After a vehement debate, which lasted 18 hours, the house divided at nine in the morning upon the motion of Mr. Orde Such a divifor leave to bring in the bill, ayes 127, noes 108.

sion in the first stage of the business was equivalent to a defeat; and on the Monday following (15th of August) Mr. Orde moved the first reading of the bill, and the printing it; declaring that he did not intend to make any further progress in the business during the present session. He had completed his duty respecting it. If it were revived, it must be by a motion from the public, who at the commencement of the ensuing session might take such further steps as they should think proper.

In order to preclude a motion of censure framed by Mr. Flood, the secretary then moved an adjournment; and Mr. Flood consenting, not without difficulty, to wave his motion, the adjournment was carried without a division. Public illuminations testified the joy excited by the sudden termination of this extraordinary business, which thus ended to the great disappointment of the ministry in both kingdoms.

On the 15th of August, when the bill was presented and ordered to be printed, Mr. Flood proposed the following resolution to the house...." Resolved, That we hold ourselves

In the early part of this debate Mr. Curran gave the following picturesque view of the last important debate. (5 Par. Deb. p. 453) He expressed the effusions of his joy upon the victory his country had obtained. He said he would support the resolution proposed by the honourable member, because he thought it necessary to declare to the people, that their rights had not been solely supported by 110 independent gentlemen, but that if eight or ten of them had been absent, then those who had countenanced the measure, would have abandoned every idea of prosecuting it further. He rejoiced that the cloud, which had loured over them, had passed away, and he declared he had no intention to wound the feelings of the minister, by triumphing in his defeat; on the contrary, he might be said to rise with some degree of self-denial, when he gave to others an opportunity of exulting in the victory. The opposition in England had thrown many impediments in the way, but he would remember with gratitude, that the opposition there had supported the liberties of Ireland. When he saw them reprobating the attacks made upon the trial by jury; when he saw them supporting the legislative rights of Ireland, he could not refrain from giving them his applause. They well knew that an invasion of the liberty of Ireland would tend to an attack upon their own. The principle of liberty, thank heaven, still continued in those countries, that principle, which had stained the fields of Marathon, stood in the pass to Thermopyla, and gave to America independence. Happy it was for Ireland, that she had recovered her rights by victory, not stained with blood, not a victory bathed in the tears of a mother, a sister or a wife, not a victory hanging over the grave of a Warren or a Montgomery, and uncertain whether to triumph in what she had gained, or to mourn over what she had lost. The bill was at an end, the cloud that had been collecting so long, and threatening to break in tempest and ruin on their heads, had passed harmless away. The siege that was drawn round the constitution was raised, and the enemy was gone Juoat ire et Dorica castra, and they might now go abroad without fear, and trace the dangers they had escaped; here was drawn the line of circumvallation,

"bound not to enter into engagement to give up the sole and "exclusive right of the parliament of Ireland in all cases what"ever, as well externally as commercially and internally." The secretary evaded it by a motion for adjournment to the 5th of September, in order to give time to print, read and digest the bill: Which was carried by a very great majority. Although Mr. Flood had consented to withdraw his resolution, the debate was kept up in a very turbulent manner for three or four hours longer. Mr. Flood said, he had never heard more mischievous and inflammatory language, or more folly than on that evening. He was called to order by Mr. Foster and Mr. Fitzgibbon, who were prominently conspicuous in favour of the propositions : between whom and the patriotic orator many severe personalities passed. When the house met, pursuant to the late adjournment on the 5th of February, Mr. Pery gave in his resignation of the chair, which he had filled for fourteen years. Mr. Foster was unanimously elected speaker in his licu, and was on the same day presented at the bar of the Lords, and approved of by the lord lieutenant. After the return of the speaker and the Commons, to their own House, Mr. Daly observed, that the conduct of the late speaker had been highly honourable to himself, and advantageous to the nation, conferring dignity upon the house, and drawing reverence to its proceedings; it was, therefore, incumbent on the House to attend his retreat with every mark of respect, to demonstrate in what high estimation they held integrity, wisdom and moderation, and to prove that turbulence or meanness were not the only roads to preferment: he therefore moved, "That the thanks of this House should be given to the Right Honourable Edmond Sexton Pery, for his constant and unwearied attendance in the chair during the course of above fourteen years in three successive parlia(6 ments; for the unshaken integrity and steady impartiality "of his conduct there, and for the indefatigable pains and un"common abilities, with which he has constantly exerted him"self to promote the real interest of his country, and to main"tain the honour and dignity of parliament, and to preserve "inviolable the rights and privileges of the Commons of Ire“land.”

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that cut them off for ever from the eastern world; and there the corresponding one, that inclosed them from the west. Nor, let us, said he, forget in our exultation to whom we are indebted for the deliverance. Here stood the trusty mariner (Mr. Conolly) on his old station the mast head, and gave the signal. Here (Mr. Flood) all the wisdom of the state was collected, exploring your weakness and your strength, detecting every ambuscade, and pointing to the hidden battery, that was brought to bear on the shrine of freedom. And there (Mr. Grattan) was exerting an eloquence more than human, inspiring, forming, directing, animating to the great purposes of your salvation.

Which being passed unanimously in the affirmative, he moved,

"That an humble address be presented to his Majesty, most "humbly to beseech his Majesty, that he would be graciously "pleased to confer some signal mark of favour upon the Right "Honourable Edmond Sexton Pery, late speaker of this House, "for his great and eminent services performed to that country, "and the distinguished ability and integrity with which he had presided in the chair of that House; and to assure his Majesty, "that whatever expence his Majesty should think proper to be "incurred upon that account, that House would make good the "same to his Majesty."

