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James II Molyneux, and which was eventually recognised by England in the memorable year 1782. It is not uninteresting to observe that in the preamble it is stated, as one of the grounds for this doctrine, that "the people of this kingdom did never send members to any Parliament ever held in England." A further clause of the same Act abolished the usurped jurisdiction in virtue of which the court of King's Bench in England had arrogated to itself the right of reversing the decisions of the Irish judges.

Having thus asserted the legislative independence of their country the Irish Parliament proceeded, with a liberality rare indeed in that age, to pass "an Act for Liberty of Conscience, and repealing such Acts or clauses in any Act of Parliament which are inconsistent with the same," a measure which guaranteed "the full and free exercise of their respective religions to all that profess Christianity within the kingdom, without any molestation, loss, or penalty whatsoever." Dr. King, whose own notions on the subject of religious liberty were of the most rudimentary character, speaks very slightingly of this noble statute. It "was designed," he tells us, "only to destroy the Established Church, and not that Protestants should have the benefit of it." The evidence in support of this asser- 167