Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 24.djvu/173

 the commissioners sat from 3 May 1835 to 6 Jan. 1836, and from 29 Feb. to 26 May, when Hamilton and West were declared duly elected. In the following year, 1837, he again contested Dublin unsuccessfully, and although in presenting a petition he was supported by ‘the protestants of England,’ and a sum of money known as the Spottiswoode subscription was raised to assist him in paying his expenses, O'Connell on this occasion retained his seat. Throughout his career he took the side of the Orangemen, and was a prominent figure in the protestant demonstrations. On the formation of the ‘Lay Association for the Protection of Church Property’ in August 1834, he became the honorary secretary of the association, and for a long period worked energetically in the cause. In parliament he was chiefly known as having presented the petition of the celebrated protestant meeting of 14 Jan. 1837, which gave rise to much discussion and subsequently to the Earl of Roden's committee of inquiry. On 10 Feb. 1843, on the occurrence of a chance vacancy, he was returned by the university of Dublin, which constituency he represented without intermission until February 1859. To him was mainly due the formation of the Conservative Society for Ireland, which formed the rallying point for the conservative party after the passing of the Reform Bill. On 2 June 1845 he spoke on the subject of the ‘godless college bill.’ Another speech of 21 Aug. 1848 was printed with the title of ‘Education in Ireland. Report of Speech in the House of Commons on Mr. Hamilton's motion on above subject,’ 1848. On 21 June 1849 his proposal for an alteration in education in Ireland so as to make it acceptable to the protestant clergy was lost by 162 to 102 votes. He held the financial secretaryship of the treasury under Lord Derby's administration from March to December 1852, and again on the return of the conservatives to power from March 1858 to January 1859. At this latter date he was appointed permanent secretary of the treasury. He was sworn a member of the privy council 7 Aug. 1869, and in the following year was named one of the commissioners of the church temporalities in Ireland. He was a magistrate and deputy-lieutenant for the county of Dublin, and an LL.D. of Dublin University. He died at Kingstown, Ireland, 17 Sept. 1871. His wife, whom he married 1 May 1835, was Amelia Fancourt, daughter of Joshua Uhthoff of Bath.

[Portraits of Eminent Conservatives, 2nd ser. (1846), with portrait; Burke's Landed Gentry; Times, 20 Sept. 1871, p. 6; Illustrated London News, 11 Dec. 1852, pp. 517–18, with portrait, and 23 Sept. 1871, p. 283.]  HAMILTON, GUSTAVUS, (1639–1723), was the second son of Sir Frederick Hamilton, fifth and youngest son of Claud Hamilton, first lord Paisley [q. v.], by Sidney, daughter and heiress of Sir John Vaughan, governor of the city and county of Londonderry. He entered the army, and became captain towards the close of the reign of Charles II. In this capacity he attended the Duke of Ormonde, chancellor of Oxford, to that university, and on the occasion received the degree of D.C.L., 6 Aug. 1677. On the accession of James II he was sworn a privy councillor, but resigned his seat in disgust at the unconstitutional conduct of James. Tyrconnel thereupon deprived him of his commission, and he retired to his estate in co. Fermanagh. In 1688 he was appointed by the protestants governor of Enniskillen, and took up his residence in the castle. With great energy he collected and armed a trustworthy force. Smiths were employed to fasten scythes on poles, while all the country houses round Loch Erne were strengthened and garrisoned. Sir William Stewart, viscount Mountjoy, during his visit to Ulster, endeavoured to persuade the men of Enniskillen ‘to submit to the king's authority,’ assuring them that he would ‘protect them,’ but they answered him jeeringly that the king would ‘find it hard enough to protect himself.’ After the vote of the Convention parliament William and Mary were proclaimed at Enniskillen. On learning that a Jacobite force had been sent into Ulster, Hamilton returned to Londonderry, and undertook the defence of Coleraine, which he held for six weeks against the whole of the hostile army, which twice attempted to storm it. He thus covered Londonderry until it was fully prepared for a siege (petition of Major-general Hamilton to the queen in Treasury Papers, 1708–14, p. 188). He then retreated in good order towards Londonderry, having stayed with a troop till they burned three arches of a bridge. Thence he returned to the command of the Enniskilleners, but his exertions for a time broke down his health. On his recovery he joined the army of the Duke of Schomberg. He commanded a regiment at the battle of the Boyne, where he had a horse shot under him. Afterwards he served under Ginkel [q. v.] during the remainder of the Irish campaign. He specially distinguished himself at the brilliant capture of Athlone, wading the Shannon at the head of the grenadiers who stormed it. On its surrender he was appointed governor of the town. On the conclusion of the war he was made a privy councillor, and received a large grant out of the forfeited estates. He was gazetted brigadier-