to preferve the peace, and to prevent any fcarcity, natural or artificial.

The Provost feemed to think that there was fomething extremely myfterious in the management of corn bufinefs: At Cork there is, he faid, almoft ten pounds of bread for a fhilling-at Dublin fcarcely eight, notwithstanding the advantage of land carriage bounty. At Cork, twenty-one pounds of potatoes (called a weight) coft three pence-in Dublin, every fourteen pounds of potatoes coft 6d. if bought in large quantities, yet he threw no blame on the Lord Mayor, who, he faid, he believed a good fort of man, and one that did his duty, but he was certain there was a fraud fomewhere.

He faid, that he knew of but three methods of relieving the northern counties, by an embargo, by ftopping the diftilleries, or by giving a bounty on importation of grain-and he trufted government would adopt the most effectual.

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He faid, he had obferved that once in every three years, for at least five and twenty years paft, the north of Ireland had been in fimilar diftrefs for corn, and that he had often revolved in his mind the neceflity of eftablishing granaries in that part of the kingdom, and that the bounty given on the exportation of corn fhould also be given on its carriage coaftways to these naries, until they fhould be replete their fize and capacity being regulated by the neceflity of the places where they should be eftablished. He thought Newry, Belfast, and Derry, the proper places to make the firft experiments, which might be done with little expence, nay, might even produce a profit. He begged the northern gentlemen would give this fubject their attention.

Mr. Colvill faid, that the difference of prices, and the threatened scarcity, did not arife from any deficiency of corn, but from the mobs, who would not fuffer it to be tranfported from places where it was plenty to others that were in diftrefs, and this, he faid, ever would be the cafe until it was made capital to obstruct the corn trade. Government, he faid, ought to interfere with a ftrong hand, and check the boldness of thofe rioters that had plundered the milis at Clonmell-government ought to fupport the profecution of them, and not leave the burden or the odium of it on individuals. He faid, if the white-boy act had been extended to fuch rioters as thofe of Clonmell, as he had propofed, the Houfe would not have heard either of the plunder by them committed, or of a threatened fcarcity in the north; for he well knew that that fcarcity did not arife from any want of provifion, but from want of freedom of trade. He difapproved the idea of granaries.

Mr. Fofter was convinced there was a fufficiency of corn in the kingdom if it was properly diftributed. The Right Hon, Provost had faid, there were but three ways to avert the threatened evil,

but he humbly apprehended a fourth might be found, that was to give the fame bounty on the carriage of corn coaftways from the fouth to the north, that was given upon the exportation thereof to foreign countries.

Mr. Corry thanked the Provoft for his ingenious plan of fupplying the north by means of granaries: Newry, the town he reprefènted, was eminently fitted for fuch a measure, because on the entrance of a canal navigable to Lough-neagh; he faw the undertaking replete with every advantage, and promifed his utmost fupport whenever the Provost should think proper to introduce it.

The motion for the addrefs was then agreed to unanimously, and ordered that the faid addrefs be prefented to his Excellency by such members of this House as are of his Majesty's most honourable privy council.

The Right Hon. Mr. Attorney General informed the House that he was commanded by his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant to acquaint them, that it was his Excellency's pleasure that this House do adjourn itself until Monday the 9th day of February next.

And the queftion being put, that the House do adjourn itself until Monday the 9th day of February next, it was carried in the affirmative.

Mr. Molyneux moved the Houfe to prefent an addrefs to his Majefty, expreffive of their fatisfaction at the difmiffion of his late miniftry, and of their determination to fupport him against the machinations of all who oppofe his rightful prerogative.

He condemned in the ftrongest terms the late miniftry; beftowed the utmoft praife on Mr. Pitt, who, he faid, had given the nobleft proofs that he deferved the public confidence; and concluded, that he could not for a moment doubt, but that the Houfe felt the fame indignation that he felt at the daring attempts that had been made on the prerogative of their fovereign, and that like him they would be eager to exprefs it.

The Attorney General faid, he could not fee the propriety of the Irish Houfe of Commons interfering between the contending parties of England; for himfelf he fcorned the idea of attaching himfelf to any faction, and he hoped the Houfe would be mindful of its own dignity, and avoid becoming a partizan.

As the question of adjournment was previously moved and put, the Speaker declared he could put no other.

The Houfe adjourned till Monday the 9th day of February

next.

The Right Honourable Mr. SPEAKER's Speech to his EXCELLENCY the LORD LIEUTENANT at the Bar of the House of Peers, on prefenting the Money Bills for the Royal Affent, December 22, 1783.

May it pleafe your Excellency,

HISTORY cannot furnish many inftances of fuch remarkable events as have happened in the course of the last seven years; of thefe none are more worthy of obfervation than the changes in the human mind, and the more fo, because they have been produced by caufes, from which they were the leaft to have been expected. New tenets, more confonant to the principles of humanity and juftice, have been univerfally adopted in civil and religious policy; thefe are the happy but unexpected fruits of the calamities of war. In other countries national benefits may have compenfated for national misfortunes, but it has been the peculiar felicity of this kingdom to acquire the former without feeling the feverities of the latter; to her fteady virtue she owes thefe glorious attainments, and by her virtue, I am confident the will preferve them, and tranfmit to pofterity unimpaired the Britih conftitution, the very effence of which is liberty and order. Good government and liberty are infeparable, they are neceffary to and mutually fupport and protect each other, and neither can exift without the other. The Commons, fince the commencement of this fellion, have directed their attention to those important objects, which were fo wifely recommended to them by your Excellency, to improve and fecure thofe advantages, which had been acquired in the laft parliament; they have alfo made provifion, without laying any new burthens upon the people, for the honourable fupport of his Majefty's government, and for the difcharge of the arrears upon the establishments ; and they have the fulleit confidence that your Excellency will represent them to his Majefty as loyal, dutiful and affectionate subjects.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1784.

