An Enlightened Utilitarian: Thomas Drummond (1797-1840)

Abstract

Dublin Castle was the site of colonial government when the Act of Union in 1801 closed the Dublin Parliament and integrated it with the body at Westminster?t the time, little attention was paid to the implications of the act for the gover nance of Ireland. The question was visited frequently in the ensuing decades; topics addressed were, for example, the advisability of abolishing the office of Lord Lieutenant, an annual visit to Ireland for the monarch, and the choice of a royal residence. Reluctance to decide such matters meant that Ireland's gov ernance , although beholden to Whitehall, would still operate from the Castle. In 1830, Robert Peel argued for the persistence in Ireland of ... some official organ of government residing upon the spot1 The British presence was effective outside government: for example, the Anglican archbishopric, when held by Richard Whately (1787-1863), was an important and positive influence on Irish education.2 The Victorian era connected the modern world to a simpler age. Technolo gy in the form of steam was familiar to the Princess Victoria, and factories organized the work of individuals into unskilled functions operated under industrial discipline. In contrast, government was slower to change; it remained the prerogative of privileged males whose personal qualities were evident in the expression of public policy. Imperial government was broad in its purview and geographic scope, and the Royal Navy maintained the Pax Britannica across much of the globe. Yet, at its core, British government operated in the manner of previous centuries. That is, complex and widespread operations relied on correspondence, consultations, legislative debates, and hearings. The pace was slow in the manner of preindustrial society.