fects in both kingdoms, had their fhare in the rife. This fpeculation failing, and the competition along with it, lands fell; the land owner was distressed, the farmer ruined; and a very general failure of all credit enfued. Under these unhappy circumftances, the exceedingly numerous populace of that country (where the middle rank of life is but thinly fcattered) confifting of the labouring and manufacturing part of the community, were turned adrift, without employment, and confequently deftitute of all the neceffaries of life. Although all the means were used, which great and numerous acts of private charity, and liberal public fubfcriptions, could poffibly reach to, for alleviating this dreadful calamity, and that 20,000 poor, were faid to have been daily and charitably fed, for fome confiderable time, in the city of Dublin only, yet all thefe efforts could only cover a fmall part of the evil, and it was evident, that nothing less than employment could procure that fubfiftence, which their daily labour had hitherto fo ufefully provided. It is probable that much of the extremity of this diftrefs, had arifen from that fluctuation in the ftate of commerce, which happens in the best of times. But the effects of this fluctuation, being fuperadded to the peculiar calamities of the time, funk deeply into the minds of the people of that kingdom. Of courfe, it called on the attention of many in this; though not fo early, nor with fo much fyftem on the part of government, as could be wifhed. The business was, however, in fome degree brought forward be fore the holidays, by three members of the Houfe of Commons, who derived their titles from, and whofe fortunes principally lay in that kingdom. They ftated ia ftrong colours the diftreffes of that people, and fhewed the neceffity to ourselves of affording them fpeedy and fubftantial relief, which could, as they afferted, only be done, to any effect, by removing thofe impolitic reftrictions on their trade, which owed their rife merely to the narrow fpirit of monopoly, operating upon mistaken notions of all true commercial principles; thefe reftrictions being, in reality, as contrary to the real interefts of this country, as they were abfolutely ruinous to Ireland. They accord. ingly gave notice, that they would after the holidays move for a bill or bills, for granting commercial relief to that country. Notwithstanding this opening, feveral things feemed to be wanting to afford a profpect of fuccefs to the propofed measure. It was to be lamented that no regular plan had been formed, either with refpect to the precife nature, or to the extent, of the relief which was to be proposed or expected. The minifter took no part in the business. Those of the oppofition who fupported the relief to Ireland in a former feffion, fupported the prefent bill. We shall bring together in one point of view, without regard to time or occafion, a few of the reafons that were urged at the dif ferent periods in which this bufinefs was agitated, whether in fupport or oppofition to the propofed measure. It was contended on the one fide, that leaving all ideas of liberality liberality and of juftice out of the miferies confequently ftill con queftion, we were now impelled tinued, the people of Ireland by abfolute neceffity-by a regard would inevitably, under the imto our own prefent fecurity, and pulfe of the first law of nature, future prefervation, to cherish and emigrate to America; whither preferve the remaining parts of they would convey their manuthe empire, and to concentrate all factures, arts, and their induftry. the people, in one common bond It was already too well known, of union and defence, which could that the American armies were only be done, by a general com- principally recruited, and their munion of interefts, and partici- beft troops in a great degree compation of benefits. That the peo- pofed, of thofe unhappy emigrants ple of Ireland expected, and had from Ireland, who being driven the ftrongest right to expect re- from their country by want and lief. That this was no time, after oppreffion, were compelled, under the heavy lofs of our colonies, and an equal neceffity, to take up arms of our American commerce, to in a quarrel, in which they had no hazard that of our fifter kingdom, natural intereft, and to fhed their whether by invafion or feparation, blood in a conteft with their friends one of which was already threa- and brethren. tened, and the other equally to be apprehended, if we did not fpeedily afford that relief which was expected, and now propofed. For, they faid, that however exemplary and invincible the loyalty of Ireland had hitherto been, and however fingular her long enduring fufferings, patience, and forbearance, there were certain fixed limits to thofe qualities and difpofitions of the mind, beyond which human nature was utterly incapable