in 1703 and 1707, the Irish parliament proposed a
union, and its wish was disregarded. Since then various writers on
politics had recommended it, chiefly as a means of giving Ireland
freedom of trade. The improvement in the material condition of the
country which began in the fourth decade of the century strengthened the
spirit of nationality, the Irish interest became dominant in politics,
religious animosity decreased, and during the American war Ireland,
instead of looking to a union as a means of attaining prosperity, found
herself in a position to demand the concessions she desired. The
abolition of restrictions on her trade in 1779-80 removed the chief
motive which had impelled Scotland towards union; the grant of
legislative independence fostered the national pride. The constitution
of 1782 left Ireland connected with Great Britain only by the unity of
the executive in both countries. The Irish parliament might have
expressed disapproval of a war or alliance entered on by Great Britain
and might have refused supplies; it might have imposed excessive duties
on English goods, might have refused a commercial compact with Great
Britain, and did so in 1785; it might have taken a different course from
the British parliament on a constitutional question, and did so on the
regency question in 1789. The empire was weakened by lack of union.
English statesmen, and above all Pitt, saw that the tie, precarious in
quiet times, might break under some stress, and desired to strengthen it
by an incorporate union, and the king heartily agreed with them.

For Ireland a union afforded the only chance of tranquillity, for
catholic emancipation could not safely be granted without it. Since the
extension of the suffrage to Roman catholics in 1793, emancipation
unaccompanied by union would have placed the government of the country
in the hands of a popish democracy; for the catholics outnumbered the
protestants by three to one, and the act of 1793 established little
short of manhood suffrage. A catholic parliament would have made Ireland
no place for protestants, and would have provoked a civil war, in which,
unlike the late rebellion, England would probably have had almost the
whole catholic population arrayed against her. With a united parliament
the catholics might enjoy equal privileges with their protestant
neighbours, and would be powerless to oppress them. The war with France
revealed the dangers of the existing system; the rebel