The same confidence cost the nation last year 100,000l. charged for buildings and gardens in the Phenix Park; in fine they might place near two thirds of the national debt to the account of confidence in the administration of the day. He then moved *a very long and special address to his majesty, in which the whole abuse of the pension list was gone into.

* Viz. “That an humble address be presented to his majesty to express "their inviolable attachment to his majesty's person and government, and "their zeal and readiness to maintain the establishments of that kingdom, "in an amount adequate to the support of his government, and the dignity "of his crown.

"That having taken into their consideration the income and expenditure "of the nation, they found themselves obliged by their duty to his majesty, "to lay before him certain abuses and misapplications of a considerable portion "of the public revenue.

"That the house, determined to put an end to the ruinous practice of run"ning in debt, and to raise the revenues of that kingdom to an equality with "the establishments, did, in the sessions of 1785, unanimously vote new taxes, "estimated at 140,000l. per annum, and had continued these taxes in the present and intervening sessions; that the charges of the establishments, "instead of being equal to the revenues, had exceeded considerably the na"tional income in the year ending Lady-Day, 1786, and that the excess of "the expences on the net revenues in the year ending Lady-Day, 1787, was "180,000. That the improvident disposition of the public money in the "article of pensions, was one among many other causes of that excess.

"That the list of pensions on the 1st of January, 1788, appeared to have "increased to the amount of 96,2891. per annum, exclusive of military pensions, "and charges under the head of incidents on the civil establishment, and "additional salaries to sinecure offices, both of which were substantially pen"sions; a sum greater than the pension list of England, nearly equal to half "of the charges on the civil establishment, even in its present enlarged state, "and exceeding by 7000/. in one year, the charge of pensions on that estab "lishment for two years, ending Lady-Day, 1757, when the commons unani"mously voted that charge an improvident disposition of the revenue, an 'injury to the crown, and detrimental to the public.

46

"That the pensions placed on the civil establishment since the 24th day of "February, 1784, exclusive of those granted in lieu or exchange of former pensions, which had ceased, amounted to 17,000l. per annum; that many of "the pensions had been granted to members of that house during the pleasure "of the crown, in violation of the principles of the constitution, and the honour "of the House of Commons.

"That his majesty's servants in Ireland were ignorant of the causes and "considerations, which induced the grants of other pensions within the above period, and amounting to a considerable sum.

"That a system of bartering pensions lately established, was become an "object of universal complaint: that the pernicious consequences of that "barter, extended even further than an abuse of the royal bounty, and an "injury of the character of the parliament and government of that country, as it involved the practice of changing the names of persons, for whose lives "pensions were formerly granted; of substituting in the place of those, "who were advanced in years, the names of very young persons, and of "continuing the pensions for the lives of such young persons; a practice "which must effectually prevent the diminution of the present pension list, "and perpetuate a charge, that was one of the greatest burdens on the estab"lishment.

"That at the commencement of the administration of the late lord lieutenant, "the sum of 40007. was added to the salary of the chief governor of that king

Mr. Monk Mason and the chancellor of the exchequer were the only two, who spoke in defence of the administration: they

*dom, and 2000l. to that of his principal secretary; that notwithstanding this encrease of salaries the sum charged for one year, ending Lady-Day, 1787, "as expended on buildings and gardens in the Phoenix Park, was nearly equal "in amount to half the salary of the chief governor, exclusive of the charge "incurred since Lady-Day, 1782, of 43,936. by purchasing houses in the "Park for the accommodation of the lord lieutenant and his secretary, and by "paying salaries and other expences attending the Park; and to the above "sums were to be added, two annuities or pensions, making together 7501. granted for lives, and charged on the establishment, for the purpose of completing the purchase of houses in the Park for the chief, and another secretary "to the lord lieutenant.

"

"That they could not refrain from expressing their apprehensions to his majesty, that the first effect produced by the liberal grant of his commons, in support of the dignity of the situation of principal secretary, would be a charge on the establishment of that kingdom, of a pension to the person who enjoyed, under the government of the late viceroy, the great and various "emoluments of that office; a measure, which they deprecated as pregnant "with a two-fold evil to that country; an immediate increase of the public "burdens, and an established precedent for similar charges in future.

"That they had reason to apprehend that such pension was to be so enor "mous as to exceed considerably the sum which, by the laws of England, "could be granted to any one person for a like purpose, either at the present "or any future period.

