1779.

diffolved.

30th.

CHAP. Both parties were now wearied and difgufted; the XXXV. oppofition, the first movers in the business, were convinced it could not tend to the advantage they expected, and administration having only meant to exculpate themselves, had no longer any object to purfue; the motion was therefore carried without Committee debate; and thus the committee expired, without forming any refolution. The next day general Howe complained of furprife; he attended the house, he faid, at four o'clock, not expecting the diffolution of the committee at fo early an hour; he had no intention of putting further queftions to Mr. Galloway, but meant to have preffed his former request for the examination of new witneffes. A debate of fome acrimony enfued, in confequence of a peremptory -demand, from both Sir William and lord Howe, of an express statement, whether the conduct of the general furnished caufe of crimination: the ministers refused a reply, but did not difavow the speech of earl Nugent, who declared that no charge was ever intended; the general and his brother had the approbation of their fovereign; no confidence was withdrawn, and, if offered, their fervices would be accepted.

16th Dec. 1778. Affairs of

cuffed.

AN object of confideration, no lefs important and embarrafling, prefented itself to the confideration of Ireland dif- parliament, when earl Nugent, early in the feffion, drew a deplorable picture of the calamities and diftreffes of the lower clafs of people in Ireland, and lord Newhaven gave notice of his intention to move for a bill, allowing a general exportation from that country of all merchandizes except woollens. The prohibition of commerce with America, he faid, had driven the manufacturers and labourers to unexampled diftrefs, lowered the value of lands, prevented the payment of rents, and endangered the existence of the fifter kingdom.

19th Jan.

PURSUING his original plan, earl Nugent gave notice of his intention to move for the establishment

of

1779.

of a cotton manufactory in Ireland, with a power of c h a p. exporting to Great Britain, and an open trade with XXXV. America, the West India islands, and Africa. A committee was afterwards formed on the motion of 10th Mar. ford Newhaven, for taking into confideration the acts of parliament relating to the importation of fugars to Ireland; but no effectual progrefs was made. The intended relief was counteracted by the oppofition 18th. of many mercantile and manufacturing towns, and Partial relief eventually amounted only to a pecuniary grant, in confequence of a royal meffage, and two acts for encouraging the growth of tobacco and hemp, and the manufacture of linen.

granted.

tion of the

THE merchants of Dublin expreffed indignation at 16th Apr. "the unjuft, illiberal, and impolitic oppofition of felf- Diffatisfac interested people in Great Britain, to the encourage- Irish. ment of their commerce. Such oppofition originated in avarice and ingratitude; and they refolved, neither directly nor indirectly, to import or ufe any British Non-impor goods, which could be produced or manufactured in tation agree Ireland, till an enlightened and juft policy fhould appear to actuate those who had taken fo active a part in oppofing the regulations in favour of the trade of Ireland." This example was followed by feveral counties and towns, particularly Cork, Kilkenny, Wicklow, and Rofcommon.

ment.

A MORE effective measure than the vote of an Volunteer affembly at Dublin, was the establishment of armed affociations, corps of volunteers, which now began to prevail throughout the country. A rumour of French invafion, and the diminution of the national force by drafts for American service, furnished a motive for these affociations, which were countenanced by the moft eminent characters, and armed, difciplined, and accoutred at their own expense. Government knew not how to regulate the conduct of the affociated bodies, but furveyed them with alarm, as a new power introduced into a community already fufficiently difficult to govern.

K 3

WHEN

СНАР.

XXXV.

1779.

of Rocking

ham's motion respect

ing Ireland.

WHEN the house of commons had ceased to difcufs the affairs of Ireland, the marquis of Rockingham introduced the fubject in the lords, by moving an 11th May. addrefs for fuch documents relative to the trade of The marquis Ireland, as would enable the national wisdom to purfue effectual measures for promoting the common ftrength, wealth, and commerce of both kingdoms. He reviewed, with general difapprobation, the conduct of the revenue, trade, and government, both civil and military, fince 1755, and inveighed against the ministry for fuffering the late military affociations; the neceffity for them fhould have been prevented, or the people fhould have been legally commiffioned and enabled to take arms. Such affociations would probably repel invafion, but the fame fpirit might be exerted in re27th May, fifting oppreflion and injuftice. The addrefs was agreed to, but although two fubfequent debates arofe, no effectual measure was adopted; the ministry, however, entered into an implied agreement, to prepare, during the recefs, a fatisfactory plan of relief.

and 2d June.

