← Government of Ireland Bill enacted
Mary O'Connell is born in Co. Limerick, known as Sister Anthony, she serves in the American Civil War as a nurse →
- July 25, 1814
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, FRS (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850) was a British Conservative statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835 and 1841–1846) simultaneously serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer (1834–1835) and twice as Home Secretary (1822–1827 and 1828–1830).
He is regarded as the father of modern British policing, owing to his founding of the Metropolitan Police Service. Peel was one of the founders of the modern Conservative Party.
In 1810, Peel was appointed an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies; his Secretary of State was Lord Liverpool.
When Lord Liverpool formed a government in 1812, Peel was appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland.
The Peace Preservation Act of 1814
The Peace Preservation Act of 1814 authorized the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to appoint additional magistrates in a county in a state of disturbance, who were authorized to appoint paid special constables (later called “peelers”).
Peel thus laid the basis for the Royal Irish Constabulary.
Peel was firmly opposed to Catholic emancipation, believing that Catholics could not be admitted to Parliament as they refused to swear the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown.
In May 1817, Peel delivered the closing speech in opposition to Henry Grattan’s Catholic emancipation bill; the bill was defeated by 245 votes to 221.