Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

most serious attention; at the same time he recommended the continuance or revival of such laws, as should be found to be immediately necessary for the general good of that country. Addresses were passed as usual to his majesty by both houses, and also to the lord lieutenant; and the commons, in their address to the former, acknowledged, with the most perfect submission, that they were ever tenacious of the honour of granting supplies to his majesty, and of being the first movers therein, as they were the voluntary tribute of grateful hearts to the best of monarchs; and they most humbly besought his majesty, that he would not permit their zeal in this particular to be construed into an invasion of his royal authority, than which nothing was more distant from their thoughts: they likewise returned their most humble thanks to his majesty, for continuing his excellency, Lord Townshend, in the government of that kingdom. This address was carried by 132 against 107. In consequence thereof the speaker wrote the following letter, which was communicated to the house by the clerk on the 4th of March, 1771.

[ocr errors]

"To the Honourable the House of Commons of Ireland.

"GENTLEMEN,

"When I had the honour of being unanimously elected to "the chair of the house of commons, I entered on that high "office full of the warmest sentiments of loyalty to his majesty, " and firm determination to dedicate my whole endeavour to preserve and transmit to my successor, inviolate the rights "and privileges of the commons of Ireland. But on the last "day of the last session of parliament, his excellency the lord "lieutenant was pleased to accuse the commons of a great crime, "which I am confident was far from their intentions, as it ever "was and ever shall be far from mine, that of intrenching upon "his majesty's royal power and authority, and the just and un"doubted rights of the crown of Great Britain; and as it has "pleased the house of commons to take the first opportunity "after this transaction, of testifying their approbation of his "excellency, by voting him an address of thanks this session; "and as the delivery of such approbation to his excellency is "incidental to the office of speaker, I beg leave to inform you, "that as such thanks seem to convey a censure of the proceed"ings, and a relinquishment of the privileges of the commons, my respect to them must prevent my being the instrument of "delivering such address; and therefore I request you may "elect another speaker, who may not think such conduct in"consistent with his honour. I am, gentlemen, your most "obliged and most humble servant, John Ponsonby, speaker."

[ocr errors]

The commons having hereupon proceeded to elect a new speaker, Edmond Sexton Pery, Esq. had a majority of four votes, and was appointed in the room of Mr. Ponsonby.

Mr. J. Ponsonby on this occasion was as much applauded by the people for his dignity of spirit and purity of principle, as the conduct of Mr. Pery was reviled and execrated. As the lord lieutenant had now secured a majority in parliament, his grand manœuvre was to do away the effects of the votes of the last session, and justify his conduct in the sudden and continued prorogations of the parliament. Nothing was permitted to pass without a division; upon each of which successively the patriots fell off. They were however resolved to leave to posterity upon their Journals a faithful portrait of their suffering country in that state of decline; they moved and put the question, which was lost by a majority of 123 against 68, "That an humble ad"dress be presented to his majesty, expressing, that his faith"ful commons of Ireland have been always most ready to re66 pose the utmost trust in the persons employed in high authority under his majesty; that therefore his faithful commons "did confidently hope, that a law for securing the independency "of the judges of this kingdom would have passed: such a law "having been recommended, and promised by his excellency "the lord lieutenant, in the speech from the throne, in the first "session of his excellency's government. That, in like manner, as his excellency had recommended to that house, in his speech from the throne, in that session of parliament, an atten

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

The conduct and speech of Mr. Pery on this occasion bespoke the forward zeal of a new proselyte.

"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY,

"THE commons in parliament assembled, have, in obe"dience to your excellency's command, proceeded to the election of a speaker, "and have elected me, and now attend to present me to your excellency. It "would give your excellency no favourable impression of my sincerity, if I "were to pursue the usual form, and affect to decline this important office. "I confess it is the highest point of my ambition, and if I have the honour of your excellency's approbation, I shall endeavour to prove by my conduct, that I have not been more solicitous to obtain, than I shall be anxious to discharge the duties of it." The lord chancellor receiving directions from his excellency the lord lieutenant, said, "Mr. Pery, I am commanded by his ex"cellency the lord lieutenant, to declare his full approbation of the choice, "which the commons have made of you for their speaker, and he has the "strongest confidence that your knowledge of the laws and constitution of "your country, your experience in the business of parliament, and your loyalty "to the king, which so eminently qualify you for that important office, will "carry you through it with honour and universal satisfaction." Then Mr. Speaker said, "Since your excellency has been pleased to approve the choice "of the commons, permit me to make my most humble and grateful acknow. "ledgments to your excellency, for having expressed your approbation in a "manner so gracious, and in terms so honourable to me; and to assure your "excellency that I shall endeavour to merit the continuance of your excellen"cy's favour, by the faithful discharge of my duty.”

"tion to the high price of corn, his majesty's faithful commons "did flatter themselves, that the tillage of the kingdom would "have received encouragement; but that, on the contrary, in a "session professedly called for the making and receiving useful "laws, his majesty's commons had the unspeakable grief to find, "that two laws heretofore enacted, and transmitted, in order to "be continued and revived, for the benefit of tillage, one for "the restraining of distilleries, the other for a bounty on the "carriage of corn coastways, had not been returned, though "calculated to meet and correspond with the wishes of government, expressed from the throne, respecting that important "article to the community, whereby that kingdom has been debarred of the benefit of two useful laws; the salutary effects "of which they had formerly experienced, and which the then "existing circumstances of that country, and the morals of the

people, peculiarly required. That the suppression of those "bills, and the unexpected alteration of others, whereby the hopes "of that country, founded in the declarations of his majesty's servants there, had been frustrated, tended to weaken the con"fidence of the public in his majesty's ministers, so essential to "the dignity of the crown, and to the happiness of the subject. "That both public and private credit was in a very low state, "that government securities, which used to bear a considerable premium, could not then be circulated at par. That money "could scarcely be obtained, and that the price of land was fall"ing. That the circumstances could not fail to be attended by "melancholy and anxious apprehensions in the most loyal of "his majesty's subjects; and imploring that his majesty would "be graciously pleased to take such steps for the remedy there"of, as his royal wisdom and paternal dignity should suggest."

