Background
He was born in 1738 in Ireland. He was a younger son of Sir Marcus Beresford, who, having married Catherine, sole heiress of James Power, 3rd earl of Tyrone.
He was born in 1738 in Ireland. He was a younger son of Sir Marcus Beresford, who, having married Catherine, sole heiress of James Power, 3rd earl of Tyrone.
He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin.
He was called to the Irish bar, and entered the Irish parliament as member for Waterford in 1760. He was first brought into conflict with Grattan and the popular party, in 1784, by his support of the proposal that the Irish parliament in return for the removal of restrictions on Irish trade should be bound to adopt the English navigation laws.
Beresford immediately exerted all his influence with his friends in England, to whom he described himself as an injured and persecuted man; he appealed to Pitt, and went in person to London to lay his complaint before the English ministers.
There had been a misunderstanding on the point between Pitt and Fitzwilliam.
Pitt denied all recollection of any such communication, and on the contrary described the dismissal as " an open breach of the most solemn promise.
Beresford sent a challenge to Fitzwilliam, but the combatants were interrupted on the field and Fitzwilliam then made an apology. When Lord Camden replaced Fitzwilliam in the viceroyalty in March 1795, Beresford resumed his former position.
On the eve of the rebellion in 1798 his letters to Lord Auckland gave an alarming description of the condition of Ireland, and he counselled strong measures of repression.
When first consulted by Pitt on the question of the union Beresford appears to have disliked the idea; but he soon became reconciled to the policy and warmly supported it.
He was a vehement opponent of the increasing demand for Catholic Emancipation.
Beresford was twice married: in 1760 to Constantia Ligondes, who died in 1772; and, secondly, in 1774 to Barbara Montgomery. He had large families by both marriages.
