was feconded by Colonel Crosbie. His lordship hinted only in oblique terms at the measure of Union, by observing that after his majesty had rallied and infpired "So long as the French government, under whatever form it exerts its influence, shall perfevere "in schemes of destruction and projects of ambition, fubverfive at once of the liberties of Europe "and of the security of his majesty's dominions, there can be no wife alternative but to prosecute "the war with encreasing energy. It is by great exertions alone that either their views of aggran"difement can be fruftrated or folid peace procured. "His majefty has therefore availed himself, with peculiar fatisfaction, of the cordial and great "affiftance which has been afforded him by his faithful ally the emperor of Ruffia, and has thought " right to make every exertion for augmenting the difpofeable military forces of his own dominions, "his majesty, therefore, has been highly gratified in accepting the fervices fo generously offered by "his English militia, and I am to exprefs to you the entire confidence which his majefty feels that "the zeal and loyalty of his militia of this kingdom, in forwarding at this important crifis the "active operations of the empire, will not be lefs prompt and confpicuous. "The apprehenfions of general scarcity, which fome time fince took place, called for my early "attention to this most important subject, and I was induced, with the advice of the council, to "offer premiums for the early importation of grain. This measure will, I flatter myfelf, meet your approbation, and I have full confidence in your wifdom, if it fhall be neceffary to refort to any "further extraordinary means for procuring a fupply. "GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, "THE evident neceffity of fecuring this kingdom from every danger, whether "foreign or domeftic, and of rendering the fuccefs of invafion, if attempted, impracticable, will "demonstrate to you the wisdom of continuing that enlarged fyftem of defence you have fo wifely << adopted. "I have therefore ordered the public accounts and estimates for the enfuing year to be laid be"fore you, and have the fullest confidence that in the supply which the situation shall appear to you "to require, you will equally confult the safety of the kingdom and the honor of his majesty's government. "I am induced to hope that the great increase of the revenue which has taken place in the pre"fent year may enable you to raise the fums which may be wanted for the current services without any diftreffing addition to the burthens of the people. "MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, " I RECOMMEND to your usual attention agriculture, the manufactures of "Ireland; and I doubt not that the Proteftant charter schools, and those public inftitutions, whe"ther of charity or of education, which have been protected by your liberality, will still receive a judicious encouragement. "It will be for your wisdom to confider how far it will be neceffary to continue any of those ex"traordinary powers with which you have strengthened the authority of his majesty's government "for the more effectual fuppreffion and punishment of rebellious confpiracy and outrage. "His majesty places the most entire reliance upon your firmness and wisdom, and he has no VOL. II. " doubt * I inspired his continental allies with a glorious fpirit and perfevering vigor, he had at the fame moment improved the condition of British subjects, on the broad and generous bafis of the empire, and thus derived the warmest affection of a free people, and the unceasing gratitude of a virtuous pofterity, whofe happiness and interefts their gracious fovereign had by fuch undeviating and undaunted means fecured. Sir Lawrence Parfons defired the lord lieutenant's fpeech at the conclufion of the last session to be read. This fpeech, faid he, recommended from his majesty the measure of an incorporating Union with England. The minifter had prevented them from giving an anfwer to his majesty at the time, by a fudden prorogation. He wished to prevent them from giving an answer by having studiously omitted any mention of the subject in that speech. The reason was obvious: from the time they had rejected that measure laft feffion, the minifter had employed every engine of the government, and endeavoured by the most unwarrantable practices to pervert the fentiments of the parliament on that fubject, and did not wish that they fhould take it into confideration until his machinations were complete. It mattered not, whether the reprefentatives of that great nation were turned out of that door by the fword of the army, or the gold of the treafury-by a Cromwell or by a fecretary; in both cafes the treafon against the conftitution was the fame. One of the greatest offences of James the II. was attempting to pack a parliament; of that offence he now arraigned the minifter of the crown, by prostituting the prerogative in order to pack a parliament. A ftring of men, who were against the Union, were to go out; that a string of men, who were for it, might come in. Were they to fit fupinely there until thofe practices were matured? To wait while the ferpent was collecting himfelf in his coils, to fpring upon them with greater violence? The British minifters evidently intended to take an unfair advantage of Ireland. While the spirit of the people was depreffed by recent troubles-the country covered with armies greater than ever were known there before-while martial law prevailed, and a formidable invafion was menaced-in fhort while apprehenfions from without and from within precluded all free exercife of the public " doubt that you will anxiously pursue fuch measures as fhall be best calculated for bringing the "prefent war to an honorable termination, and for reftoring the country to permanent tranquillity. "It will be my constant object to attend to your suggestions and advice, that I may by this means "most beneficially accomplish the commands I have received from his majesty, and moft effectually "forward the intereft and happiness of this kingdom." mind upon that fatal project, they forced the difcuffion of the measure regardless of the unfitnefs of the time, thinking only of the prefent ftrength of one state and the accidental weakness of the other. It was only in confequence of the late rebellion, faid the advocates of Union, and in compaffion to Ireland, as a cure for all its diforders, that the measure was propofed. The idea of the scheme arose from the ambition of the British cabinet, which, regretting the ceffion of independence to Ireland in 1782, attempted a partial recovery of its authority three years afterwards, and, failing on that occafion, fought to recover it completely by an Union; for, that fuch a measure was in contemplation above three years before the rebellion broke out, was evident from a letter of the Duke of Portland to Earl Fitzwilliam, though it were not fo exprefsly mentioned. Ireland would gain nothing but might lose much by an Union. Her lofs by abfentees, on a moderate computation, would