned from the Order as Grand Master and had forbidden the lodges in the Army as he was Commander in Chief.
However his brother ,the Duke of Cumberland ,Ernest William Agustus on succeeding York issued warrents allowing the formation of lodges within the British Army.

Hume introduced a motion to remove all the judges, privy counselors, Lord Lieutenants , magistrates, malitia officers, inspectors and constables who attended a meeting of the Orange Lodges or any Ribbon Lodges or any political club.
Lord Russell resisted this motion which was defeated.
Russell invited the House to leave the matter to the King to discourage the Orange Lodges and politcal societies. This was complied with by the lodges and Ernest William Agustus of Cumberland withdrew from the association.

On 20 June King William IV died.
Because Salic law forbade the Hanover House in Germany being given to a woman, the 8th child of Goerge III Ernest Agustus Duke of Cumberland was appointed King in Germany and the young daughter of the Duke of Kent, Edward Agustus, who had married Strathhein Victoria of Saxe Colburg Saalfeld their daughter
Alexandrina Victoria became Queen of England in June 1837 ushering in the Victorian Age.

submitted by judi ann aug 6 07

source: History of Ulster , Ramsey Colles ,Volume 4, published 1919 by Gresham Publishing Coy Ltd

Judi Donnelly
Copyright August 1 2007




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