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Irish Influences on Chartism

The 1801 Act of Union brought a closer link between England and Ireland. Ireland acted as a catalyst on English politics.

• Daniel O'Connell and the Catholic Association had conducted such a powerful campaign that the government passed the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829. The methods used by the Catholic Association were adopted in England by the Birmingham Political Union and the Anti-Corn-Law League in their campaigns.
• John Doherty was an active Trade Unionist who set up the Spinners' Union in 1828
• Feargus O'Connor, George Julian Harney and James Bronterre O'Brien were all Chartist leaders
• The Lichfield House Compact between Lord John Russell and the Whigs and Daniel O'Connell and the Irish MPs were responsible for the fall of Peel's first ministry
• The Irish potato famine had a lasting impact on Anglo-Irish relations
• The repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 has been linked with the potato famine although the legislation had little effect in Ireland

Irish Grievances

• There was great disappointment with the 1829 Catholic Emancipation Act, especially from the 40/- freeholders who were disenfranchised
• the land problem was not solved. Evictions, rack-renting and the payment of rents to the Anglican Church and absentee landlords continued.
• Ireland continued to have a Malthusian economy: that is, the population outstripped food production. This was exacerbated by the potato famine.
• the religious problem was not solved. The Irish continued to pay tithes to the Anglican Church which maintained its supremacy.

These problems were to the fore of O'Connor's mind and he equated them with English grievances.

• Conservative radicalism under O'Connell, who wanted the social order to remain, but the political order to change. He wanted to repeal of the Act of Union and win home rule for Ireland. These people were political reformers.
• Popular radicals who opposed English Protestant domination and sought social reform as expressed by 'ribbonism' - secret agrarian societies seeking rent reductions and the abolition of tithes. They tended to be the violent element.

Chartism had little to offer either form of Irish radicalism and had little impact in Ireland because of

• the hatred of everything English
• disillusionment with constitutional reforms after Emancipation.

O'Connell opposed Chartism, and lack of Chartist activity in Ireland prevented O'Connor's dream of a united movement against the English ruling class. O'Connellites broke up a Chartist meeting in Dublin in 1839, as they broke up meetings in England later. There was little headway for Chartism in Ireland until 1841.

In August 1841 the Irish Universal Suffrage Association was formed, linking small discussion groups in Dublin, Belfast and other towns. Regular meetings were discontinued in 1844. There was a short revival in 1848.

Dublin Chartists were mainly 40/- freeholders who had lost the vote in 1829. They were led by O'Higgins and the Irish Universal Suffrage Association. Between 1841 and 1844 they sent several petitions to parliament for the Charter and repeal of the Act of Union, which added yet another dimension to Chartism.

Influence on England

The Irish in England contributed an important element to Chartism at all levels. They were national and local leaders of the movement and also formed much of the rank-and-file of Chartism. They were also important in 1848 and in the later days of Chartism - especially for violence. The Irish brought their own grievances and experience into English Chartism. They were also hostile to the English ruling classes.

O'Connor copied O'Connell's scheme of popular agitation, which had succeeded in the 1820s. He constantly sought the support of Irish nationalists in parliament because for both, parliamentary reform was the starting point for what they wanted:

• Home Rule
• A repeal of the Act of Union
• Social and economic reforms

O'Connor hoped that the Irish MPs would advocate his cause in parliament - but unfortunately, O'Connor and O'Connell were sworn enemies. O'Connor had been an O'Connellite MP between 1832 and 1835 and was elected as MP for Nottingham in 1847. The National Charter Association was modelled on the Catholic Association.

Results

• The physical force element of Chartism was strengthened by Irish influences. Because of events in Ireland, the Irish continued to assume that the threat of violence would achieve their aims.
• The whole Irish question was forced to the attention of English radicals. O'Connor supported the repeal of the Act of Union in the Northern Star. This angered Lovett and the moderates and also the Scottish Nationalists. It also confused parliamentary issues.
• The land problem was made out to be the centre of social injustice in Ireland. This Irish outlook induced O'Connor's Land Plan in England. Really, he seems to have had Irish conditions in mind.
• The "Irish angle" divested Chartism of much of its original English and constitutional appeal, and lost the movement much popular support, besides all chance of political support from the House of Commons.