"That the pensions granted during the period, in which he was confidential secretary, considerably exceeded the amount of those placed on the estab "lishment during the administration of any of his predecessors, for the last "twenty years.

"That after all their efforts to restrain the gross and repeated abuses in the "disposition of pensions had proved ineffectual, and their expectations from "the promises of economy on the part of his majesty's ministers had been "uniformly frustrated, they had one certain resource in his majesty's wisdom "and justice; and they rested assured, that they should obtain relief in an instance, in which they are peculiarly the objects of his majesty's protection, as the sole authority, under which the servants of the crown in that kingdom placed pensions on the establishment, was derived from his ma'jesty's letters, countersigned only by commissioners of the Treasury of England: officers, who from their situation could not be responsible to "that house for their conduct in the application of the revenues of that country.

"That united with Great Britain, by the ties of common interest as well "as mutual affection, they supplicated his majesty, as the common father "of his people, graciously to permit his faithful and loyal subjects of Ireland "to participate in the benefits of the salutary regulations adopted in Great "Britain for the reduction of public expences; and they firmly relied on his "majesty's paternal goodness, that he would not suffer his faithful subjects in "that kingdom, to endure the signal mortification of observing in the conduct "of his majesty's ministers in England, continued exertions to establish a per"manent system of the strictest œconomy, as far as relates to Great Britain, "but of experiencing in the arrangements of the same ministers respecting "Ireland, an uniform disposition to sanction unbounded profusion. Having "thus, with all humble submission, in discharge of what they conceived to *be their indispensable duty, laid before his majesty the state of the abuses and misapplications of a considerable portion of the public revenues, they "most humbly besought his majesty for redress thereof, that he would be graciously pleased not to grant a pension exceeding the sum of 3001. per

complained of the multifarious mass of matter contained in the motion, which it was impossible then to answer: such a farrago had never been offered to any assembly; they insisted upon the meritorious services of many on the pension list, and observed, that a large portion of the grants had been made in consequence of addresses from parliament.* In order to get rid of the question (on which ministers appeared to be the most sore) the question of adjournment was put, and carried by 108 against 40.

The last thing, which particularly arrested the attention of parliament during the session, was Mr. Conolly's humane effort to relieve his poor fellow creatures by the repeal of the Hearth Tax. He had had it in his intention for two years: he had indeed last year been deterred from it, by the misconduct of several of those, who would be chiefly relieved by the repeal. He wished to give full time for considering the subject: and procuring accurate information upon it, and accordingly moved,

First. That the proper officer do lay before this house, on the first day of next session, an account of the houses, in counties at large in this kingdom, paying hearth-money, which are not of a greater value than 30s. per annum, on the full improved rent, and are inhabited by persons, who have not lands, goods or chattels, of the value of 5%. in their possession.

"annum, in addition to the amount of pensions on the civil establishment, on "the 21st of January, 1788, to and for the use of any one person, and that the "whole amount of the pensions granted in any one year should not exceed the "sum of 800/. until the whole pension list should be reduced to 80,000/. nor any pension granted after the said reduction to or for the use of any one ་་ person, which should exceed the sum of 12,00l. per annum, except to his "majesty's royal family, or on an address of either house of parliament.

"

"That the abuses in the pension list had, by long acquiescence, acquired "such a degree of strength as to render the many private virtues and ac"knowledged constitutional principles of our late viceroy, in that instance, "almost inoperative and inefficacious; and they had too much reason to "apprehend, that even the good intentions of their present chief governor "would be frustrated, unless his excellency's exertions to effectuate the sys"tem of economy were aided and supported by his majesty's gracious and "decided interference."

Mr. Conolly most cheerfully and heartily seconded the motion, and the more because his first motion was treated with neglect, which nothing that came from him could merit, and because the law proposed by him, being a part of the British constitution, was denied to that kingdom. It was in vain for that country to seek for redress, as the same gentlemen were always consulted upon the arrival of a new viceroy and his secretary, the same measures recommended, and at any rate an indemnity granted for the past. The right honourable secretary had been informed of, and had adopted the old system of governing that country. There were gentlemen of equal knowledge, worth and integrity on that side of the house, and that kingdom could be governed at half its present expence. But as that side of the house had no other way of communicating their sentiments to government, it had gone into a true state of facts for their information, and that of the people. Facts that could be proved at their bar, not to the satisfaction but to the mortification of the people.

