He went into the closet, and made a
strong representation on the matter to the king, which was not ill
received, and I believe produced good effects. He then made the motion
in the House of Lords which you may recollect; but he was content to
withdraw all of censure which it contained, on the solemn promise of
ministry, that they would in the recess of Parliament prepare a plan for
the benefit of Ireland, and have it in readiness to produce at the next
meeting. You may recollect that Lord Gower became in a particular manner
bound for the fulfilling this engagement. Even this did not satisfy, and
most of the minority were very unwilling that Parliament should be
prorogued until something effectual on the subject should be
done,--particularly as we saw that the distresses, discontents, and
armaments of Ireland were increasing every day, and that we are not so
much lost to common sense as not to know the wisdom and efficacy of
early concession in circumstances such as ours.
The session was now at an end. The ministers, instead of attending to a
duty that was so urgent on them, employed themselves, as usual, in
endeavors to destroy the reputation of those who were bold enough to
remind them of it.
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