and able reply. He objected to it as unneceffary, after the affurances that had been given by government; as dangerous, on account of the information it conveyed to our enemies; as impolitic, because it entirely took away from the executive government the ufe of its difcretion; as tending to retard rather than to advance the attainment of peace, the great object in view by both fides of the houfe. He therefore, could only confider the motion as a party measure, and, in that light, he thought it not lefs exceptionable. If, faid he, the house fufpects the fincerity of the fervants of the crown, if they have any doubts of their ability or integrity, it is not by fuch a motion as the prefent that they ought to exprefs their fentiments; they ought to addrefs the crown to remove thofe minifters in whom they could not place confidence, and to appoint others in whom they could contide. A minifter, he laid, ought no longer to continue a minifter, after he was fufpected by that houfe. He should be like Calar's wife, not only free from guilt, but even from fufpicion. If, indeed, the houfe fhould fhew that they had withdrawn their confidence from him, it would be his duty, without waiting for an address for his removal, to wait upon his fovereign, and, delivering up the feals of his office, fay to him, Sir, I have long ferved you with diligence, with zeal, and with fidelity, but fuccefs has not crowned my endeavours; your parliament have withdrawn from me their confidence, all my declarations to them are fufpected; therefore, Sir, let me refign to you thofe employments, which I ought not to keep longer than I can be ferviceable to your Majefty, and your fabjects." Lord North was followed by the AttorneyGeneral, who oblerved, that there were many more obftacles to be removed, in order to treat of peace with the Americans, than the houfe feemed to be aware of. At that moment, feveral acts of parliament were in exiflence, which would prove infuperable bars to fuch an attempt. He therefore fhould recommend, as the first neceffary ftep, a truce; during the con tinuance of which, the enmity, occafioned by the violence of the contest, might fubfide; and each party, being at leifure to confult their real intereits, might accede to terms of peace, which, having undergone a flow and temperate difcuff on, might prove more honourable and advantageous, as well as more likely to fecure a permanent union, than thofe resulting from fudden overtures, and fudden acquiefcence. He declared his intentions of bringing in a bill, with the permiffion of the houfe, for thefe purpotes, and he should therefore move, that the prefent debate be adjourned, until Wednelday, the thirteenth of the entuing month of March." Several other members took a part in the debate, which again continued till near two o'clock, when, though the propofition of the Attorney was fuppofed to have brought over a few irrefolute votes to the tide of the minifter, there appeared, for the adjournment, only 215; against it, 234; exclufive of the two tellers on each fide. The number of thofe who were prefent at the beginning of the debate, but had paired off in the courfe of the evening, were faid to have amounted to 14. The original queftion, and an addrefs to the king formed upon the refolution, were then carried without a divifion, and the addrefs was ordered to be presented by the whole houfe. On the Monday following, his Majesty's anfwer was reported to the house; in which he affures them, that in pursuance of their advice, he should take fuch measures as fhould appear to him to be most conducive to the restoration of harmony, between Great-Britain and the revolted colonies; and that his efforts fhould be directed, in the most effectual manner, against our European enemies, till fuch a peace could be obtained, as fhould confift with the interest and permanent welfare of his kingdoms." The thanks of the house being unanimously voted to the king, for his gracious answer, General Conway rofe again, and, after expreffing his concern at having been reduced to the necelfity of trefpaffing fo frequently, of late, on the patience of the houfe, moved another refolution to the following effect; that the house would confider as enemies to his Majefty, and the country, all those who thould advise, or by any means attempt, the further profecution of offenfive war, on the continent of North America, for the purpose of reducing the revolted colonies to obedience by force." The neceffity of this meafure, in order to secure and render permanent to the nation, the beneficial confequences of their former refolution, had arifen, he laid, from two circumflances. The firft was, that minifters had declared, that though they should think themfelves bound to comply with the fente of the majority of that houfe, yet they ftill retained their former fentiments, refpecting the want