lative to Mr. Pitt's funeral), by which he
had declared his disapprobation of the Union, and his concurrence in
opinion with Mr. O'Hara that it ought to be rescinded. Mr. Fox repeated
his disapprobation, but disclaimed ever having expressed an opinion or
entertained a thought of proposing its repeal, that being now
impracticable, though he regretted its ever having been
effected.--_Diary of Lord Colchester_, February 17, 1806, ii., 39.]

[Footnote 147: It may be remarked that in another respect also political
critics have pronounced the Union defective. Archbishop Whately, whose
long tenure of office in Ireland, as well as the acuteness and candor
which he brought to bear on every subject he discussed, entitle his
opinions to most respectful consideration, held this view very strongly.
In several conversations which he held with Mr. W.N. Senior, in 1858 and
1862, he condemned the retention of the Lord-lieutenancy as "a half
measure," which, however unavoidable at the time when "no ship could be
certain of getting from Holyhead to Dublin in less than three weeks," he
pronounced "inconsistent with the fusion of the two peoples, which was
the object of the Union," and wholly indefeasible "in an age of
steam-vessels and telegraphs." And, besides its theoretical
inconsistency, he insisted that it produced many great and practical
mischiefs, among which he placed in the front "the keeping up in
people's minds the notion of a separate kingdom; the affording a hotbed
of faction and intrigue; the presenting an image of Majesty so faint and
so feeble as to be laughed at and scorned. Disaffection to the English
Lieutenancy is cheaply shown, and it paves the way toward disaffection
to the English crown." And he imputed its continued retention to "the
ignorance which prevails in England of the state of feeling in
Ireland."--_Journals and Conversations Relating to Ireland_, by W.N.
Senior, ii., 130, 251, and _passim_. And it is worthy of observation
that a similar view is expressed by a Scotch writer of great ability,
who, contrasting the mode in which Scotland is governed with that which
prevails In Ireland, farther denounces the Viceroyalty "as a distinct
mark that Ireland is not directly under the sovereignty of Great
Britain, but rather a dependency, like India or the Isle of
Man."--_Ireland_, by J.B. Kinnear, quoted in the _Fortnightly Review_,
April 1, 1881. It is remarkable that in 1850 a bill for the abolition of
the office w