tant provinces under a nearer influence and infpection; the extended her arms to every part of her dominions, and preffed her extremest dependencies to her bofom, while the girt the mighty Whole together in one compreffing chain, one common bond of interest, affection, and fecurity.

Behold her equivalent ! contemplate this augmentation of her power and greatnefs! examine her policy! probe her ambition to the quick !-mark if the writhes or fhrinks, if there be any tumour, or any foulness there! while the pretended deliverers of mankind prolong their polluted reign, and found their disastrous hopes in the wounds and corruptions of humanity, in the difeafe and diffolution of fociety itself!

When men could withdraw their eyes from this object of honeft exultation; and had turned their thought to the critical and

difpaffionate difcuffion of the subject itself, it seemed that the great measure of an incorporate Union between the two countries had naturally refolved itself on the first aspect into these important questions, by the solution of which, its fate would be decided"Whether the Parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland were competent to treat for their constituents?" and "whether the treaty propofed, were beneficial to the contracting parties?" But it appears to have been confidered by the House of Commons in Ireland in another and a very different point of view befides that of it's utility, and this of their own competency and right to decide it. In that affembly, it did not lie between the advantages and relative interefts of the two countries in the Union, which seemed virtually to be acknowledged, but it was fupposed to contain fomething humiliating to the pride and dignity of Ireland. It was not considered as an injury which England defigned, but

an infult which the offered to a great and independent nation. With that feeling the House very naturally refufed to entertain it for a moment. With a juft and becoming spirit they rejected the difcuffion at once; though by a measure so precipitate and unufual, they doubtless incurred fome imputation of difrespect to the crown, and of ingratitude to the parent-country.

It is neceffary that this point fhould be clearly and distinctly understood; and neceffary to ascertain whether the feelings of the House of Commons were as juft and proper as their conduct undoubtedly was while they were governed by them. For it would be ungenerous to fufpect of that Affembly, that they would have rejected with scorn, and refused to discuss altogether, a great national measure recommended by their fovereign, -unless they had thought it on the one hand to imply fome infult and degradation to the

nation they reprefent, and on the other to be fo evidently advantageous to it, in an interefted point of view, as to expofe the people to the temptation and danger of overlooking the affront in the utility of the offer. Upon any other fuppofition it is impoffible to account for fo wide a departure from the established rules and practice of a deliberating Affembly as the moving a previous question upon a meffage from the throne, and shutting the difcuffion in limine upon a fubject of the very highest moment that ever came before them. For to take it the other way if the offer was fuppofed to be difadvantageous to Ireland, or unpopular to a great extent in the country, then it would have come certainly to be rejected upon disclosure and difcuffion; and that, with the double infamy and stigma deserved both by the affront and and the injury; and the House of Commons of Ireland could have had no motive for depriving the British minister of the full mass of mortification that awaited

him,

In that manner the fame Affembly had acted in 1785 upon the occafion of the commercial propofitions. They faid that England fold them commerce for conftitution, and bartered her trade for their independence. This measure, therefore, after full and long debates, and minute investigation and publicity, they refufed with fcorn, to the confufion and disappointment of its projector. Butupon the prefent propofition they were not so sure of the fenfe and high spirit of the public. They were fearful left the benefits propofed by the union should extinguish all sense of the affront, and they wifely and honestly withheld the temptation from the people.-I cannot but applaud the spirit and prudence of the House as one who would never expofe the people to fuch a danger and temptation: as one who would not put it in their power decide amis, nor comply with them if they did: as one who thinks the obfequiousness of

a government towards their fugitive and mis

to

taken