high and peremptory, though just and equitable, claims were preferred on the part of Ireland; for the folly, obftinacy, and pride, of the late minifters would scarcely have fcrupled to involve the empire in a fecond civil war, rather than have conceded in points which militated for ftrongly against what they would undoubtedly have ftyled "the honor and dignity of the. crown, and the effential interefts of the people."

Some days previous to the motion of Mr. Grattan, a royal meffage was delivered to the house of commons by the fecretary of ftate," recommending to their moft ferious confideration the ftate of affairs in Ireland, in order to fuch a final adjustment as may give a mutual fatisfaction to both kingdoms." And on the 18th of May, Mr. Fox, at the clofe of a long and able fpeech, moved for the repeal of the obnoxious act for fecuring the dependency of Ireland; which he called "a measure of neceffity, refulting, however unpleasant it might be to fome, from the conduct of the late miniftry, who had awakened the prefent fpirit in Ireland, by refusing their most modest and reasonable requests. With that generofity and openness of fentiment by which this eminent statesman has been fo long and fo remarkably diftinguifhed, Mr. Fox obferved nevertheless "that his own decided opinion had always been, that Ireland, being a part of the British empire,

was

was entitled to the full and equal participation of all the benefits and immunities enjoyed in England, and which were confonant to the principles of the British conftitution. His ideas of Ireland correfponded (he faid) exactly with his ideas relative to America. He thought it abfurd and unjust for any country to pretend to legiflate for another, without, much lefs againft, their confent and concurrence ;-nor could it at any time fo legiflate to any good purpose. As to Ireland, he made no fcruple, in the most express and unequivocal terms, to declare, that he confidered her prefent claims to be substantially just, and that he felt himself inclined to move the refolution which he was about to propofe in favor of Ireland, as much on the ground of juftice as prudence." This repeal, which paffed both houses without oppofition, was confidered in both countries as a virtual renunciation of the claim of legislating for Ireland. And fo highly gratified were the Irish parliament and nation with the liberality of these conceffions, that a vote of the house of commons in that kingdom paffed unanimoufly for raifing twenty thousand feamen for the fervice of the British navy.

On the 15th of April another meffage was delivered to the house by Mr. Fox from the king, ftating, "That his majefty, taking into confideration the fupplies which have been given with

fo much liberality, and fupported with fuch uncommon firmness and fortitude by his people in the prefent extenfive war, recommended to his faithful commons the confideration of an effectual plan of œconomy throughout all the branches of the public expenditure." An address of thanks was then moved for, and immediately agreed to by the house; at the clofe of which it was faid, "That a king of Great Britain cannot have fo perfect or fo honorable a fecurity for every thing which can make a king truly great or truly hap py, as in the genuine and natural support of an uninfluenced and independent house of commons." This was language novel and highly pleafing to the refpectable part of the public, who had been fo long naufeated by the fulfome aduJation of the addreffes prefented of late years to the throne, fo contrary to the fpirit of freedom, which requires the reprefentatives of the people to refpect the majefty of the people, and to use language confonant to the high and dignified fituation in which they themfelves are placed.

In confequence of this meffage, Mr. Burke's Reform Bill was a third time brought forward, under far more favorable aufpices than before, By this bill, which now paffed the house with little difficulty, the Board of Trade, and the Board of Works, with the Great Wardrobe, were abolished; together with the office of Ame

rican fecretary of state, now rendered useless by the lofs of the American colonies;-the offices of treasurer of the chamber, cofferer of the household, the lords of police in Scotland, the paymaster of the pensions, the master of the harriers, the mafter of the ftag-hounds, and fix clerks of the Board of Green-cloth. Provifion alfo was made to enable his majefty to borrow a fum for the liquidation of a new arrear of three hundred thoufand pounds, by a tax on falaries and penfions; for a debt to this amount had been again contracted by the fhameful prodigality of the late minifters, notwithstanding the addition of one hundred thousand pounds per annum fo recently made to the civil lift. In the course of the speech made by Mr. Burke on the revival of this popular measure, the ftyle of this gentleman's oratory was obferved to be marvelloufly changed. Al ready had this lofty and intrepid patriot become a complete adept in the precious jargon current within the verge and purlieus of a court. Mr. Burke "congratulated the house and the kingdom on the happy æra when his majesty, freed from that secret and injurious council which stood between him and his people, now spake to them in the pure and rich benevolence of his own heart. The meffage which they had just heard was the genuine effufion of his majefty's paternal care and tenderness of his fubjects. It was what good

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good fubjects deferved from a good king: and every man would rejoice and blefs the day when his majefty, reftored to the dignified independence of his elevated fituation, was able to speak to his people in the language of his own heart, to participate in their fufferings, to praise and reward them for their fortitude. It was the best of meffages, to the beft of people, from the BEST of KINGS."

The œconomical abolitions and retrenchments of the Reform Bill met with a violent oppofition in the upper houfe, from the lords Thurlow and Loughborough; but it finally paffed by a great majority. A bill fent up from the commons, for disfranchising certain voters of the borough of Cricklade, who had been proved guilty of the most shameful and fcandalous acts of bribery, was also impeded and embarrassed in all its stages by the fame law lords, with every poffible fubtilty of legal quibble and chicanery. The duke of Richmond was upon this occafion provoked to charge the chancellor with indifcriminately oppofing every measure of regulation and improvement which was laid before the houfe. And lord Fortescue, with all the warmth of aristocratic difdain, remarked, "that what he had long feared was at length come to pafs ;-from the profufion of lawyers introduced into that house, it was no longer an houfe of lords, it was con