addrefs be prefented to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, to affure his Excellency that we, his Majefty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Commons of Ireland in parliament affembled, learn with the deepest regret his Excellency's determination of relinquishing the government of this kingdom; to affure his Excellency that the uniform wifdom and virtue of his Excellency's administration, manifefted by his attention to the encouragement of agriculture, the protection and advantage of our commercial interefts, and by his zeal and firmness in support of our happy conftitution, have intitled him to the most grateful thanks of the reprefentatives of a free people; that we entreat his Excellency to believe that as we thankfully acknowledge his virtues, we fhall fincerely regret his no longer continuing to prefide over us, and to requeft that his Excellency will be pleafed to add one further favour to thofe we have already received at his hands, by reprefenting to his Majesty our unfhaken loyalty to his perfon and government, our inviolable attachment to our happy conftitution, and our determined refolution to fupport the just rights and privileges of the Commons of Ireland against all encroachments whatsoever.

Mr. Conolly faid he was little used to pronounce a panegyric; he was unable to fecond the motion, without at the fame time teftifying the high sense he entertained of the character of Lord Northington.- -He had come over at a critical period, and yet manifefted the moft fteady refolution in fupporting the conftitution and promoting the real interefts of Ireland.

Sir Edward Newenham declared he could not agree to fuch an addrefs; it glanced in very disagreeable terms, on the honour and dignity of the Volunteers, who faved their country in defiance of corruption-he could not thank a Viceroy under whofe adminifiration a parliamentary reform was (in the language of fome members) fcouted out of the House:-He spoke plain English, and faid, a reform of this Houfe, for no house ever wanted it more. He would wait the iffue of the prefent motion, to make one that would do honour to a parliament of real independent members, which motion he had in his hand, and that was, to thank his Majefty for his difmiffing his late miniftry, a part of whom robbed the crown of half its dominions, and to thank his Majefty for appointing a new miniftry, in whom the people may confide, and whofe principles are declared friendly to the muchwanted parliamentary reformation. He deemed the whole address, fulfome and degrading to the dignity of an independent nation, and gave his negative to every part of it as mean, fervile, and flattering to an undeferving Viceroy.

Mr. Malone faid, he alfo had intended to have feconded the addrefs, but being deprived of that honour, he could not be precluded from paying his tribute of efteem for his Excellency's un

common virtues; and thought the address an acknowledgment of gratitude he highly merited.

Mr. Griffith locked on the addrefs as a matter of form, and would vote for it, though he did not confider himself of any party, and though he even thought fome parts of it objectionable.But a majority of that Houfe having approved of all the acts of Lord Northington, for that reafon, he would approve of the addrefs, as a matter of ufual form.

Sir Henry Cavendish would never give his affent to any act, merely becaufe it was approved by a majority of that Houfe.He was, however, glad that they had framed the address in general terms, and did not mention economy. He did not recollect any mighty advantages gained to Ireland under the administration of his Excellency, as his friends had been known to oppofe the interefts of this country.

Mr. Braune (of the College) oppofed the addrefs, because it was, he faid, fiole upon the Houfe, and fhould not be let pafs as matter of form. It alfo contained matter foreign to the complimenting his Excellency, and would infinuate an attack made upon the conftitution. He was, on his part, a ftranger to any attack, though he plainly faw an attempt made to affix a ftigma on the endeavour made to reform their prefent happy conftitution.When the cries of diftrefs were urgent, he could not approve his Excellency's relinquishing the bufinefs of the ftate, as every Lord Lieutenant had power to act, until the fwearing of his fucceffor into office. The fame delicacy did not attend other parts of his conduct.-How could his Excellency anfwer to the public, the diftrefs occafioned by the difpenfation of juftice by the Peers, contrary to that declaration of the great charter, Nulli negabitur, nulli differetur juftitia.

