loft; that whatever this country now granted, (and much it muft grant) would be confidered as a right, and not as a favour; and that it became difficult to fay, as it was alarming to confider, what might yet afford contentment to that kingdom. That, to fum up the whole, minifters had firft facrificed the dignity, and hazarded the dominion of the crown, by refigning the fword, and relinquishing the government of that kingdom; and that now, they have reduced parliament to the melancholy dilemma, either of fubmitting to whatever terms Ireland might chufe to dictate, or to the lofs of that country, as well as of America.

He then moved a refolution to the following purport-That it is highly criminal in his majesty's minifters to have neglected taking effectual measures for the relief of the kingdom of Ireland, in confequence of the addrefs of this Houfe of the 11th of May, and of his majefty's most gracious anfwer; and to have fuffered the dif. contents of that country to rife to fuch a height as evidently to endanger the conftitutional connection between the two kingdoms, and to create new embarraffments to the public counfels through divifion and diffidence, in a moment when real unanimity, grounded upon mutual confidence and affection, is confeffedly effential to the preservation of what is left of the British empire.

The want of proof to fubftantiate the charges on which the cenfure included in the refolution was fuppofed to be founded, was the ftrong ground of objection to the motion taken on the other

fide. They faid that the cenfure went indifcriminately to all his majesty's minifters; that it took in the dead, as well as the living;. thofe who had retired from public bufinefs, as well as thofe who had not been a week in office. That it would be an act of the highest injuftice, in any cafe, to pafs fuch a cenfure, without the most direct and pofitive evidence. That in the prefent inftance, there was not only a total defect of evidence, but the motion went to the condemnation of perfons who could not poffibly be culpable.

In fact, what did the charge, taken in its utmoft latitude, amount to? To no more than this, that parliament had defired minifters to do fomething, which fome of their lordships were of opinion they had not done. In that cafe, two queftions arofe which muft be neceffarily difcuffed, before any determination could be had. First, whether minifters had not executed what they had been defired ? Or, if they had not, whether they were blameable? There was not the fmallet proof before them, that they had not fully complied with the intentions of parliament; or if it were granted that they had not, there was nothing to fhew that they could have been complied with. Both mult however be proved, before the Houfe could, with any colour of reafon or juftice, proceed to a vote on either fide of the queftion.

The papers on the tables of both Houfes, they faid, would fully fhew, that minifters had done every thing that lay with them; and that inftead of being blameable, they were highly praise

worthy,

worthy, for the diligence which they used, in procuring every kind of poffible information relative to the affairs of Ireland for the confideration of parliament. So far they went, and farther they could not, nor fhould not have gone. The means of affording relief to Ireland lay folely with the legiflature. It was a bufinefs of too great a magnitude to come within the embrace of minifters. Nor was it a matter to be taken up lightly, nor carried through in a hurry, even by parliament. It included fo many arduous quef tions, relative to the most important concerns, and commercial interefts of both kingdoms, that the most mature deliberation, as well as the highest wisdom, and every degree of information that had been obtained, would be found neceffary for its final determina

tion.

- But if any thing more were wanting to convince their lordhips that the charge was ill-founded, and that the king's confidential fervants had not, in the terms of the motion, been guilty of criminal neglect, a very few days would bring an additional teftimony of the unwearied affiduity of minifters; as, within that period, the noble minifter in the other House would bring forward certain propofitions for the relief of Ireland, being the refult of that information, which, during the recefs of parliament, they had employed themselves in obtaining. They concluded, that they muft on every ground oppofe a motion, which, if agreed to, could tend only to create unneceffary jealoufies and embarraffments, at a time when all parties agreed, that

to promote union was the first object of every man who wished well to his country; and were at the fame time themfelves thoroughly convinced, that both the letter and fpirit of the addreffes of the 11th of May had been fully complied with.

