m, and he has always been of opinion that,
if they would act heartily in support, the Protestants would not
resist the efforts of the British Government, assisted by the
population of the kingdom. I believe this position to be true.
It cannot, however, be fully acted upon, in my mind, unless
there be a determination to make further concessions to that
body. To such concessions I confess I do not see insuperable,
tho' I do strong, objections. I think they vanish in the
superior importance of the question of Union. From the present
state of the country I conceive the question may be brought
forward with safety. If the Catholics were steady, Dublin might
be preserved quiet, tho' the Opposition would be clamorous. Our
difficulties will be in Parliament. I think the Speaker will not
relax. Lord Downshire, I am sorry to say, seems very hostile.
Lord de Clifford is also unfriendly. Lord Donegal I hear is
coming round. Could Lord Downshire and Lord de Clifford be made
cordial, the Parliament would be secure. I see not any great
difficulty in settling the terms except as to the representation
of the Commons and compensation to the boroughs. Allowing two
members for each county--which makes 64--there is no principle
which can be exactly applied for classing the boroughs and
selecting the great towns, and tho' it would be easy to
compensate the close boroughs, it is almost impossible to
compensate pot-walloping boroughs.[565] The difficulties here
are enhanced by the consideration that in this case private not
public interests are concerned. When I thus represent the
probability of success, I am aware of the strange volatility of
the Irish mind; and I should not be surprised at any sudden turn
of the present appearances....

Very interesting is the statement as to the courting of the Catholics by
Cornwallis. Pitt certainly knew of these advances; for on New Year's Day
1801 Castlereagh reminded him by letter that Cornwallis did not venture
to make them until the Cabinet had discussed the matter sometime in the
autumn of 1799, and had come to a conclusion entirely favourable to the
Catholic claims, finally assuring him that he "need not hesitate in
calling forth the Catholic support in whatever degree he found it
practicable to obtain it." This and other passages in Castlereagh's
letter prove conclusively that not only Pi