almost every neceffary of life is enhanced, and luxuries are fo increased; at the period I mentioned, the Chief Governors were not conftant refidents as now, and the vaft additional expence the annual feffions muft induce, urges the neceffity of increafing this ftipend. I hope, therefore, no falfe delicacy or affectation of œconomy from the other fide of the House will make gentlemen oppofe the motion, which is, "That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, that he will please to tranfmit to his Majefty the fenfe of this Houfe, that the prefent falary of the Lord Lieutenant of this kingdom is inadequate to the expence, and praying that his Majefty will be most graciously pleafed to raise the fame to 20,000l. a year."

Mr. Daniel Toler feconded the motion, and after pointing out fome further motives from the circumstances of the nation in 1758, to the present time, faid he was not induced to adopt this meafure by any hope of favour or emolument from the prefent Lord Lieutenant or any other, as he declared, that while he fat in the Houfe he would never feek or accept of any place.

The Attorney General faid, that he had the honour of a communication with his Excellency on the fubject of the motion made by the Honourable Member, which it was his duty to ftate to the Houfe; that the refult of that communication was a decided refolution, on the part of his Excellency, to refufe an augmentation of the falary annexed to his office, fo far as he thought himself at liberty to deliver his own opinion, or exercise his own judgment on the fubject; that this refolution had been formed by his Excellency on this ground, that though he found the appointment, confidered in itself, to be inadequate to the fituation, he had no idea that the private fortune of any nobleman who fhould be advanced to the office in which his Majefty had been pleased to place him, fhould not in fome measure contribute to the expence; but that circumftanced as he was, he would neither accept or refufe without having a previous communication with his Majefty; and in order to that communication with his Majefty, the Attorney General moved, that the confideration of the subject fhould be poftponed to Monday fortnight.

Mr. Molyneux. When I made this motion, I ftood fingly in propofing it. My reafon for bringing forward an addrefs to his Majefty, for an augmentation to the falary of the Lord Lieutenant of 4000l per ann. was in order to have the dignity of that important ftation fupported, in a manner that would add credit and honour to a free nation. We are not now that country we formerly were; we are a free people, a new and a commercial people. The reprefentative of Majelty, in a free country, fhould be maintained with a fplendor and dignity becoming such a station. It is for the purpofe of fupporting the office in a proper manner, that I move for this addrefs-it is not for the man. i have no perfo

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nal regards for the prefent pobleman, who fills the honourable office of Lord Lieutenant with fo much reputation, as could in the leaft induce me to make this motion; no perfonal allufion actuated my conduct; my motive is, that the office should be maintained with fuitable dignity. It has been fuggefted by a Right Hon. Gentleman, that English noblemen may come over here to fill that ftation, who may be obliged (as has in fome inftances been the cafe) to appropriate part of their fortunes in fupporting the place of Viceroy in Ireland. I disclaim the idea of a nobleman of Great Britain being under the neceflity of fpending any part of his own fortune in fupporting the dignity of a Lord Lieutenant. I put the prefent Lord Lieutenant out of the queftion, I only look to the office itself. If there was any doubt of the propriety of this measure, the Right Honourable Gentleman has obviated them; he acknowledges the inadequacy of the falary of the Chief Governor. I fhall oppofe the motion to put off the confideration of this measure. If it is neceffary to be done, let gentlemen join their fentiments with me, and let it be confidered

now.

Right Hon. the Provoft.-I hope that there will be no divifion on this fubject. I remember, during the administration of Lord Halifax, there was an addrefs prefented to his Majesty, to augment the falary of the Lord Lieutenant from 12,000 to 16,000!. per year. On the motion for the addrefs being made in this House, it was refolved, that on a fubject of this magnitude, the Lord Lieutenant should have time to confider of it. I am decidedly of opinion to give the Chief Governor a fortnight's time to confider of this fubject, and to communicate it to his Majesty. I hope we shall meet the question in a manner the importance of it deferves, and that we hall gratify the Lord Lieutenant, in complying with his requeft of poftponing this fubject for a fortnight.

