proper to advert to a letter which he (Lord Auckland), when Chief Secretary in Ireland, had written in 1782 to the Mar quis of Lanfdown, on the fubject of the Earl of Carlifle's recal. He would not inquire where the Noble Earl had ob fained a copy of that letter; but certainly it contained nothing which he thould be unwilling to avow, or unable to juftify. The reafon which decided him not to enter into a further difcuffion of it was, that he really could not comprehend how it was applicable in any manner to the prefent debate. There was, however, another fubject which came nearer to his feelings, and on which he could not remain filent. He concurred with his Noble Friend (Lord Grenville), in a wish to abstain from that levity and indelicacy with which the names of diftinguished perfons in Ireland had that day been brought forwards; ftill, however, it was impoffible for him not to exprefs what he felt on the mention of fuch men as Lord Fitzgibbon, Mr. Beresford, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Cooke, and the Attorney and Solicitor General of Ireland: Men, with feveral of whom he had lived above fourteen years in habits of intimacy and correfpondence: With fome of them he had maintained as much affection and friendship as can fubfift between brothers. When he had heard their names and characters fo copioufly and fo familiarly difcuffed by the feveral speakers, it had repeatedly occurred to him, how little pertinent it would appear to the Noble Lords then prefent, if half a dozen of them fhould at any time be made the fubjects of a feverish and flippant debate in Ireland. With refpect to Mr. Beresford, who had been more particularly adverted to, both in the debate, and in certain publications which had been made part of the debate; it was a circumftance of pride and pleafure to him, to declare that Mr. Beresford was his friend. He must be permitted to add his mite, to the handsome and eloquent teftimonies which had been fo repeatedly given to that Gentleman's character, in the course of the evening. Mr. Beresford, the fon of a family equal in rank and antiquity to any family in either kingdom, had now completed his twenty-fifth year as Chief Commiffioner of revenue. Any perfon fo long exercising a refponfible and elevated fituation, muft of course be fubject to attacks refulting from the play of parties, and from political animofities. But all, who during the whole period had acted with Mr. Beresford, had that night vied with each other, in eagernefs to do juftice to his great and diftinguished merits towards the Public. In his domeftic and focial life, he was remarkable for every folid and amiable virtue. In fhort, it might be Bb 2 faid faid of him, in words which he would borrow from a Noble Earl (Lord Lauderdale), " that every feature of his character gave the lie to any infinuation refpecting him, that was not confiftent with the ftricteft integrity and the nicest honour." Lord Spencer faid, that he had on a former occafion profeffed himself able to vindicate his own conduct, whenever this difcuffion fhould take place. Difagreeable, however, as were the imputations to which he must fubject himself, he would rather, in the prefent inftance, fubmit to forego inquiry, than confent to any disclosure inconfiftent with the public intereft. It had often happened, even during the fhort time that he had held the fituation in which he had the honour to be placed, that he had been obliged to fubmit to matters extremely irkfome to his private feelings; but as every man who accepted of office, accepted of it on the condition of fuffering no perfonal invective or attack upon those most dear to him, to induce him to depart from the ftrict line of his duty, he would continue to hold his public duty fuperior to every other confideration. From what had been faid that night, he thought it neceffary to ftate, that ever fince his entrance into office, fo far from his having reafon to complain of his treatment from minifters, he thought it incumbent on him to declare, that he had on all occafions experienced the moft uniform, cordial, and honourable fupport from his colleagues in administration. The Duke of Bedford obferved, that there were four minifters prefent who had once acted with him in the cause of freedom. From their prefent conduct, he could not but deem the air of the Cabinet infectious. The new minifters had even outstripped their leaders in the career in which they were proceeding. There was in his opinion no danger in the prefent inquiry, but that it may difclofe the duplicity and treachery of minifters. They fhould either accufe or justify the conduct of the Noble Earl. If this was to be refused, that House would lose the respect of the people. [The Earl of Morton called the Noble Duke to order.] His Grace vindicated his right to fuppofe the confequences of a question not yet decided. The Duke of Portland faid, that in juftice to himself and his colleagues, he felt himself called upon to fay fomething, though it should but be a few words, on the prefent occafion. There were two points only to which he would advert; firft, he did not confider the occafion to be fo important as to call for any inquiry; fecondly, he did not think that any charge. had been brought against his Noble Friend (Earl Fitzwilliam), for proper to advert to a letter which he (Lord Auckland), when Chief Secretary in Ireland, had written in 1782 to the Mar quis of Lanfdown, on the fubject of the Earl of Carlifle's recal. He would not inquire where the Noble Earl had ob fained a copy of that letter; but certainly it contained nothing which he thould be unwilling to avow, or unable to juftify. The reason which decided him not to enter into a further difcussion of it was, that he really could not comprehend how it was applicable in any manner to the prefent debate. There was, however, another fubject which came nearer to his feelings, and on which he could not remain filent. He concurred with his Noble Friend (Lord Grenville), in a with to abstain from that levity and indelicacy with which the names of diftinguished perfons in Ireland had that day been brought forwards; ftill, however, it was impoffible for him not to exprefs what he felt on the