tant, and that they were come to refund the extraordinary profits?

The house-tax bill was either combated in the whole, or controverted in its parts, by fome in the oppofition, in every part of its progrefs through the Houfe of Commons. They faid it was particularly injurious, unjust, and oppref five, from its being unequally and partially allotted, as near nine tenths of its burthens were to be borne by the metropolis, and the county of Middlefex. That it carried more the appearance of a bill of punishment on the citizens of London, for their daring to oppose the American war, than a fair, equal, and proportionate tax on property. And, they faid it was a moft grievous and melancholy confideration, that thofe who, within and without that Houfe, had either perfonally oppofed or execrated all the meafures that tended to that fatal event, fhould, in themfelves and their posterity, have their properties taxed, and their inheritances perpetually mortgaged, to fupply the immenfe fums lavished in fchemes of folly, cruelty, and injustice, which they equally lamented and detefted.

Failing in their oppofition to the general principle of the bill, they ufed the moft ftrenuous efforts in the committee on the fecond of April, for leffening its effect with refpect to the poorer orders of the people. Upon this principle they first moved, that houses of 10l. ayear, and under, fhould not be rated to the tax. This question, after confiderable debate, being loft on a division, by a majority of 69 to 51; they then moved, that houfes of 71. a-year, and under, fhould be exempted. Upon this

5

The diftreffes of Ireland had long been an object of regret, even with many of those who had no particular intereft in that country. Without entering into the caufes from which thefe originated, it will be fufficient to obferve, that they had grown to their prefent alarming and deplorable ftate, under the unhappy confequences of the American war; fo that the country became unequal to the fupport of that great establishment, with which it had (perhaps too inconfiderately) encumbered itself, when the flourishing state of all other parts of the British empire, had diffused a confiderable degree of profperity even thither.

This ftate of affairs became now fo notorious, and the confequences were faid to be so urgent, that the Minifters were at length convinced of the neceffity of paying attention to them; and of affording fome immediate fatisfaction to the feelings, if not an entire redress to the grievances of that people. Earl Nugent had accordingly on the 2d of April moved, that a committee of the whole House fhould be appointed to confider of the trade of Ireland. The noble Lord obferved, that the conduct of Great-Britain towards its fifter kingdom, had been no lefs impolitic than unjuft, and that the prefent fituation of public affairs called particularly on this country to enter into a revifion of the Irish trade laws.

This propofal in favour of Ire

land,

land, though originating from the court fide of the Houfe, was entered into with great cordiality by most of the principal members of the oppofition; and indeed by that whole party, excepting a few gentlemen, who from their fituation, as representatives of manufacturing towns or counties, confidered themfelves under an indifpenfable obligation to pay the greateft regard to the opinions, although they were even founded on the prejudices, of their conftituents. The former faid, that Ireland was now the chief dependency of the British crown, and that it particularly behoved this country, at this feafon, and in this fituation, to admit the Irish nation to the privileges of British citizens; a measure which true policy and right wisdom would have long fince adopted.

They faid, that the restrictions on the Irish trade had defeated the purpose for which they were intended, and, instead of promoting the ftaple manufactory of this country, in its woollen fabricks, produced a direct contrary effect. For the Irish, in order to pay their rents, were under a neceffity of difpofing of the produce of their lands, and as they were not allowed to manufacture their wool, to find a market for it wherever they could. All partial laws and unnatural restraints muft ever fail in their defign, when oppofed to the operation of fuch a neceffity. France, feeling an irremediable want of the raw material in herfelf, afforded a ready market, and an exorbitant price for the Irish wool. The cheapnefs of living, and other circumstances, were, however, more than a counterballance, for the exceffive price

which the paid for the raw material. And thus, France was enabled to arrive at fuch a state with refpect to her woollen manufactures, as to rival us in that very commerce of which we were fo jealous.