Which likewise passed unanimously in the affirmative; and then Lord Headford moved that a committee should be appointed to draw up an address to his grace the lord lieutenant for his wise and prudent administration. On the next day Lord Headford reported from the committee appointed to draw up an address of thanks to his grace the lord lieutenant for his wise and prudent administration, that they had drawn up the following address.

«

"To his Grace Charles, Duke of Rutland, Lord Lieutenant "General and General Governor of Ireland, the humble "address of the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses, in Par"liament assembled.

"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR GRACE,

"We his majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of Ireland in parliament assembled, << beg leave humbly to express to your grace, with unaffected "warmth, the satisfaction which we feel in every opportunity "of testifying our respect for your person, and our attachment "to your government. We cannot reflect upon your grace's "constant attention to the happiness and welfare of this king

dom, without grateful acknowledgments to his majesty, that "his majesty has been pleased to give us so acceptable a proof "of his royal favour, as the continuing your grace in the go"vernment of Ireland. The generous humanity of disposition, "and high sense of honour, which distinguish your grace's pri"vate character, have in conjunction with your hereditary spirit "and firmness, endeared you to the nation, by their happy in"fluence on your public conduct.

"We humbly desire your grace to accept our sincere thanks "for those exertions, which in consequence of our unanimous "address, and in obedience to his majesty's commands, your

grace employed, during the last interval between our sessions,

"in preparing a plan of commercial intercourse with Great Bri"tain. We are aware that the utmost delicacy and caution are 66 necessary for the conduct of measures, in which the rights and "interest of both kingdoms are equally concerned, and must be "equally regarded; and we entertain a just sense of the attention "your grace has manifested to this principle, that their comple"tion should depend upon the public satisfaction. We trust "therefore, that the further consideration of this subject will be "pursued with that temper, that spirit of conciliation, and that im"partial attention to the general welfare of the whole empire, "which alone can ensure permanency to any system, or enable "the wisdom of parliament to perfect such an equal, reciprocal, "and just arrangement as may unite both kingdoms for ever in "interest, and preserve in each a firm confidence of mutual af"fection.

"It is our zealous and ardent wish, that your grace may long "continue the government of this kingdom, and contemplate, "with growing pride and satisfaction, the successful effect of your government, in the increasing affection of a generous people, and in the progressive harmony and strength of the << empire."

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The address having been first read at large, and afterwards paragraph by paragraph, as the Speaker was proceeding to put the question, Mr. Grattan, who just entered the house, said, "I "wish to give my assent to the address; every personal com"pliment to his grace the lord lieutenant, I am desirous, to pay; "the motion of yesterday, therefore, to thank him for his pru"dent, wise, and just administration, passed unanimously; but "the address combining the personal merit of his grace with "the political demerit of the late offensive arrangement, embar"rasses those who would make a personal compliment, without "making a public surrender of commerce and constitution; I say, if the address only proposed to let down administration easy, to cover their most happy defeat, and to console them a "little for the most fortunate overthrow of a most unjustifiable "system, I should have been silent; but here is my objection; "I fear I see in some part of that address, a train laid for the "revival of the twenty propositions, and of that bill by which "the right honourable gentleman proposed to carry the substance "of those propositions into execution. Where the address "would thank the minister for the attention paid to the satisfac"tion of the public, I have no objection to it, other than a want "of foundation in fact. The secretary did not, in the conduct "of this commercial business, pay the least attention to public "satisfaction; on the contrary, after almost every county and "city in the most pointed manner, had expressed their dissatis

"faction at his adjustment, he introduced his bill in their defi66 ance; nay, after an hundred and ten of the first men in the "kingdom had opposed the leave for bringing in the bill, he en"tertained an intention of forcing on the measure, until he was taught to understand, that the servants of the crown would opแ pose it in its progress. The house was canvassed, and findแ ing that he would be in the minority, the right honourable gentleman declined a measure, which he found he could not carry; and yielded, not in compliment to public satisfaction, "but in certainty and shame of a public parliamentary over"throw."

However, after a long conversation, the question for the address was carried by 130 against 13. The house then attended the lord lieutenant, who after signifying the royal assent to several public and private bills, thus addressed the two houses of parliament.

"MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

"ALTHOUGH the very advanced sea"son of the year renders it expedient to conclude the present "session of parliament, I flatter myself, that the great object of adjusting a commercial intercourse with Great Britain has not "in vain engaged your attention, and protracted your delibera"tions. You have repeatedly expressed your wishes for the "attainment of an equitable settlement, and I have the satisfac"tion to observe, that you continue to be impressed with a true "sense of its necessity and importance. You will have now the "fullest leisure to pursue your consideration of the subject in 66 private, with that dispassionate assiduity which it so eminent66 ly deserves.

"GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

"I am to thank yon, in his majesty's name, for the liberal pro"vision you havemade for the public service, and the honourable support of his majesty's government. In your generous con"tribution of supplies, you have not less consulted the dignity "of his crown than the real interests of his people. The ne"cessity of preventing the accumulation of debt cannot be too strongly enforced, and it shall be my earnest and constant en"deavour to render your wise exertions for this salutary purpose effectual and permanent.

"MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

"I feel the truest satisfaction in observing the various benefi"cial laws, which have passed during this session, and the "wholesome effects of your wisdom in the returning tranquillity

and industry, and in the rising prosperity of the kingdom.