obtained by this country. The Marquis of Rockingham, Lord Hillsborough, Lord Shelburne, and fome others, have fhewn themfelves our decided friends. The bulk of my property confifts in land, yet as I think a land tax very equitable, I fhall most chearfully pay it, provided the taxes I pay for wines and groceries are taken off: But an absentee tax I will refift, because I think it will produce difcord between the abfentees and us, when union is altogether neceffary. I fpeak as an independent member, neither biaffed by a minifter, nor under the influence of a county. Sir Edward Newenham called the Honourable Member to order, and faid he seemed to infinuate that county instructions were unconstitutional; that he was a friend to the principle of the bill; yet as his county had formerly inftructed him on this head, he thought it his duty to submit his opinion to theirs, and therefore would vote against it. General Cunningham.-A man inftructed is not free; he has it not in his power to make ufe of his own understanding. Arguments in this House are thrown away on him, fince he is not open to conviction. Influence of one kind is as bad as that of another. Every action of my life is confiftent with the other. Gentlemen thus inftructed are like Lord Thomond's cocks-all of one fide. It was always a favourite idea with me, to take 4 or 500,000!. off fomething else, and put it on abfentees; but the mover of this refolution feems in this, as well as fome other inftances, to load government with money whether they will or not. Honourable Colonel Maffey.-The honourable introducer of this motion has not, by any thing he has faid, changed my opinion. I voted against this tax formerly, and will vote against it now. The Hon. Mover has not fpecified what kind of abfentee tax he intends. This is an unreafonable tax, and no reafon therefore is affigned for, no neceffity now exifts for it-no one good can be gained by it, but the evils that may flow from it are many; the landed property of the nation may be ruined by it. I intend to vote against it now, but I do not pledge myself but I may, on a future occafion, fupport it. Mr. Molyneux.-When this question was on a former occafion agitated in this Houfe, it met far different treatment. I will own that it would have better become almoft any other gentleman than myfelf. My age, my inexperience, and want of weight, fhould not caufe this oppofition. The meafure fhould stand on its merits and not the propofers. It should not be oppofed on It is its misfortune it did not come from the my account. treafury bench; fuch a circumftance would make a great change of opinion, many would be for it, who now vote against it. I have repeatedly mentioned my intention of bringing this meafure forward. I have mentioned it with the humility that became nie. It was not for me to propose a plan, it would be prefumptuous. Our That was to be left to the committee. expences are above our taxes.-This might be appropriated to the payment of 300,000!. But I have not lungs to go over all the arguments ufed against my motion. I fhall only affure the committee it is a matter I have not taken up lightly, and that I fhall not lightly lay it down. Sir Thomas Ofborne difliked the tax as militating against liberty. This will, fays he, be punishing English gentlemen who have eftates here for partiality to their native country, for preferring it as a place of refidence. Unforeseen accidents may make it neceffary for gentlemen to leave this country, and fettle in England. The uncertainty every man muft feel of what may hereafter happen to him, will deter him from purchafing in a kingdom where there exifts a strong probability fuch events may arife. The adoption of this meafure would be to punish a number of refpectable characters for the attachment they fo ftrongly exhibited in favour of Ireland. Moreover, this is a fu perfluous revenue, and the application of fuch is always bad. This looks more like the fuggeftion of popularity than as arifing from public neceflity. Mr. Neville thought the taxation illegal; it was an embargo on the liberties of the subject. He therefore would oppofe it. Attorney General.-I rife, Sir, to move that one thilling may be inferted in the room of four fhillings. This I do to fhew my abhorrence of the principle of this tax, which I think should be scouted out of this Houfe with every mark of reproba tion. Mr. Parfons expreffed his approbation of the principle of the bill, but objected to the time of bringing it forward; he would therefore vote against it. The amendment was carried without a divifion. The refolution was now put as amended, and passed in the negative. Ayes, 22 184 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1783. The Houfe in committee on the corn bufinefs, Mr. Bolton in the chair. Mr. Fofter faid, he would deem the attention of the Houfe very neceffary, while he fhould fpeak to fome resolutions he intended to propofe. In the courfe of laft feffion, fays he, an act was paffed which prohibited the importation of foreign wheat, until the market price rofe to 36. the barrel, which U act had a mischievous operation in a time of great scarcity. The refolutions I have in my hand tend to the encouragement of manufacture, at the fame time that they will obviate fuch fort of difficulties in future. It is my intention that wheat may be imported, duty free, from England, as foon as the price shall arife to 27s. the barrel, and when it shall arife to 30s. the ports to be open to all other foreign countries, at the trifling duty of 3d. per barrel. The bill of last feflion, which I alluded to as the caufe of all the threatened diftreffes of a famine, was introduced by an Hon. Member (Mr. Flood) now abfent, I objected to it when introduced, on the probable ill confequences which were threatened by fixing it at 36s. the barrel, and contended for its being fixed at 30. but the Hon. Gentleman perfevering in the fupport of the higher fum, the bill paffed, though the fubfequent ill confequences have proved my apprehenfions to have been almost fatally right; but by fixing the import, in future, at 275. the fear of receiving fuch ill confequences will be done away; and even this preference to British corn is only on condition of England's extending the like preference to us, which will support the maintenance of that friendly communication, which policy and affection fhould establish between both nations; and as in all probability our export may exceed our import, we shall thereby certainly gain a decided advantage. British corn has, at all times been importable here, at fmall duties, and Irish grain prohibited at ftated prices into England; the fyftem I intend to lay before the Houfe, will place both countries on a proper and beneficial equality, and that fyftem is fhortly this: To allow a bounty on export, up to 27s. the barrel, then to allow export without bounty, and import without duty, from Great Britain, until it rifes to 30. the barrel, and when it rifes to 30s. to prohibit export to every place, and admit import from every place. A fufficient price will be fecured to the farmer by this regulation, who, in my opinion, fhould be contented with a guinea a barrel; yet he is allowed a bounty of 35. 