The noble Lord's motions, as they were then itated, or afterwards altered in the Committee or House, were placed under four heads, and directed to the following purposes: That the Irish might be permitted to export directly to the British plantations, or to the fettlements on the coast of Africa, in British fhips navigated according to law, all goods, wares, and merchandizes, being the produce or manufacture of that kingdom, wool and woollen manufactures only excepted, or commodities of the growth, produce, or manufacture of Great-Britain, legally imported from that kingdom, as alfo foreign certificate goods, under the fame condition. The fecond permitted a direct importation into Ireland, of all goods, wares, and merchandize, being the produce of any of the British plantations, or of the fettlements on the coast of Africa, tobacco only excepted.-The third permitted the direct exportation from Ireland, to all places except Great-Britain, of glass manufac tured in that kingdom. -The fourth, by taking off a duty amounting to a prohibition, permitted the importation of cotton yarn, the manufacture of Ireland, into GreatBritain.-And, the fifth, which was moved by Mr. Burke, permitted the importation of Irish fail-cloth and cordage.

Although the motions were unanimoufly agreed to for the prefent, and that the greatest good wishes

were

were on all hands expreffed for the fifter kingdom, yet fome gentlemen could not forbear expreffing their apprehenfions, that if the propofed refolutions fhould pafs into a law, it would prove highly detrimental to the manufactures of this country; for that the taxes in Ireland being low, and labour cheap, the Irish would be able to underfell us in fuch a degree, as would probably prove the ruin of feveral of our trading towns.

To this it was answered, that the taxes in Ireland were many and high; and that upon an accurate examination, they would be found, proportionally to the means of paying them, confiderably greater than in England. That ftrangers, from the apparent opulence and fplendor of the metropolis, with the magnificence and unbounded hofpitality of people of fashion, were liable to be much deceived in their ideas with refpect to the real ftate of that kingdom. But that in fact, the people of that country had languished fo long, under the moft intolerable grievances, and the weight of the moft oppreffive laws, that they were now reduced to a ftate of the most extreme wretched. nefs. Their loyalty, however, and affection to this country, were fo far fuperior with them to all other confiderations, that in the midst of their own diftrefs, they looked only to our danger; and though the oppreffiveness of our acts compelled multitudes of their brethren daily to abandon their country and all that was dear to them, who without crime or charge, were undergoing in foreign lands all the miferies incident to a state of banishment, yet their remaining friends were ftill willing to ftrain every

nerve to fupport us in the moment of our diftrefs. A noble Lord in office, who had embarked warmly on that fide, concluded his fpeech by declaring, that, a braver, a more generous, or a more loyal people were not to be found; and, he fattered himself therefore, that they would be treated by parliament according to their high deferts.

A gentleman of high diftinction in the oppofition, and who had once been high in office, after expreffing his warmest approbation of the prefent measure, and declaring his happiness at feeing that the mift of prejudice was beginning to difperfe; added, that it would increafe his happiness to give the measure a broader bottom; for, though he was as ftedfaft a protef tant as any gentleman in the Houfe, he wished to fee fome means adopted for granting fuch indulgencies to the Roman Catholics of Ireland, as might attach that great body of men to government; their affections had been alienated; he wished to recal them by indulgent behaviour, and thereby giving them an interest in government. He hated the perfecuting spirit of the Romish religion, and could not therefore with to be a perfecutor.

This brought up the Minifter, and afforded an opportunity for a disclosure of his fentiments on the prefent bufinefs. The noble Lord declared, that he would with the greateft cordiality concur in any measure which tended to fo defirable a purpose, as that mentioned by the gentleman who fpoke before him; but the proposed redress was not within their province; it properly belonged to the parliament

of Ireland; the laws which were fo fevere against the Roman Catholics had originated there, and redrefs of domestic grievances fhould likewife of right originate from them. The penal laws of that kingdom were the confequence of apprehenfions; a caufe, which, however groundlefs, always produces the moft fevere and cruel policy. As these apprehenfions had long ceafed, he made no doubt that their own parliament would perceive and redrefs the grievance; for there was not any where a people of more liberal fentiments than the Irish.