of pafling; and was even liable to the danger of re coiling with great violence in the attempt. But if neither of thofe dreaded events, of feparation or conqueft, fhould take place, and that we should still retain the inglorious and unprofitable boaft, of remaining the fole tyrants of the foil, we should even in that cafe, infallibly lofe all that could ftamp any value upon it, we fhould lofe the inhabitants. For it was evident, that as foon as a peace took place, if our oppreffion, and their They ftated that the Irish were our best customers in many great articles of our merchandize and manufactures; they fhewed the great wealth, with the additional ftrength and power which we had fo long derived from that country; they endeavoured to demonftrate, the infinitely greater advantages of every kind which fhe was capable of affording, under a wife and liberal fyftem of government; and infifted, that the fruits of every benefit we afforded to her in commerce, would come back to ourselves with accumulated interest. To justify their various affertions, and establish their facts, they had moved for various papers, from which they fhewed, That the exports from England to Ireland, on an average of ten years, amounted to 2,057,000l. yearly. That the exports from Ireland into England, upon an average of the fame time, did not exceed 1,353,000l. by the year. That confequently, the balance of trade in favour of England, - England, exceeded feven millions fterling in that time. That this was exclufive of the immenfe fums drawn from that country every year under the following heads viz. Rents to abfentees-Penfions, and the emoluments of places to thofe who never faw the country-Appeals in law and equity-Bufinefs and pleasure. They alfo fhewed, that the decreafe of the exports from England to Ireland, during the last two years of calamity in that country, amounted, upon an average, to no less than 716,000l. per year. From thence they argued the prodigious lofs to the revenue, as well as to the trade and manufactures of this country, which muft proceed from a continuance, and a confequent increase, of the diftreffes of that country. They concluded by afking, whether fuch a country, and fuch benefits as we derived from it, were to be wantonly played with, and committed to unneceffary danger and rifque? If it admitted of a doubt, whether it were better to afford a juft and reafonable indulgence, or to hazard the lofs of a nation? - Whether to have the trade, manufactures, and inhabitants of Ireland, transferred to America, or rendered a conftituent part of our body politic, of our common stock of wealth, ftrength, and defence? And whether a kingdom should be facrificed to a fingle town, to the monopoly of a particular diftrict, or to the ill-judged clamours, and abfurd prejudices, of any body of manufacturers whatever? Gentlemen were requested to profit by experience; to recollect the fmall condefcenfion, which, a few years fince, would have preserved and gratified all our American colonies. On the other fide, it was not believed that the diftreffes of Ireland were fo great as they had been reprefented; but if the melancholy defcription was really true, it was not fo much to be attributed to the trade-laws here, as to mal adminiftration there; to faults in the internal conftitution of their government, and to general mifmanagement in the conduct of their affairs. These were matters which should be enquired into and redreffed; and without that, no fubftantial relief could be afforded. They faid, that the unhappy confequences of the American war were equally felt in both countries; that Ireland bore no more than her fhare of the calamity; that if her people were familhing, our manufacturers were ftarving: for that the plenty or cheapness of provisions were of no avail to thofe who wanted the means to procure them, and who were rendered incapable of obtaining the means, through the general lack of employment which now prevailed. That in this flate of common diftrefs, however our feelings might be affected with refpect to our brethren in Ireland, our fympathy was more ftrongly, and more naturally attracted, by thofe fufferings which were immediately within our knowledge; and that however alarming a rebellion in Ireland might be, it could not furely be fo much a matter of apprehenfion as one at home; an event which was to the full as probable, if any addition was made to the fufferings and grievances which our manufacturers already endured, by a furrender of thofe advantages in trade, trade, which they confidered as their birthright. The first propofitions held out in favour of Ireland, although not fpecifically applied or moved for, went to the granting of her a general exportation, in all matters, except with respect to her woollens (that article being reckoned too facred, to be yet meddled with)The establishment