4d. a barrel on export, until the price arises to 275. This regulation goes to wheat alone, every other fort of grain will be equally regulated, by which every neceffity of embargoes, and the improper interference of the laws will be found totally needlefs. My idea would alfo embrace another object equally new and important, which is that of allowing foreign corn to be warehoufed at all feafons. By this means the merchants will be encouraged to fpeculate, and the corn will not be fold out, till the price rifes to the ftandard of allowing corn to be imported. Confidering alfo our fingular fituation for the convenience of the American trade, and that the principal produce of that country is corn, there is a probability of our becoming the granary for the European markets, having the choice of preference for our own, if found needful; add to this, that America will receive our manufactures for this corn. Individuals will be alfo benefited, because the merchant is intended to be allowed the warehousing of his own corn at a small duty, and giving bond for the remainder; being at full liberty either to export it, or fell it out for home confumption, when the price rifes to the neceflity of importation, and then his bond becomes cancelled. Here is a certain plan not only of conftant fupply for home confumption, but to fupply the reft of Europe. The regulation of the price at which corn fhall be imported is another object. I would propofe the Dublin market as the standard for regulating the reft of Ireland, because it will hold out the regular price for the merchant, and to avoid too frequent a change, the price will be regulated once in every three months, by the magiftrates and fworn officers, and not by quarter fellions, at the average of fix or eight preceding markets. I think Dublin points itself particularly out for this purpofe, as the inland and coafting bounties bring its market to every farmer's door, and keep its port open, by encouraging a fupply from other places. I propofe alfo to abolish the abfurd ufe of English meafures, fo that the bounties, &c. fhall be regulated by Irish meafures and Irish money. By thefe means the precife meaning of the law will come to every man's knowledge, in refpect to bounties, prices, and other neceffary matters. For the encouragement of the mills, I propofe in regard to flour, to raise the bounty from 1s. 44. to is. 11d. the hundred; and I am induced to this, from the fuppofition that a barrel of Irish wheat does not produce three-fourths flour, which the English might exceed. Before I move these refolutions I am ready to anfwer, and give every gentleman all the fatisfaction in my power, to fuch questions as he fhall think proper to put in regard to this measure. Mr. Hartley thought even 30s. too high, though he approved of the reduction of the fum ftated as the average price. He, at the fame time, could not help remarking, that abolishing the export bounty from Dublin, was the measure which chiefly operated to raise the price of corn in this market. Mr. Fofter replied, that it would be highly abfurd to grant large bounties of public money for bringing corn to Dublin, and afterwards grant other large bounties for taking it out of Dublin, Mr. Bube was inclined to differ in fome fmall matter, but approved of the principle. He agreed, he faid, as to the abfurdity of giving a bounty for exporting corn from Dublin. It fell, within his own knowledge, that when the market_price is 30s. a barrel in Dublin, it is but 25. at Kilkenny. The premium on the carriage is too low, Mr. Corry thought two months fhould be substituted for regulating the price inftead of three. Mr. Fofter faid, the objection could have no force, as corn was generally imported from America or the Baltic, and three months gave time little enough for the merchant to receive his anfwer. The market price of Dublin went only to regulate the import; but that of export was to be regulated by the average middle price of the three preceding market days in each port, and the reafonablenefs of this, muft, he faid, be apparent, becaufe, if corn fhould be wanted in Dublin, it could be procured from thofe ports, as import into Dublin would be allowed, and the warehoufes of the kingdom opened for home confump tion. Mr. Hartley applauded the tendency of the refolutions, to which he would give his hearty concurrence, because America would be a great market for the fale of Irish manufactures; and corn being the natural return of that foil, the Irish merchants would be the carriers of corn to all the rest of Europe. The refolutions were then read, and agreed to unanimously, and Mr. Fofter was complimented by the whole Houfe, for introducing a fubject which promifed to be of the moft permanent and material advantages to Ireland.-The report to be received on Monday. Mr. Gardiner informed the Houfe, that the committee appointed to investigate the ftate of the trade and manufactures of this country, had nearly clofed that part which regards the loom; and that as evidence would end in the committee on Monday, he did intend to propofe fome refolutions, which he would annex to the report that would be made on Wednefday or Thuriday. It having been ftated to the Houfe, that Mr. Stewart, the petitioner on the county of Down election, though willing to pay the costs incurred by the petitioner, in obedience to the order of the Houfe, yet could not make that payment until the costs should be duly verified by affidavit, Mr. ritzgibbon faid, I did hope when the petitioner had been let off fo quietly, we should have heard no more of this matter. I did not think he would have been fo fqueamish, or have added contumacy to the former offence: he comes now as a fpecial pleader, making exceptions to an affidavit-the affidavit is as full and unexceptionable as poffible-[read]-The fheriff's agent swears, that the fums charged as coft were fairly and actually paid to the theriff's council and agents, and that they are the ordinary fees, generally paid upon fuch occafions: the offences charged laid againft the theriff in the petition, were moft wicked and ill founded; after a folemn fair trial, the purity of that gentleman's honour has appeared the petitioner himself, afhamed of thofe charges, fays, |