L100 money. Liberal as
these terms may seem, they were exiguous at that critical time, and the
stock was at 4 per cent. discount before the deposit was paid. Pitt,
however, appealed to the loyalty of the country. Patriotic enthusiasm
was aroused, and the "loyalty loan" was promptly subscribed. Twenty-nine
new items of taxation were imposed during the session; one of them
raised the stamp duty on newspapers, which Pitt described as a luxury,
from 2d. to 3-1/2d., and was calculated to produce L114,000.

[Sidenote: _RELIGIOUS FEUD IN IRELAND._]

The threats of invasion were not vain; a descent on Ireland was
attempted. The government, though withholding emancipation, had made an
effort to conciliate the catholics. While the penal code was in force
Irish priests were educated abroad. Burke held that they required a
special education, and that seminaries should be established for them in
Ireland as a means of keeping them from disloyalty. The destruction of
the French seminaries by the republicans left no choice between a
priesthood educated at home and one without education, and therefore
likely to be dangerous to civil order. Camden met the difficulty by
favouring the foundation of the college of Maynooth. Religious animosity
had broken out afresh since the recall of Fitzwilliam, and many outrages
were committed on both sides. On September 1, 1795, the defenders and
peep-of-day boys fought near a village called Diamond, in Armagh, and
the defenders were worsted with some slaughter. Immediately afterwards
the Orange society was founded to maintain the protestant cause. In 1796
protestant mobs assuming the name of Orangemen, persecuted the catholics
in Armagh, and drove them from their homes, bidding them go "to hell or
Connaught". The magistrates gave the catholics little help, and the
government minimised the outrages of the protestants.

Religious hatred changed the position of parties. The United Irishmen no
longer attempted to unite men of the two religions; they encouraged the
catholics to believe that the protestants were determined to destroy
them and conquer the land for themselves. There was much anarchy.
Catholic disloyalty was increased by the feeling that the government
favoured the Orangemen, and attacks were made on royal troops in
Connaught. A stringent insurrection act was passed, which gave the
magistrates power to send on board the fleet those attending unlawful
assemblies or otherwise acting disloyally