The defence drawn from a defect of proof, was laughed at by the oppofition. The neglect charged upon minifters, they said, was felf-evident. The unexampled revolution in the affairs, and ftill more fo in the temper of Ireland; the prefent disorders reigning in that country, and the general alarm which they have fpread in this; with the new language held by the Irish parliament, and that merely an echo of the univerfal voice of the people, eftablish a fund of evidence infinitely fuperior to any, which the forms and circumftances of a court of law can either require or compafs. The Marquis of Rockingham undertook to fhew, that the non-importation agreement in Ireland was far from general, and only entered into in fome particular places, at the time of making his motion on the 11th of May. But as foon as Ireland perceived, that the relief promised by every part of the legislature, was withheld by minifters, the non-importation agreement be. came general; and in the fame manner, the spirit of military affociation, which was before directed folely to defence against a foreign enemy, affumed a new form; and from thence looked forward to compel that relief which was denied; an idea, which, while good will and good intentions appeared on our part, had never an exift

ence in the minds of the people of Ireland. He infifted, that if any thing reasonable, however moderate, had been done, when he first moved the bufinefs, or if parliament had been kept fitting, according to the propofition of his noble friend, of the 2d of June laff, that neither the affociations, nor the non-importation agree. ments, would have ever affumed their prefent appearance, nor ever exifted in their prefent extent.

He then asked, whether their lordships, with fuch felf-evident proofs before them, that it was perhaps the only measure that could extricate their country from the perils with which he was on every fide encompaffed, could hefitate a moment, in paffing the aweful, but highly neceffary cenfure of parliament, upon thofe men, whofe neglect, or complicated folly and treachery, had forced the Irish into measures, which, however neceffary and well intended, moft clearly amounted to a fufpenfion, if not a fubverfion, of all the powers of legal government; and who had thus involved the affairs of both conntries in fuch difficulties, as were likely, without much caution and judgment on both fides, to terminate in all the calamities and dangers of civil war? He therefore exhorted them in the most urgent terms to agree to the motion, as the only method of convincing Ireland, in the firft inftance, of the generous intentions of this country towards her, and that the treatment they had experienced from minifters, by no means accorded with the real fenfe of the parliament of Great Britain, but was folely imputable to the criminal conduct of the king's fervants.

It was evident that the lords in adminiftration wifhed merely to get rid of the motion, without being at all difpofed to enter deeply into its fubject, or to difcufs the vari ous queftions which arofe from it. The debate on their fide was more dry than ufual. This was attributed to their having no plan in readiness. Their referve and backwardness continued, notwithstanding the call made upon them, thro' the marked part taken by Earl Gower, late prefident of the council, which contained expreffons of a nature unusually strong, and infinitely the ftronger, as coming from one fo lately of their own cabinet, and by no means difposed to act in oppofition to the court. Even this did not oblige them to quit that defenfive plan, in which for the prefent they entrenched themfelves.

That noble earl faid that he fhould vote against the motion; although there did not exift a fingle doubt in his mind, that the cenfure it contained was not well founded; and that his motive for acting fo directly contrary to his opinion, was founded entirely upon the great refpect with which he regarded the decifions of that house. The men who were the object of public cenfure, had required a few days for their exculpation, and the wifdom and dignity of parliament forbid their being refused the short time which they defired for that purpose. He was, for his own part, fully convinced, that charge of neglect urged against them, was ftriatly true, though not yet quite evident. Things were not yet ripe for proof, but they would, he ventured to fay, be fhortly fo. He had the good

the

fortune

fortune to unite the house laft feffion, upon the terms of the addrefs to the throne; and was in hopes, that fomething effectual for the relief of Ireland would have arifen from the unanimous concurrence of their lordships, in the amendment which he then had the honour to propofe. If nothing had fince been done for the relief of that country, he affured the house it was not owing to any fault of his; he had done every thing in his power to keep his word; he was ready to acknowledge, that he had folemnly pledged himself to their lordships; he thought himself then fully competent to the engagement; but he must now in his own juftification declare, that his efforts had proved totally fruitlefs. It was not in his power, nor in the power of any individual, to have effected the intended purpose.

The noble earl obferved, that he had prefided for fome years at the council-table; and that he had feen fuch things pafs of late, that no man of honour or confcience could any longer fit there. The times were fuch as called upon every man to speak out: the fituation of thefe two kingdoms at prefent, particularly required fincerity and activity in council. He was confident, that the refources of this country were equal to the dangerous confederacy formed againft us; but to profit by thofe refources, to give fuccefs to thofe abilities, energy and effect must be restored to government.