be nearly doubled. The country would be more liable to diforder and convulfion from the abfence of the landholders. Thefe, when refident on their eftates, might be confidered as the binding-stones of fociety, keeping by their strength and weight all the parts of government firm and compact; but, if they should be removed, the fabric on the firft ftorm might fall to the ground. He then moved an amendment to the addrefs, connecting the defire of a continuance of British connexion with the wish for the prefervation of an independent refident parliament. Lord Caftlereagh spoke contemptuously of the arguments of Sir Lawrence. The filence of the lord lieutenant on the fubject did not arife from any conviction of the impolicy of profecuting the fcheme. The queftion had been withdrawn, when the Houfe of Commons feemed unwilling to entertain it; but, as a great majority of the people now approved the measure, and as there was reafon to believe, that many of its late parliamentary opponents had renounced their ideas of its demerits, his majefty's counfellors had refolved to give it a new chance of regular investigation. The reafon of its not having been mentioned in the viceroy's fpeech was merely, that it was to be made a fubject of diftinct communication to parliament. As the queftion claimed a full difcuffion, it ought not to be extinguished by anticipation. As the amendment tended to preclude inquiry, he trufted that the good fenfe of the houfe would reject the motion. Mr. Latouche, the privy counfellor, recommended an Union as the most promifing * 12 promifing remedy for the diforders of Ireland; but it was reprobated by Lord Cole as a pernicious measure and promoted by improper means. Mr. John Claudius Beresford would only confent to it in cafe of the invafion and occupancy of Ireland by a French army; and even then he would infift on the reftoration of the parliament, in the event of a total expulfion of the enemy. Mr. George Ogle again declared his unwillingness to furrender the Irish conftitution. Mr. Denis Browne spoke against the amendment, as did alfo Mr. Martin and the junior Mr. Bagwell. Mr. Fitzgerald advised a poftponement of the difcuffion till the agitations and troubles of the realm should have fubfided. He hoped that the majority of the members would not extinguish the light of the realm, as he knew not where, if they fhould repent, they would find "the Promethean heat which "could that light relumine." Mr. O'Hara lamented the effects, which the Union would have in point of trade and revenue; ftating, that, instead of an annual balance of 600,000l. in favor of Ireland, there would then be a balance of 900,000l. against her. Mr. George Ponfonby fpoke with much point and feverity of Lord Caftlereagh's arguments.* Government ought to endeavour to make the parliament wifer and better, not to feek its deftruction on pretence of its errors or misfortunes. But, notwithstanding all its efforts, "I firmly believe," said he, " that the gentlemen "of this houfe will never confent to yield themfelves up to the minifter. I am fatisfied that the people of Ireland will never confent to the annihilation *It is indeed very cruel, he faid, that a motley oppofition fhould impede the wishes of the minifter; it is very cruel that fome who have approved and fome who have oppofed parliamentary reform should refift a measure, which will leave them no parliament at all; it is very cruel, that those who have fubmitted plans of emancipation to traitors should agree in oppofing an Union; it is a moft fad and deplorable thing, that thofe who may have differed in fpeculative improvement of the conftitution should agree in reprobating its total destruction; and still more sad, because the very circumftance of a motley oppofition shows, that the smallest presumption in favor of an Union cannot be deduced from it. How ingenioufly and logically the noble lord argues! "A legislative Union, gentlemen, is a moft excellent thing; for yonder flands a man who has fupported parliamentary reform; an Union is an excellent thing, for yonder is a man who propofed to divide the country into French departments; this Union is a moft powerful remedy for all your evils, for yonder fits an honorable gentleman, who would have emancipated the Catholics of Ireland!" Thefe, it must be allowed, are very conclufive arguments, why you should relinquish that parliament, which alone can fecure the liberties of the people! "of 66 "of their parliament. If ever this affembly fhould confent to its own im"molation; if ever the members of the Irish Houfe of Commons should "affent to an act for turning themselves out of doors, hope fhall not quit me, "until the laft man fhall have paffed the door, which the minifter would clofe upon our liberties. When they fhall approach that door, if they but caft a "look behind; if they but view that chair, where integrity now fits en"throned; if their eyes but linger on that floor, were patriot eloquence has "been poured forth for their country; if they but recollect the struggles of "honorable legiflation, which these walls have witneffed; they will stop before "they take the last irretrievable ftep; they will cling to this houfe, the temple of their honor, and will fay to the minifter: You have taken an unjust "advantage of our confidence, to defire us to ruin our country; you have "taken a most ungenerous advantage of the state of that country, to feduce "its parliament to annihilate itself and the liberties of its constituents; but we will show you, that you have deceived yourself in the calculation of our bafenefs; we will show you that we represent an honeft, brave, and gene❝rous people, and are worthy to represent them; we will not flatter, but we "will ferve them, and establish an eternal claim to their gratitude and to the gratitude of pofterity." The attorney general entered into a hiftory of the progrefs of faction in Ireland, and largely indulged in invective against the leaders of oppofition, and the whig club. Mr. Buthe cenfured the laft fpeaker for his endeavours to identify antiunionifm with difaffection to the fovereign. He cautioned the miniftry against propounding the dangerous doctrine of the incompatibility of British connexion with Hibernian independence; a doctrine which would paralyfe the loyalty of the Irish, and shake the first and best principles of politics in the island to their foundations. He expofed the injuftice, with which Ireland had long been treated by Great Britain, and affirmed, that all the conceffions of the latter had been wrung from her like drops of her heart's blood.* He could *Thus Mr. Bufhe expreffed himself upon this point, which more materially affects the general fubject of this hiftory, than the particular queftion of Union. "You are called upon to give up "your independence, and to whom are you to give it up? To a nation which for fix hundred years "has treated you with uniform oppreffion and injuftice. The treasury bench startles at the affer"tion,-Non meus hic fermo eft. If the treafury bench scold me, Mr. Pitt will scold them,—it is |