In the following pages I propose to exhibit summarily the material injuries inflicted upon Ireland by the commercial or anti-commercial arrangements of Great Britain. With this view, I will endeavour to sketch in outline the political relations of Ireland to Great Britain which rendered such arrangements possible (Chap. I.); the principal laws made by the English Parliament in restraint of Irish trade stating them in a plain and popular manner (Chap. II.); the opposition of the English Government to the efforts of the Irish Parliament to promote Irish trade (Chap. III.); the immediate effects of English legislation on Irish trade (Chap. IV.); the Irish Volunteer Movement and free trade (Chap. V.); the commercial arrangements between Great Britain and Ireland, 1782-1800 (Chap. VI.); the commercial arrangements effected between Great Britain and Ireland by the Act of Legislative Union (Chap. VII.).
In this inquiry I will, as far as possible, confine myself to an examination of the statutes, which will speak for themselves; to the journals of the Parliaments of England and Ireland; and to the statements of contemporary speakers and writers whose accuracy has not, so far as I am aware, been impeached.
[3] Hansard, 261, Third Series, pp. 831, 832.
[6] "New Views on Ireland," by C. Russell, Q.C., M.P., pp. 83, 84.
[7] "English Men of Letters"--"Edmund Burke," by John Morley, p. 76.
[8] _Freeman's Journal_, Nov. 24th, 1881.
PAGE CHAPTER I. THE POLITICAL RELATIONS OF IRELAND TO GREAT BRITAIN 13
CHAPTER II. ENGLISH LEGISLATION IN RESTRAINT OF IRISH TRADE 16
CHAPTER III. ENGLISH OPPOSITION TO EFFORTS OF THE IRISH PARLIAMENT IN FAVOUR OF IRISH TRADE 42
CHAPTER IV. THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF ENGLISH LEGISLATION ON IRISH TRADE 56
CHAPTER V. THE IRISH VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT AND FREE TRADE 74
CHAPTER VI. THE COMMERCIAL ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN ENGLAND AND IRELAND, 1782-1800 91
CHAPTER VII. THE COMMERCIAL ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN ENGLAND AND IRELAND EFFECTED BY THE ACT OF LEGISLATIVE UNION 104
ENGLISH INTERFERENCE WITH IRISH INDUSTRIES.
CHAPTER I. THE POLITICAL RELATIONS OF IRELAND TO GREAT BRITAIN.
The interference of the English Government with Irish trade before 1782 was twofold, direct and indirect. The direct interference arose from statutes passed in the English Parliament in restraint of Irish commerce. The indirect interference arose from the influence of the English Government over the legislation of the Irish Parliament, under the provisions of the statute known as Poynings' Act.