Lordship sailed from the Pidgeon-house on the 31st of March. During his residence there for two days, he kept his Court with the same etiquette and form, that he had preserved at Dublin Castle during his whole administration.

1806.

1

HISTORY OF IRELAND.

CHAPTER IV.

Administration of the DUKE of BEDFORD.

1806.

ture of the

ministra

tion.

THE change of administration, great as it was in the upper departments of government, was not attended with the impressive effects, which it was General nanaturally calculated to produce upon the Irish Bedford adpublic. Although Mr. Fox's impassioned wish for peace had induced him to accept of that official department, which would most immediately supply him with the means of procuring it, yet was it the first policy of his colleagues to usher in their administration with some overt and important acts of Mr. Fox, in order to procure a credit from the Irish, that the future system of government was to be modelled exclusively upon the enlarged policy and immutable principles of that enlightened

1806. patriot. The importance of Ireland in the vacillating state of the British Empire supereminently called for his genuine advice. No radical change of system could be expected with any rational confidence either from Lord Grenville or Lord Sidmouth. His first concern was to place the government of that misguided and abused part of the United Kingdom in the hands of a man, whose liberality, honor and integrity would render him equally impervious to the overbearing mandates of British predominancy, and the insidious manœuvres of Castle intrigue. The honor, patronage, and emoluments of the Irish Viceroyalty had many competitors. The very solicitation of the office was an objection to that immaculate Statesman's granting it. Sensible, that the reform of abuses could now only proceed from the Imperial seat of government, his first concern was, to fill the important station with a man, who he personally confided, would neither continue, nor encrease abuse. When the offer was first made to the Duke of Bedford, he resolutely declined it. Mr. Fox, whose wisdom and integrity had their due sway upon his Grace's mind, was driven to entreaty and personal supplication, before he could be induced, even conditionally, to accept of the charge. In making such a sacrifice of every personal feeling and consideration to the wishes of Mr. Fox, whose opinion he had ever made the rule of his political conduct, his Grace coupled it with a condition well suited to his pure and exalted mind. He submitted to the onerous charge,

.

provided his friend would ease him of the respon-
sibility of dispensing the grace and patronage of
the government, amongst those, to whose merits
he was a stranger, and suggest appropriate mea-
sures for the welfare of the Irish people, whose in-
terests and felicity he wished to promote, profess
ing at the same time his ignorance of the imme
diate means of securing them. Assuming with
well founded confidence, that Mr. Fox's intuitive
knowledge of, and cordial affection for the consti-
tution, would ensure his sincerest efforts in favor
of Ireland, he assumed the government upon the
avowed mission of effectuating the benevolent
views of that enlightened and humane Statesman.
The unsuspicious caudor of Mr. Fox, was the
only political defect (if that amiable quality can
be called defect) in his character. He put no re-
serve upon the sincerity of others, as he felt no
check upon his own.
He knew not how to diffide
in the words or actions of those, who coalesced
with him. He gave them unqualified credit for
principle, by which he invariably shaped his own
conduct. Under these impressions, he deputed
that confidential discretion, in which the Duke of
Bedford had accepted of the viceregal charge to
some of his colleagues, who might properly be
called a British committee for managing the af-
fairs, interests, and patronage of Ireland. With
imitative sympathy, his Grace acted under that
deputation, as the faithful organ of Mr. Fox's senti-
ments and feelings. Mr. Fox laboured exclusively
for the attainment of peace, which he considered the

1806.