mercial prosperity, tended,
indeed, to strengthen the power of the aristocracy--that class to
which he belonged, and to which the House of Commons, who sustained
him, belonged. But it was suicidal, as is the policy of all selfish
men; and ultimately must tend to revolutionary measures, even though
those measures may not be carried by massacres and blazing thrones.

But we must hasten to consider the leading events which characterized
the administration of William Pitt. These were the troubles in
Ireland, parliamentary reforms, the aggrandizement of the East India
Company, the trial of Hastings, debates on the slave trade, and the
war with France in consequence of the French Revolution.

[Sidenote: Difficulties with Ireland.]

[Sidenote: The United Irishmen.]

The difficulties with Ireland did not become alarming until the French
Revolution had created a spirit of discontent and agitation in all
parts of Great Britain. Soon after his accession to power, Mr. Flood,
a distinguished member of the Irish House of Commons, brought in a
bill of parliamentary reform, which, after a long debate, was
negatived. Though his measure was defeated in the House, its advocates
out of doors were not cast down, but took measures to form a national
congress, for the amelioration of the evils which existed. A large
delegation of the people actually met at Dublin, and petitioned
parliament for the redress of grievances. Mr. Pitt considered the
matter with proper attention, and labored to free the commerce of
Ireland from the restraints under which it labored. But, in so doing,
he excited the jealousy of British merchants and manufacturers, and
they induced him to remodel his propositions for the relief of
Ireland, which were then adopted. Tranquillity was restored until the
year 1791, when there appeared at Belfast the plan of an association,
under the name of the _United Irishmen_, whose object was a radical
reform of all the evils which had existed in Ireland since its
connection with England. This association soon extended throughout the
island, and numbered an immense body of both Protestants and Catholics
who were disaffected with the government. In consequence of the
disaffections, especially among the Catholics, the English ministry
made many concessions, and the legislature allowed Catholics to
practice law, to intermarry with Protestants, and to obtain an
unrestrained education. But parliament also took measures to prevent
the a