The outbreak of the French Revolution had naturally a great effect on the minds of the Irish people. Out of a corps of volunteers which had been formed in 1779, but which had been dissolved a few years later, a society was formed calling itself the Society of United Irishmen, which included in it many Protes tants, and which sought to make Ireland an independent nation. The Catholics at the same time took advantage of the embarrassment of the British government to demand equal rights with the Protestants, and the government gave in to this demand so far as to remove the hin drances which had been placed by the law in the way of Irish trade and industry, and to repeal nearly all that remained of the penal laws against the Catholics, who now received the right of acting as counsel be fore the court, and of entering into marriages with Protestants. When further demands were refused, the Society of United Irishmen allowed its revolutionary aims to become more apparent, and the government then determined to quell the movement by force. The Habeas Corpus Act, which had been introduced into the country in 1782, was repealed; the towns were strongly garrisoned, and the society dissolved and dis armed. But the conspirators, trusting to ex pected aid from France, were not discouraged. At the close of 1796 a considerable French fleet did actually appear off the Irish coast bearing 25,000 land troops, under the command of Gen eral Hoche; but owing to adverse winds, and the incompetence of the commanders, it was obliged to return without having accomplished anything. The only effect of this expedition was to induce the government to take still stronger measures in Ireland, the whole of which was placed under military law. The United Irishmen were thus prevented from tak ing any open steps for renewing the society, but they continued to pursue their ends in se cret, and devised for themselves a very skilful military organization. At its head was a direct ory of five men. whose names were known only to those at the head of the provincial com mittees. In January 1798 the society already numbered more than 500,000 members, when a treacherous member gave information regarding the society to the government, and several of the leaders were seized. In consequence of this the conspirators, not knowing the extent of the revelations that had been made, resolved to anticipate any further preventive measures on the part of the government, and rushed into premature action. In May 1798, simultaneous risings took place at different parts of the island; but the government was fully prepared, and the main body of the insurgents, who made a •brave fight, suffered a decisive defeat at Vinegar. Hill on 21 June. Flying columns traversed the island, and checked by the most violent measures any further outbreaks. In August a French squadron appeared in Killala Bay with 1,500 men on board, under General Humbert; won a victory over the garrison at Castlehar, but were compelled to surrender at Ballinamuck. Another French expedition which approached the Irish coast in September was overtaken and attacked by Admiral Warren, and nearly all the ships composing it were captured. Several subsequent attempts of the French were frustrated.
The events of this insurrection brought the British government to form the resolution of uniting the Irish and English Parliaments, since in the state of feeling which that movement too plainly manifested as prevailing among the peo ple, it was seen that the independence of legisla tion enjoyed by the country fostered the desire of political independence and it was feared that new revolutionary efforts might thence derive a legal sanction. The first proposal to this effect which was made in the Irish Parliament was re jected with indignation. The government then resorted to bribery to secure its purpose. and $8,000,000 was spent in buying up the rotten boroughs which had the • majority of scats in the Irish House of Commons. The Irish land lords were from the first favorable to the pro ject. By these means an act providing for the legislative union of the two countries passed the Irish Parliament on 26 May 1800, and the British Parliament on 2 July in the same year, in virtue of which the union was effected on 1 Jan. 1801. But although this measure bound
the destinies of Ireland still more closely to those of England, yet it was far from putting an end to the religious and political troubles which had so long divided the two countries. In order to gain the masses the enlightened Pitt had promised a complete political eman cipation of the Catholics; but the bigoted George III could not be induced to make this concession. Enraged at this great breach of faith the Catholics in 1802 formed a Catholic Association, having for its object the accom plishment of this end; but it was not till the period of O'Connell's agitation, favored by a change of public opinion in England, that the government was induced to bring in an Eman cipation Bill, which after passing both houses of Parliament, received the assent of George IV on 13 April 1829. A new oath, which could be taken by Catholics as well as Protestants, was substituted for the one previously required from members of Parliament, and the Catholics were thus enabled to take a seat in the House. They were also allowed to fill all public offices except that of lord-chancellor and lord-lieuten ant of Ireland, disabilities under which they still suffer.
This victory was greeted by the Irish Catho lics with great joy; but they wanted more than emancipation which meant permission to hold certain offices; they wanted an independent Parliament. The efforts of the national party were now directed to the repeal of the Union, for which purpose O'Connell founded the Re peal Association, which caused the Grey minis try in 1833 to bring before Parliament the Irish Coercion Bill. When this bill became law the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland was empowered to forbid all assemblies of the people, and to pro claim military law throughout the island; and in order to give force to the act an army of 36,000 men, besides 6,000 armed police, was sent over. The Coercion Act was indeed soon repealed, and from 1835, under the viceroyalty of Lord Mulgrave, a bet ter feeling seemed to be growing up between the people and the government. But when the Tories came again into power in August 1841, O'Connell began anew the repeal agitation, and with such boldness that in 1843 the authorities caused him to be apprehended on a charge.of conspiracy and sedition, on which he was con victed and condemned to pay a fine and suffer imprisonment for a year. These proceedings were, however, declared illegal by the House of Lords, and O'Connell was released. Soon after the terrible famine which visited Ireland in the autumn of 1845, and still more severely in the summer of 1846, cast all other interests into the background. The spirit of the people seemed broken, and many of them sadly left their native land and by hundreds of thousands emi grated to America. In the midst of this crisis O'Connell died, and the place of the party which he led was taken by one still more advanced which received the name of Young Ireland. In these circumstances of political excitement the French Revolution, which took place in Febru ary 1848, had a great effect upon Ireland. The leaders of the Young Ireland party, Smith O'Brien, Mitchel, Davis, Meagher and others, entered into relations with the provisional gov ernment at Paris, and the people ,generally be gan openly to provide themselves with arms, and to exercise themselves in the use of them. But the measures of the government frustrated the designs of the conspirators. The Habeas Corpus Act was suspended, the insurrectionary newspapers suppressed, and Smith O'Brien, who had been hailed by the people as King of Munster, and a number of his associates were arrested and condemned to death. This pun ishment was afterward commuted to transporta tion. In a short time peace was restored; but the material distress remained undiminished, Famine and disease decimated the population. The agricultural holdings were deserted, whole districts remained uncultivated, and a constant and overflowing stream of emigration directed itself toward the United States.