ment; for however they may have informed him of their particular wishes, they paid fo much deference to that House, as not to fpecify any particular plan of reform. But the House must not judge from thence, that the county would be fatisfied with any half measure, or any thing less than a complete and substantial reform. He then mentioned the various reafons the people have for defiring a reform; faid an early reform would be honourable for the ftate, and grateful to the people, and preffed adminiftration to meet the wishes of the public. He faid, that for his own part, he never had been one of those who were ready to risk the state, or facrifice the interefts of the public to his own popularity; and though he placed the highest value upon the well-earned applaufe of his country, yet it was their well-earned applaufe alone that he defired; he therefore, was the better entitled to fay the petition met with his approbation. He then recommended it to the Houfe to adopt the wishes of the public, and presented the peti

tion.

Mr. Mafon rofe to inform him, that a petition from the county of Sligo had been prefented.

Mr. O'Hara faid, if it had been presented it must have been during the time he had been shut up on the Baltinglafs committee.And that his was the fame which must have been prefented by his colleague. The petitioners, he faid, would not be contented with a half-meafure, nothing thort of an EFFECTUAL REFORM Would fatisfy them.

The Honourable Denis Browne faid, that a report had gone abroad that Lord Northington had loaded the already-over-burthened establishment with additional penfions, one of 500l. a year to Mr. Lees, the other 2500l. a year to Mr. Hamilton; and called on gentlemen in the treafury department, to inform the House relative to this matter-That the Houfe might be enabled to enquire into it, in the manner it deferved, he moved, That the proper officer be ordered to lay before the Houfe, an account of the fions granted during Lord Northington's adminiftration.

pen

Mr. Clements told the hon. mover he could give him no information; this was the first time he heard of it.

Sir Hercules Langrijhe wished the motion fhould run in the words, "That the proper officer lay before the Houfe an account of the penfions, if any, granted by Lord Northington." Otherwise the public mind might be impreffed with an idea, that penfions had been granted.

Sir Henry Cavendish would not confent to any alteration.-He thought the wording of the motion ought to be left to the Honourable Gentleman who made it, and might be fuppofed beft to understand the meaning of his own words.

Mr. Grattan faid, if Lord Northington had made fuch a bargain, (that is, to allow Mr. Hamilton a pension of 2500l. per annum,

in lieu of his place,) he was convinced it was from the most economical motives, and the best principles towards this country.The falary of the chancellorship of the exchequer, which office Mr. Hamilton now held, was 1500/ a year, and if Lord Northington had offered him a penfion of 2500l. in lieu of it, his motive was, that an officer of fo much importance should be constrained to refide in this country, and be no longer an absenteee. But there was, however, he said, every reason to believe Lord Northington had not executed the measure.

Mr. Molyneux could fee no œconomy in giving a man near double the income of his place, and faid he would oppose any unneceffary addition to our already overloaded establishment.

The Provost faid, he knew for a long feries of years, the independence of Mr. Hamilton's fortune and principles. He was above making any bargain that could reflect the least dishonour on himself. Neceflity could not compel him to do any thing contrary to his fentiments, as he had a large and independent fortune, and moreover was a batchelor, and had no children.

Mr. Browne having confented to the amendment,

The queftion was then put, That the proper officer do lay before the House an account, whether any, and what penfions have been placed on the establishment during the administration of Lord Northington.

Sir Annesley Stewart moved, That the proper officer do lay before this Houfe the grant of looms and wheels made this year by the truftees of the linen board, and an account of the particular perfons to whom they are ordered to be delivered.

General Cunningham was fure there was fomething rotten at the bottom in the management of the board.- -He had improved as much as any man in the kingdom, and helped manufactures, by eftablishing manufactories, and affifting poor manufacturers, yet could never obtain a loom, unlefs he would accept of it as a particular gift to himself, which he declined doing. The trustees of the linen board, did not confider themselves, he faid, as trustees, but proprietors, fome of whom appropriated 30 looms to themfelves.

Mr. Fofter wished for the enquiry, as he was convinced nothing would come to light but what would be to the honour of the members of the linen board.

The motion was agreed to unanimously.

Mr. Fofter faid he had in his hand a bill, which if paffed into a law, would remedy not only the defect complained of, but numberlefs others. His object, he faid, was through the medium of the commiflioners of impreft, to bring regularly before parliament an account of the expenditure of all public grants, that the corporations or others to which they are made, may not think them

felves proprietors, but only truftees for the due application thereof.-He then moved, That leave be given to bring in a bill for the due accounting for all money granted for public works, charities and hofpitals, and for the ordering a regular account in future of all monies entrusted to the corporation for carrying on the inland navigation, the trustees of the linen manufacture, the Dublin fociety, the paymafter of the corn premiums, the corporation for paving the streets of Dublin, and for other purposes therein mentioned,

He was feconded by the Right Hon. Mr. Beresford.

Ordered accordingly, and that the Right Honourable Mr. Fofter, the Right Honourable Mr. Beresford, and the Right Hon Mr. Secretary of State, do prepare and bring in the fame.

The Houfe, according to order, refolved itself into a committee of the whole Houfe, to confider further of ways and means for raifing the fupply granted to his Majefty; and after fome time fpent therein, Mr. Speaker refumed the chair, and the Right Honourable Mr. Fofter reported from the committee, that they had come to fome refolutions, which they had directed him to report when the House will please to receive the fame, and that he was directed to move the House for leave to fit again.

