October, 1779. On this occafion the lord lieutenant in his fpeech took notice of the general ftate of affairs in the following words:† "At a time when "the trade and commerce of this kingdom are in a more particular manner "the objects of public attention, it were to be wished, that the general "tranquillity, ever defirable, had been restored, fo as to have left you entirely at leifure to deliberate on thofe great and important fubjects; but "I am perfuaded you will not permit any interefts, however dear to you, to impede your efforts, or disturb your unanimity at this moft important pe"riod; and I have it exprefsly in command from his majefty to affure you, "that the cares and folicitudes infeparable from a ftate of hoftility have not

prevented him from turning his royal mind, to the interefts and diftreffes "of this kingdom with the most affectionate concern, of which, the money "remitted to this country for its defence, when England had every reafon "to apprehend a most formidable and immediate attack, affords a convincing proof. Anxious for the happinefs of his people, his majesty will most cheerfully co-operate with his parliaments in fuch measures as may pro"mote the common interefts of all his people.

"It is with great concern I have to inform you, that on account of the ex"traordinary decline of the revenues, the very liberal fupplies of the last fef"fion have proved inadequate to the exigencies of government, fo that, contrary to my most fanguine expectations and moft earnest endeavours, "there is a confiderable arrear now to be provided for.

"The united efforts and great military preparations of the house of Bour"bon feem only to have roufed the courage, and called forth the exertions of "his majefty's brave and loyal fubjects of this kingdom; and I have only "to lament, that the exhausted state of the treasury has hitherto put it out "of my power to give thofe exertions the most extensive and constitutional operation, by carrying the militia law into execution."

66

As foon as the lord lieutenant's speech had been read in the House of Commons, Sir Robert Tilfon Dean arofe, and after an exordium in a high strain of panegyric on the lord lieutenant's administration, and the good difpofi

"nexion, which alone could make them truly beneficial." This gentleman (he was a barrister) about this time wrote a letter to Lord North, on the crisis of affairs in Ireland, which is to be feen in the Appendix, No. LXVI. it was written in the spur of the moment, and is a faithful index of the general spirit, which had then seized the Irish nation.

† 10 Journ. Com. p. 11.

fitions

tions of his majefty and the British miniftry toward that kingdom, moved for an addrefs to the throne, expreffing in the warmest terms the grateful fenfe the house entertained of thofe difpofitions, and, in the ufual language of these addreffes, echoing the fpeech. The motion was feconded by Mr. R. H. Hutchinfon, who faid this was a great, critical, and important period, in which the declarations of the king, the best of princes, and the British legislature, left no room to doubt but every good was defigned for Ireland; that his majesty's speech in the British house, at the close of the last feffion, was the harbinger of good tidings and great events, which was on that day confirmed by the lord lieutenant's fpeech, who faid he had it in command to declare his with to co-operate in fuch measures, as might beft promote their interefts, which, in the hands of their administration, must be well managed, as their defigns were pure; that under fuch an administration, the general benefit of the empire would be attended to, above all partial and selfish confiderations; and the veil of calumny, which had fo long traduced them, would difappear, and the factious calumniators, touched with truth, as with the fpear of Ithuriel, would ftart into fhape. What thanks were due to the chief governor, who fo refpectfully mentioned the focieties of armed patriots throughout the kingdom. What muft their opinion be of a chief governor, who spoke fo honorably of that great bulwark of conftitutional liberty, a national militia? Though their diftreffes were great, from them profperous days might fpring.

Mr. Grattan faid, the speech contained nothing explicit, nothing fatisfactory; it meant to quiet the minds of the people, without any declaration whatever. After his majefty had been addreffed by his Irifh fubjects for a free export trade, did fuch addreffes require no anfwer? Were the people of Ireland undeferving the notice of the British ministers? Was there no respect for the interests of thefe kingdoms among the fervants of the crown on that fide of the water? Were not these fervants of the crown alfo reprefentatives of the people? Why not then speak out? Were their diftreffes of fo private a nature, that they must not be mentioned? Here he gave an eloquent and pathetic picture of the miferable condition of the kingdom. It was plain they had nothing to expect, fince applications from the people, backed even by the officers of the crown, were not attended to. Ireland then had nothing

to depend upon but her own fpirit; no redrefs of grievances, no extenfion of trade, but from the efforts of her people! and would it be politic, would it

be fafe, here or elsewhere, to oppose these efforts? Why does not the addrefs alfo fpeak out? Why had they lefs fpirit than the people? Should the commons of Ireland fhew lefs fpirit than the moft infignificant corporation? The diftreffes of Ireland were twofold, the beggary of the people, and the bankruptcy of the state. The kingdom was ruined by a balance of trade against her for fo many years, and the drain of abfentees; the prevailing spirit of affociations was but a temporary expedient, and fomething more effectual must be done.

The bankruptcy of the ftate was the confequence of a fyftem of boundless prodigality, profligacy, and violence. The peace establishment of that poor country amounted to one-fixth of that of England; and what proportion was there in their means? What was that establishment? Infamous penfions to infamous men! (Here he launched into perfonalities.) And would those men, whom they paid, vote against an extenfion of their trade? Vote against the means of fupporting them? To what pafs had adminiftration reduced that kingdom! To be infulted with their poverty in the speech from the throne; to be told of their beggary; that the officers of the crown there had begged 50,000l. from England, or the troops could not have marched into camp; when it was known, that it was that profligacy, that has unnerved the arm of government, and made the fword of defence fall in its hands.

