XXI. 1782. BOOK to the full and equal participation of all the benefits and immunities enjoyed in England, and which were consonant to the principles of the British constitution. His ideas of Ireland corresponded (he said) exactly with his ideas relative to America. He thought it absurd and unjust for any country to pretend to legislate for another, without, much less against, their consent and concurrence ;-nor could it at any time so legislate to any good purpose. As to Ireland, he made no scruple, in the most express and unequivocal terms, to declare, that he considered her present claims to be substantially just, and that he felt himself inclined to move the resolution which he was about to propose in favor of Ireland, as much on the ground of justice as prudence." This repeal, which passed both houses without opposition, was considered in both countries as a virtual renunciation of the claim of legislating for Ireland. And so highly gratified were the Irish parliament and nation with the liberality of these concessions, that a vote of the house of commons in that kingdom passed unanimously for raising twenty thousand seamen for the service of the British navy. On the 15th of April another message was delivered to the house by Mr. Fox from the king, stating, "That his majesty, taking into consideration the supplies which have been given with so much liberality, and supported with such uncommon firm XXI. 1782. ness and fortitude by his people in the present ex- BOOK tensive war, recommended to his faithful commons the consideration of an effectual plan of œconomy throughout all the branches of the public expenditure." An address of thanks was then moved for, and immediately agreed to by the house; at the close of which it was said, "That a king of Great Britain cannot have so perfect or so honorable a se curity for every thing which can make a king truly great or truly happy, as in the genuine and natural support of an uninfluenced and independent house of commons." This was language novel and highly pleasing to the respectable part of the public, who had been so long nauseated by the fulsome adulation of the addresses presented of late years to the throne, so contrary to the spirit of freedom, which requires the representatives of the people to respect the majesty of the people, and to use language consonant to the high and dignified situation in which they themselves are placed. reform bill introduced In consequence of this message, Mr. Burke's Re-Mr. Burke's form Bill, which appeared to have itself undergonea third time much retrenchment and reform since its first intro-and passed. duction to the house, was a third time brought forward, under far more favorable auspices than before. By this bill, which now passed the house with little difficulty, the board of trade, and the board of works, with the great wardrobe, were XXI. 1782. a third time BOOK abolished; together with the office of American secretary of state, now rendered useless by the loss of the American colonies;-the offices of treasurer of the chamber, cofferer of the household, the lords of police in Scotland, the paymaster of the pensions, the master of the harriers, the master of the staghounds, and six clerks of the board of green-cloth. But the regulations relative to the principality of Wales, to the duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster, the mint, and ordnance offices, with other provisions contained in the former bill, were wholly King'sdebtsomitted. By a clause of the present bill his majesty discharged. was enabled to borrow a sum for the liquidation of a new arrear of three hundred thousand pounds, by a tax on salaries and pensions; for a debt to this amount had been again contracted by the shameful prodigality of the late ministers, notwithstanding the addition of one hundred thousand pounds per annum so recently made to the civil list. In the course of the speech made by Mr. Burke on the revival of this popular measure, the style of this gentleman's oratory was observed to be marvellously changed. Already had this lofty and intrepid patriot become a complete adept in the precious jargon current within the verge and Courtly purlieus of a court. Mr. Burke "congratulated of Mr. the house and the kingdom on the happy æra when his majesty, freed from that secret and inju adulation Burke. XXI. 1782. rious council which stood between him and his вOOK people, now spake to them in the pure and rich benevolence of his own heart. The message which they had just heard was the genuine effusion of his majesty's paternal care and tenderness of his subjects. It was what good subjects deserved from a good king and every man would rejoice and bless the day when his majesty, restored to the dignified independence of his elevated situation, was able to speak to his people in the language of his own heart, to participate in their sufferings, to praise and reward them for their fortitude. It was the best of messages, to the best of people, from the BEST of KINGS." The œconomical abolitions and retrenchments of the Reform Bill met with a violent opposition in the upper house, from the lords Thurlow and Loughborough; but it finally passed by a great majority. A bill sent up from the commons, for disfranchising certain voters of the borough of Cricklade, who had been proved guilty of the most shameful and scandalous acts of bribery, was also impeded and embarrassed in all its stages by the same law lords, with every possible subtilty of legal quibble and chicanery. The duke of Richmond was upon this occasion provoked to charge the chancellor with indiscriminately opposing every measure of regulation and improvement which was XXI. 1782. BOOK laid before the house. And lord Fortescue, with all the warmth of aristocratic disdain, remarked, "that what he had long feared was at length come to pass;-from the profusion of lawyers introduced into that house, it was no longer a house of lords, it was converted into a mere court of law, where all the solid and honorable principles of truth and justice were sacrificed to the low and miserable chi. canery used in Westminster Hall. That once venerable, dignified, and august assembly now resembled more a meeting of pettifoggers than a house of parliament. With respect to the learned lord on the woolsack, who had now for some years presided in that house, he seemed to be fraught with nothing but contradictions and distinctions and law subtilties. As to himself," lord Fortescue with a noble pride added, "he had not attended a minister's levee, till very lately, for these forty years; and the present ministry he would support no longer than they deserved it. But as they came into office upon the most honorable and laudable of all principles, the approbation of their sovereign, and the esteem and confidence of the nation, it filled his breast with indignation when he beheld their measures day after day thwarted and opposed, by men who resembled more a set of Cornish attorneys than members of that right honorable house." 7 |