se, which,
if granted, must entail similar concessions in England and
Scotland; that the intention of the framers of the Reform Bill
was that, in the counties, property and not numbers should have
influence, and the effect of this Bill would be to transfer
influence from property to numbers. He spoke much of the
unpopularity of the Government, which he attributed to the Irish
connexion, and thought that this Bill would do them great harm in
England. When I urged the importance of settling affairs in
Ireland, and not leaving such a question as this to unite all the
country against them, if they came in again, and to revive the
great power of O'Connell, which had for some time been waning,
and I pointed out the great danger that might arise from Ireland
in the present unsettled state of Europe, he said, rather than
consent to such a measure as this, he was prepared to encounter
every difficulty and danger; he would never consent to transfer
power from the landed interest to the multitude; and as long as
the priests interfered in Irish elections, it could not be
expected that landlords would not counteract that influence by
diminishing as much as they could the numbers of those who were
made to act under it; that the old saying that Cromwell had
confiscated too much, or exterminated too little, was the truth;
he saw no way of pacifying that country, and as to concessions
they must have a limit, every concession had been made that could
be reasonably desired, and he would do no more. If they came into
power, he would be prepared to govern equitably, without fear or
favour, encouraging, without reference to political or religious
opinions, all those who supported the British connexion, and with
a determination to uphold without flinching the national
institutions. I asked him if he thought no transaction could be
effected with the Irish priests, so as to reconcile them to
Government; but he said that none was, he thought, now feasible.
He had been for the measure, but now England would not grant an
establishment to the Catholic clergy, and if she would, they
would not accept it, for they never would abandon the advantages
they enjoyed under the present system of voluntary contributions,
which was in most cases more profitable than any provision which
could possibly be held out to them.

The result of all this presents very serious matter for
reflexion, for this Irish question will probably draw a broad
line of separation