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M. Molyneux faid, that the addrefs had fomething infidious, how elfe came it to be propofed, when moft of the gentlemen on his fide of the Houfe, who would oppofe it, were gone away. They might rely on it a fnake lay under the grafs-He for his own part, was willing to compliment his Excellency, were the addrefs to be confined to himfelf alone; but as it alfo comprehended the approbation of an English faction, he could exprefs no approbation of the motion, nor regret at his Excellency's departure.He thought the new Lord Lieutenant was the reprefentative of worthy men, and therefore he fhould rejoice at the change, though perhaps after all, if the conduct of the Irish adminiftration were confidered during Lord Northington's administration, a man must be bold who would agree to vote him thanks; and it would not, feem frange to recant, when one confiders, that every one will cry out, what! vote an addrefs of thanks to Lord Northington, in whofe adminiration the motion for retrenchment of the army and every other good measure was rejected!

Sir Richard Mufgrave was surprised how any gentleman could oppofe the addrefs, as his Excellency's adminiftration was mild, wife and equitable. That an Honourable Gentleman who had attempted to ftigmatize him, particularly on the fcore of œconomy, was the laft in the House who should do fo; for he had made a motion of a more injurious tendency to this country than any one made in this Houfe, fince his lordship's administration ; this was an addition of 4000l. a year to his falary; but he with that noble difinterestedeefs and attention to economy, which he has always difplayed, rejected it. One may conjecture with what view it was offered-but the bait did not take. To avoid any fufpicion of a finister view on that occafion, he has faid, that he moved for it to maintain the honour and dignity of the nation. It would redound much to its honour and dignity to be run in debt-This puts me in mind of Dean Swift's advice to fervants; to fquander their mafter's fubftance and to involve him in debt for the fake of his honour and dignity. Some gentlemen on the other fide of the House, abuse the late administration under the name of a coalition. I hope they will be remunerated by their fucceffors.-They worship the rifing fun. It is the characteristic of Eaftern flaves to do fo.-Is this gratitude? Was not every commercial and civil advantage which we have obtained proeured during their continuance in office, and yet fome gentlemen (indeed they are but few) abuse them.

General Cunningham expreffed himself much fatisfied with the firmnefs of the late adminiftration, in maintaining the conftitution on that happy foundation, under which our ancestors and ourselves enjoyed fo much happinels. Though gentlemen may fondly congratulate themselves on the idea of the new miniftry's taking up the reform, they will find themfelves mistaken.He knew Mr. Pitt, and entertained the greatest respect for his character and abilities; he would therefore, fupport him if his administration fupported what he thought the proper conftitution; if not, he would oppofe him. But neither did the late, nor will the present miniltry hazard fo dangerous a ground, as parliamentary reform.He knew Lord Northington, and honoured him for his noble and difinterested rejection of 4000l. a year, though a puerile motion had offered it to him on an establishment not able to bear it; but queftioned whether our next Viceroy would act in the fame

manner.

Mr. Bube condemned the idea of introducing English parties into that House, as attempted by one gentleman; but he trufted the Houfe would never defcend to fuch an admiflion. A few individuals alfo, attempted to arraign the House itself; but the Houfe did not need his defence, as the nation faw them, and pofterity would view them in the moft honourable light. As to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, he did not know a more illus

trious character. He would ask them, if no bounties had been propofed-no beginnings made for commercial improvements.The benefits accruing from his adminiftration, were too fresh in their memories, to be easily forgotten; though it was not the practice of his friends to blazon his acts to the public eye. It should not be forgotten, that it was in his administration the bill of indemnity was obtained, which the miniftry of former times could fcarce dare to think of obtaining. To him they owed the admiralty bill, which gave a fecurity to their free trade-To his adminiftration they owed annual feffions; and the manly firmnefs of his administration preferved the conftitution of this country, and maintained the dignity and privileges of that House; and they were, therefore, bound to declare their opinion of that adminiftration, and he did not think even the words of the addrefs, fufficiently expreffive on this fubject; as he would have their determinations be known in England, that they might give firmness to the public mind, and stability to public property.

