papers, tending to fhew the traiterous defigns of certain perfons and focieties in Ireland, to effect a feparation between the two Kingdoms." The gallery was cleared for this purpose. When it was reported, the following Gentlemen were named as the Committee of thirteen: Right Hon. W. Pitt Attorney General It was ordered, that the faid Committee, or any five of them, do meet to-morrow, in the Speaker's chamber-that they examine into the contents of the faid papers, which had been delivered under feal, to the Clerk of the Houfe, by Mr. Secretary Dundas-and that they do report thereon to the House. Ordered also, that the faid Committee have power to fend for perfons, papers, and records. Adjourned to Thursday. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. Dundas delivered in the copy of a letter from his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to his Grace the Duke of Portland, dated the 29th of November, including the Meffage fent by his Excellency to both Houfes of Parli ament, with their Addreffes in confequence thereof, and alfo the Reports of the Secret Committees of both Houses of Parliament in Ireland. The titles of the papers being read, Mr. Dundas moved that they fhould be referred to a Secret Committee.-Ordered. UNION WITH IRELAND. The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the order of the day for taking into confideration the recommendation contained in his Majefty's Meffage, for improving and perpetuating the connection between Great Britain and Ireland. The order of the day was then read, as well as his Majefty's Meffage. -"Sir, when I propofed to the Houfe to fix this day for the confideration of a fubject fo highly important in its nature, and fo intimately connected with the fafety of the British Empire, as that which was recommended in his Majefty's Majefty's most gracious Meffage, I indulged in the hope, that his Majefty's communication to the Parliament of Ireland with refpect to the fame object, would have opened a fpeedy and effectual way to fecure the happy accomplishment of a measure which was calculated to draw clofer the ties of mutual intereft between both countries-to perpetuate a connection effential for their common fecurity and happiness, to augment the power and refources, and confolidate the ftrength of the British Empire, and more immediately to establish on a firm and permanent bafis the tranquillity and profperity of Ireland itfelf. In this hope. I am forry to fay, I have for the prefent been difappointed, by the proceedings of the Parliament of Ireland, or rather in the Irith Houte of Commons of which we have been informed fince this fubject was before under confideration. I feel and know that the Parliament of Ireland poffefs the power, the entire competence, to accept of or to reject a propofition of this nature-a power which I am by no means inclined to difpute. With the Parliament of Ireland refides the full and entire competency, on behalf of thofe whom they reprefent, and with whofe interefts they are entrusted, to adopt or to reject any propofition which may be addreffed to them by the Legiflature of this Country. I fee that at the present moment, one Houfe of Parliament in Ireland has expreffed a repugnance, even to the confideration of this measure. Feeling, Sir, as I do, that this meafure is important, not only as it tends to the general profperity of the Empire of Great Britain, but (what under every fituation, muft always be to me an object of the greatest moment) feeling that it was defigned and calculated to increafe the profperity, and enfure the fafety of Ireland, I must have feen with the deepest regret that, at the very firft moment, and before the nature of the measure could be known, it was fo received. But whatever may have been my feelings upon this fubject, knowing that it is the undoubted right of the Legiflature of Ireland to reject or to adopt fuch meafures as may appear to them injurious or beneficial, far be it from me to fpeak of that Legislature but with the greatest refpect. I am by no means inclined to prefs any fentiment, however calculated it may appear to me to benefit every member of the Empire, which may lead to hoftile difcutions between two Kingdoms, whofe mutual happincis and fafety depend upon their being ftrictly and cordially united. While I refpect the independent rights of the Irish Parliament; while I am far from queftioning the motives of the individual Members who compofe that Parliament, liament, I feel too, that, as a Member of the British Parlia ment, I have a right to exercife, and a duly to perform. That duty is to exprefs as diftinctly as I can the general nature and outline of that plan, which, in my confcience, I think tends in the ftrongest manner to enfure the fafety and the happiness of both Kingdoms. If I can fatisfy the Farliament of this country of the propriety and beneficial nature of this measure, even while I feel that there is no chance for its adoption, while the Houfe of Commons of Ireland view the fubject in the light they do at prefent, I do not think that I ought on that account to abftain from fubmitting it to the confideration of this Parliament; on the contrary, I think it the more neceflary to state the grounds upon which it appears to me entitled to the approbation of the Legiflature, and that I fhould diftinctly explain the nature and outline of the measure, and thew the vaft and permanent advantages which have been neglected in confequence of the vote which precluded the difcuffion of the propofed arrangement, if parliament, when it is in poffeffion of the bafis upon which this plan is founded, and of its general outline, fhould be of opinion that it is founded upon fair, juft, and equitable principles, calculated to produce mutual advantages to the two kingdoms-if Parliament, I fay, upon full explanation, and after mature deliberation, should be of that opinion, I fhould propofe that its determination fhould remain recorded as that by which the Parliament of Great Britain were ready to abide, leaving it to the Legislature of Ireland to reject or to adopt hereafter, upon a full confideration of the subject. There is no man that will deny that in a great question of this nature, involving in it objects which, in the first