In Grattan’s Life, vol. iv., p. 14, the placemen in parliament are enumerated, and the list shows:—
| In the military department | 36 | |
| In the law do | 38 | |
| In the revenue do | 38 | |
| In state and miscellaneous do | 9 | |
| Pensions | 7 | |
| Total | 109 |
Lib. Mun. vol. i. part 1, enumerates 389 patent offices in the establishment of Ireland—amongst them are: Keeper of the Signet, Under Secretary of State for the Civil Department, do. for Military Do., Pursuivant, Master of the Game, Interpreter of Irish tongue, Star Chamber, with Commissioners, Marshals, clerks, &c., Courts of Wards and Liveries with Masters; fœdaries, &c., the Court of Palatines, the Lord Almoner, the Vice-Treasurer, Transcriptor and Foreign Apposer, Summonister and Clerk of Estreats, the Trustees of the Linen Manufacture, Commissioners of Wide Streets, Commissioners of Array, Constables of Castles, Muster Master General, Commissioners for Victualling, Provincial Provost Martials, Alnager, Clerk of the Pells, Vice-treasurer, Clerk of the Lords, Clerk of the Commons, six Clerks of Chancery, Principal Secretaries of State, Prime Serjeant, Lord High Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Auditor-General, Commissioners of Treasury, Commissioners of Accounts, First Clerk, Second and Third Clerk to do.; Commissioner of Appeals, Commissioners of Stamps, Hearth Money Collectors, Poll Tax Collectors, Cursitors in Chancery, Register of Appeals Spiritual, Clerk of the Pipe, Prothonotary, Philizer, or Filacer Clerk of Privy Council, Wine-taster, Escheator, Searcher, Packers, Craners, Seneschals, Presidents of the Four Provinces, Governors of Forts, Clerks of the First Fruits, Deputy Master of the Rolls, Examinators, Master of the Revels, Clerk of the Nickells, Exigenter, Clerk of the Outlawries, Clerk of the Essions, Chirographers, Sirographers, &c., &c.
[93] The first real and important debate in the Irish Parliament was in 1753, on the Money Bill, on the Commons’ power to dispose of surplus revenue.
The beginning of useful practical legislation for the country was made in 1757 by Edmund Sexten Pery’s Land Carriage Act, giving bounties on the land carriage of corn to Dublin. In the same year he carried another Act giving bounties on ship carriage of coal to Dublin.
[94] In the single year of 1782 (short parliaments and free trade having been already secured)—
The Bank of Ireland was established.
Habeas Corpus was made law.
The Sacramental test for Protestant nonconformists was abolished.
Poyning’s Act and 6th of George I. were repealed.
The perpetual Mutiny Act was repealed.
Judges appointed quam diu.
A great Catholic Relief Act, including education, was carried.
Parliamentary independence was achieved.
Grattan’s parliament did not keep up to this high level of public spirit. It sank and perished by its own unreformed corruption.
[95] “Free Trade for Ireland,” in 1779, meant something quite distinct from the political economy free trade of the present day. The latter means an exemption from all duties to the State on exports and imports; whereas the former meant a release from the restrictions on Irish trade imposed by England for the benefit of England. The reform of 1779 continued the duties, but enjoined that they should be imposed by the native parliament for the benefit of the Irish kingdom. The Irish Free Trade Parliament was Protectionist. In the November of 1779 Grattan’s amendment on the Address, supported by Hussey Burgh and the volunteers, demanding Free Trade, was carried. In February 1780 the concession was made by England, and the Provost’s book had a large share in the triumph.—[See Mitchel.]
It was on the debate on the Short Supply in connection with this measure that Hussey Burgh said, and lost the Prime Serjeancy for saying, “The English have sowed their laws like serpents’ teeth and they have sprung up in armed men.”