of a cotton manufactory, under that right;-with a liberty of trading to and from America, the West-Indies, and the coast of Africa. But thefe being thought, on the other fide, too general and extenfive, as well as too alarming to the manufacturers here, they were by degrees narrowed, until at length, Lord Newhaven, who conducted this business in the detail, entered into a kind of compromife, on the 15th of February, to give up the general outline of relief, and to confine himself to fome particular and specific propofition. He accordingly moved, on the 10th of March, that the House fhould (on a given day) refolve itfelf into a committee, to take into confideration the acts of parliament relating to the importation of fugars from the Weft Indies into Ireland. The object of this motion, was to repeal that claufe in the act of navigation, by which all fhips laden with fugars, were compelled to bring their cargoes directly to Eng. land, from whence the quantity ne ceffary for the consumption of that country, was afterwards to be reexported to Ireland. As the minifter had ftill kept himself clear of the bufinefs, the queftion was fairly and coolly debated on both fides, without any other appearance of party, than what merely arose from the locality of reprefentation; and after a full difcuffion, was carried by a majority of 47 to 42. In the mean time, the clamour without doors had been much fainter, and the oppofition from the manufacturing districts weaker, than they had been in the preceding feffion, and than had been now expected. Glasgow and Manchefter, however, petitioned; and the minifter's late warm partizans in both, began now to accuse him of the duplicity, which they charged to his prefent fyftem of neutrality. This clamour and reproach fuddenly brought him to a determination; and fetting his face totally against the propofed relief, it was accordingly rejected upon a clofe divifion; the question for the fpeaker's quit- March 18th. ting the chair, in or der that the House might, on the day appointed, refolve itself into a committee, being loft only by a majority of 62 to 58. СНАР, CHAP. VII. Debates on the army extraordinaries. Motion for printing the eflimates rejected upon a divifion. Committee on Eaft India affairs. Revolutions moved for and carried, relative to the viclence committed on the late Lord Pigot in his government. Motion for profecuting certain members of the late council at Madrafs, agreed to. Mr. Fox's motion, for the removal of the firft lord of the admiralty from that department, is, after long debates, rejected upon a divifion. Committee of enquiry into the conduct of the American war. Amendment moved to the motion for the examination of Earl Cornwallis, by the minifter, and carried upon a divifion in the committee. Amended motion then put, and rejected upon a divifion. Third motion rejected. Tranfactions in the committee, difcuffed in the Houfe, and refcinded. Committee revived. Earl Cornwalis, and other witnesses examined, in behalf of Lord and Sir William Howe. Counter evidence propofed, and agreed to. In the interim, General Burgoyne's evidence brought forward and examined. Counter evidence examined. Committee fuddenly diffolved. HE large amount of the preceding year, which exceeded two millions, and, was faid, to have about doubled the charge under the fame head, during any year of the late glorious war, when our military operations were conducted with fuch vigour and effect, in every quarter of the world, occafioned much complaint and cenfure on the March 22d. fide of the oppofition, and a motion from Sir P. J. Clerke, that the account fhould be printed for the use of the members. He obferved, in fupport of the motion, that from the great length of the estimate, the ingle copy on the table could not be read, much lefs examined or comprehended, by one tenth of the members, until the question was brought before them in debate, and a refolution proposed to be paffed blindfold upon it. He faid farther, that in a matter of fuch importance to the VOL. XXII. public at large, in which every man was immediately concerned, it was fair and neceflary, that they fhould know the manner in which fuch immenfe fums of their money were difpofed of. The minifter oppofed the motion, as new, unprecedented, and directly contrary to the practice of the Houfe. The estimate was a matter which undoubtedly concerned the public; but he could by no means admit, that it was therefore to be fubmitted to the difcuffion of the populace, and of the coffee-house readers of newspapers. The real public, were the reprefentatives of the commons of England in that Houfe; they had a right to information; but he would never allow, that the people without doors had any fuch. right. He alfo faid, that although he was not prepared to anfwer it precifely, he was fully perfuaded and confident, that the |