mention of fuch men as Lord Fitzgibbon, Mr. Beresford, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Cooke, and the Attorney and Solicitor General of Ireland: Men, with feveral of whom he had lived above fourteen years in habits of intimacy and correspondence: With fome of them he had maintained as much affection and friendship as can fubfift betweeh brothers. When he had heard their names and characters fo copioufly and fo familiarly difcuffed by the several speakers, it had repeatedly occurred to him, how little pertinent it would appear to the Noble Lords then prefent, if half a dozen of them fhould at any time be made the fubjects of a feverish and flippant debate in Ireland. With refpect to Mr. Beresford, who had been more particularly adverted to, both in the debate, and in certain publications which had been made part of the debate; it was a circumftance of pride and pleafure to him, to declare that Mr. Beresford was his friend. He must be permitted to add his mite, to the handsome and eloquent teftimonies which had been fo repeatedly given to that Gentleman's character, in the course of the evening. Mr. Beresford, the fon of a family equal in rank and antiquity to any family in either kingdom, had now completed his twenty-fifth year as Chief Commiffioner of revenue. Any perfon fo long exercising a refponfible and elevated fituation, muft of course be fubject to attacks refulting from the play of parties, and from political animofities. But all, who during the whole period had acted with Mr. Beresford, had that night vied with each other, in eagernefs to do juftice to his great and diftinguished merits towards the Public. In his domeftic and focial life, he was remarkable for every folid and amiable virtue. In fhort, it might be Bb 2 faid faid of him, in words which he would borrow from a Noble Earl (Lord Lauderdale), "that every feature of his character gave the lie to any infinuation respecting him, that was not confiftent with the ftricteft integrity and the nicest honour." Lord Spencer faid, that he had on a former occafion profeffed himself able to vindicate his own conduct, whenever this difcuffion fhould take place. Difagreeable, however, as were the imputations to which he muft fubject himself, he would rather, in the prefent inftance, fubmit to forego inquiry, than confent to any difclofure inconfiftent with the public intereft. It had often happened, even during the thort time that he had held the fituation in which he had the honour to be placed, that he had been obliged to fubmit to matters extremely irkfome to his private feelings; but as every man who accepted of office, accepted of it on, the condition of fuffering no perfonal invective or attack upon thofe most dear to him, to induce him to depart from the ftrict line of his duty, he would continue to hold his public duty fuperior to every other confideration. From what had been faid that night, he thought it neceffary to ftate, that ever since his entrance into office, fo far from his having reafon to complain of his treatment from minifters, he thought it incumbent on him to declare, that he had on all occafions experienced the moft uniform, cordial, and honourable fupport from his colleagues in administration. The Duke of Bedford obferved, that there were four minifters prefent who had once acted with him in the cause of freedom. From their prefent conduct, he could not but deem the air of the Cabinet infectious. The new minifters had even outstripped their leaders in the career in which they were proceeding. There was in his opinion no danger in the prefent inquiry, but that it may difclofe the duplicity and treachery of minifters. They fhould either accufe or justify the conduct of the Noble Earl. If this was to be refufed, that Houfe would lose the respect of the people. [The Earl of Morton called the Noble Duke to order.] His Grace vindicated his right to fuppofe the confequences of a question not yet decided. The Duke of Portland faid, that in juftice to himfelf and his colleagues, he felt himfelf called upon to fay fomething, though it should but be a few words, on the prefent occafion. There were two points only to which he would advert; first, he did not confider the occafion to be fo important as to call for any inquiry; fecondly, he did not think that any charge had been brought against his Noble Friend (Earl Fitzwilliam), for for he should. ftill call him fo, which rendered inveftigation neceffary for his exculpation. No charge had in fact been brought against him, and the whole reited on a mere difference of opinion. The Houfe divided on the motion, By an accident the following Speech was negleded to be inferted in its proper place: It should have followed the conclufion of the Speeck of the Earl of Westmorland in page 168. The Marquis Townshend rofe, to discharge a debt of justice to Mr. Beresford, of whom he could truly fay, that when he was in Ireland, and at that time he was not connected with the gentleman by relationship, he knew of no man more zealous, active, and earnest in the service of Government, nor of one who was more difinterested, for he had looked always with a steady eye to the promotion of the revenue, and had been chargeable with no jobs, unlefs an attention to his own interefts and those of his family, which was and ought to be paid by every man who entered into the fervice of the Crown in both countries, or indeed who was in the fervice of Govern ment in any country, could be deemed a blameable job. PROTEST. Die Veneris, 8° Maii, 1795. "The Order of the Day being read for the Lords to be fummoned "Moved, That an humble Address be presented to his Majefty, that he will be graciously pleased to direct that there be laid before this House, fuch part of the correfpondence between his Majefty's minifters and Earl Fitzwilliam, late Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, as relates to the motives and grounds of his recai from the government of the faid kingdom, during a feffion of Parliament, in which the two Houfes of Parliament had voted their confidence in him, and of their approbation of his conduct, and with a munificence unexampled had granted fupplies for the general exigencies of the state. "Which |