Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 04.djvu/332

 recalled. In his letters to Lord Carlisle he had made use of expressions imputing 'malversations' to Beresford, and as he declined an explanation or apology, a hostile meeting was arranged to take place at Kensington, which was prevented by the interference of the police. After the recall of Fitzwilliam, Beresford returned to his old duties. The failure to put into operation a policy of conciliation led almost inevitably to the idea of a union with Great Britain as an ultimate means of overcoming Irish discontent, and while doubtless Beresford was in a great degree responsible for its adoption he also contributed his assistance in adjusting the arrangements by which it was brought about. After its accomplishment he retained office till 1802, to superintend the fiscal arrangements consequent thereupon between the two kingdoms. In the imperial parliament he continued to represent Waterford. His remaining years were spent between the fulfilment of his parliamentary duties in London and the recreations of agriculture and gardening at his seat at Walworth, Londonderry, where he died, after a short illness, 5 Nov. 1805. By his first wife he had four sons and five daughters, and by his second five daughters and three sons. 

BERESFORD, JOHN GEORGE DE LA POER, D.D. (1773–1862), primate of Ireland, was a younger son of George de la Poer, second earl and first marquis of Waterford. He was born at Tyrone House, Dublin, 22 Nov. 1773, and was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford, where he proceeded B.A. 30 April 1793, M.A. 17 March 1796, and D.D., by diploma, 11 March 1805, in view of his consecration, 24 March, to the bishopric of Cork. He was ordained deacon 2 April 1795, and priest, 17 Dec. 1797; was first preferred to the family rectories of Clonegam and Newtown Lenan in the diocese of Lismore; was presented, 23 Dec. 1799, to the deanery of the cathedral church of St. Macartin's, Clogher; and in 1801 became rector of Termonmaguirk in the diocese of Armagh. He was promoted 20 Feb. 1805 to the bishopric of Cork and Ross, from which he was translated to the see of Raphoe, 10 Aug. 1807, and to that of Clogher, 25 Sept. 1819. On 21 April 1820 he was created archbishop of Dublin, and was enthroned at Christ Church on 6 May following, and on the 23rd of the same month was appointed a privy councillor in Ireland. Finally he was translated to the archbishopric of Armagh and the primacy of all Ireland, 17 June 1822. In 1829 the primate succeeded Lord Manners as vice-chancellor of the university of Dublin, and continued in that office until his election to the chancellorship left vacant by the death of the King of Hanover, 19 Nov. 1851. The archbishop made munificent gifts to the library, erected, at an expense of 3,000l., a campanile in the centre of the great quadrangle 1853, and presented one sum of 1,000l. in 1853 towards founding a chair of ecclesiastical history, and another of like amount in 1861 towards augmenting its income. He also gave over 6,000l. to the college of St. Columba, near Stackallan, which was opened in 1844, to furnish the gentry of Ireland with a school ‘on the model of Eton.’ The archbishop was for several years visitor and patron of St. Columba's, with which he severed his official connection 6 Dec. 1853, on account of a misunderstanding with the warden (Correspondence relative to the Warden of St. Columba's College, 8vo, Armagh, 1853). On Thursday, 29 March 1855, the primate celebrated his episcopal jubilee at the palace of Armagh. An address from the clergy was drawn up by Archbishop Whately of Dublin. Beresford restored the cathedral of Armagh at an expense of nearly 30,000l., and improved the services by his own bounty. He held the patronage of 120 livings, which he administered with great fairness (Addresses, &c. p. 10), and in ordinary times he gave to the clergy, in the way of salaries to curates and augmentations of small incomes, not less than 1,800l. a year. During the ‘tithe war many of the clergy and their families were saved from actual starvation by his generosity’ (Gent. Mag. December 1862). He contributed large sums to the Church Education Society (as president), and to the Armagh Diocesan Church Education Society (Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette, 15 Nov. 1862). The prudent desire of Archbishop Beresford to make the best of educational measures which he could not control, and his recommendation to the clergy to accept the aid of the National Board, exposed him not only to misconstruction, but abuse. He was a conservative in politics, and opposed the Roman Catholic Relief Bill of 1829, against which he seconded the motion of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the House of Lords. His speech on that occasion, one of his very few printed productions, was published in 1829. His other publications are: 1. ‘A Speech on the System of National Education established in Ireland.’ 2. A Sermon preached at St. Paul's on 9 June 1836, at the Yearly Meeting of the Children of