Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 July 2016
The history of eighteenth-century Ireland prior to the Volunteer movement is remarkably uneventful, but two episodes ruffled its political calm. They were the Wood's halfpence dispute of 1723–5, and the conflict between the Irish administration and parliament, 1753–6.
It was the extent and vehemence of the opposition experienced by the administration in 1723–5 that led to the evolution of the undertakers—powerful members of parliament who undertook to conduct government business through the house of commons in return for a share in the disposal of patronage.
1 Op. cit., pp. 158–9.
2 Ibid., p. 153.
3 Ibid., p. 156.
1 [Stone] to George Dodington, 26 May 1752 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford- SackvilleMSS.,i. 183).
2 Ireland disgraced: or the island of saints become an island of sinners, clearly proved in a dialogue between Doctor B-tt and Doctor B-ne in Dublin (1755).
1 Ibid., pp. 14–26.
G.E.C., Complete peerage (ed. Gibbs), ii. 170–1 ; Lib. mun. pub. Hib., i, pt. 2, p. 134; Commons’ journ. Ire., vii (1763), pp. 759–89, 806, 810.
3 Dr. Wm, Henry to Abp. Thomas Herring, 21 Dec. 1753 (B.M., Add. MS. 35592 (Hardwicke papers), ff. 225–32) ; Devonshire to Newcastle, 17 Nov. 1741 (P.R.O.N.I., T 827, p. 182) ; same to same, 24 Nov. 1741 (ibid., p. 189).
1 Stone to [earl of Cardigan], 17 Aug. [1738] (Hist. MSS. Comm., Buccleuch and Queensberry MSS., i. 390) ; Sackville to same, 1 Sep. 1738 (ibid., pp. 390–1).
2 D.N.B., George Stone ; Cotton, Fasti, iii. 26.
3 Maty, Memoirs of Lord Chesterfield, i. 164; Chesterfield to Major Irwine, 1 Sep. 1751 (Chesterfield letters, ed. B. Dobree, iv. 1779); ibid., v. 2168.
4 Walpole, Memoirs of George II, i. 282.
1 Devonshire to Newcastle, 19 Jan. 1756 (B.M., Add. MS. 32862 (Newcastle papers), f. 145).
2 Stone to Newcastle, 3 Mar. 1752 (E.H.R., xx. 511–12).
3 Dr. E. Barry to earl of Orrery, 4 Mar. 1752 (Orrery papers, ii. 101).
4 Lord Macartney, ‘Account of Ireland ’, in Barrow, Macartney, ii. 130.
Henry to Herring, 21 Dec. 1753 (B.M., Add. MS. 35592, ff. 225–32); Pery to duke of Bedford (Hist. MSS. Comm., 8th Rep., app. i, pp. 176–7; Thomas Adderley to Lord Charlemont, 10 Feb. 1755 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Charlemont MSS., i. 203).
6 Pery to Bedford, as above.
7 Prime Serjeant since 1743, and generally acknowledged as the ablest orator in the house of commons.
1 Stone to Andrew Stone, 24 Dec. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 540).
2 Minutes of two letters from Ireland. Irish memorandums from letters to William, duke of Dorset and the primate, 14 Jan. 1754 (B.M., Add. MS. 35592, ff. 252–7); Stone to Andrew Stone, 24 Dec. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 539–40).