The Houfe met pursuant to adjournment.

Several members returned upon new writs were fworn, and took their feats.

Mr. George Montgomery prefented a petition from the yarn dealers of the county of Cavan.-Referred to the committee of trade. Hon. Mr. John Bourke moved that Sir Lucius O'Brien be added to the committee of privileges.-Ordered accordingly. Several petitions from infolvent debtors were prefented, and ordered to lie on the table.

Right Hon. Mr. Brownlow faid, the Right Hon. Gentleman who fpoke laft had only done his duty-his conduct on every occafion was truly refpectable. He had certainly now acted in a candid and manly manner, but he did his duty as an officer of the crown. They ought to act as the reprefentatives of the people. He then moved an amendment, "That next Wednesday be fubftituted for Wednesday fen'night."

Sir Lucius O'Brien (who this day took his feat) faid, that he faw no reafon for any adjournment, on account of a fquabble for power among a few in England, efpecially at a time when the fituation of this country required fo much of the attention of the Houfe of Commons. The diftreffes of our poor, the fcarcity of grain, rendered every day greater by the distillers, who turn bread to poifon; our commerce, not however that phantom called protecting duties, which he was convinced, if carried into execution, would injure what they meant to ferve; our contested elections, and many other matters with which the Lord Lieutenant or his frinds in England had nothing to do.

Mr. Jones (of Lisburn), faid, it should be no concern of Irishmen, whether Mr. Pitt or Mr. Fox were to be at the helm of power. Their own internal intereft should employ the attention of that House, without becoming party men.

Mr. Browne (of the College) demonftrated the abfurdity of the parliament of Ireland fufpending the bufinefs of the kingdom, because truly the grand vifir is out of humour; and said that all who refpected his Majefty fhould vote against an adjournment propofed by Lord Northington, who was actually in oppofition to the King.

Major Doyle. I rife with great diffidence to exprefs my approbation of the amendment offered by the Right Honourable Gentleman near me, and my confequent diffent to the question of adjournment propofed by his Majefty's minifter; and indeed it would feem, that the reafons adduced by that gentleman, to convince the Houfe of the neceflity of adjourning are fo many arguments against its expediency-His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant fends to the House defiring it to adjourn, and the reafon given by his minifter, is, that he has refigned his office, and is in fact no longer Viceroy.-Now, Sir, it appears to me, that he either is, or is not Lord Lieutenant; if he is, the teafon given for adjourning falls to the ground-If he is not, he cannot fend to us as Lord Lieutenant to adjourn. If there is anarchy and confufion in the councils of England, thank Heaven there is tranquility and temper in this country; to preferve which, the deliberative wifdom of parliament fhould be as little interrupted as poffible. The violence of faction in that kingdom may render it neceffary to adjourn or diffolve their parliament; but fortunately no fuch neceflity exifts here; on the contrary,

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however, as many members of that Houfe had often incurredThat Alexander English, Efq; be committed to the custody of the Serjeant at Arms.

Mr. English, however, promifing that he would do his utmost to have the books delivered up as foon as poffible, Mr. Corry withdrew his motion.

It was then ordered, That William Alexander English, Efq; do this night lodge the corporation books and the charter of the borough of Enniscorthy, in the county of Wexford, and all the papers concerning the faid borough which he took into his poffeflion, with the Clerk of this Houfe, and that the Speaker do call him to the bar, and notify to him the faid order.

And Mr. English was accordingly called in, and Mr. Speaker notified to him the faid order, and he was then ordered to withdraw.

The order for taking into confideration the petition of the Hon. John James Maxwell, complaining of an undue election and return for the county Cavan, on Tuefday the 10th day of February next, at two o'clock, being upon motion read-Ordered, That the faid order be discharged.

Ordered, That the faid petition be taken into confideration on Monday the 23d day of February inftant, at two o'clock.

Mr. Corry obferved, that many of our unfortunate and deluded countrymen, who had been inveigled to emigrate to America, had fuffered the greatest hardships, and fome had even loft their lives, by undertaking the voyage in veffels infufficiently provided with feamen, with accommodations, and with provifions. To prevent the like difafters in future, he moved for leave to bring in a bill, to regulate the accommodation and provision of fhips failing to diftant parts.

Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a bill to regulate the manning, victualling, watering, accommodations, and other things in hips carrying paffengers from Ireland to distant parts; and that Mr. Corry, Mr. Fofter, and Sir Lucius O'Brien, do prepare and bring in the fame.

The Attorney General acquainted the Houfe, that he was directed by the Lord Lieutenant to request the House would adjourn itfelf to Wednesday the 18th inflant. He said that his Excellency, immediately on the minifterial change which had taken place in England, had fent his refignation, which refignation was accordingly accepted the 7th of January, fince which there was no communication between him and the new ministry refpecting the government of this kingdom, except the meffage from his Majefty for adjournment, which had been delivered to the Houfe the 26th of laft month. At prefent, as no packets had arrived thefe five days, every thing was uncertain.