Importance of the question for English working class, and working-class 
movement generally. 

Until 1800 Ireland, although conquered, remained separate and federate 
kingdom. Title of King up to peace of Amiens?°! “George HI, King of Great 
Britain, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith etc.” 

The English usurpations in regard to the Parliament at Dublin 
principally calculated with view to mercantile monopoly on the one 
hand, and, on the other, to have the appelate jurisdiction in regard 
to the titles of landed estates in the last instance to be decided at 
London, only in English courts. 

252 

Poynings’ Law 

A Statute of Henry VII, framed by his Attorney-General, Sir Edward Poynings, 
restrained the Irish Parliament from originating any law whatever, either in the Lords 
or Commons. Before any statute could be finally discussed, it was previously 
submitted to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and his Privy Council,?53 for their 
consideration, who might at their pleasure reject it, or transmit it to England. The 
British Attorney-General and Privy Council were invested with a power either to 
suppress it altogether, or model it at their own will, and then return it to Ireland, with 
permission to the Irish Parliament to pass it into law. Already Molyneux etc. protested 
against this (17th century). Later, in the 18th century, Swift and Dr. Lucas.254 

Statute 6, George I°°° 

“(It declared in fact the legislative supremacy of the British 
Parliament over Ireland.) 

Ftacbufd Me Nona “these nn POM Sethe AD La ft 7 | 

TT bance hg wee te D toh A 5 
ie aa pa o bugles anes 
ieee mare 

in A Wty nel ory 
a a f rhe “oe 

WOM, on SoieGie: a ae A! thas 3 
Me Newark Ale NAdAug peer ae ( <a ne 
POTN rye Sh Vana wa wy begs hone Vaile, (pm eee Suby 
tA be erempet MH A ed Geet pat’ caters Te te tae Gane ia 
amo Mul Oe Nis wh Mitaned hed oa he He fone rasan) akc 
rear. Bae 1NGt (Got) (NF (( [ween Lodypuxdoen | ae 
a 

a fe here ans sho HA of He Ke Lhe f ses ALVA 
by Ma Od, mets Wg eth Fe Uy atynte * ene NE, iat 

Nearer Sr Py eee open gh 

eres HS is aoe 
Wane iat : faba Bey wet 
wah Yo dase boone 

: LS CaN a 
Ee Senses . we vex og Ma Seiler anonn 
Nay , Me AD] = eae oe < mS on) hone 
Ot |. » Got co Gata SE bosretin ee ih 
Cette vee mee Decl RA ate 
pine ata me pach Ormyedia/on, Liane | ilies Uyp-oy 
ee rt 

US . Male meen) mang ret He Naot tower tore Me 

Wag pare inn fa Ma Deaddnrrh fhe wheat Aatict Harry A, 
DAs =u poe Wea Peale beoneach Su Hla heh pays [praens 

aa) te oe 

Page of Marx’s manuscript Ireland 
from the American Revolution to the Union 
of 1801 

Ireland from the American Revolution to the Union of 1801 915 

Poynings’ law recluced the Irish House of Commons to a mere instrument of the 
Privy Council of both nations, and, consequently, of the British Cabinet. 

George I, Statute, to. neutralise the Irish legislation altogether, and to establish an 
appellant jurisdiction to the British Lords, whereby every decree and judgment of the 
Irish superior courts, which would tend to affect or disturb the questionable or bad 
titles of the British adventurers or absentees? to Irish estates or Irish property, might 
be reversed or rendered abortive in Great Britain by a vote of the Scotch and English 
nobility. 

(This was re-enacted by the Union!) 

Many British Peers and Commoners, through whose influence this Statute of 
George I had been enacted, had themselves been deeply interested in effecting that 
measure, to secure their own grants of Irish estates. Under the Ist clause of this 
law England assumed a despotic power “and declared her inherent right to bind 
Ireland by every Statute in which she should be expressly designated”. 

It was the success of that vicious precedent which had 
encouraged George III and his British Parliament to attempt to 
legislate for America. Cost them the North-American colonies.*” 

General Character of Irish Parliament 
in the 18th Century Until the Upheaving 

Protestant Parliament. Only Protestants electors. In fact the 
Parliament of the Conquerors. A mere instrument, a mere serf in 
relation to the British Government. Compensated themselves by 
despotism against the Catholic mass of the Irish people. Penal 
Code against Catholics”* rigorously enforced. Only from time to 
time some efforts of that Parliament to resist the English 
commercial legislature ruining Irish industry and commerce, then 
principally carried on by the Protestant, Scotch-English part of the 
population. | 

As to the internal composition of this Parliament etc. more will be 
said by and by. 

A .new state of things opened with the American War of 
Independence and the disasters it brought upon England.