3 Pery to Bedford, as above; Stone to Newcastle, 17 Nov. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 524)
4 Minutes of two letters from Ireland (B.M., Add. MS. 35592, ff. 252–7).
5 Stone to Newcastle, 3 Mar. 1752 (E.H.R., xx. 510).
6 Henry to Herring, 21 Dec. 1753 (B.M., Add. MS. 35592, ff. 225–32).
7 Commons’ journ. Ire., viii. 385, 386, 387, 389.
1 Stone to Newcastle, 3 Mar. 1752 (E.H.R., xx. 511).
2 Pery to Bedford (Hist. MSS. Comm., 8th Rep., app. i, p. 177).
3 Barry to Orrery, 4 Mar. 1752 (Orrery papers, ii. 101–2).
4 Commons’ journ. Ire., viii. 790, 806–7; Walpole, Memoirs of George II, i. 283.
5 Stone to Newcastle, 26 May 1752 (E.H.R., xx. 513, 515).
6 Stone to Pelham, 25 July 1752 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 185–6) ; Stone to Andrew Stone, 27 July 1752 (ibid., p. 186) ; Stone to Sackville, 11 Mar. 1753 (ibid., pp. 193–4). Stone's letters to Sackville undoubtedly present a truer picture of the situation than those to his brother, to Pelham, or Newaastle. In the latter he was anxious to justify his conduct by making the opposition it had aroused appear as slight as possible. He had no such motive in his correspondence with Sackville, his principal associate in the scheme he was attempting to carry through.
7 Yorke to Lord Hardwick, 2 July 1753 (B.M., Add. MS. 35591, f. 371).
1 Newcastle to Pelham, 12-23 June 1752 (Coxe, Pelkam, ii. 429).
2 Newcastle to Pelham, 31 Mayri June 1752 (Coxe, Pelham, ii. 425–6).
3 Kildare to Stone, 5 Oct. 1752 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 187); ‘An authentic account of an extraordinary overture made to the Rt. Hon. the earl of K e in the year 1752. Extracted from a pamphlet entitled “An answer to the candid inquiry”’, in The cabinet (1754), p. 26; Stone to Kildare [Oct. 1752] (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 186).
4 Pery to Bedford (Hist. MSS. Comm., 8th Rep., app. i, pp. 177–8); Stone to Pelham, 25 July 1752 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 186); Memorial of the earl of Kildare, in Plowden, Hist, rev., ii, app., pp. 9–10.
5 Walpole, Memoirs of George II, i. 354–5; Hardwick to Newport, 5 July 1753 (B.M., Add. MS. 35592, f. 100); ibid., f. 85.
6 Stone to Newcastle, 10 Oct. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 518) ; B.M., Add. MS. 35592, f. 169.
1 Commons’ journ. Ire., ix. 21–2 ; Stone to Newcastle, 10 Oct. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 518–9); Sackville to [Holderness?], [Oct. 1753] (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford- Sackville, i. 198–200).
2 Stone to Newcastle, 10 Oct. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 519–20).
3 Newcastle to Dorset, 16 Oct. 1753 (ibid., pp. 520–1).
4 Commons’ journ. Ire., viii. 262 ; ix. 12.
5 Ibid., ix. 155, 158 ; Dorset to Newcastle, 16 Nov. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 522–3).
1 Stone to Newcastle, 17 Nov. 1753 (ibid., pp. 523–4).
2 Commons’ journ. Ire., ix. 163.
3 Ibid., p. 174.
4 Newcastle to Stone, 30 Nov. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 527).
5 Stone to Newcastle, 6 Dec. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 529).
6 Commons’ journ. Ire., ix. 164.
7 Ibid., p. 166.
8 120 to 119 (ibid., p. 189).
9 Thomas Adderley to Lord Charlemont, 10 Feb. 1755 (Hist. MSS. Comm., CharlemontMSS., i. 203) ; same to same, 15 Apr. 1755 (ibid., p. 214).
10 Lords of the council in England to Dorset and the council, 28 Nov. 1753 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 203).
11 Newcastle to Dorset, 22 Nov. 1753; Newcastle to Stone, 30 Nov. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 526–8).
12 Stone to Newcastle, 6 Dec. 1753 (ibid., p. 530).
1 Stone to Andrew Stone, 15 Dec. 1753 (ibid., p. 531); Dorset to Newcastle, 21 Dec. 1753 (ibid., pp. 532–3).
2 Commons’ journ. Ire., ix. 207–8. At least 25 office-holders voted for the rejection.
3 Yorke to [Hardwick], 26 Dec. 1753 (B.M., Add. MS. 35592, f. 234); Henry Fox to Lady Hervey, 27 Dec. 1753 (Ilchester, Fox, ii. 72).
