Above : Illustrating Picture Of Sir John Parnell (Sitting The In Middle) In A Meeting
During the seven months which intervened before Parliament sat again the Government was not idle. Every effort was made to influence public opinion in favour of the Union, or, failing this, to produce at least an appearance of acquiescence or even of desire for the success of the scheme.
Above : Portrait Of Castlereagh With His Signature
In February there was a debate in both Houses, on a message received from the Lord Lieutenant, asking that the Lords and Commons should consider the question of a Legislative Union. In the Commons, Castlereagh rose to explain the Government scheme in more detail than had yet been done. It may be well, at this point, to briefly set forth the most important points in the chief clauses of the Act of Union, in the form in which they were ultimately passed :
Above : Picture of John Foster
The day had now come (June 7th) when the final step was to be taken ; when the Bill for the Legislative Union was to be read a third time, and the Parliament of Ireland was to vote its own extinction. Before the report stage was witness the anti’Unionist members, unwilling to actually the rum of the cause, withdrew in a body. Thus, though the galleries were crowded, there were many empty benches on the floor of the House itself, when Lord Castlereagh moved the third reading of the Bill. Amidst a dead silence, John Foster, the Speaker, rose and asked the will of the House in the usual form : “As many as are of opinion that this Bill should pass say aye” The answer was given without enthusiasm, but there could be no doubt as to its nature. ” The ayes have it,” Foster announced. Such was the end of the Irish Parliament.