pany's stock was every day rifing-from almoft nothing, it was worth 551. per cent, and if the Houfe would confent to a loan, as defired, the ftock, he was certain, would to-morrow be at par. All the most difficult parts of the work had been conquered, and those difficulties, which had proved fo very expenfive to the company, had been incurred by their being obliged to adhere to the errors that parliament, the former managers, had imposed on them. One and twenty miles of the canal were already completed-in a year it would be finished to Monafterevan--the company would then have a revenue of 5000l. per annum, which fum would, from thenceforward, rapidly increafe.

Mr. Beresford, jun. thought it impolitic, firft to make the company give fecurity for the loan, and then to cut off half the tolls; in confequence of which, their property would be diminifbed one half at least, and this of course, would be deftroying half the fecurity.

Mr. Hartley faid, he did not believe it was in the power of parliament to take one half of that property, which the company held under the faith of parliament, But if parliament had the power to commit fuch an act of injuftice, he hoped it would never be committed. He had no objection to the equal fecurity of the money, and compelling the performance of the work, but he could not agree that they should be robbed of half their property. Mr. Molyneux, Mr. Ogle, Captain Burgh, General Cunning ham, and Mr. Nevil, spoke to the fame effect.

The Speaker was for reducing the tolls, as were Mr. Fitzgibbon, Mr. Fofter, Mr Daly, and Mr. Busbe.

Mr. Foster's first amendment was carried without a division. The second amendment, altered by the Prime Serjeant, was also carried the fame way; but, on a divifion on the third for reducing the tolls, the numbers were,

Ayes,
Noes,

56 83

And then it was agreed, that the company do receive in debentures for twelve years, a loan of 50,000l. paying intereft, and giving ample fecurity to make a faithful return of the fame fum at the end of that time in debentures. The company were also, to give fecurity for the performance of the work, but no reduction of the tolls, which are fecured by act of parliament, and at the company's difcretion.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER, 13, 1783.

The Houfe purfuant to order, fat in committee, on Mr. Brooke's loan bill; it being gone through, and the Speaker having refumed the chair, the fame was ordered to be reported on Monday.

Mr. Bennet reported from the committee of the whole House, appointed to take into confideration the report from the committee on the petition from the undertakers of the grand canal, that they had agreed to certain refolutions, which being read, viz.

"That the fum of 50,000l. be iffued in debentures, bearing fuch intereft as other debentures, as a loan to the company of undertakers of the grand canal, to be repaid by faid company in the year 1796, together with the interefts; provided that no greater fum than 15,000l. of them be iffued until it fhall appear to the fatisfaction of the commiffioners of accounts, that the fum of 10,000l. has been actually expended thereof, on faid company' works; the company giving fuch fecurity for the payment, as the Barons of the Exchequer fhall deem reasonable."

Mr. Fofter faid, that he had last night made a motion for an amendment to this refolution, to fecure the public in general, and the city of Dublin in particular, against the exorbitant tolls of this navigation; his motion had been then negatived, but he fince had fome converfations with gentlemen who had oppofed him, and they had acceded to his opinion; he therefore moved as an amendment,

"Provided that as foon as the faid navigation fhall be completed, and the borrowed money repaid, the tolls exacted shall be only three halfpence a ton per mile.".

Mr. Lodge Morres faid, that he had no objection whatever to the amendment paffing, but thought it unneceffary, as the law already prevented their raising the toll above 2d. a ton, and the company declared they were fatisfied with 14. he therefore thought it very hard that their hands fhould be tied up for nothing.

The amendment was agreed to, as was the refolution fo amended, without a divifion.

Sir John Blaquiere then moved for leave to bring in a bill pursuant to the refolution.-Granted accordingly.

Capt. Burgh moved, that feveral perfons, (whofe names were read) should be put in cuftody of the Serjeant at Arms, for not attending the Cork petition, pursuant to their fummons.--Ordered.

Sir John Blaquiere-I rife to make a motion of course, but cannot help obferving, that had I been in the Houfe fome minutes fooner, I fhould have oppofed a refolution which has paffed relative to the canal tolls; not that the refolution is in itfelf a bad one, but that I think the restriction a precedent dangerous to private property. I move for leave to bring in a bill, pursuant to a refolution of last night, respecting the canal company.---Ordered.

A letter was read from Mr. Smyth, (the petitioner against the fitting members for Weftmeath) to Thomas Reynolds, defiring

his attendance in Dublin, to fupport a vote he had given at the Westmeath election; and a complaint made to the House, that Mr. Smyth refused to defray Reynolds's expence, urging that the letter was a fummons, not a notice.

Hon. John Bourke faid, it was not a legal notice, for that is always figned either by the Speaker or the chairman of the commitand therefore thought the man was not entitled to any

tee;

thing.

Mr. Ogle and Mr. Brownlow declaring that Mr. Smyth had no objection to pay the man his expences, the affair dropt.

Sir Henry Cavendish gave notice, that on Monday next he would offer to the Houfe a refolution, purporting that they would grant no more money by way of loan this feffion.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1783.

Mr. Burton, chairman of the Weftmeath committee, informed the House, that on account of the abfence of Mr. Uniacke and Mr. Welden, two members of the committee, they had been unable to proceed, but had adjourned, as the act prescribed.