of wildom and policy in the meatures recommended. The unwilling obedience of perions, who could bring themselves to act in direct oppofition to their own judgment, he thought could not be too strongly fecured. The aniwer they had advised his Majesty to return to the addrefs of that house, was another circumftahce, affording just ground of jealousy and diftruft. In that aniwer, all reference to the profecution of offenfive war was cautiously avoided; the house was informed, in general terms, that he should take fuch meafures, as might appear to him moft conducive to the reftoration of peace; but the house had no reason to fuppofe, but that a more vigorous profecution of the war might be deemed one of thele conducive measures. The motion, after a feeble oppofition from government, was at length suffered to pals without a divifion. Thefe refolutions were received by the public with general demonftrations of joy, in the midft of which, the rare fortune of the right honoura ble gentleman, who took the lead in this bufinefs, was much envied and admired, in having thus, a fecond time, given peace to America, and happily put a stop to the alarming progreis of thofe dreadiul calamities, which he had be→ fore, but unfortunately in vain, fhewn the way to prevent. Whilt thefe great and important March 6th. questions were agitating in the Commons Houle, the conduct of government, with refpect to the late campaign in North-America, underwent underwent a ftrict and fevere fcrutiny, in a committee of the lords. After feveral intermediate debates, which chiefly turned on the propriety of producing certain papers and documents from the public offices, the bufinefs was, at length, brought to a conclufion, on a motion by the Duke of Chandos, "that it was the opinion of the committee, that the immediate caufe of the capture of the army under Earl Cornwallis, in Virginia, appeared to be the want of a fufficient naval force, to cover and protect the fame." This motion was negatived, by a majority of 72 to 37. The manly and public-fpirited language held by the minifter in the debate of the 27th of February, had railed a general expectation, that the lofs of the queftion on that day, and the fubfequent measures on the 4th of March, would have been followed by his immediate refignation. It can scarcely be doubted, from the daily mortifications to which his continuance in office expofed him, and the extreme improbability of his being able to regain the ground he had loft, but that this would have been the cafe, had he not been induced, by other causes, to act contrary both to his principle and inclination. The crifis was doubtles, in the utmost degree, alarming to the court. Had a mere perfonal change of minifters been the point at iffue, it is probable, that little ceremony would have been ufed in gratifying the withes of parliament.But it was understood, that a complete revolution in the internal policy of government, would be the inevitable confequence of their removal; a revolution not lef important in its effects, nor lef's dreaded by the court, than any other which the nation bad before experienced. It was therefore very generally fuppofed, that the noble lord at the head of the Treasury was prevailed on to continue in a fituation, that was neither honourable to himself, nor without injury to the country, till every means were tried, of averting what was confidered as the moft dreadful of evils. The obicure language which he held, wheg preffed on that ground in the Houfe of Commons, afforded a strong prefump tion of the truth of this fuppofition. He deciar ed, at diferent times, that he kept his poft from a principle of gratitude, and not from incliparion, that he remained in his employment to prevent confufion; that he should quit it as foon as he could retire with honour; but that particular circumftances food in the way at preJent, which he could not farther explain. It was to no purpose, that the indecency of his clinging to offic, under the circumftances in which he then Rood, and after the declaration he had himself made, was, day after day, urged by oppofition with an poufual degree of acrimony; he contented himfelt with retorting on his advertaries their indecent impatience to get poffeflion of his employments; and with detending himself on the latter part of the charge, by fay ing, that though parliament had interfered by its advice, and had taken a stronger measure, than he thought neceffary, for fecuring obedience to it, yet it did not appear, from any vote or refolution they had yet paffed, that the houfe had totally withdrawn its confidence from the present administration, To bring the matter to this iffue, March 8th. the following refolutions were moved by Lord John Cavendish, and seconded by Mr. Powys. "That it appears to this houfe, that fince the year 1775, upwards of one hundred millions of