Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

66

"the two countries, and which may prove equally detrimental to both. The treaty is now open, and may poffibly be "foon re-affumed, either here or in England. I am confident, "that the American minifters, Mr. Adams, Doctor Franklin, and "Mr. Jay, will moft cordially agree to include Ireland, and give "her every poffible equal commercial advantage, but that cannot be done, except Ireland is included in the prefent, or fome other treaty."

68

In a letter he received from a gentleman now in Philadelphia, but a member of the firft confequence in the ftate of Virginia, dated the 4th of laft September, the following hint is given:

[ocr errors]

66

66

66

"Should a commercial treaty between thofe States and Great "Britain take place, I would recommend it to you to have your kingdom fpecifically mentioned, either in the body of the treaty, or by an additional article, for it feems that your parliament is now the fole regulator of Irish commerce, confequently if your nation is not acknowledged as a contracting party, 66 your fhips may be delayed, and your merchants fuffer materi"ally by the omiflion. It is better to fettle thofe matters at first, "than leave them liable to future difquifition. I would alfo "advise you to have confuls or agents appointed in thefe States, as circumftances may frequently require their interpofition in the naval, as well as the mercantile line. Suppofe a difpute (as two have lately occurred between Captain Gibson of the "Mayflower, and Captain Traynor of the Betfy,) fhould a"rife between the owners or captains of any Irish or British ship, "and fuch difpute not be immediately cognizable by the ftate in "whofe harbour fuch fhip fhould happen to be, that nation muft "fuffer, which has not a conful or agent to fupport its rights, or folicit the protection of the state."

I have laid this information before the proper judges. I do not intend to embarrafs government by tendering any refolutions at prefent; I only folicit juftice for my country, and request that thofe whofe duty it is, will take thofe matters into immediate confideration. The treaty was open on the 4th of this month; no time, not even one poft ought to be loft. The treaty might be figned, and Ireland left out.-If that fhould happen, this nation will experience greater difficulties than we fuffer by the treaty with the perfidious Portugueze. This Houfe will then be forced to take it up in the warmeft manner, and fend IRISH Commitlioners to Paris. For the prefent, I fhall leave it in the hands of thofe who have both power and abilities to do us juftice, and I trust they are defirous of preventing future jealoufies.

Mr. Pelham faid, that though fomewhat embarraffed, he could not think of keeping filence upon fuch an occafion; the Honourable Baronet had read two letters, to which allowing every degree of weight, he was fure it would never be admitted that Ire

land was excluded from the benefit of every treaty in which the was not mentioned by name; he affured the House that his Majesty's ministers were not inattentive to the interefts of Ireland, and would wish to know if it was thought neceffary by the House that Ireland fhould be particularly named, as ministers were refolved to adopt that or any other mode which could give this nation moft perfect fatisfaction. He was, he faid, afraid that the treaty was not fo near being concluded as the Honourable Baronet imagined; but affured the Houfe that he would inform his Majesty's minifters that a doubt had arifen that the interests of Ireland would not be attended to, and urge them to demonstrate the contrary, which they were well inclined to do.

Sir Edward Newenham declared his perfect fatisfaction, and his firm reliance on the declaration of the Right Honourable Secretary.

Mr. Fitzgibbon faid, that an at paffed laft feffion of parliament, by which feveral laws of England, deemed advantageous to this country, had been adopted altogether as laws of Ireland, that by confidering the fubject, he was led to an opinion, that it would prevent much inconvenience if fuch laws as Ireland chofe to receive, were to be enacted in terms: he confeffed, indeed, this would be an arduous work, as the whole ftatute book must be examined and confidered, but with the aid and affiftance of the House he would attempt it. He therefore moved for a committee to take the fubject into confideration.

Mr. Gardiner prefented a petition from the Governors of the Houfe of Induftry, praying aid.

Mr. Gardiner moved, that the trustees of the linen manufacture fhould lay before the Houfe an account of all fums of money disbursed for the promotion and encouragement of that manufac ture, from their inftitution to the prefent day.

Mr. Fofter moved for leave to bring in a bill to facilitate and promote the intercourfe between this kingdom and America.

The Attorney General moved for leave to bring in a bill to regulate the Admiralty of Ireland; and for leave to bring in a bill to indemnify all perfons advifing or enforcing the late embargo.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1783.

The Hon. John Bourke prefented a petition from the governors of the work-house.

Ordered to lie on the table, and committed for to-morrow. Several public accounts ordered yesterday were presented, the titles read, and ordered to lie on the table.

A petition was prefented from the Right Honourable Henry Flood and Sir Frederick Flood, Bart. complaining of an undue election, through the conduct of Lodge Morres, Efq; High Sheriff of the county of Kilkenny, by which John Egar and John Burke O'Flaherty, Efqrs. have been returned for the borough of Callan. Ordered to be tried the 4th of December.

The order of the day being read for opening the committee of accounts, the Houfe refolved itself into a grand committee, the Right Hon. John Fofter in the chair, but immediately adjourned to the next day, and the Houfe reaffumed.

The Right Hon. Luke Gardiner moved, that the proper officer lay before the Houfe the quantity and value of all goods, wares, and merchandize imported from Great Britain for the ten years, ending the 25th of March laft.

That the proper officer lay before the Houfe an account of all old and new drapery imported during the fame period, diftinguishing their qualities and prices.

That the proper officer lay before the House an account of all yarn exported from hence to Great Britain during the above period.

That the proper officer lay before the Houfe an account of all woollens exported antecedent to the year 1692.

All which were ordered accordingly.

Sir Henry Cavendish moved, that the proper officer lay before the Houfe an account of the penfions on the civil eftablishment, that have ceafed by death or otherwife, from lady-day, 1781, to ladyday, 1783.