He then moved an amendment to the addrefs, to be inferted in the following words:

"That we beseech your majefty to believe, that it is with the utmost reluctance we are conftrained to approach you on the prefent occafion; but the conftant drain to fupply abfentees, and the unfortunate prohibition of our trade, have caufed fuch calamity, that the natural fupport of our country has decayed, and our manufactures are dying away for want. Famine ftalks hand in hand with hopeless wretchednefs, and the only means left to fupport the expiring trade of this miferable part of your majefty's dominions, is to open a free export trade, and let your Irish fubjects enjoy their natural birthright." Lord Westport feconded Mr. Grattan's motion for the amendment. Mr. Flood confidered the addrefs as inexplicit. Sir Henry Cavendish declared he would vote against the amendment, apprehending that this business would be better effected by opening a committee on purpose, or rather following a precedent in the year 1661, when the lords and commons of Ireland ap

pointed

pointed commiffioners to attend the king, to fupplicate the redress of grievances.

Mr. Ogle reprobated the idea of entering into a committee on the subject of grievances: he was fick, he faid, of the mode of trifling with the nation in order to gain time; if they did not mention fomething in the addrefs, the miniftry might again fhelter themfelves under the old excufe, that truly they did not know what the Irish wanted, as their parliament was filent on the head, and fo went on with the old fyftem of duplicity.

Sir Edward Newenham conjured the houfe, by all they held dear, to reaffume their wonted dignity and power, charged the British ministry with contempt and neglect to the nation, and called on their warmeft advocate to deny the affertion; faid he perfectly agreed with Mr. Flood, that the ad-drefs did not go far enough, and that he thought the original address a fervile echo to the fpeech.

The Provoft drew a moft pathetic picture of the melancholy fituation of his native country, declaring, on that queftion, that no adminiftration fhould bias him from the welfare of his country.

The Attorney General delivered a ftudied eulogium on the fenfibility of the king, and the humanity of his minifter.

The debate now took a new turn; feveral of the minifterial party declared, that though they thought this bufinefs might have come more properly. otherwife, yet, that there might be an unanimity, they would not oppofe the amendment.

The Rt. Hon. Henry Flood declared for the amendment, and entered largely into a justification of his political conduct, which, he faid, had unfortunately been much misreprefented; that the office he held was the unfolicited gift of his fovereign, which he had received with gratitude, and held with honor, that when a time came, that he could no longer do it, he would gladly throw the bracelet into the common cauldron.

Mr. Prime Serjeant (Huffey Burgh) after expatiating on the neceffity of immediately laying, in an unequivocal manner, the state of the diftreffes at the foot of the throne, moved in lieu of the amendment proposed, “that it "is not by temporary expedients, but by a free trade alone, that this na"tion is now to be faved from impending ruin.”

The amendment was carried Nem. Con. as was alfo the addrefs to the lord lieutenant.

So crying were the diftreffes of Ireland at this period, fo impotent was the hand of government to relieve them, that the most important change of dif pofition, fentiment, and action in the people took place under the eye, in defiance and with the acquiefcence of government. By the melancholy confequences of the American war, our fleets had become inferior to the combined forces of the enemy: our own coafts were infulted, thofe of Ireland wholly unprotected: the military establishment had been fo drained to recruit the regiments in America, that there were not 5000 forces in that kingdom to defend the fea-ports even from the crews of fingle veffels. Hence arofe the neceffity of volunteers arming in defence of their abandoned country. Government affrighted at the fituation, into which they had thrown or permitted the country to be thrown, delivered out to the people 16000 stand of arms, thereby encouraging and increafing the number of volunteers, without any ftipulation, regulation, or authority for organizing or fubjecting them to fubordination. The commercial face of the country exhibited a ftill more defponding view: her veffels taken within fight of her ports: her trade shackled in almost every branch by British restrictions: an embargo on the exports of her provifion trade: her linens lying upon their merchants hands her imports and her abfentees fwallowing up all her currency and flight or no returns to fupply an exhausted treasury. Wretchedness, defperation, and ruin prefented themselves at every point of view, and in the debate upon the fpeech from the throne once more diffolved the minifterial phalanx, and imperiously called upon the ftaunchest fupporters of the castle intereft to quit their ranks, and vote for a free trade. The nation rejoiced at this glorious opening of the feffion, and poured forth its gratitude to parliament; they in their turn paid their tribute of thanks to the volunteers, who it appears now amounted to 42,000 men. It is fingular, that this formidable body, armed and organized by no other authority or fanction than the great law of felf-defence, was neither charged nor queftioned by the Irish government or parliament as to the legality of their commiffion or delegation. Government had fo wasted its vigor, that it could not raise its arm in selfdefence. Whilft this debate was going forward, the populace affembled round the parliament houfe, and with full impunity menaced the members, and demanded oaths of them to support the measure, committing feveral acts of outrage and intimidation. To this juncture did the late Lord Clare refer in his memorable speech on the Union (p. 29), when he faid, "The imbecility

"of