The Act of Union (August 1, 1800)…

The Act of Union (August 1, 1800) had abolished the Irish Parliament.

Irish MP Daniel O' Connell, the leading advocate of Catholic political rights and Irish self-government in the British House of Commons, has long insisted that the British Parliament repeal the anti-Catholic laws in order to justify its claim to represent the people of Ireland.

He had helped in 1835 to overthrow Sir Robert Peel's Conservative ministry, and promising the new Whig Party leaders a period of “perfect calm” in Ireland while the government enacts reform measures.

However, The Tories exercise through their control of the House of Lords an effective restriction on promised social and economic reforms for Ireland.

O'Connell comes to realize that the weak Whig administration of William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, will do little more than the Tories for Ireland.

In 1839, O'Connell had founded the Repeal Association to dissolve the Anglo-Irish legislative union.