money have been expended, on the army and navy, in a fruitless war. That it appears to this houfe, that during the above period, we have loft the thirteen colonies of America, which anciently belonged to the crown of Great-Britain, (except the pofts of New-York, Charles-Town, and Savannah) the newly acquired colony of Florida, many of our valuable Weft-India and other iflands, and thofe that remain are in the most imminent danger "That it appears to this houfe, that GreatBritain is at prefent engaged in an expenfive war with America, France, Spain, and Holland, without a fingle ally. "That it appears to this house, that the chief caufe of all thefe mi fortunes, has been the want of forefight and ability in his Majesty's minifters." The debate, as far as related to the merits of the queftion, lay within a fmall compass. la fupport of the conclufion drawn in the last refolution, (for the facts contained in the three first, were admitted on all fides) it was argued, in the first place, that a long and uninterrupted feries of misfortune and dilgrace was in itfelf a fufficient proof of mifconduct; and fecondly, that the separate meatures of administration were fo ftrongly marked with weaknels and folly, as to carry their own condemnation on the face of them. On the other fide, it was contended, that misfortune could not be allowed to inter mifconduct; and that even granting this, those who planned measures were not folely responfible for them. The fault might be in the execution; and therefore, it would ill become the juftice of the house to proceed to a partial cen fure, without any previous hearing, or enquiry, This ground, however, appeared fo weak, even to the friends of adminiftration, that it was almost entirely deferted, except by the minifters themselves, and the question was taken up with great art and ingenuity on other topics. It was faid, that the motion being intended to operate as a vote for the removal of the prefent minifty, the houfe would do well, before it 2dopted to ferious a measure, to take a view of the principles and opinions of thote, who most probably would be their fucceffors. It was alked, if the house was ready to vote the Indepen dence of America? it was prepared to newmodel the conftitution; to alter the duration of parliament, and the right of election? Would it be willing to give up its exclusive privilege of framing money-bills; or was it curious to fee the effect of thote latent powers, which a noble earl had, in the courte of his reading, difcovered to exist in the Houle of Peers? Would it confent to a violation of the national faith with the crown, by adopting a celebrated bill of reform in the civil lift expenditure? It was then demanded, whether that harmony and concord fubfifted amongst the new candidates for power, the want of which had been 1 olen often and fo vehemently urged against the prefent adininiftration? How would the inflexible ipirit of a noble earl, who had pledged his word in the other house, that he would under no circumitances content to the independence of the colonies, be brought to bend to the opinion of thole who feemed fo ready to acknowledge it The fame noble perfon had declared, that he fhould always with to fee the king his own mi nifter; a doctrine of no trifling political import ance, and yet, which would found very hereti cal in the ears of moft of his friends, on the oppofite fide of the house. With refpect to the different fects of political reformers, they were equally numerous, and more at variance with each other, than thofe of religion. These topics were urged with great eloquence and ability, by Mr. Adam and the Lord Advocate of Scotland; the latter of whom called particularly on the member for Weftminster to declare, whether in cate he should find himself, when minister, in a minority, he would pay that déference to the opinion of the houfe, which he had fo loudly called for from the noble lord; or whether he would appeal to his other parliament out of doors, and tell them they were betrayed by their reprefentatives. It nearly concerned the houfe, he iaid, to have thefe various matters well and thoroughly understood, before they proceeded to ditcharge the prefent minifters from their offices, and throw the whole government of the country into the hands of their opponents. In defence of his principles and conduct against this perfonal attack, Mr. Fox obferved, that there was a material difference between a private member appealing to his conitituents, or to the nation at large, whofe agent he was in parliament, and a fervant to the crown, holding an office at the will of the king, attempting to appeal to them, in that capacity, againit parliament. The former he should ftli contend was in the true fpirit of the conftitution; the latter, he should as explicitly condemn as fubver five of the whole order of it. The debate