the insult of being expelled for incapacity and weakness. Mr. Pitt expected to regain more of his lost power by negociation during the recess, than by his oratory in the senate, but was reluctantly constrained to prolong the session to the 31st of July. Under the combination of great external and internal difficulties, it became an object of peculiar anxiety with the minister, to give to the nation some open and unequivocal proof of the complete recovery of his Majesty's health. When the King went to prorogue the Parliament, the House of Peers was attended by an unusual crowd, and particularly by the few foreign ministers then resident in London. In no part of the speech was there even an indirect reference to Ireland. It was observed, that his Majesty read with his, usual correctness and firmness of voice: but in turning over the leaves of the manuscript, the latter and greater part of the speech was omitted to be read: of which no notice was however taken in the house of Peers. But the whole speech, as it was intended to have been delivered, was read by the speaker at the table of the house of commons, on their return to their own chamber. 1804. Weymouth. Three weeks elapsed after the prorogation of King goes to Parliament before it was found advisable, that his Majesty should take the benefit of the sea air at Weymouth. This time was particularly devoted to private negociations for the adjustment of dif ferences still subsisting between the heads of the Royal family and the Prince of Wales, and the most practical means of inducing his Majesty to consult his health by withdrawing himself from the 1804. Internal country. t cares and burthen of government. The day of the King's intended departure for Weymouth had been fixed for an interview between his Majesty and the heir apparent; it did not however take place. On that day the Lord Chancellor was for some hours at Carlton house; and it is not lightly believed, that his Lordship was on the occasion so fearfully alarmed at the critical state of affairs, that he most urgently pressed and supplicated his Royal Highness to step forward, and save the Empire from destruction by accepting the sole and unlimited Regency. His Majesty relapsing occasionally into his disorder, experienced some benefit from his excursion to the sea coast. The apprehensions of invasion were industriously state of the kept up during the whole summer. The government prints sedulously warned the public against the machinations of the French party, which then prevailed throughout the country. Upon this false assumption they inveighed against French tyranny and injustice, and with mischievous improvidence decryed the loyalty of the native Irish. Thus they justified the expence of their public measures of defence, and affected to sanction the Reports were industriously circulated by Government, that the Irish agents and parties in the late rebellion were in high confidence and favour with Napoleon. He was said to have appointed the General of division Clarke and Arthur O'Connor, Commanders of the legion of hononr: and the General of Brigade" O'Neil was made a member of the same legion. They further gave out as from authority, that a French fleet full of troops destined for the invasion of Ireland had escaped out of Brest. necessity of internal coercion. The encampment of 1804. 15,000 men near the Curragh of Kildare, consisted of regular militia, artillery, British horse artillery, and a vast number of the commissariat and driver's corps. Every thing bore the appearance of active service. The Martello Towers and other defen-. sive works were forwarded with unusual energy.› Many persons were taken into custody under the suspension of the habeas corpus, and the rigorous treatment of the State prisoners, who had been for several months in confinement, was sharpened* without any visible or known cause. Mr. James Tandy, and thirteen other of the principal State pri soners of the first class, as they were stiled at the Castle, petitioned the Lord Lieut. on the 11th of July 1804: and after having spe cified many of the acts of barbarous cruelty inflicted upon them, as sworn to in the King's Bench, they concluded in these words, In short we experience à treatment rather calculated for untamed beasts, than men. They assured his Excellency, that to the pressing and repeated remonstrances, which they had presented to Dr. Trevor, (the inspector of the prisons) against the harshness of their treatment, they had received a formal answer. That it had not only the sanction, but its origin in the express directions of Lord Hardwick's Government. The first petition having not been attended to, was followed up by a second on the 12th of August, which again complained, that Dr. Trevor executed his office in a manner at once mean and malicious and pleaded orders from government for their rigorous treatment. They complained, that they were so reduced by their sufferings (not merited by them, nor necessary for safe custody,) that their lives were become of no value and literally a burthen to them, and that there was not one of the petitioners, who from many concurring circumstances could not on oath declare a firm belief of an intention to deprive them of life by underhand means. Several other state prisoners, who did not join in those two petitions already men 1804. sworn 11 Exchequer. It was not till the closet of August, that Mr. Mr. Foster, Foster was sworn into his new appointment › of Chan, of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Some attention was shewn to the police of Dublin and the inconvenis ency of the public from want of circulating medium in their money transactions. A deputation from the Common Council of Dublin with the Sheriff's waited upon the Secretary Sir Evan Nepean, to lay before him the resolutions of their last Michaelmas Assembly, which complained of the ruinous and tioned, presented separate petitions to the Lord Lieutenant, and sent letters and remonstrances to the Secretary and other confi dential servants of government strongly urging to be examined, tried, and redressed for their unmerited and intolerable sufferings, Most of these applications were for a long time ineffectnal. ¡ All the petitioners and remonstrants trace the orders for their - rigorous treatment to M. A. Marsden. Mr. Tandy, further joined in another remonstrance on the 13th, and a memorial on the 27th of August, 1804. He had also entered into a personal corres pondence with Mr. Marsden, in which he had threatened to inflict personal castigation upon that Gentleman, in case he should ever be set at liberty. He however, (not the rest of his fellow prisoners) was liberated from confinement on the 13th of September 1804, on entering bail before Mr. Alderman Stamer, himself in 1000!, and his two sureties in 5001. each. Mr. Tandy in Sept. 1809, published: this solemn assertion. I obtained my enlargement on condition, that I would relinquish my proclaimed intention of fløgging Mr. Marsden, 19 1 1 † On the 24th of August 1801, the Right Honorable John Foster, Sir Evan Nepean, Bart, (Secretary) Lord Frankford, Lord Viscount Loftus and the Right Honorable Maurice Fitzge rald were appointed and sworn in Commissioners for executing the office of Treasurer to his Majesty's Exchequer in Ireland; as was Mr. Foster for that of Chancellor of the Exchequer. For the accommodation of this Gentleman a new and superb suit of apart ments in the Castle at Dnblin was fitted up. filthy state of the streets of Dublin, the frauds, 1804. by which the price of corn and other provisions was extravagantly enhanced: the distress, to which every kind of trade was subjected from the want of silver coinage, for change; and the great inconve niency suffered in the principal streets of Dublin, from want of an avenue from Castle-street to Ship-street, since the closing of the postern Castle Gate. To each subject of complaint, they were assured government was actually applying appropriate remedies: and particularly, that the dies for the new coinage were nearly completed. Notwithstanding the face of the country were per fectly quiet, unsurmountable difficulties occurred in carrying into effect the additional force bill in Ireland. Viruoat 1229 je fects of Mr. Pitt's conti home poli Without following Mr. Pitt through the fatal Internal efmaze of his continental politics, suffice it to remark, that t principles were fiercely opposed and reprobated by the old 'opposition in Parliament, as their tics. résults still pregnant with unmeasurable mischief, are to be perhaps irreparably lainented by the Empire! The extent and consequences of the mischief of our prostituting national faith, honor and justice by the sinking and capture of the Spanish frigates, as they were entering Cadiz from an eastern voyage, before any declaration of war with that Power, are still unknown and perhaps unmeasured. The fatality of all Mr. Pitt's plans and measures manifested itself as regularly, as their results approached. He had successively insulted, injured or ruined all |