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were obliged to repair to the ale-house for their malt liquor; he would therefore propofe to lay a tax on all private families who brewed for themfelves, in proportion to what might reafonably be deemed their confumption, at the rate of four fhillings and onepenny for every inhabitant in the house: thofe houfes however excepted, who had lefs than three hearths.

Colonel Hayes obferved, that this duty would be at once oppreffive and inefficacious-preventing the honeft farmers or country gentlemen from brewing their own beer, thus fubjecting them to the laws of excife, would be a heavy grievance to them, without the leaft advantage to the poorer clafs: and as to encouraging the brewing trade, he doubted much how far it would answer that end; as the fort of beer ufually brewed by private perfons for their own confumption, was of a quality much nearer that imported from England, than what is ufually brewed for fale in this kingdom. If a tax were devifed, which might affift the poor, and fall only on the rich, he would never wifh to oppofe it: but as far as his knowledge of this country extended (and he had moreover lived in a country famous for its malt liquor) the injury sustained by the farmer, who must pay for his farming fervants and children, would be greater than any advantage the Right Honourable Gentleman could fuppofe to be gained by any other class.—He reprobated the mode in which this tax must be collected, as fubjecting the houses of private perfons to be entered by excife officers and declared that though he had the highest respect and regard for the Honourable Gentleman at the head of the revenue, he hoped never to fee the houses of his countrymen open to the officers in inferior departments.

This duty was alfo difapproved by Gen. Cunningham, Mr. George Montgomery, Mr. Pole, Mr. Molyneux, Mr. Kearney, Mr. Thomas Burgb, Sir Edward Newenham, and feveral other gentlemen, becaufe no mode of levying it had been mentioned.

The Attorney General declared he would not hurry the meafure without giving time for its due confideration. He would willingly put it off 'till Monday next, when he would come prepared with a proper plan for its collection:

Sir John Blaquiere alked if the Right Honourable Gentleman would this day go into the bufinefs of the protecting duties?

The Attorney General anfwered,-That as a Right Honourable Gentleman, whom all the House respected, had taken up this business, and from a heavy family misfortune was prevented from attending in his place, he fhould not take it out of his hands, but wait a few days, and keep the committee of ways and means open for the purpofe. As to the inconvenience that might arife from the mode of collecting the tax on private brewing, it deferved the most serious confideration; and wished a total alteration in

this branch of the revenue might be effected by a malt tax, as in England. The other new additional duties he would propofe,

were

Sixpence per gallon on rum.

Eightpence per gallon on brandy and geneva.

Mr. Corry afked if any alteration was intended in what related to Eaft India goods, as he intended to bring in a bill relative to the importation of thefe goods from the Eaft Indies or other countries; and would have already brought the business forward but for a delay, from whofe fault he knew not, of papers he had called for in the beginning of the feffion.

It was answered that no alteration was intended.

The Right Honourable John Fofter being chofen a knight of the fhire for the county of Louth, and alfo a burgefs for the borough of Sligo, in the county of Sligo, made his election to ferve for the faid county of Louth.-Right Honourable the Spea ker ordered a new writ for the borough of Sligo.

Ordered, That the Accountant General do lay before this Houfe an account of the quantum of money paid in the year ending lady-day, 1783, on Exchequer acquittances, by the feveral, collectors of his Majefty's revenue, diftinguishing each collection.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1783.

A Meffage from the Lords by Dr. Walker and Mr. Vefey, two of the Mafters in Chancery, that the Lords had paffed an engroffed bill, intitled an act for indemnifying fuch perfons as have acted for the fervice of the public, in advifing or carrying into execution a proclamation of the Lord Lieutenant and Council of this kingdom, bearing date the 13th day of November, 1782, and alfo by an act of council, or entry in the council books, bearing date the 9th day of June, 1783; to which they defire the concurrence of this Houfe.

On a motion that feveral perfons who had figned, the city of Cork petition, be ordered to attend at the bar of this House, in order to fubftantiate their charges-this was objected to, and on the question being put, it was carried in the negative.

Mr. Chatterton in order to prevent any improper ufe being made, of the prefent intended infolvent bill, moved, that the jailors throughout this kingdom, do make a return on oath, of the feveral perfons in their cuftody for debt, on the 10th day of November inftant-He declared himfelf a friend to the bill, but this was to prevent any unfair advantage that might be taken bya fraudulent debtor-Ordered accordingly.

Sir Edward Newenham prefented a petition from the working filk-weavers. Ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. O'Hara moved for leave to bring in a bill to prevent frivolous and vexations arrefts.-Leave given.

Mr. St. George prefented the accounts of the barrack-board, pursuant to order.

The Houfe refolved itself into a committee of ways Mr. Fofter in the chair.

and

means,

The Attorney General gave notice, that he had no new duties to move at that time; when he had he would particularly point them out. He then moved the old duties, which being agreed to, the House refumed.

Mr. Fofter reported having made fome progrefs, and defired leave fit again.

Mr. Corry made feveral fevere obfervations on the conduct of fome gentlemen, who, on the preceding night, had, by infifting on the order of the day, in a moft indecent, not to fay, unparliamentary manner, prevented him from making his intended. motion for an addrefs to his Majefty, a mode of proceeding, which if drawn into precedent, might always be practifed when any motion was intended that was not agreeable to the gentlemen on the other fide of the Houfe; for which reafon he found himself under the neceffity of protefting against it, as a breach of the privilege of free difcuffion and liberty of fpeech, which the Speaker demanded from the throne at the beginning of the feffion. He gave notice, that he should on Wednefday next move an addrefs to his Majesty, on the Prince of Wales having attained his oneand-twentieth year.

