“Thou Hutchinson whom every muse
With winning grace and art endues,
Whose power ’gainst prejudice contends
And proves that law and wit are friends—
In that promiscuous page alone
By letters J. H. H. art known.”
[70] [“Life of Lord Charlemont.”]
[72] “History of the University of Dublin,” p. 253, &c.
[73] “Froude,” vol. ii. p. 104.
[74] “Distinguished Irishmen,” vol. v. p. 233, &c.
[75] “English in Ireland,” passim.
[76] Barrè was over here at that time as Vice-Treasurer, &c. He received the Freedom of Dublin in 1776.
[77] The Bill was to raise the army in Ireland to 15,500 men. Pery and the Nationalists saw that the object of the Crown was to have troops to send to America to crush the Colonists, and this they would not have on any terms. The Government, in reply, passed an Act through the English Parliament, giving satisfactory security that the full force of 12,000 should be kept in Ireland. Nationalists now have not to complain of any want of troops in this country, and we do not hear of their demanding any “satisfactory assurance” of the permanence of the forces.
Nothing could exceed the eagerness of the English Ministry to have the Army Augmentation Bill passed through the Irish Parliament. Lord Shelbourne, the English Home Secretary, wrote to Lord Lieutenant Townshend (March 1768) (a) that he would not hear of Malone’s and Hutchinson’s suggestions of delay in bringing in the Bill. He further announced that the English Parliament had passed an Act taking off the limitation of the troops in Ireland, imposed by the 10th of William III., and pledging that a full force of 12,000 men should be kept in Ireland. Sexten Pery led the opposition, which defeated the Bill by a majority of four. The Irish parliament was prorogued and dissolved, and did not meet for sixteen months, when they again threw out the Army Bill. Eventually, in November, 1769, Townshend succeeded in having the clause carried in another Act, whereby 3,235 men, in addition to the 12,000 to be kept here, were voted.