Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/449

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438 CAULFIELD Aattering marks of attachment shèwn him by the parlia- ment of Ireland. But this first attempt of the Irish par- liament to exercise its new-born independence, by differing from that of England, on a point of so much importance, planted the first germ of that jealousy in the British cabi- net, which determined them to wateh for the first conve nient opportunity of punishing the presumption of the parliament of Ireland, by extinction: and accordingly it afforded the great principle of argument on which the subsequent measure of legislative union was founded Lord Buckingham's resignation was à consequence naturally resulting from the vote of censufe on his con- duct passed by both houses of parliament, and he was stucceeded in the viceroyalty by the Earl of Westmoreland with Lord Hobart for his secretary.Lord Lifford, the chancellor, died about the same period, and mäde way for the promotion of Mr. John Fitzgibbon, attorney-geheral, to the seals. Some of the opponents of Lord Bucking- ham, upon the regency question, fell back quietly into their old situations ; but several of the more prominent and formidable were dismissed from their situations, and from those with their adherents was gradually formed am opposition, one of the most formidable in point of hum- bers, respectability, and talents, that had encountered the administration of Ireland for many years. They fortmed theimselves into a Whig Club, adopted the blue and buff uniform, as well as the principles of the Whig Club in England. In the formation of this elub, Lord Charle mont was prominently active, and also in the formation of a similar club at Belfast, where his esteemed friend Dr Halliday, a whig of the old constitutional school, warmly co-operated in his views. Bat this was a measure by no means satisfactory to the ministerial party, some of whom serupled not to impute to both, principles of anarchy. But such imputations were disregarded as the ebullitions of political rancour, which had been sustained from time immemorial by similar associations of talent and patriotism, aeting chiefly, if not solely, to protect the purity of the