Sir John Parnell prefented a petition from several manufacturers of the Queen's County, fetting forth that landlords were much interested in the price of wool, and that they humbly conceived that it would promote the intereft of trade if there was an encouragement given for the exportation of wool. That in 1778,

122,000 packs of wool were exported; and in the last year, 66,000.- Referred to a committee.

General Cunningham adverted to the duty that was on the laft night propofed to be laid on private breweries, and its being fuggefted that the duty would be collected like the malt duty; he requested to be informed what that mode was ?

The Attorney General anfwered, that he brought the English act with him; but the duty might be collected in another way. The principal objection that had been made of the excife officer entering private houfes might be obviated by a compofition, or

the tax collected by hearth-money collectors as the duty on carriages: I have, however, continued he, fince yesterday, thought of an alteration in the mode of afcertaining this duty, that I hope will be more agreeable, which is, that each family that brews, where there are three or four hearths, fhall pay 5s. a year, and where there are upwards of four hearths, 109. a year.

Mr. R. Longfield faid, that he had confidered the principle of the tax. He thought other gentlemen would think as he did; and he was fatisfied it would be fcouted out of the House.

The Attorney General faid he could not forbear answering the Hon. Gentleman. If he did him the honour of adverting to his very words, it might be found, that he was not difpofed to prefs this duty, but as a measure tending to encourage the breweries of the kingdom. He would give up any intereft he might be fuppofed to have with adminiftration in that bufinefs. Unconnected and independent, he rofe as a private member of that Houfe. He was of opinion it would encourage the breweries, but did not wish to prefs it, if it was not perfectly agreeable to the House.

Mr. Cornelius Bolton prefented a petition from feveral perfons concerned in the woollen manufacture in and about the town of Carrick-on-Suire, praying encouragement to this manufacture, by protecting duties.- -Ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Foster moved, that a committee of the whole House might be appointed to fit on the ftate of the Portugal trade. That it fhould be taken up in the moft public and ample manner; and as there were evidences to be produced, he proposed that the committee fhould meet on Monday at two o'clock.-Ordered.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 17, 1783.

The House in a committee on the Portugal bufinefs, Mr. Bolton in the chair.

Mr. Skies examined.-The evidence of this gentleman went to prove, that there were a great deal of low priced linens made ufe of in Portugal. The duty laid on in that country is 27 per cent. that the rates of the duties of goods imported into and exported from Portugal are entered in their book of rates; but that thofe who collect the duties are at liberty to charge at difcretion the rates as they think proper on their own authority. That there is no mention made in their book of rates of Irish goods-whatever linens are entered from Ireland are under the head of inferior hollands. Mr. Skies then added, that with respect to woollens, camblets are principally the article of this kind used. He could not fay that other woollen goods would not be admitted,

but at prefent none else were received from this country. Camblets, he faid, were admitted regularly. He did apply to the officers, who told him the admiffion of woollen goods was difputed. On being asked from what country they got coarte linens, he replied, Hamburgh and France, from which places linens were imported into Portugal on lower duties than from Ireland. They alfo imported goods from Great Britain on the fame terms they did twenty years ago. All perfons almost in Portugal have fome goods from England in their houses. Their colonies are fupplied in a great measure by them, where they wear a kind of coarfe ftuff made on purpofe. The Portuguefe fend to their colonies Colchefter and Lancashire baize, alfo a great deal of coarse broad cloth of above five fhillings per yard, and ferges and fhags. This gentleman further added, that fince his being in Ireland, he had examined, with all the abilities he was mafter of, the feveral manufactures of baizes, ftuffs and ferges, and thinks the ferges and stuffs are inferior to the English; for he had feen ferges much better finished, and fome ferges of the fame quality were three or four inches narrower than thofe of England. In answer to the fhags exported, he believed the fhags made formerly in Ireland were better than they are now, and that the English have a better method of finishing the fhags than the Irish. The Portuguese confumption in the article of camblets had much declined, because the Portuguese who were once fond of wearing large cloaks of camblets, now wear large cloaks made of baize; yet the English ftill fend camblets with their broad cloths. On comparing the English and Irish broad cloths together, he thought the English broad cloaths were better finished, and believed they had finer wool in England. On being asked, would he take a venture over of woollen goods from Ireland to Portugal; he replied he would, but not of camblets, because they were better finished and better preffed in England; but if Portugal admitted woollens from Ireland, he certainly wished to take a cargo from hence. reafon of their being better finished in England, he attributed to the great confumption they had for fuch goods there, and confequently they could better afford to take more pains in finishing. The Portuguese, he faid, made ufe of druggets, and he imagined Irish blankets would anfwer for that market, as well as linen, linen-yarn, cotton or frizes. The Portuguefe, he faid, took a great deal of corn from Ireland, but the poor peafants lived upon bread made of Indian corn, and they cultivated a great dealof corn themselves. He conceived they would derive a great advantage from a trade with this country; and there was a great deal of private trade carried on with America; and he knew no country from whence the Portuguese imported beef but from Ireland. They had falted pork from America, and they had

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