The  baronet  declared  that  he  was  extremely  un-
willing to  object  to  an  address  expressive  of  the  attach-
ment of  the  house  to  the  sovereign  or  to  British  con-
nexion ;  but  that,  as  it  alluded  to  a  momentous  and
hazardous  change  in  the  constitution  of  the  realm,  he
Cpuld  not  refrain  from  intimating  his  early  disapproba-
tion. It  contained  a  proposition  which,  though  veiled
under  the  captivating  appearance  of  merely  adding
strength  and  security  to  the  empire,  represented  the  an-
nihilation of  the  Irish  parliament  as  expedient  for  the
general  interest. He  would  not  tamely  allow  such
an  idea  to  receive  the  approbation  of  parliament  by
a  side  wind. As  far  as  he  could  judgs  of  the  scheme
from  what  he  already  knew  of  it,  he  believed  it  to  be
adverse  to  the  permanent  interest  of  Ireland,  and  incon  -
sistent  with  the  rights  of  the  people — rights  which,
having  been  delegated  to  the  patriotic  care  of  the
parliament,  ought  not  to  be  resigned  or  surrendered  by
a  representative  body. It  would  affect  the  constitution,
the  trade,  the  property  'of  the  country  j  and  perhaps

D  the


34  HUTORY  OP  THE  UNION

the  general  happiness  of  mankind  might  be  involved  in
its  consequences. No  one,  he  thought,  could  doubt
that  a  legislative  union  would  effect  a  change  in  the
constitution. 