of corruption, became at
last powerless and politically helpless. The rebellion of 1798 was a
mere peasants' war, without intelligence to guide, or experience to
counsel. It therefore miserably failed, but did not fail until fifty
thousand rebels and twenty thousand royalists had perished.

[Sidenote: Union of England and Ireland.]

In June, 1800, the union of Ireland and England was effected, on the
same basis as that between England and Scotland in the time of Anne.
It was warmly opposed by some of the more patriotic of the Irish
statesmen, and only carried by corruption and bribery. By this union,
foreign legislation took the place of the guidance of those best
qualified to know the national grievances; the Irish members became,
in the British senate, merely the tools of the administration.
Absenteeism was nearly doubled, and the national importance nearly
annihilated in a political point of view. But, on the other hand, an
oligarchal tyranny was broken, and the bond of union which bound the
countries was strengthened, and the nation subsided into a greater
state of tranquillity. Twenty-eight peers and one hundred commoners
were admitted into the English parliament.

Notwithstanding the suppression of the rebellion of 1798, only five
years elapsed before another one was contemplated--the result of
republican principles, and of national grievances. The leaders were
Robert Emmet and Thomas Russell. But their treasonable designs were
miserably supported by their countrymen, and they were able to make
but a feeble effort, which immediately failed. These men were
arrested, tried, and executed. The speech of Emmet, before his
execution, has been much admired for its spirit of patriotism and
pensive eloquence. His grand mistake consisted in overrating the
strength of democratic influences, and in supposing that, by violent
measures, he could overturn a strong military government. The Irish
were not prepared for freedom, still less republican freedom. There
was not sufficient concert, or patriotism, or intelligence, to secure
popular liberty, and the antipathy between the Catholic and Protestant
population was too deeply seated and too malignant to hope,
reasonably, for a lasting union.

[Sidenote: Condition of Ireland.]

All the measures which have been adopted for the independence and
elevation of Ireland have failed, and the country is still in as
lamentable a state as ever. It presents a grand enigma and mystery t