Ordered, That the said report be received to-morrow morn ing.

Refolved, That this Houfe will, on this day fevennight, refolve itself into a committee of the whole House, to confider further of ways and means, for raifing the fupply granted to his Majefty.

Mr. Bourke moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend the laws for the encouragement of planting timber trees.-Ordered accordingly; and that Mr. Bulhe, the Right Honourable Mr. Fofter, and the Right Honourable Mr. Daly, do prepare and bring in the fame.

The Right Honourable John Fofter prefented to the House, according to order, a bill for directing the fum of 15,000l. granted this fellion of parliament, for the purpofe of paying bounties on the following manufactures of this kingdom; that is to fay, the manufactures of wool, of wool mixed, of cotton, of cotton mixed, thread, kentings, and manufactures of iron and copper, and for the further encouragement of agriculture and manufactures; which was received and read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time to-morrow morning.

Ordered, That the faid bill be printed,

Sir Frederick Flood, pursuant to a former declaration, moved that the committee on the infolvent bill, be impowered to receive a claufe, to compel all perfons in cuftody who chufe to ftay

in prison rather than pay their creditors, to account for their fortune and effects on oath.-Ordered.

Mr. Molyneux defired to know if the committee on the Portugal trade were ready to report, or had agreed thereto.

Sir Lucius O'Brien moved, That the fecretary of the Dublin Society do lay before this Houfe an account of all premiums offered by the faid fociety for the manufacturing fingle stuffs or durants, fince the year 1770; as alfo an account of all premiums or bounties paid on that account, diftinguishing the perfons receiving the fame, their places of abode, and the quantities and kinds of goods for which fuch premiums were refpectively paid. -Ordered accordingly..

The order of the day for the House to refolve itself into a committee of the whole House to take into confideration a bill for relief of his Majefty's fubjects, in cafes of frivolous or illegal arrefts, being upon motion read,

Refolved, That this Houfe will, on this day fevennight, refolve itself into a committee of the whole House, to take the faid bill into confideration.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1784.

The Houfe refolved itself into a committee on the naturalization bill, Mr. Ifaac Corry in the chair.

Sir Hercules Langrisbe faid, he was happy to live at fuch an enlightened period as the prefent, when the former prejudices of mankind were in a great measure done away, and the fanguinary current of thofe religious diftinctions which had deluged the blood of millions, to fatiate the bigoted fury of fanatics, was ftemmed by the lenient and free operation of reafon. Defcended, he said, from the fame line, men, however partitioned or scattered over the globe, however particularized by thofe gradations of colour, which through various climes run from light to fhade, in the human feature; yet the relative chain which connected the rational being half fcorched under a tropical fun, to the half frozen native of the artic circle, called upon a philofophic mind to view them in no other light than that of brethren. Under this conviction, how much more blameable muft it appear, to keep up injurious diftinctions between thofe who pride themselves in the glorious attribute of knowledge; and who, admitting the religion of the Jews as the very foundation of their own, yet reject that people, for a misfortune much more to be lamented, than remedied-want of faith, and habitual ftubbornnefs.-If these people were ever to be converted, he said, it was not by excluding them from the fo

ciety and confidence of Chriftians. Admitting this induftrious race to fettle among us, might wear away all the afperities which preclude them from our fociety. Intermixture of marriages might bring them to think like ourselves, and even the laft teint of their deeper colour, die away to our own natural carnation. The numerous thousands of Jews banished by the Emperor of Adrian into Spain, were no more to be recognized in that nation, though their defcendants even now compote the prime of its nobility. He (Sir Hercules) was therefore an advocate for giving thofe people a favourable reception in this kingdom. He was for letting all foreigners, without partiality, enjoy all the advantages of a land of freedom. He was convinced it would be attended with the most falutary effects, and ftrongly recommended its confideration to the committee.

Sir Henry Cavendish faid he could not agree in fentiment, on so enlarged a scale as the Hon. Baronet. It could not be forgotten, that fome years ago a bill fimilar to this, was fo unpopular in England, that it was thought neceffary to repeal the bill the fellion after its enaction. He had no objection, on his part, to any defcription of foreigners; he would therefore move an amendment, that the benefit of the act should be extended to all perfons profefling the Chriftian religion.

Sir Lucius O'Brien faid, that in England, where there were many wealthy Jews, there might be fome thew of political reafon for giving them the rights of citizens, but here, where there were no Jews, no fuch apology existed.

Mr. Griffith rofe to acknowledge the juftice and liberality of the Hon. Baronet's (Sir Hercules Langrifhe) reafoning. He faid the queftion was, whether we would admit a number of wealthy traders and manufacturers, who profeffed religious tenets, though different from our's, yet fuch as taught them perfect obedience to the laws of the land. He deplored the poverty of this country, and thought it confiftent with good policy to invite wealthy and induftrious men to fettle amongst us, let their religion or complexion be what it might.

it was

Sir John Blaquiere obferved, that by a law at prefent in force, the Jews were entitled to an afylum in this kingdom, yet not found fince that act was pailed, that many of those people had fettled here. And this would be eafily accounted for, on the principle of the well-known difpofition of the Jews, whofe aims were directed to no country, but where they could get money. Even in fuch places as dragged them to a level of infamy, a wifh of gain had made them acquiefce under every infult. In Genoa, they were condemned to be marked from the reft of the community, by wearing a yellow hat; in Venice, a fimilar decree obliged them to wear a blue one, and are prohibited from mixing with the people. As no difcouragement