Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/417

 406 CAULFIELI. the oetennial bill, created a marked change in the ener- gies of the country, and introduced a suecession of new and splendid characters on the senatorial stage; and the administration of Lord Townshend became in consequence, a perpetual scene of arduous contest. At no one period of Irish history, did there appear so numerous a host of able men, or a more brilliant display of talents and elo- quence in the parliament. The country began to rouse, as it were, from a political lethargy. The limitation of eight years to existence of parliament on the one hand, taught the representative body to feel, a little, their depen- dence on popular sentiment; and the people, on the other, to hope that the talents of their honest gentry would have a fair chance of being more generally exerted in, their cause; while the great borough-owners looked to the lucrative expedient which would récur to them on the demise of every parliament, of turning their influence with advantage to their political or pecuniary account. This measure also sowed the first germ of a future system, little, if at all, contemplated at the moment; namely, the extension of the elective franchise to the catholics, who, for a series of years before and after, were wholly excladed that privilege, their subsequent attainment of which, was at least as much owing to the electioneering views, as to the liberality of parliamentary leaders. Amongst the leading characters eminent in the political contests of the day, were, in the upper house, Simon, Earl of Carhampton, and Charles Coote, Earl of Bellamont; John Scott, a barrister, afterwards Earl of Clonmell and chief justice; Walter Hussey Burgh, afterwards chief baron of the exchequer; Sir William Osborne; the celebrated Henry Flood; John Hely Hutchinson, after wards secre- tary of state, and provost of Trinity College; and Dennis Daly, member for Galway Lord Charlemont thooght it his duty to his country uniformly to act with the opposition, although he fre- quently viewed with regret the revolt of some of his ablest friends, whose patriotic fortitude could not withstand the