fame declared policy, evidently were not made upon their own declared principle. They were made in the regular progrefs of a fyftem of enlargement, in order to compromife with the fpirit of monopoly. But, it is afferted by Earl Fitzwilliam, and nothing without inquiry can effectually contradict the affertion, that, whilft in reality the reftrictions gave fatisfaction to none, they caufed difcontent in many.-The Protestants regarded thefe exceptions with total indifference.-The Catholics looked on them as figns of fufpicion and degradation: They confidered them as marks (contrary to the declared policy of the Acts) contrived to be fet upon them by their enemies, to diftinguifh them as bad fubjects and bad citizens. The proceedings of their enemies leave in their minds no doubt, that thefe tokens of reprobation are kept as pretexts for affronts, contumelies, and injuries of all kinds; and for practically depriving them of most of the benefits of thofe capacities which the law feemed to hold out to them.

14. Because it is alleged, that a Bill for further relief was publicly known, as likely to be in agitation before the departure of the Lord Lieutenant from England; that he had no inftruction whatever directly to oppofe it, though an opinion was expreffed, that it had better be delayed for a time of greater tranquillity; but the expediency of giv ing fupport to it was a matter left to his difcretion, as, in the nature of things, it neceffarily would be, on any fubject, the principle of which was admitted, the fitnefs of the time being the only point of doubt, and which could only be decided by exifting circumftances.

15. Because it is offered in proof, that the late Lord Lieutenant was diligent in the fearch, and prompt in the communication to minifters of every information on the fubject. That he foon found, that all hope of putting off the queftion was impracticable-that he had reafon to think the prefent time, for carrying the principles of the Acts of 1792 and 1793 to their full object, to be, of all others, moft favourable-that he found the relief to be ardently defired by the Catholics; to be afked for by very many Proteftants, and to be cheerfully acquiefced in by almoft all-that this circumftance removed the difficulties, on which the poftponing the queftion could alone be defired-that he found the delays had created much fufpicion and uneafiness amongst the Catholic petitioners, who were numerous almost beyond all example-that he found a Bill on thofe petitions would infallibly and fpeedily be brought into Parliament, and that many Members were defirous to introduce it; and, if this were the cafe, the measure might come into hands with which neither he nor the King's minifters

had any connexion, which would leave with Government only the difagreeable part of altering or of modifying, if any alteration or modification had been thought neceffary by the British Government, depriving his Majefty thereby of the whole grace and effect of what was done: That in this unpleafant fituation he fent for Mr. Grattan, and defired him, as a perfon in his confidence, and who would act on the occafion according to what he and the minifters, in their prudence, might fuggeft. That Mr. Grattan did confent, and did, at his defire, move for leave to bring in a Bill for the further relief of the Roman Catholics. That the motion for leave was received with little difcuffion, and without any divifion. That no bill on the fubject was in fact brought in-and that miniftry were informed, that none would be brought in without their knowledge: Nor until of late, and after Lord Fitzwilliam's departure, was fuch a thing attempted. That the then Lord Lieutenant communicated largely all his ideas on the subject. That whilst the propofed Bill was not yet introduced into the Houfe of Commons, and whilst he was obeying their inftructions, with regard to informations and opinions, he was fuddenly removed, with the ftrongest marks of difpleasure and difgrace. That on this ftate of things, no fufficient reafon appears to exift, in this meafure, any more than in the bufinefs of arrangements, for the unufual and alarming step of difgracing a Lord Lieutenant in the middle of a feffion of Parliament, in which the bufinefs of his Majefty, and of the whole empire (as far as that kingdom could operate in it) was carried on with unusual unanimity and fuccefs, and with a very great concurrence without doors of all orders and defcriptions of men. It is a ftep for which, on the debate, nothing was faid to make it appear juftifiable, and to render an inquiry concerning it unneceffary.

"PONSONBY.
"FITZWILLIAM."

"And the faid Earl Fitzwilliam, moreover protesting for himself, and on his own part, declares, that this House refufing fuch neceflary inveftigation, he doth conceive and feel himfelf injured and oppreffed, as a British fubject, as a Peer of Great Britain, and as a perfon who has exercifed an high and very refponfible truft under his Majefty. That he is not content merely to prove his innocence-that he was, and is, ready to make it appear to the Houfe, and to his country, that in that truft he has acted faithfully, zealoufly, affectionately, dutifully, and diligently towards his Sovereign-that he has acted with attention and practicability towards his colleagues in office-that he has acted with an enlightened regard to the

