Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/491

PONSONBY. 487 passed, the question of Catholicemancipation was brought forward, for the last time, by Mr. Arthur O'Connor, with great energy and eloquence, and debated with much warmth. Mr. Pelham, the new secretary, opposed it with a degree of animation bordering on fury. He said that concession after concession to the Catholics seemed but to encourage new demands; and nothing appeared now competent to satisfy them but the surrender of the constitution in church and state. But if that House was not prepared for the final surrender of that constitution, concession must stop some where. It had now, in his opinion, reached the utmost limits, consistent with the security of the state; and here he would plant his foot, and never consent to a measure which he believed to be pregnant with the separation of both kingdoms. The motion, after a debate which lasted till four in the morn ing, was lost. Mr. O'Connor, whose zeal in this cause prompted him to transgress the strong injunctions of his uncle, Lord Longueville, to whose fortune he was heir-presumptive, was disinherited. The flames of dis content were rekindled in every quarter of the country. A newspaper, called the Northern Star, which had been put down by military force, was replaced by another in the metropolis, called The Press, which was now set on foot by Mr. O'Connor, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, and others of their friends, a l l Protestants, and many o f them men of the first education and talents. I t was written with great ability, and adapted for the intellects and feel ings o f the great mass o f the population. I t was calculated t o rouse them t o a revolutionary spirit; i t s circulation was unparalleled, i n number and extent, even b y a l l the other newspapers; and i t was read o r listened t o with the utmost eagerness b y all classes, even by the humblest mechanics, labourers, and peasants, from the metropolis t o the remotest corners o f the kingdom. Political clubs succeeded; nightly meetings o f thousands; plunder o f arms; manufacture o f pikes; administration o f oaths; with the adoption o f signals, and watch-words, and the