[ocr errors]

In the address of the commons to the lord lieutenant, which was moved for and carried on the 16th of May, two days only before the prorogation, the patriots objected to the thanks contained in it for his excellency's just and prudent administration ; but on a division they were outvoted by 106 against 51: this address together with the king's answer to the address of the

* 2nd of May, 1771. Journ. Com. vol. 8, p. 383. The Right Honourable Sir George Macartney informed the house, that he was commanded by his excellency the lord lieutenant, to acquaint them, that his majesty had been pleased to return a most gracious answer to the address of this house, which he read in his place, and after delivered in at the table, and the same was read by Mr. Speaker (all the members being uncovered) and is as followeth :

"GEORGE R.

"His majesty thanks the house of commons for the many warm "expressions of affection and loyalty contained in their address, and for their "congratulations on the increase of his family.

"His majesty is extremely glad to find that the opportunity he has given "them of consulting together, at this time, for the general good of his king

commons to the throne, was considered, by the castle, to have completely counteracted the whole effect of the successful efforts of the patriots in the last session, and to have given the express royal sanction to every part of the viceroy's conduct.

The address of the lords to the king contained the following paragraph: "We have the truest sense of the many instances, "which your majesty has been pleased to afford us of your pa "ternal care, and particularly your continuing the Lord Viscount "Townshend in the government of this kingdom, of which, as "his experience enables him to form the truest judgment, so "his candour and integrity will, we doubt not, move him to "make the justest representation." A warm debate took place upon the question being put, that the said paragraph do stand part of the address; which was carried by thirty against fifteen. The protest entered by sixteen lords on this occasion, is an authentic and very precise historical document of the grounds and nature of the opposition made in parliament to that lord lieutenant's administration.

*Dissentient.

1° Because the repeated proofs we have of his majesty's paternal tenderness towards his people, convince us, that a misrepresentation of his faithful commons could alone have determined his royal breast to exert his undoubted prerogative of proroguing his parliament at a crisis, when the expiration of laws essential to the well-being of this kingdom, seemed peculiarly to point out the most urgent demand for the assistance of the legislature: at a time, when the commons had given a recent efficacious testimony of their unremitting zeal for his majesty's service, by voting an augmentation of his majesty's forces; a measure, which had been represented to parliament as highly acceptable to the king; at a season too, when the suddenness of this unexpected mark of royal displeasure, rendered its consequences almost irretrievably fatal to the nation, insomuch, that we see, with the deepest concern, an extraordinary deficiency in his majesty's revenue, proceeding from the declining state of our credit, trade, and manufactures, thereby occasioned.

2o Because the unbounded confidence we repose in his majes ty's inviolate regard to the fundamental principles of the consti"dom of Ireland, has been received by them with so much satisfaction, and "he trusts it will be productive of every benefit to the public that they could "desire.

"His majesty is well pleased with the assurances given by the house of "commons, of their regard for his rights and those of the crown of Great "Britain, which it is his indispensable duty to assert, and which he shall ever "think it incumbent upon him to maintain.

Lords Journ. vol. 4. p. 545.

G. R."

tution, assures us, that the attempt, which has been lately made, to infringe that balance, indefeasibly inseparable from its very formation, by entering upon the journals of this house a protest, animadverting upon the proceedings of the house of commons, was the result of pernicious counsels, insidiously calculated to alienate the affections of the most loyal subjects, from the most amiable of princes: an opinion, in which we conceive ourselves by so much the better founded, as this unconstitutional extension is unprecedented; (save only in one instance) which was followed by just disapprobation of the sovereign, testified by the immediate removal of the chief governor. We further conceive, that as the constitution of this kingdom is, in respect to the distinct departments of the crown, the lords, and the commons, one and the same with that of Great Britain; we should depart not only from our duty to our king, and to this our country, but likewise from that, which we owe to Great Britain, if in our high capacity of hereditary great council of Ireland to the crown, we should acquiesce under an attempt, which manifestly. tends to subvert that reciprocal independence of the three estates, which is the basis of its security.

3o Because the justice and piety, which shine conspicuous in our sovereign, as well in his domestic life as on the throne, do not suffer us to suppose, that this dismission of trusty nobles and commoners from his majesty's privy council, the former only, because they made a just exercise of their hereditary birth-right as peers of the realm, the latter, on account only of their parliamentary conduct, can have proceeded from the trulyinformed intention of so great and good a prince.

4o Because moderation, firmness, consistency, a due distinctive regard to all ranks of persons, a regular system of administration, being, as we conceive, indispensably requisite to the support and dignity of government, and to the conduct of his majesty's affairs, we cannot, without violation of truth and justice, return thanks to the king for continuing a chief governor, who in contempt of all forms of business and rules of decency, heretofore respected by his predecessors, is actuated only by the most arbitrary caprice to the detriment of his majesty's interests, to the injury of this oppressed country, and to the unspeakable vexation of persons of every condition.

Leinster, (by proxy)
Westmeath,
Lanesborough,

Shannon,

Mornington,

Lisle,

Powerscourt,

[blocks in formation]

Charlemont,

Bellamont.

« PreviousContinue »