lafted till past two o'clock in the morning, when the houfe divided on the order of the day, which had been moved by the fecretary at war, and which was carried by a majority of 10. In the debate, the necefity of fome new arrangement in the adminiftration of public affairs was no longer denied; but the impolicy, and even the danger of throwing the country entirely into the hands of any party, was ftill ftrongly contended. A coalition was loudly called for by many moderate and independent members, and the propriety of leaving the noble lord at the head of the ueafury, in poffeffion of his office, till fuch a measure could be accomplished, was On the other fide, it was urged, that the On this occafion, the whole ft. ength of both parties was muffered. Near four hundred and eighty members were faid to have been pretent in the house; and on the divifion, the question was negatived by a majority of only 9, After the divifion, notice was given, that a motion, to the fame effect, would be made, on Wednefday following. On that day, the house being March 20th. again uncommonly crowded, the Earl of Surrey got up to make the promised motion; but Lord North rifing, at the fame time, for the purpose of communicating to the house fome information, which, he said, might make any farther proceeding in the intended business unneceffary, and would require an adjournment, great diforder and confufion enfued, the members in oppofition calling out violently for "Lord As foon as Surrey," and "No adjournment." the houfe was reduced to order, it was moved, "that the Earl of Surrey be now heard," when Lord North, having now obtained a right to ipeak to the queftion, obferved, that had he be n fuffered to proceed before, he believed much unneceffary heat and diforder would have been prevented. He meant no disrespect to the noble earl; but as notice had been given, that the object of the intended motion was the removal of his Majesty's minifters, he meant to have acquainted the house, that fuch a motion was become unneceffary. He could affure the houfe,' with authority, that the present administration tvas no more, and that his Majefty had come to a full determination of changing his minifters; and it was for the purpose of giving the neceffary time for new arrangements, that he meant to have moved for an adjournment. The noble lord then took his leave of the houle as minilter, by thanking them for the honourable fapport they had given him, during fo long a couife of years, and in fo many trying fituations. He expreffed his grateful fenle of their great partiality towards him on all, and A fucceftheir forbearance on many occafions. for of greater abilities, of better judgment, and more qualified for his fituation, he faid, was eafy to be found; a fucceffor more zealously attached to the interefts of his country, more an xious to promote them, more loyal to his fove reign, and more defirous of preferving the conftitution whole and entire, he might be allowed to fay, could not fo easily be found. He concluded his fpeech, after declaring that he did not mean to fhrink from trial, that he should always be prepared to meet it, that he even demanded, it from his adverfaries, with moving the queftion of adjournment. After a little hesitation on the part of oppofi tion, it was agreed to withdraw the firft motion, and to adjourn to the Monday following. CHA P. VIII. New Administration formed under the Marquis of Rockingham. Public measures tipulated for. Recefs of parliament during the Eafter holidays. Debate on the affairs of Ireland. Melage from the king, and addrefs. Aldrefs from the Parliament of Ireland. Repeal of the aft of the 6th of Gen I. Address of thanks from the Irifb Houfe of Commons, and vote of feamen. Reward voted for Mr. Grattan. Farther proceedings in the English parliament. Revenue Officers and Contractors Bills pass both boules. Bill of reform in the civil lift expenditure. Bill for regulating the office of Paymaster-Gene al of the Forces. Motion for refcinding the reJolution relative to the Middlesex election carried. Motion by Mr. William Pitt, for a committee to enquire into the fate of the reprefentation in parliament, rejected, upon a divis hon Refolutions respecting Exchequer, and other offices. Death of the Marquis of Rock ingham. Changes in the miniftry. Debates on the subject, in both houses. Short state of the proceedings on the Reports of the India Committee. King's Speech. D URING the adjournment of the Houfe of Commons, the new administration was formed under the auspices of the Marquis of Rockingham; on whofe public principles, and private honour and virtue, the nation feemed to repofe, after the violent ftruggle by which it had been agitated, with the fecurest and most implicit confidence. The cabinet, including himfelf, as first commiffioner of the treatury, was compofed of the Earl of