CAULFIELD 415 in their direction. For it was by the influence of their wisdom, the veneration paid to it by their country, that every thing like intemperate ebullition was restrained whenever such a disposition partially appeared; and the spirit of the whole was directed by loyalty to their king, but a manly and firm devotion to the rights and jast claims of their couptry, So far as depended on Lord Charlemont, he devoted his whole time and mind to the duties he had assumed. At this time the distress of the manufacturers was great beyond copception, and tens of thousands were supported by charity, and the value of cattle and corn was so reduced by embargoes, aud the consequent cessation of external demand, that, the tenantry could not pay their rents. The British government, and many eminent men in parliament, were willing to yield some measures of relief, by removing the restrictions upon Irish external commerce; but the jealous clamours of the British manu- facturers prevented them. Lord Charlemont corresponded with the Marquis of Rockingham, and other enlightened friends to Ireland in the British sepate; but the influence of a few manufacturing towns in England prevailed against the interests of all Ireland. At length the whole country, as one man, determined on an experiment to relieve themselves-and entered into non-importation and non-consumption agreements, against all English commor modities whatever. This was, the expedient which Dean Swift bad in vain advised, half a century before. And it suddenly produced signal effects: despondeucy amongst the working orders was changed, to joy and gratitude. Those of the higher orders who had been most supine, were now stimulated to a sense of their duty, and the British manufacturers were quickly taught to feel, that some of their best interests were most, vulperable io that country, whose claims they resisted with such selfish hostility Matters were now approaching to a crisis. Lord Charle- mont had the honour, as well as the high satisfaction to introduce into the house, of commons, as representative for his borough of Charlemont, that justly celebrated