4 Dorset to Newcastle, 21 Dec. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 533–5).
5 Newcastle to Dorset, 28 Dec. 1753 (ibid., pp. 540–2).
1 Walpole, Memoirs of George II, i. 368.
2 Newcastle to Dorset, 28 Dec. 1753 (E.H.R., xx. 541).
3 Dorset to Newcastle, 5 Feb. 1754 (ibid., p. 740).
4 Henry Pelham to Dorset, 28 Feb. 1754 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 208).
5 Dorset to Newcastle, 5 Feb. 1754 (E.H.R., xx. 741).
6 Minute of letter from Dorset, 14 Jan. 1754 (B.M., Add. MS. 35592, ff. 252–7).
7 Universal advertiser (Dublin 1755), pp. 80, 91, 92, 93, 99, in, 116, 120, 122, 123, 131, 136, 138, 143, 144, 147, 157, 158, 159, 160, 175, 189.
8 Orrery papers, ii. 121–3.
9 Walpole, Memoirs of George II, i. 389 ; Barry to Orrery, 2 Mar. 1754 (Orrery papers, ii. 123).
1 Memorandum of letter from Dorset to Newcastle, 9 Mar. 1754 (B.M., Add. MS. 35593, f. 42).
2 Dorset to Newcastle, 7 April 1754 (E.H.R., xx. 742); Walpole, Memoirs of George II, i. 390 ; Newport to Hardwick, 11 Apr. 1754 (B.M., Add. MS. 35592, f. 317).
3 Dorset to Newcastle, 27 Apr. 1754 (E.H.R., xx. 743–4).
4 Stone to Andrew Stone, 24 Dec. 1753 (ibid., pp. 539–40).
1 Wm. Richardson to Sackville, n June 1754 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSB., i. 213) ; Thomas Waite to Sackville, 13 June 1754 (ibid., p. 213).
2 Stone to Sackville, 24 June 1754 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 214) ; Thomas Waite to same, 29 June 1754 (ibid., p. 215).
3 Nathaniel Clements to Newcastle, 20 July 1754 (B.M., Add. MS. 32736, ff. 57–8).
4 Same to same, 23 July 1754 (ibid., f. 71) ; T. Waite to Sackville, 26 July 1754 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 218) ; lords justices to Dorset, 29 July 1754 (ibid., pp. 219–21).
5 Stone to Sackville, 24 Aug. 1754 (ibid., p. 224).
6 Clements to Newcastle, 20 July 1754 (B.M., Add. MS. 32736, ff. 57–8); same to same, 23 July 1754 (ibid., f. 71) ; same to same, 23 Dec. 1754 (B.M., Add. MS. 32737, ff. 475–6).
7 Yorke to Hardwick, 12 Nov. 1754 (B.M., Add. MS. 35593, f. 54).
1 Sackville to Stone, 31 Aug. 1754 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MS., i. 228–9).
2 T Waite to Sackville, 17 Sep. 1754 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 232); Pery to Bedford (Hist. MSS. Comm., 8tk Rep., app. i, p. 179).
3 Stone to Newcastle, 7 Nov. 1754 (E.H.R., xx. 753).
4 Sackville to Stone, 15 Jan. 1755 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 235–7).
5 Stone to Sackville, 21 Jan. 1755 (E.H.R., xx. 753–8).
6 Same to same, 29 Jan. 1755 (ibid., pp. 758–9).
7 Same to same, 15 Feb. 1755 (ibid., pp. 759–60).
1 Stone to Andrew Stone, 4 Mar. 1755 (E.H.R., xx. 760).
2 Richard Rigby to Bedford, 25 Dec. 1753 (Bedford correspondence, ii. 144); Thomas Bowlby to Philip Gell, 17 Dec. 1753 (Hist. MSS. Comm., gtk Rep., app. ii, p. 402a); Lord Chesterfield to Solomon Dayrolles, 1 Jan. 1754 (Chesterfield letters, v. 2069–71); Henry Fox to Lady Hervey, 23 Jan. 1754 (Ilchester, Fox, ii. 73).