Mr. Molyneux faid, if the Honourable Gentleman called the motion for increasing the Lord Lieutenant's falary puerile, he forgot what fort of compliment he paid the majority of that Houfe, who by agreeing to it, became each as much interested in it as he was; he called that majority puerile, for consenting to what the Honourable Gentleman was pleafed to call a puerile motion. If gentlemen found fault with him for propofing, they must also cenfure thofe that approved. However, he was happy that there fhould be a time when the Honourable Gentleman could call in question the authority of a majority.

General Cunningham admitted there had been a majority for the queftion, but could not prevail with himself to be of opinion, from the manner in which gentlemen fpoke, that they voted according to their fentiments.

Mr. O'Hara, after dwelling pretty much on the fervices the volunteers had rendered this country, and faying, that instead of the cenfure indirectly thrown on them by the laft paragraph of the addrefs, they deferved the utmost praifes that every friend to this kingdom could beftow, moved an amendment, by expunging thefe words, "We will support the juft rights of the Commons of Ireland against every encroachment whatfoever." These he faid, were infidious words, and feemed directed to the advocates of parliamentary reform.

Mr. Griffith feconded the amendment.

Mr. Monck Mason was of opinion that it would have been a matter of no confequence, if thefe words had been originally omitted; but it was not fo now that they formed a part of it; for if they were now expunged it would be faying we will not fupport the rights of the Commons of Ireland, and they were on that account become of importance, and ought not to be expunged.

Mr. Corry had no objection to the laft paragraph of the addrefs, though he difapproved of several other parts of it, as conveying an ambiguity, and feeming to throw a reflection on the late endeavours to procure a parliamentary reform.-This is called to make a change in the conftitution; but it is called moft erroneously fo-It is not making a change in the conftitution, but in the mode of the conftitution. If gentlemen mean to convey an idea of refiiting the reformation of those abuses, introduced by time and circumftances into our form of government, by "fupporting the prefent happy conftitution," they have my warmeft difapprobation. Let gentlemen therefore, fpeak out their meaning.-As to maintaining the privileges of the Commons, it is agreeable to whig principles, the principles I glory to profefs. To Lord Northington he had no perfonal objection, he thought his conduct by defiring the adjournment extremely handfome towards his fucceffor, the Duke of Rutland.

Mr. Grattan-An Honourable Baronet has taken notice that the word œconomy is not to be found in the addrefs-He will be fo good as to recollect that Lord Northington has not been above eight months in this kingdom, and therefore has not had time to do much; but if he has not greatly diminished the national expences, he has done more than most of his predeceffors, for he has not at all increased them. The army has been mentioned as an inftance of profufion, but will any man lay the blame of a vote of parliament at the door of a Lord Lieutenant? As to any scheme of fyftematic reduction, it was impoffible, from the shortness of Lord Northington's administration; but we must not forget that no objection was made from him, when the expence of collecting the revenue was proposed to be reduced: formerly it was objected to- -But with this fymptom in his favour, we cannot condemn him for not having had time to carry a fcheme of retrenchment into execution.

As to commercial advantages, I will state a duty on foreign beer, which muft operate powerfully in favour of our own breweries, and of our tillage. When this was announced to the House, I recollect the Honourable Baronet rifing, and laying his hand upon his breast, he returned thanks for fo great a favour: furely the fpirit of the times is much changed, if gentlemen now defpite what they held in high eftimation, furely the gratitude of the Houfe is wonderfully altered, if gentlemen forget that for which fo lately they made fuch frong acknowledgments.

Another advantage is the duty laid upon calico, in favour of our own manufacture. The duty on fugar that has been conceded this feflion, was formerly thought an object of the first magnitude in our commerce; it is now of no confequence, because gentlemen fpeak in opppofition; or is it becaufe his Excellency, having no points to carry against the intereft of the kingdom, has