That the proper officer lay before the House,

An account of the applications of feveral fums for the use of the coal-yards in Cork and Dublin.

The fums paid in premiums to fifhing veffels.

The particulars of 56,000l. iffued from the treasury, under the head of general officers.

Ditto of fums, under the head of incidental charges.

Ditto of premiums to veffels with Irish coals brought to Dublin. Ditto of falaries on the revenue eftablishment.

Ditto under the head of wine warrants.

Mr. Toler, after adverting to the very great inaccuracy of the laws refpecting the regulations of police and houfes of correction, faid he had a motion to make for leave to bring in a bill on that head. He faid there was not one houfe of correction made any use of at prefent, through the whole kingdom of Ireland. That it fell to his lot to know how useful fuch inftitutions muft prove, fince the act for tranfportation had failed to have any efficacy, as there

was no punishment introduced in its room.

He then moved for

leave to bring in a bill to amend the act already paffed, for enforce ing hard labour, and for transportation of delinquents.-Leave granted.

The Recorder bore teftimony to the very great neceffity there was at prefent for fuch a law; but it was alfo neceffary he said to have it paffed before Christmas.

The Provost moved for leave to bring in a bill to deliver from confinement all perfons discharged by proclamation, but detained for their fees.

He faid this bill was a copy of one obtained in England, by the moft remarkable perfonage that had appeared in Europe for many centuries, Mr. Howard; this gentleman, with the most benevolent heart, had devoted the earlier part of his life in improving a moderate fortune, by acting as a father to his tenants, encouraging them to induftry, in promoting their profperity, and ultimately his own, in raifing up around him what ought to be the pride, and is the ftrength of every country, a refpeciable independent yeomanry. His fuccefs in this undertaking, and his amiable difpofition, foon caught the attention of the neighbouring gentlemen, and he was perfuaded to accept the office of theriff for his county; in this fituation he thought it his duty frequently to vifit the county jail, and his humanity foon interefted him to allay the miferies the wretched prifoners oftentimes unjuftly fuffer, as far as wisdom, directed by tenderness, could go; he reformed the jail of his own county, and from that was induced to proceed round all England; nay he did not confine his benevolent intentions to England only, for there is fcarce a dungeon in Europe that he has not infpected, that the unhappy every where may tale of his benevolence. Some time fince it was propofed to him that the thanks of parliament fhould be voted as a reward and approbation of his merit. His reply was, that he was not ambitious of applaufe-that as to the thanks of parliament, he would not give a rush for them—but if they would let him have fomething in his own way, if they would allow him to turn his labours to the public advantage, he would receive it as a favour--he then propofed that this bill fhould be paffed, which, at his requeft, was granted. The Provost obferved, that fome time ago a very humane law had been brought in, to enable grand juries to prefent for the fees of perfons acquitted: but a partial and oppreffive ufe having fometimes been made of it, it by no means answered the purpofe of the worthy Baronet who introduced it; indeed he faid it was a point of fome difficulty, and an object of moment in a free ftate to prevent any of its parts from extending beyond its proper bounds, and therefore he thought that power, though wifely and humanely intended, fhould not have been lodged with grand juries-their office was to fpread a fhield

to protect their innocent fellow-fubjects, or to put offenders on their trial-but it was not their province to fay, we will prefent the fees of this man who has been acquitted by his country, and not of this man, who has been acquitted alfo. The advantage of law fhould extend equally to all those who are in the fame fituatiHe faid he himfelf had been for many years a judge of aflize, and though he had the happiness to ftand well with grand juries, yet they had not unfrequently refused to present the fees of perfons acquitted, though recommended by him from the bench.

on.

Sir Hercules Langrifbe feconded the Provoft; he faid he wished to have made this former law, which had been brought in by him, more extenfive, but in those days he could not venture to propofe it.Granted accordingly.

The Provost afterwards added, that his idea went in this matter to keep every part of the conftitution in its proper ftate, and to point out the proper line to grand juries fo as to hold the even fcale of their jurifdi&ion, without partiality or felf-interest.

Mr. Feler thought it beft to poftpone the laft bill, or to let it come in as part of the general police bill.

The Provost thought it better to let it ftand upon its own ground. Mr. Toler fa d, he had another motion to make, which was of fome confequence to the caufe of juftice. It was in respect to recognizances before magiftrates, for profecution, appearance, &c. . a matter very trivial in opinion, and by the flattern manner in which they were paffed over, not a fifteenth part coming into the cafual revenue-becaufe fuch matters came through many hands before they reached the fub-sheriff, and v hen it came to him, too often made a pretext of revenge and oppreflion. He moved for leave to bring in a bill for furthering juftice, by enforcing the penalty of recognizance before magiftrates, &c. and at the commiflion of oyer and terminer, and other courts of justice.-Leave granted.

The petition of Thomas Tennison against Theophilus Clements, for an undue election for the county of Leitrim; and the petition of William Smyth for the fame, for the county of Westmeath, were received and referred; the first to the 29th of November, and the fecond to the 3d of December.

Mr. Crofton propofed a bill to afcertain the qualifications of members ferving in parliament, viz. that a knight of the fhire fhould poffefs 6ool. per ann. real eftate, clear of all incumberances; and a citizen or burgefs 300l. with exception of the College and city of Dublin.

The Provoft faid, if Dublin was to be excepted, being a trading city, and likely to be reprefented by a merchant, whose fortune might be perfonal, Cork ought to have the fame exemption.

The Recorder rejected the principle of the bill, and denied the practicability of it. If, faid he, we were fure that virtue was al

« ZurückWeiter »