Lord Kinghad a Petition to present to their Lordships, on a very important subject, respecting which his opinions were quite at variance with those of the petitioners. When the measure of which they complained—the Union of Great Britain and Ireland, was under the consideration of the British Legislature —he was opposed to it; because he did not wish the corruptions of England to be increased by those of Ireland. But he now feared, that it would be a mischievous experiment to repeal that measure after such a lapse of time. He believed that Ireland would suffer greatly from the separation of the two countries, the more so as they could be separated only by means of war, and to that a repeal of the Union would certainly lead. If he were an Irishman, he might perhaps be induced to consult his national feelings, in opposition to his judgment. But although he knew little of Ireland himself, and from what he did know, he believed its condition to be very wretched; yet he had heard that there had recently appeared there some signs of improvement, to which the repeal, desired by petitioners, would put a stop, by immediately checking the introduction of English capital. If the Union were repealed, Ireland would lose the present 1202 excellent market for her produce which she found in Great Britain, and which was opened to her in 1806. One of the first consequences, he believed, of the repeal of the Union would be, to exclude the produce of Ireland from the market of England, which, to the great body of her people employed in raising food for this country, would be a most serious injury. A noble friend of his had stated, that the dissolution of the Legislative Union would lead to a total separation of the two countries, which he believed, and he even believed, that such a separation would be followed by war; entertaining opinions so adverse to the petitioners' claim, he wished that they had placed the petitions in other hands. His Lordship concluded by presenting Petitions from the Paper-stainers, Carpet-weavers, and other Trades of the City of Dublin, praying for the Repeal of the Union.
Earl Darnleyconcurred fully in the opinions expressed by the noble Lord who had just addressed their Lordships; but he had differed from that noble Lord when the Act of Union was passed, for he (Earl Darnley) had advocated that measure, in the expectation that benefits to Ireland would result from it, which he had not yet had the happiness to witness. However, he believed that the good effects would now be soon observed, as the healing measure which the Legislature had most wisely adopted in the last Session had removed the chief obstacles to the improvement of that country. He was convinced that the repeal of the Union would annihilate the incipient prosperity of Ireland. The individual who at present agitated that question had derived his importance from the injudicious attempt which had been made to exclude him from the other Mouse of Parliament. No calamity could be more destructive to the country of that individual than his efforts, should they be successful, in repealing the Union.