Evidence was then brought to the bar to prove that Mr. Uniacke was prevented from attending, on account of the death of his mother, and Mr. Welden's fervant proved his mafter was confined by ilinefs.

The excufes were admitted.

Mr. Burton then asked leave to proceed, difpenfing with the attendance of Mr. Uniacke and Mr. Welden.

This was objected to by Lord Delvin, Mr. Green, and Mr. Fitzgibbon.

Lord Delvin faid, that the petition had already invalidated as many votes, as reduced the fitting member to an equality with him; 'that to proceed without the affiftance of the two gentlemen who had heard the evidence on which thofe votes had been struck off, might greatly injure the petitioner, who might have all his trouble to begin anew, for which he was not fo well qualified as the fitting member, not having fo long a purse.

Sir Hercules Langrifbe and Mr. Malone, the fitting member, were for proceeding.

Mr. Malone faid, that procraftination would be much more injurious to him, than even to the petitioner; for though perhaps he had a longer purfe than his antagonist, of which he was neither proud nor afhamed, yet all his expences must be drawn from his own purfe, which was not the cafe of the petitioner; befides, as he never yet had an opportunity of going into his defence, those

ill impreffions which the oppofite council had made, might fink too deeply into the minds of thofe judges.

The House came to no determination on the business, leaving it to the fitting member and the petitioner to fettle.

Mr. Bolton moved for leave to bring in a bill for regulating the corn trade. Read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time after the Christmas recefs; and the bill to be printed.

--

Mr. David Latouche moved, that the feveral officers belonging to the Courts of Chancery and Exchequer, be ordered to make a return of all the monies lodged in their hands, pursuant to order of court. Ordered accordingly.

Mr. Brooke's loan bill reported, agreed to, and ordered to be engroffed.

Mr. Cocte moved for leave for impowering the committee of the House, on the bill for registering freeholds, to increase the falary of the treasurer of the King's County; it was oppofed by Sir Henry Cavendish.-And the queftion being put,

For the motion
Against it

20

47

Sir Henry then obferved, that a like claufe was furreptitiously ftole in on a former night, for increafing the falary of the county Down treasurer. He moved the order to be read, and when read, moved it should be discharged.

Mr. Annesley defended the claufe, as he was the propofer of it. He denied its being brought in furreptitiously. By the bill lately brought in, the treasurers of the counties were liable to more than ufual trouble, and the pittance of an additional 20. a year to their falary, fell far fhort of a reward for this additional trouble. The claufe mentioned that the fum fhould not exceed 60l. a year for the county Down treasurer.

Colonel Rofs fupported Mr. Annesley, and a divifion having enfued, there appeared, to difcharge the order,

Ayes
Noes

20

82

Mr. Brownlow moved, that Sir H. Hartftonge have leave of absence for ten days; but his friends through humour having op pofed it, after fome laugh it was agreed to. Sir H. Hartftonge pays the clofeft attendance, perhaps, of any gentleman that ever attended parliament.

Mr. Marcus Beresford moved for leave to bring in a bill for building a court-house and gaol in the city of Waterford. Read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time to-morrow.

Mr. Gardiner faid, that on confulting with a number of gentlemen who were friends to the measures he propofed, respecting the manufactures of this country, they were of opinion it was better to defer their report from the committee appointed to take

the manufactures of this country into their confideration, and what was beft for their relief, until after the recefs, a time which he confeffed was indeterminate, as adminiftration had not yet mentioned its duration.

Mr. Pelham faid, that in order to fatisfy the Right Hon. Gentleman on that head, he should move the meeting of the House after the recefs, to be on the 27th of January.

Mr. Curren faid, that he fhould on to-morrow move fome refolutions relative to the framing of money-bills, to prevent in future the admiflion of extraneous matter therein.

Mr. O'Hara moved, to go into the order of the day on the bill for registering freeholds.

Mr. Chatterton obferved, the present election laws were imperfect, and required a more mature digeftion. The bill moved for was of great confequence. Every affiftance in his power would be given to the bill, but he begged poftponing it till after the

receis.

The Provost acknowledged that the prefent election laws were grofsly defective. He had feen the bill propofed by the Hon. Gentleman, but he thought it admitted of great improvement. The election laws required great reformation; a fyftem was required, which went to the full remedy of their defects. The laft election proved how highly neceffary a reformation was in thofe laws. For the fake of the morality and the industry of the country, it should be done. Whatever little experience he had, fhould be employed to that purpofe. He therefore begged the confideration of it would be deferred till after the recefs.

Mr. O'Hara withdrew his motion, and the bill was committed for the second Monday after the Christmas recefs.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1783.

The committee of trade fat, and made fome progress, after which the House refumed.

Mr. Burton moved that the committee for trying the merits of a petition complaining of an undue election and return for the county of Weftmeath, do adjourn to the 28th of January next. Agreed to.

The qualification bill and Mr. Brooke's bill read.

Sir Edward Newenham faid, every hour and every tranfaction, convinced him more and more, that the people muft lofe all confidence in parliament, unlefs fome meafure was taken to render parliament more chafte and independent, therefore, moved, for leave to bring in a bill for fecuring the freedom of parliament, by limiting the number of placemen (and excluding all penfioners