Shelburne and Mr. Fox, who were appointed fecretaries of ftate; Lord Camden, prefident of the council; Duke of Grafton, privy-feal; Lord John Cavendish, chancellor of the exchequer; Admiral Keppel, who was alfo created a vilcount, firtt commiffioner of the admiralty; General Conway, commander in chief of the forces; Duke of Richmond, mafter-general of the ordnance; Lord Thurlow, who was continued in his office of lord high chancellor; and Mr. Dunning created Baron Ashburton, and made chancellor of the dutchy of Lancaster. The public meafures, for which the new mi"nifter was faid to have ftipulated with the court, before he would confent to enter into any negociation for office, were thefe; 1. Peace with the Americans, and the acknowledgment of their independence not to be a bar to the attainment of that object;- 2. A fubftantial reform in the several branches of the civil lift expenditure, on the plan propofed by Mr. Burke-3. The di minution of the influence of the crown, under which article the bills for excluding contractors feats in parliament, and difqualifying the revenue officers from voting in the election of members, were included. The new arrangement having March 28th. been announced to the house, and the writs moved for fuch gentlemen as had vacated their feats, by accepting offices, the house adjourned, on account of the enfuing holidays, without proceeding to any other business. On the first day of the meeting April 8th. of parliament, after the receis, as foon as the re-elected members were fworn in, the affairs of Ireland were unexpectedly brought before the house, by Mr. Eden, who, having been fecretary to the Earl of Carlifte, Lord Lieutenant of that country, was just arrived from thence, with his refignation of the Vice-royalty. This gentleman, after taking a view of the political hiftory of Ireland, during the two laft years, acquainted the house with the measures (which he faid) were then forming, for readering it totally independent of the British legiflature; and concluded, with moving for leave to bring in a bill to repeal fo much of the set of the 6th of Geo. I. as affected a right in the king and parliament of Great Britain, to make laws to bind the kingdom of Ireland. The precipitation with which a business of such magnitude and importance was thus attempted to be forced on the house, without previous communication with any of his majesty's minifters, or knowledge of their intentions, was feverely cenfured, and the more especially, as it appeared that the right hon. gentleman had refused to give any official information to government, relative to the ftate of the country he had just left. Mr. Eden, though loudly called on to withdraw his motion, perfifted in urging its neceflity, and, in vindication of his own conduct, ftated, that the reafon of his refufing to have any communication with his majesty's prefent fervants, was the great want of attention to the Earl of Carlife, which they had fhewn in the mode of appointing his fucceffor, and in his removal from the Lord Lieutenancy of the Eaft riding of Yorkshire. This apology ferved rather to increate the displeasure of the house; a motion of cenfure on his conduct was threatened, and it was with great difficulty he was at lait brought to comply with the general with of the houle, in withdrawing his motion. Mr. Fox informed the houfe, in the courfe of this debate, that the minifters of the crown, during the short time they had been in office, had actually held three or four councils, folely on the affairs of Ireland, and that he hoped very foon, perhaps within the next four-and-twenty hours, to lay fome preparatory measure before them.-Accordingly, on the next day, he brought a meffage from his Majefty, to inApril 19th. form the houfe," that being concerned to find difcontents and jealousies prevailing amongst his loyal subjects in Ireland, on matters of great weight and importance, he earnestly recommended to the houfe to take the fame into their molt ferious confideration, in order to fuch a final adjustment, as might give mutual fatisfaction to both kingdoms.” Proceedings [To be continued.] Proceedings in the Irish Parliament, on the Pro- M The (Continued from page 438.) R. Chancellor of the Exchequer. hon. gentleman may reit affured that every reftriction injurious to the trade of this country will be fully and effectually removed; and he may have an opportunity of taking care that it is fo, when the bill fhall be brought in. Mr. Beresford faid we could have no fuch return; there was no officer to make it. The order of the day read; in compliance with which Mr. Solicitor General brought up the report from the committee of the whole houfe, appointed to take into confideration his Majefty's peech. The first refolution was read (fee page 378) and agreed to nem. con. The fecond refolution being read (fee page 381.) Mr. Corry. I do not get up to oppofe; but I wish to flate a queltion I made before, which is to know whether the revenue would not be encreafed by this new regulation? I ftated the cale of organzine filk, and wifh to amend the refolution, by adding the words, "that the fame fhould be imported at duties not greater than thofe in the place where they are lowest." Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer explained, that this refolution went to reduce the duty when the goods fpecined were imported into Ireland. The refolutiou then paffed. The third refolution was then read (fee page 381.) Mr. Griffith. I gave a general approbation to the propofitions made by the miniftry, except the one laft read. There are cafes where arti cles are not ablolutely prohibited, and yet are under restrictions equal to a prohibition; in fome cafes they are mutual. Is it the intention of the house that all cafes where the reftrictions are mot mutual, that they shall be efléemed to be done away virtually by this refolution? Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer. Certainly. That is the true spirit and fenfe of the house, which is to be explained by the bills which are to be founded thereon. The third refolution was then agreed to. The fourth, firth and fixth refolutions were read and agreed to (lee pages 381, 434) The feventh refolution being read (fee page 434) Mr. Gardiner. The fubject being fully dif cuffed in the committee, I do not mean to trou. ble the hole upon the amendment with any debate, but only ftir it, to let it appear on the journals. My amendment virtually was to take all prohibitions and restricting duties on the prima of the ftaple manufactures of Great Britain and Ireland, linen and woollen yarn. I therefore move, that after the word farther, and before the word that, be inferted these words, "that no prohibition, nor any duty whatfoever, fhall hereafter fubilt on the export of the primum of the ftaple Gent. Mag. Sept. 1785. manufacture of either kingdom to the other; that is to say, on flax or hemp, or on yarn made of flax or hemp, or on wool, or on yarn made of wool." Mr. Corry. I have a very few words to say. I decline going into the refolutions at large. They in general feem to be good and fair refolutions; but this feventh is totally different. It is unfair and partial. It favours restriction, and contradicts the principle which is the bafis of thele propofitions. It favours prohibition, and is in the very teeth of the first refolution, whofe purpose is to enlarge and extend commerce; but prohibition neither enlarges nor extends. refolution binds up Ireland, while England keeps herself untied. This refolution does not go to regulate, but to prohibit. This Sir John Blaquiere. If the amendment propofed by the right hon. gentleman had come by itself fingly as a refolution, I would agree to it; but I am decidedly against it in its prefent shape, as being a clog upon the refolutions. Mr. Hartley. I will not go over the ground of yesterday, when a great many members attended; but fall only say that I agree to the amendment. Sir Edward Crofton. As I voted yesterday with the majority, I fhall now give my reafon for it. The county which I reprefent pays its rent in wool, as does the whole of the province of Connaught. If the amendment paffes, it will reduce the price of wool, and thereby reduce the price of land; and the province of Connaught, and the counties immediately furrounding it, will lofe more than 4s. an acre by it. Hon. Denis Browne. The wool of the province of Connaught pays its rent, and this amendment goes to the total deftruction of that province. Mr. Molyneux. I do not wonder that the hon. gentleman who fpoke laft feels a natural affection for wool; I however, not having the fame reasons, and feeling for another part of the kingdom, with the amendment to pass. The question was put on the awmendment, and rejected. Mr. Hartley, I hope I may be at liberty now to propose another amendment, which may not perhaps be unneceffary, which is, to prohibit the exportation of our yarn into England. Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer said that fuch an amendment would be ruinous. Honourable Denis Browne. The yarn of the province of Connaught supports it. The women ipin, and their labour in that way fupports their families. Colonel Conyngham oppofed the amendment, which was withdrawn, and the refolution agreed to. The eighth refolution (fee page 435) was the read and agreed to. The ninth resolution (see page 435) was then read. Mr. William Todd Jones. I have maintainad the most strict impartiality in the course of efe refolutions; but I have however an ardent zeal for every thing that is for the public good.I think it too ferious for fquibs to be thrown out on the occafion. There is one gentleman who objected to thefe propofitions, in whole steps I 211 |