inftance, are more likely to be decided upon by paffion than by judgment, in a question in which an honest but mistaken fenfe of national pride is fo likely to operate, that much mifconftruction and mifconception muft inevitably happen. It therefore becomes the more neceffary that the intention of the Government which propofes the measure, and the principles of the measure itself, fhould be distinctly underfood. But, Sir, in ftating that intention and thofe principles, I look to fomething more than a mere vindication of Government for having propofed the measure. I do entertain a confidence, even under the apparent difcouragement of the opinion expreffed by the Irish Houfe of Commons, this measure is founded upon fuch clear, fuch demonftrable grounds of utility, is fo calculated to add to the ftrength and power of the Empire, in which the fafety of Ireland is in cluded, cluded, and from which it never can be feparated, and is attended with fo many advantages to Ireland in particular, that all that can be neceffary for its ultimate adoption is, that it fhould be stated diftinctly, temperately, and fully, and that it fhould be left to the unprejudiced, the difpaffionate, the. fober judgment of the Parliament of Ireland.-It is neceflary that all those who are in any degree implicated in the event, should be at full liberty to weigh the various reafons which may operate on their minds, either in favour or against the measure, with respect to the prefent and future ftate of trade, commerce, and manufactures, and their extenfive and complicated relations; with refpect to the prefent diftracted ftate of Ireland, and the fatisfactory profpect of allaying and fuppreffing for ever all party animofity and religious prejudice; and with refpect to the prefent want of improvement in the manners of the people, and the probable fpeedy progrefs of civilization and internal happinefs Thefe weighty topics cannot be candidly and impartially determined without minute investigation, unremitting attention, and cool, mature and difpaffionate difcuffion. I am more encouraged in this hope of the ultimate fuccefs of this measure, when I obferve, that amidst alìthe advantages which a question of this nature in its outfet prefents to its oppofers, barely one half of those who voted upon it in one Houfe of Parliament, declared against all difcuffion; and that in the other House of Parliament in Ireland, which contains fo large a portion of the property of that Kingdom, it was approved of by a large majority -when I obferve that a large part of the people of that Country are decidedly in favour of it, and that much of the manufacturing, and of the Commercial Intereft of Ireland, have fhewn how much they think it calculated to promote their advantage, I think when it is more deliberately examined, and when it is feen with what temper it is propofed, that it will ftill terminate in that which can alone be a fortunate refult. When the temper of the country fhall fubfide into adifpofition of fober examination, there is room to hope, therefore, that the measure will be adopted. It would be vain indeed to hope that propofition upon which prejudices are fo likely to operate, and which is fo liable to mifconception, fhould be unanimously approved. But the approbation I hope for is, that of the Parliament of Ireland, and of the intelligent part of the public of that country. It is with a view to this object that I think it my duty to bring this meafure forward at prefent, not for the fake of urging its immediate adoption, but that it may be known and recorded; that the intention of the the British Parliament may be known and understood, that it may be weighed and examined, that it may have a chance to produce upon the minds of the people of Ireland that effect which in regard to their particular interefts, and the general welfare of the Empire, is fo much to be defired. With this view it is my intention not to go at prefent into any detailed ftatement of the plan, becaufe fhould it ultimately be adopted, the minuter parts must neceffarily become the objects of much diftinct difcuffion; but to give fuch a general statement of the nature of the measure as will enable the House to form a correct judgment upon it. I fhall think it the fairest mode, conformably to the notice which I gave on a former day, to open a string of refolutions, comprising the general heads of this plan, and as we cannot with fuch propriety debate them while you, Sir, are in the chair, it will be neceffary for me to move, that the Houfe fhould refolve itself into a Committee. I have already ftated, that it is not my intention to prefs the Committee to come to an immediate decifion upon the Refolutions; but if, upon full and delibe rate examination, the Houfe fhould, approve of the refolutions which I fhall have the honour to propofe, and which contains as much as is neceflary for an outline of the plan, my opinion is, that nothing can contribute more to obviate any doubts and diffatisfaction which may exift, than that Parliament fhould adopt thofe refolutions, and that it should then humbly lay them at the foot of the Throne, leaving it for his Majefty to lay them before the Parliament of Ireland, when an opportunity favourable to the difpaffionate invefti gation of them fhall occur. I fhall therefore, Sir, proceed as fhortly as I can to ftate to the Houfe the nature of the Refolutions, and of the Addrefs which I fhall propofe to accompany them, if it should be the pleasure of the Houfe to adopt them. Having now, Sir, explained to the House the mode I mean to purfue, and my reafons for perfifting, under the prefent circumftances, in fubmitting them to the confideration of Parliament, I will endeavour to ftate the general grounds, of the measure itfelf; the general argu ments by which it is recommended, and to give a fhort view of the particulars of the plan.-As to the general principle upon which the whole of this measure is founded, I am happy to obferve, from what paffed upon a former occafion, that there is not a probability of any difference of opinion. The general principle, to which both fides of the Houfe perfectly acceded, is, that a perpetual connexion between Great Bri tain and Ireland was effential to the interefts of both. The No. 18. |