THE PEERAGE.
THE following Notes on Barons CLANBRASSIL and ORIEL are from an Irish correspondent.
Baron Clanbrassil, Earl Roden. Robert Jocelyn, born in 1758. Created an English Peer, by George IV. 1821.
This nobleman derives his English title from his grand-uncle, by whose demise without issue, his father became possessed of the Dundalk estate, in Ireland. He is nephew to the notorious Ex-Bishop of Clogher, Percy Jocelyn. His father's propensity to gambling embarrassed the estate considerably ; whilst, vice versa, the son's opposite habits render the na- tural advantages it possesses of inconsiderable value to himself and of little interest to the inhabitants thereon. He is proprietor of the rotten borough of Dundalk, which sends a member to the Imperial Parliament; it contains a population of 13,359 souls, and is a good sea-port. This fa- mily has appointed the members for the borough for seventy or eighty years, the representation of which was regularly sold to the highest bid- der. The late Mr. Hartop, Gd. Callaghan, Cork, C. Barclay, London, and others, successively purchased it. About forty years ago, a Mr. Reid attempted to open the borough, but was defeated, after a litigious contest. Emboldened by this success, the family allowed the corporate body (which by the charter was fixed at twenty-three burgesses,) to dwindle to a minority of five or six electors ; in consequence of which, in 1824, Dr. Clarke, Mr. Marmion, and other inhabitants, assisted by Mr. Flanagan's advice, made a resolute struggle to open or disfranchise it, which would have been successful if properly followed up. His Lord- ship has been for many years a strenuous and enthusiastic Biblical, and on many occasions acts the part of an Evangelical preacher. His time is chiefly employed in roaming about from one Bible meeting -to another, unless when his presence is required in Parliament to oppose any ex- tension of civil and religious liberty to the people, to which he has been ever a most decided opponent. The present representative for Dun- dalk, Lieutenant Gordon, is his bosom friend and brother Biblical, and probably the only member that has been returned without pur- chase for the last century. His Lordship divided with Lord Oriel the representation of the county of Louth, which was as close as the borough for fifty years; but in the glorious contest of 1S26, his political power was annihilated there, by the return of the late inestimable and patriotic Alexander Dawson. His father supported the measure of the Union ; and the present Lord was joint Auditor-General for Ireland, a sinecure worth 3,5001. per annum. He was also Gauger of Wine for the port of Galway, with 7001. per annum, and Vice-Chamberlain to the late King, with 1,700/. per annum ; which he resigned, rather than vote wIth the Welling- ton Administration for Catholic Emancipation. He of course opposed the Reform Bill.
Baron Oriel, Viscount Ferrard. Thomas Henry Skeffington. His father was created an English Peer by George IV. 1821. a.
This nobleman's real name is Foster ; the name of Skeffington he adopted on his marriage with a lady of that name ; the Irish title he de- rives in right of his mother. He is the son of the late Right Honourable John Foster, Baron Oriel, the last Speaker of the Irish House of Com- mons. Under the fatal policy of this man and his party, Ireland had been sunk to the lowest state of political degradation. For fifty years, by his cunning and intrigues, he maintained himself in the representation of the county of Louth without a contest. He had created a strong Ascendancy party in that county, and his plan and practice was to extinguish in the bud every effort the people made for an extension of political liberty. The system was based in oppression, and the blood of the people was bountifully shed to nourish it. At length came the political storm of 1826—
" And when, good easy man, be thought
His greatness was a-ripening, nipp'd the bud."
and scattered to the winds that fabric he was rearing so long, and which he deemed to be eternal. This unhappy old man lived to see an end to all his former greatness, and the people proudly triumphant. His family, as well as that of the Jocelyns, have lost the representation of the county: the present members are R. L. Shell, and Sir Patrick Bellew, Bart.—both Reformers as well as Catholics. The present Lord Oriel has espoused his father's politics. He has been sole governor of the county, and has had uncontrolled sway over the Magistracy. His Lordship was absent on the late Reform division, but he sent his proxy against it ; which, however, being signed " Ferrard," could not be received. His Majesty's Ministers, as regards Louth, have, at all events, shown some discrimination by the appointment of Blayney Balfour, Esq., who is a decided Reformer ; although both his brothers-in-law, the Earl of Enniskillen and Mr. Wynne of Sligo, will each lose the nomination of a borough by the Bill.
[The Notes will be continued from time to time.]
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