Such charges or declarations, coming from fuch a quarter, and fo authorized, were fufficiently alarming; and it feemed not a little fingular, that they did not bring

out a fingle word, whether of obfervation or reply, on the fide of administration.

A great law lord, who has been long fuppofed to be higher even in favour and power than in office, had, in the last debate, ftrongly recommended a coalition and union of men and of parties, as abfolutely neceffary to the falvation of this country, in its prefent perilous circumstances; and fupported his opinion, with his ufual ability, by a reference to the happy effects which proceeded from former coalitions, particularly with refpect to the coming in of Mr. Pitt, in the beginning of the late war. The tenor, however, of the whole prefent debate was fuch, as fhewed little difpofition to fuch a coalition.

The question being put, the motion was rejected on a divifion, by a majority of more than two to one, the numbers being 82 to 37.

The minifter in the Houfe of Commons was continually pressed, in the fame manner, and on the fame fubject. He was reminded of a general obfervation, fo current without doors as to become almost proverbial, that miniftry were conftantly a day too late in all their meafures; that what fhould be done this day and this year, was then fully practicable, and capable of the greatest benefits, was conftantly deferred to the next; and then vainly and disgracefully attempted, when it was become utterly impracticable. Such, they faid, had been the conduct of government, in every one step it took with regard to America; and as America was loft by this means, fo would Ireland, if (peedy and ef

fective

fective measures, originating from decifive counfels, were not immediately adopted

Thus doubly preffed on the fubject, apparently by the demands of oppofition, and in reality by the fhort fupply of the parliament of Ireland, he gave notice on the day of that debate which we have juft ftated, that he would, in fomething more than a week, move for a committee of the whole houfe to enter upon that bufinefs. He was then ftrongly urged to give the houfe fome information of the ground which he intended to go upon; at least some general outline or idea of the plan which he had adopted for fettling the affairs of Ireland. He was warned, on a fubject of fuch vaft importance, to lay by, what they termed, all wonted modes of concealment and furprize; not to confider it as a party matter; to remember, that in a bufinefs of fuch magnitude, and including the moft effential in. terefts of both kingdoms, it was neceffary that gentlemen fhould be fully prepared, by the poffettion of every degree of previous information, to enter coolly, deliberately, and decisively into the fubject. Particularly, that the minifter's plan or fyitem fhould not be difgraced, by any doing, and undoing, holding out and recanting, or appearance of trick and chicanery, in its progrefs through the houfe. The minifter found the calls for an explanation, which he was not prepared to give, fo urgent, and his non-compliance productive of fo much obfervation and reflection, that he was at length under a fort of neceffity of acknowledging, that the plan was not as yet finally agreed VOL. XXIII.

upon, and could not therefore be communicated.

In a few days after, a vote of cenfure upon the minifters for their conduct and neglect with refpect to the affairs of Ireland, and fimilar to that which had been lately rejected by the lords, was moved in` the Houfe of Commons Dec. 6th. by the earl of Upper Offory, and feconded by Lord Middleton. As the attacks on the minifter were here more immediately and directly applied than in the other houfe, fo his defence or juftification, including of course that of his colleagues, was more fully entered into; and was in fact very ably conducted.

In the first place it was contended, that the diftreffes and miferies of Ireland could not with justice be attributed to the prefent, or to any late minifters of this country; that her grievances originated many years fince in' the general fyftem of our trade laws; that the reftrictions then laid on, arofe from a narrow, thort-fighted policy; a policy, which though conceived in prejudice, and founded on ignorance, was fo ftrengthened by time, and confirmed by the habits of a century, that it feemed at length wrought into, and become a part of our very conftitution. That the prejudices on that ground were fo ftrong, both within the houfe and without, that the attempts made in two preceding feffions, only to obtain a moderate relaxation of the reftrictions with which that country was bound, met with the most determined oppofition; the few who undertook that invidious task, found themfelves obliged to encounter preju[E]

dice