Mr. Lodge Morres faid, that the exceeding handfome and difinterested manner in which his Excellency had been pleased to exprefs himself through the Right Hon. Gentleman, although it might not be a fufficient reafon with the Hon. Gentleman who confidered himself as moving a general refolution refpecting no particular adminiftration or Lord Lieutenant, yet certainly the communication through the Attorney General was fuch as fhould weigh with him in point of delicacy, not to embarrass a nobleman whofe ideas were as enlarged as his fituation, and whose wish was to acquaint his Majefty, before the House came to any refolution upon the fubject refpecting his reprefentative in this kingdom; but that if the Hon. Gentleman thought proper, notwithstanding, to perfift in his motion, he could not deny his affent to a refolution, the juftnefs of which would meet unanimous approbation, if it

had not been for the very great and fenfible delicacy of his Excellency.

Sir Henry Cavendish.-The conduct of gentlemen on the other fide of the House, resembles that of a young woman, who is afked to fix her wedding-day. She puts it off with a little coquetry, hoping by that means to have it a little fooner forced on her.

Ministry, in the fame manner, half refufe the favour intended to the Lord Lieutenant, or at leaft plead to put it off. I will not be the violent lover in the prefent cafe. I will take them at their words. I will allow the fortnight they defire; and this, the rather, as there has been no account of the Lord Lieutenant's expences laid before the House,

In England, whenever an application is made to the House for an increafe of the civil lift etablishment, the expences of that establishment are laid before the Houfe, to prove that the augmentation required is abfolutely neceffary. I am not fufficiently informed that it is abfolutely neceflary to increase the salary of our Chief Governor. In the time of Lord Halifax, there ufed to be Lords Juftices; to' maintain the dignity of their station an increase of falary was neceffary at that time, but it is not fo now; we have not had any Lords Juftices for fome years paft. As to the prefent Lord Lieutenant, it is not intended to have a reference to him, as he has a good office in England of 7000l. per year. He fays, he wishes it may not be confidered with refpect to himself.

The Attorney General.-As to the coquetry of which the Right Hon. Baronet has fpoken, it is merely from his own feelings. If he were in our fituation, he feels he fhould play the coquette, and he therefore attributes his feelings to us: But his Excellency has given a decided opinion without refervation, that he will not himfelf accept of any augmentation of his falary. As to his fucceffors ftanding the fubftitute of Majelly, he does not think himfelf competent to decide without his Majefty's commands.

Sir Richard Mufgrave. The motion has a very questionable appearance, in coming from the Hon. Gentleman who makes it. A few nights ago he was a flrenuous advocate for retrenchment in the military establishment, contrary to the wishes of this House, as that establishment was fupported by a large and dignified majority of it; befides, it was a debt of gratitude due from this nation to England. He faid, he would analife the two nations, in order to fhew the Hon. Gentleman's confistency; for confittency would give weight to his arguments. He urged œconomy in the military establishment very much, contrary to the wishes of the House, and now he is guilty of wanton prodigality in encreafing the expence of the civil eftablishment: He faid, wanton prodigality, because the motion came merely from

himself, and therefore was wanton; but if it was not, he fuppofed it came from fome private hint, and that there was fome fecret understanding in the bufinefs; if fo, he congratulated his country on having the affiftance of a gentleman of fuch diftinguished abilities.

Mr. Molyneux. An Hon. Gentleman has mentioned, that one day I vote for an increase of falary, and at another day for retrenchments. I have no idea of uniform oppofition in order to pay a kind of compliment in going over to administration. I will refufe every expence where it is to fupport a wrong measure; but the dignity of the nation is concerned that a proper provifion be made to fupport the office of our Viceroy.--But the gentleman has given reafons from his own feelings; he has spoken as he would act; and his fpeech looks like a kind of envy that I have gotten the lead-as it were the ftart of him-but I will with pleafure yield the way to him, for I declare upon my honour, that felf was never in my confideration.