8 Parl. Deb. p. 373.

Secondly, That the ministers or curates, and churchwardens, of the different parishes, in counties at large, in this kingdom, do on or before the first day of January next, return to the registers of the respective dioceses in this kingdom an account of all the houses, in their respective parishes, paying hearth-money, which are not of a greater value than 30s. per annum, on the full improved rent, and are inhabited by persons, who have not lands, goods, or chattels, of the value of 5. in their possession.

Thirdly, Ordered that a copy of this, and the above resolu tion, signed by the speaker of this house, be forthwith sent to the registers of the respective dioceses in this kingdom, and that said registers, immediately on the receipt thereof, do serve the ministers or curates, and churchwardens, of the different parishes, in their respective dioceses, with copies of the above resolution, and that said registers do, on the first day of next session, lay before this house, all such accounts as shall be re turned to them, by ministers or curates, and churchwardens, pursuant to the above resolution, and also a list of the names of the ministers or curates, and churchwardens, whom they have served with a copy of such order, together with the names of the parishes, to which they respectively belong.*

The Chancellor of the Exchequer and several gentlemen on the Treasury Bench opposed the motions: upon which Mr. Conolly observed, that he conceived the reluctance of gentlemen to have the matter investigated, proceeded from the many frauds, that would come to light in consequence of investigation; when it would appear that patronage was at the bottom of their refusal. Was it not well known, when a gentleman solicited, from the minister, a hearth-money collection, that instead of 401. a year, its nominal value, that he considered it as from 1 to 200l. a year? and whence did that arise, but out of the plunder of the people, already too wretched, by taking indulgence money, and by afterwards taking their pot, their blanket, and at last their door, and making what return they thought proper to the public treasury? The very act itself originated in injustice, and it was continued in oppression. Gentlemen seemed to have forgotten its origin. This tax was given in England and Ireland to Charles II. in lieu of his right to wardship and marriage. The poor felt none of that oppression, they cared not whom their children married; not so the rich; but still this tax was by the rich put upon the poor. At the Revo

The motions were seconded by Mr. O'Neile, who had long employed his mind upon the subject; but had given it up in despair. Mr. O'Neile, who was afterwards raised to the peerage, was always a popular character. At present he was in the zenith of favour for the sharp rebuke he had given last ses, sion to the attorney general.

lution, in England, King William took away this tax, and substituted a window tax in the place of it; the house of a poor man there, having only six windows was exempted. Compare an English house with six windows, to an Irish house with only one hearth.

He said, that he did not even intend to take in all the houses in Ireland in this predicament, but only to exempt the lower order of people, as described in this resolution; the farmer, and many others, were well able to pay; and it would not serve them, to take off an old and stinted tax, that would not grow, and leave them open to the rapacity of ministers, who when they might want money, would substitute a new tax, which, from its youth, might be an increasing one, the poor man (as he would afterwards prove) could not, from his means, live honestly; (he spoke of the neighbourhood of the metropolis in which he lived,) and he did not believe the poor were better off in other parts of the kingdom, except in the heart of the linen manufac turing counties. If he should prove that the poor could not live honestly upon what they earned, he should consider govern. ment, in enacting this tax, to be accessaries before the fact, in the many depredations they were obliged to commit upon their neighbours. That he did not mean to blame either that or late administrations, for that effect, but to hope that the recent one would put an end to it, especially as the circumstances of the country, as lately stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, were in such a prosperous way, as to have induced him to bring forward a bill for reducing the public interest of money, from six to five per cent. The whole of this obnoxious tax could be taken off, and the quantum of its produce nearly paid out of the redundancy of those taxes, that were voted in 1785, which were then calculated to produce 140,000l. but had since produced 190,000l. They were voted to equalize our revenue to our expences, at the opening of a commercial treaty with Great Britain, which had failed, God rest its manes! and thank God they were then in prosperity with a free trade, as undefined as the prerogative, and he hoped it would thrive as well.

He then stated the preamble of the act of William and Mary, upon the repeal of the hearth money tax in England. It was declared therein, to be "not only a great oppression to the poorer sort, but a badge of slavery upon the whole people : "exposing every man's house to be entered into, and searched "at pleasure, by persons unknown to him;" and therefore to erect a lasting monument of his majesty's goodness in every house in the kingdom, the duty of hearth-money was taken away and abolished. Now, if King William did this for his English subjects, why should not his present majesty erect a lasting monument of his goodness in every poor man's house in