true

true interefts of the nation, which, under his Majefty's authority, he was appointed to govern. That he ftands upon the merit of his meafures, and the prudence of his arrangements: That by them confidence was recovered to Government. That he ftands, for the juftice, and the policy of removing the few, feeble, miferable, inefficacious, but invidious restrictions, that remain on the Catholics of Ireland, as wholly ufelefs for any good purpose, but powerful in caufing difcontent, both with regard to Government and to Parliament; as furnishing handles of oppreflion to the malevolent, and as fupplying pretexts for diforders to the turbulent and feditious. That he thould have fhewn a degree of incapacity, wholly to unfit him for his arduous truft, if he had acted on an idea, that the politics of this time, or that the prefent or probable future interefts of ftates, do at all depend upon questions, whether of doctrine or discipline, either as agitated between Catholics and Proteftants, or as agitated by Proteftants amongst their feveral fubdivifions. The church and ftate have enemies very different, and infinitely more formidable, than any which have their origin in any religious parties. He has for fome time been perfuaded, but most clearly fo fince he went to Ireland, that by good management the dangerous principles and tempers of the times, which have another and more recent origin, may be kept from taking root either in the church of Ireland, there happily established; or in the Presbyterian church, in communion with that of Scotland; or in the church of the old natives of Ireland, communicating with that of Rome; or in any other religious fect whatever; but that through intemperate, vexatious, corrupt, or oppreffive conduct, every one of thefe defcriptions may be infected with this evil, in greater or leffer degree of extent and malignity, according to the degree of oppreffion or indifcretion, with which they are feverally treated. He was, and is, convinced, that the best mode of refifting this reigning danger, either from within or from without, is not to be found in a plan for reviving, by art and influence, prejudices and heartburnings expired, or ready to expire, or of fowing the feeds of eternal difcord and divifion between the people. During his government he had nothing to complain of the difpofitions of any religious defcription as fuch; and his principles of government led him to cultivate the union which he plainly faw of itself commencing between them. It was his conftant endeavour, by every means, to combine the minds of every fort of men, churchmen, Prefbyterians, and Catholics, of every the leaft proportion of education, talent, influence, or property, in affection to their common Sovereign; to

combine

combine them in one bond of common intereft, and in one common effort against our common enemies, the known enemies of all religion, all law, all order, and all property. He has had the happiness of feeing all this completely accomplished. An unexampled concord amongst the people; an unexampled zeal for the fupport of the Crown had taken. place: But he is not refponfible for the effects of a fyftem, which proceeds in a contrary direction to that which he purfued; he is not refponfible for the effects of a system which fupports men in whom the Public has little confidence, and contumelioufly rejects the fervice of those who have obtained the good opinion of their country-a fyftem which endeavours to fupply a comparative defect of ability, by an unmeasured increate of influence-a fyftem which rejects the opinion and information of perfons in high and refponfible fituations, and listens to the interested reprefentations of fubordinate officea fyftein, which, inverting the whole order of things, introduces anarchy into the very feat of Government, by publicly and avowedly fupporting the inftruments againft the agenta fyftem, which, finding the body of the people difpofed to look to the Crown as their fecurity against oppreffion from domeftic factions, employs all its influence, power, and authority, to fupport thofe very factions against the people who fly for refuge to the Crown. For the oppofite fyftem he has fuffered the unparalleled mark of displeasure which has been fhewn to him. He is willing to fuffer more, rather than abandon it. He will remember, with a warm and lafting gratitude, and a cordial attachment, the weighty perfons in Parliament, and all the refpectable bodies and individuals by whom he was generoully encouraged, and honourably fupported in a different plan of government, from that which derives its fupport from the corruption of one part of the people, and the depreflion of the other.

"FITZWILLIAM."

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

FRIDAY, May 8.

HIGH PRICE OF PROVISIONS.

Mr. Jekyll faid, that for f veral days he attended in that Houfe for the purpofe of afking an oftenfible minifter a queftion on a fubject of great importance, but he had not been fo fortunate as to find fuch a minifter in the Houfe; now that he faw one, he fhould put the queftion, and wifhed

he

he might have a fatisfactory anfwer. The matter it referred to was of a very ferious and alarming nature-he meant the cause of the prefent very high price of provifions. The poor were ftarving in many parts of this country; already the dreadful effects of that fituation of the poor had fhewn themfelves, as appeared from accounts from different parts of the eaftern and the northern coafts. Infurrections had taken place, and the military had been called out to quell them, but they had joined the populace. He underflood that inquiries had been made into the caufe of this fcarcity of provifions, and he wished to know what the refult was of these inquiries. He wifhed to know whether the fcarcity was real or artificial. If real, it became the duty of the Executive Government to provide fome relief to the poor. If artificial, it became the duty of the Executive Government to interfere, and by means of its law officers enforce more effectually the laws against foreftalling and regrating. In either cafe, therefore, the Executive Government ought to make diligent inquiry, and apply any remedy that was poffible to an evil of fuch magnitude and importance. He believed there were inftances of Committees of that Houfe being appointed to inquire into the price of provifions, and to report their opinions thereon, but he did not know that much benefit had refulted from fuch measures, as they had been carried; perhaps fomething more might be done hereafter upon that fubject. All he wifhed to know at prefent was, whether the cause of the evil he mentioned had been afcertained, and he now wifhed the Secretary of State to inform him, whether the scarcity of provifions in this country was real or artificial ?

Mr. Secretary Dundas faid, that the Executive Government had by no means been inattentive to this fubject, but the House must be aware of the great inconvenience that muft neceffarily follow a difcuffion of it at that time in that place. He begged the Hon. Gentleman to reft affured, that upon the fubject of fcarcity of provisions there had been a great deal of mifreprefentation and exaggeration induftriously circulated. But he muft beg again that the fubject might not be difcuffed at prefent, on account of the great inconvenience that might follow. If any artificial fcarcity be at any time. apprehended, he knew of nothing more likely to promote it than difcuffions of that nature.

THE PRINCE OF WALES'S DEBTS.

Mr. Huffey faid, he wished to know, for the government of his own conduct, what courfe of proceeding the minifter intended to take on Monday, after the Call of the Houfe.

The