3 Stone and Bessborough to Newcastle, 16 Mar. 1755 (E.H.R., xx. 761–3).
4 Pery to Bedford (Hist. MSS Comm., 8th Rep., app. i, p. 179).
1 Harrington to Fox, 17 May 1755 (Ilchester, Fox, ii. 74).
2 Thomas Adderley to Charlemont, 22 Mar. 1755 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Charlemont MSS., i. 210).
3 Ilchester, Fox, ii. 74.
4 Stone to Newcastle, 12 Apr. 1755 (B.M., Add. MS. 32854, ff. 101–2).
5 Ilchester, Fox, ii. 76.
6 Walpole, Memoirs of George II, ii. 24–5.
7 Stone to [Newcastle], 16 Sep. 1755 (B.M., Add. MS. 32859, f. 106).
8 Same to Newcastle, 12 Oct. 1755 (B.M., Add. MS. 32860, ff. 24–5).
9 Adderley to Charlemont, 7 Jan. 1755 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Charlemont MSS., i. 198); Hartington to Newcastle, 17 Sep. 1755 (B.M., Add. MS. 32859, f. 118); same to same, 31 Jan. 1756 (B.M., Add. MS. 32862, ff. 303–5); Ilchester, Fox, ii. 76.
10 Hartington to Newcastle, 17 Sep. 1755 (B.M., Add. MS. 32859, ff. 112–8).
11 Same to same, 18 Sep. 1755 (ibid., ff. 136–9).
1 Harrington to Newcastle, 4 Oct. 1755 (ibid., ff. 376–7).
2 Commons’ journ. Ire., ix. 261 ; Hartington to Newcastle, 10 Oct. 1755 (B.M., Add. MS. 32859, f. 460).
3 Stone to [Newcastle], 28 Oct. 1755 (B.M., Add MS. 32860, f. 213).
4 Hartington to Newcastle, 4 Oct. 1755 (B.M., Add. MS. 32859, f. 378).
5 Ilchester, Fox, ii. 78.
1 Devonshire to Newcastle, 12 Jan. 1756 (B.M., Add. MS. 32862, ff. 88–90); same to same, 5 Jan. 1756 (ibid., f. 36) ; same to same, 19 Jan. 1756 (ibid., f. 145).
2 Same to same, 31 Jan. 1756 (ibid., ff. 303–5).
3 Ilchester, Fox, ii. 80.
4 Devonshire to Newcastle, 31 Jan. 1756 (B.M., Add. MS. 32862, ff. 303–5).
5 Newcastle to Devonshire, 18 Feb. 1756 (Ilchester, Fox, ii. 79).
6 Devonshire to Newcastle, 2 Mar. 1756 (B.M., Add. MS. 32863, ff. 169170).
7 Same to same, 4 Mar. 1756 (ibid., f. 186).
8 Fox to Devonshire, 9 Mar. 1756 (Ilchester, Fox, ii. 80).
9 Devonshire to Newcastle, n.d. (B.M., Add. MS. 32863, f. 360); A. Ward to M. Ward, 18 Mar. 1756 (J. Stevenson, Two centuries of life in Down, 1600–1800, p. 338).
10 Walpole, Memoirs of George II, ii. 183.
1 Devonshire to Newcastle, 6 Mar. 1756 (B.M., Add. MS. 32863, f. 205); Walpole, op cit., p. 183.
2 Commons’ journ. Ire., ix. 819, 837, 847.
3 Stone to Sackville, 17 May 1756 (Hist. MSS. Comm., Stopford-Sackville MSS., i. 239).
4 Kiernan, Finan. admin., ch. viii.
5 Ibid., p. 179.
6 Ilchester, Fox, ii. 81.