Mr. T. Burgh.-I cannot conceive the neceffity of poftponing the addrefs. Is it that a private letter may be written to his Majesty to know whether he will accept a public letter ?—The addrefs of the Commons of Ireland-No-the Commons are for themselves the best judges of the question, and to their deter-, mination it ought to be left.

Mr. Daly. I think we should take the sense of the House on this fubject now; for, if on its being communicated to his Majefty, he fhould be agreeable to it, and we afterwards should not pass it, we should be difagreeably fituated.

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Mr. St. George.--If this motion is to be negatived, let it be negatived now. At a future time we may not have fuch an English nobleman of great abilities as a Lord Lieutenant, might chufe to spend his own private property in fupporting the dignity of this nation. I fhall vote that the addrefs be difpofed

of now.

Aitorney General.-If the Houfe agrees, I fhall drop my motion of deferring the question, and enter upon the queftion of the addrefs itself: Let me too take leave to observe, that when I delivered his Excellency's meffage, I did not fpeak my own private opinion, for were I to fpeak my own private opinion, I declare I think the appointment of the Lord Lieutenant much too small. The lapfe of many years has rendered it inadequate.

Sir Edward Newenham faid, he could not confent to the Right Hon. Gentleman's withdrawing his motion; for as he (Mr. Yelverton) declared that it was the wish of the Lord Lieutenant to poftpone it, he could not believe the mover would in an instant change his opinion fo contradictory to his own words.

The fenfe of the House appearing in favour of the Attorney General's withdrawing his motion,

Sir Edward Newenham faid, that fince the House was content, he muft agree, but he declared, as prodigality was the confequence of fuch grants, he would, if he was the fingle negative, divide the Houfe upon it; that measures, not men, ruled his conduct. The Houfe divided.

On the queftion being put, whether the Houfe do agree to addrefs his Majefty,

Ayes,
Noes,

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Tellers for the ayes, Mr. Molyneux, and Mr. Burgh.

Tellers for the noes, Sir Henry Cavendish and Sir Edward Newenham.

Sir Henry Cavendish ftated a doubt whether gentlemen in the cuftody of the Serjeant at Arms had a right to vote.

It seemed to be the opinion of the House and of the Speaker, that every member prefent at a debate had a right to vote.

Sir John Blaquiere faid, that the falary of the Secretary of the Lord Lieutenant was totally inadequate to fupport the expences attending that fituation; that he had been in that ftation himfelf, and if it had not been for the indulgence of that House he should have been out of pocket. That the duties of that ftation were extenfive, and required great abilities and affiduity. He could wish that men of ability and of connection in a neighbouring kingdom fhould be appointed to that ftation, and that gentlemen who had filled the office might not be under the neceflity to accept of places, the falaries of which they fpent out of this kingdom. He then continued -I move that an humble addrefs be prefented to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, requefting that the fenfe of this House be laid before his Majesty, that the falary of the Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant fhould have an augmentation of 2500l. per year.

Mr. T. Burgh. From 1758 to 1783 the falary has only been 2500l. per year, and fome accidental fees. Feeling it therefore too little for the station, I fhall fecond the motion.

Sir Edward Newenham expreffed his furprize at a motion of fuch confequence being made, without full notice of it, that gentlemen might have time to turn it in their thoughts-are we to fit here voting away the treasure of the nation? Gentlemen who are taken by furprize, are not aware that we are laying the foundation for a large arrear, and confequently new taxes for the next feflions of parliament: Secretaries have been well provided for by jobbing douceurs or lucrative finecure employments; are fent here to do the national business, and not to aggrandize individuals; for his part He protetted (on behalf of thote whom he reprefented) in full parliament, against fuch profufion of the public money; the public were deceived; they heard a talk or profellion of economy, but parliament acted with an alarming

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