dea, that the
connection between England and Ireland in a great degree depends
upon the maintenance of the Protestant ascendancy. It is the
principle which attaches the Parliament of Ireland to Great
Britain; it is the security for the property of those whose
influence gives them power in this country; it is the strength of
English government in Ireland. If ever the Roman Catholics should
acquire power enough to render the prospect of regaining their
properties sufficiently promising for the attempt, they must begin
by the destruction of English government. I do therefore consider
it indispensably necessary to give every degree of influence to the
Protestant interest; but that would be as a drop of water to the
sea, unless that interest was supported by the power of England.
But as I do not believe John Bull would much like to expend his
money in a struggle between the Protestants and Roman Catholics of
Ireland, merely on a crusade principle, I would not have him called
upon in a case wherein the ground to be maintained was not similar
to that which had been sanctioned by the British Parliament, and
might therefore, in a certain degree, be considered as the cause of
the empire.

You desire me to turn my thoughts to a permanent system. The only
permanent, practicable system that I can discover, is, that there
should at all times be a perfect understanding and concurrence
between the Governments of the two countries upon this subject;
that no step affecting the Catholics should be taken in England
without a minute attention to Ireland; and that the people of that
persuasion should be on the same footing in the two countries.

The entire passage may be accepted as an epitome of the principle on
which Lord Westmoreland's Administration in Ireland was conducted; and
this authentic exposition of it is invested with some claim to
historical importance.

A letter from Lord Grenville in the beginning of the session refers to
certain new arrangements which were in progress in the Cabinet, but
which did not materially affect its constitution.

LORD GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

St. James's Square, Feb. 4th, 1791.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

I should have written to you before on the subject of the
arrangements, if I had been able to say anything satisfactory or
decisi