the Speaker for his strangely inattentive conduct in the Chair when he was speaking, a conduct at which the House took offence. Sir Lucius O'Brien was with the majority.
"The Lord-Lieutenant is hurt and seems low. Sir J. Caldwell is very bustling and has advised him to try the measure again, only dished up in another way; he assured him it would be carried. He did not ask my opinion, and only dropped in conversation what Sir James had recommended. I contented myself with saying that I thought it would be right to sound the first men in the kingdom that were friends, before he committed the dignity of Government in so loose a way. He has this day hurt the chiefs exceedingly, by joining Sir Robert Deane (a mortal enemy) to Lord Shannon in the Government of the county of Cork, and by disposing of some things which the Speaker had almost engaged to some of his followers.
"As far as I am able to judge, this country is manageable easily enough. The prevailing faction exists only by your want of system in England, and avows the hopes of a change in administration there. They have no abilities, and their present and only friend Hutchinson (for Tisdal is quite broke) cannot be depended on for a moment.
"But, my Lord, if a resident Governor is not appointed, the game which has been played will continue to be played in a greater or less degree, let you place the power in what hands you will.
"The resources of this country are greater than they are generally imagined, though I am not at present possessed of that full information which I hope to get before I leave Dublin, and which I shall certainly communicate to your Lordship."[1]
Such was the fate of the Augmentation Bill. A like fate awaited the Judicature Bill, which on being transmitted to the House of Commons was immediately sent to a Committee of Comparison, and on the report of the
- ↑ Barré to Shelburne, May 5th, 1767.
