Note 267 — JOURNAL OF ELIZABETH LADY HOLLAND (continued 4)

Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.

When the Grenville Ministry first took office on Mr. Pitt’s death no stipulation was made to the King regarding the Catholic question. The Irish Catholics, seeing Ministers in power most of whom they knew to be favourably inclined to their claims, began at once to agitate for the removal of disadvantages under which they laboured. The greatest anomaly was, that by the Act of 1793 Irish Catholics could become officers in the army there (though still unable to rise to certain staff appointments), but could not hold that rank in England. A promise, however, had been made at the time that matters would be speedily readjusted. This and other points were brought to Mr. Fox’s notice soon after he had taken office, but he advised a postponement of the suggested petition to Parliament, as likely for the present to be of no permanent advantage. He stated, however, that he was quite willing to risk a dissolution of the Ministry on the question, if they so wished it. Better counsels prevailed; but after Mr. Fox’s death the matter again came to the front. Ministers were in a dilemma. On one side they risked the King’s displeasure, on the other they would be obliged to proclaim certain parts of Ireland where agitation was breaking out, on a question with which they themselves sympathised. The former evil was considered the least, and it was decided by a clause in the Mutiny Act to allow Irish Catholics and Dissenters to serve in the English army. To this the King was agreeable; but Ministers desired to go further. It was found easier to bring forward the matter in the form of a Bill, and one was drafted which opened the staff appointments to the Catholics, and also allowed English Dissenters to serve in the army and navy. Lord Howick thought he had received the King’s consent to this, but subsequently the latter flatly refused to confirm it. The Bill was dropped, but the Ministers reserved for themselves the right to bring forward the question again, should circumstances so demand. This the King requested them to withdraw; they refused, and were at once dismissed.

The Correspondence and Minutes of the Cabinet, referred to here and subsequently, are printed in the Appendix to Lord Holland’s Memoirs of the Whig Party.