10th Mar.

Relief af

forded to Proteftant diffenters.

28th Apr.

A BILL brought into the houfe of commons by Mr. Frederick Montague, in confequence of a motion by Sir Henry Houghton, for further relief of Proteftant diffenting ministers and school-masters, paffed after feveral debates, in which the nature of religious liberty, and principles of toleration, were amply dif cuffed. The question was fairly and ably argued, and extremes were avoided in the decifion, though advanced in debate. Mr. Wilkes reprobated every fpecies of religious restraint, and Mr. Dunning argued against the only reftriction the bill yet contained, that of requiring perfons who preached in public, or undertook the education of youth, to declare their belief in the doctrines of Christianity, as efstablished by the holy fcriptures. He contended that even fuch a teft might be productive of evil; for those who could not fign it would be liable to the penal ftatutes ftill in force; and if one fingle prosecution arose, instead of being a bill for relief, it would be an act of oppreffion, Sir Wil

1779.

Ham Bagot, Sir Roger Newdigate, and a few others, CHA P.. opposed the general principle of the bill, as injurious XXXV. to the established religion; lord North commended its tolerating principle, as perfectly confiftent with the spirit of the times and the difpofition of the whole bench of bifhops; the teft propofed was fuch as no Christian and Proteftant diffenter could refuse to fign. As to deifts, and perfons denying the Trinity, or profeffing other fingular religious opinions, not being either Chriftians or Proteftants, the bill had nothing to do with them; but if the state could not regulate, it had a right to guard against authorizing men to teach fuch notions. No report is preferved of any debate in the house of lords.

with Spain

AT a late period of the feffion, when no further 16th June. bufinefs was expected, lord North informed the houfe Rupture of commons, that count d'Almadovar, the Spanish announced. embaffador, had withdrawn from London, after delivering to the fecretary of state a manifefto, which, with a meffage from the king, would be prefented to parliament on the morrow. This information occafioned feveral animated philippics from oppofition, decrying the ignorance and delufion of ministers, and threatening exemplary punishment. A motion by Mr. Burke for a committee on the ftate of the nation was, however, at the inftance of his own friends, withdrawn.

fage.

THE king's meffage declared an uniform and 17th June. fincere defire to cultivate peace and friendly inter- King's mefcourse with the court of Spain; good faith, honour, and justice alone had guided his conduct, and he faw with furprife the grievances alleged in juftification of intended hoftility, all which were mif-reprefented, or had never before been imparted. He relied therefore on the zeal and fpirit of parliament, for means to defeat the enterprizes of his enemies, against the honour of his crown, and the rights and interefts of the nation.

CHAP.

IN the house of commons the address was unaniXXXV. mously acceded to, but lord John Cavendish ineffectually moved a fecond addrefs, requiring the king to collect his fleets and armies, and to exert the whole force of the kingdom against the house of Bourbon".

1779.

Addreffes.

Amend

ments

noved.

Proteft.

June.

IN the upper houfe, the earl of Abingdon declared he would never affent to any fuch addrefs; but would, though fingle, divide the house, till the grievances of the people were redreffed by the expulfion of the minifters, who had wantonly, openly, and in defiance of the majesty of the people of England, not only broken down the fences of the conftitution, but left the country expofed to ravage, and threatened with de ftruction. He moved an amendment, praying for a change of fyftem, which was neceffary to unite the people, and preserve the empire.

ALTHOUGH the duke of Richmond requested him to withdraw this motion, lord Abingdon perfifted in taking the fenfe of the house, by whom it was rejected. The duke then propofed a fecond amendment, not materially different in fubftance, though better arranged, which he fupported by a long speech, decrying the conduct of adminiftration, as tending to create civil war in every part of the British dominions. He was ably fuftained by lord Shelburne. The miniftry did not enter into the wide field of argument to which they were challenged, but contented themfelves with answering a few perfonal reflections, and with brief remarks on the occafion of the meffage, The duke, in reply, declared the real aim of his amendment to be the withdrawing of the troops from America, for the protection of Great Britain. His motion was loft, but a long proteft was fubfcribed by twenty peers.

ONE of the measures propofed by administration, Ma bill. for efficacious defence in the approaching crifis, was a

Loft by 156 to 80.

62 to 23.

d

57 to 32