Leaving therefore, he faid, to the candour of their own parliament, to grant fuch indulgence to the Roman Catholics as their loyalty deserved, he requested the Houfe would agree to what was in their power, and properly within their province. The Irish complained, and complained with juftice, of the oppreffive reftrictions of our trade laws; a relaxation of them, would benefit the Irish, and ultimately enrich ourselves; their profits, as in other cafes, would finally center with us; embarked in the fame common cause with us, they were not to be confidered as rivals in trade; but their rivals were in reality ours, as ours should be theirs. The exception of woollen manufactures he should fay nothing to; it might not, perhaps, be juft; that point, however, had been given up by the Irish them felves, and the refignation confirmed by an ancient compact. He concluded by giving an unreferved and hearty concurrence to the mo

tion.

William Meredith had moved for a repeal of the declaratory act of the year 1766, as preparatory to that of the other obnoxious American laws; the whole measure being in his opinion abfolutely neceffary before the departure of the commiffioners, to afford any prospect of fuccefs to their negociation. The motion was oppofed by Mr. Burke, who fpoke much at length to the queftion, and with much applaufe from the greater part on both fides of the Houfe. The tendency of his fpeech was to prove that the act, as an abstract propofition of law, was wife at the time it was made. That it produced great advantage at that time, to the measures for healing the differences with America; and that it produced no ill effect. That the House had already formally renounced the obnoxious power in queftion, which was fuppofed to be involved in that act; and that therefore this repeal, would be only for parliament to give itself the lie, for no manner of purpose. The motion was gently rejected without a divifion, by a motion for its being adjourned for two months.

A meffage was received from the throne, April 8th.

to enable his majesty to make fuitable provifion for his younger children out of the hereditary revenues of the crown, which could not be done without an act of parliament for the purpose. The propofal went to the fettling an annuity of 60,000l. on the fix younger princes, of 30,000l. on the five princeffes, and of 12,000l. on the prince and princess, son and daughter to his royal highness the Duke of Gloucefter. The annuities only

to

to take effect, in the first instance, on the demise of his Majefty; and, in the fecond, on the death of the Duke of Gloucefter. A bill was accordingly, immediately brought in on thefe grounds, and a law speedily paffed for the defired pur

pofe.

13th.

In a few days after Sir Philip Jennings Clerke brought in what was called the Contractor's Bill, founded upon the ground defcribed in the following motion," A bill for reftraining any perfon, being a member "of the Houfe of Commons, from being concerned himself, or any "perfon in truft for him, in any "contract made by the commif"fioners of his majefty's treasury, "the commiffioners of the navy, "the board of ordnance, or by "any other perfon or perfons, for "the public fervice, unless the "faid contract fhall be made at a

public bidding."

The general odium under which this order of men had long laboured, rendered this bill exceedingly popular without doors; whilft it afforded an opportunity within (which was by no means neglected) of renewing all that cenfure, that had upon various occafions, with no unfparing hand, been bestowed upon them in the courfe of the feffion. To this odium it can only be attributed, that a motion, which conveyed a well-understood cenfure upon government, and which was indeed founded upon former

charges, that equally included the treafury bench and the contractors, fhould, notwithstanding all the weight of adminiftration, be carried by a confiderable majority. Yet fuch was the event. The motion being carried by a majority of

71 to 50, and a bill accordingly brought in.

In the mean time a ftrong oppofition was forming against the Irish bills, which were founded upon thofe refolutions we have already ftated. A general alarm was fpread, through most of the trading and manufacturing parts of the kingdom. They confidered the admittance of Ireland to any participation in trade, as not only deftructive in the most ruinous degree of their property, but as being equally fubverfive of their rights. They were as little difpofed to confent, that the people of Ireland fhould cultivate their own manufactures, and difpofe of their native commodities at the proper foreign markets, as they were to admit them to any limited degree of participation. In a word, a foreign invafion could scarcely have excited a greater alarm. It ran like an infection every where, and took fuch abfolute poffeffion of the mind, that the recent, and immediately forefelt example of America, with refpect to any general application of caufes to effects, was totally forgotten. The city of London preferved the dignity of fo great and majeftic an emporium, and continued uninfluenced by common opinion, and unmoved by popular clamour.

The Eafter recefs afforded time, and opportunity for public meetings, for the preparation of petitions, and of inftructions to reprefentatives, which were accordingly. brought up in confiderable numbers at the meeting of parliament. A curious circumftance occurred upon this occafion, which afforded a ftriking inftance of the eagerness with which ill-founded popular apprehenfions,