publicly alleged, and as publicly offered to be proved.

And, however invidious it might be to cite any example in confirmation of fuch opinion, we are not fo blind to matters of notoriety, or fo deaf to the leflons of experience, as not to apprehend, from a measure of this nature, an enormous increase of the influence of the crown; neither could we perceive, either in the prefent temper of the Irish people, inflamed by civil animofity, and exafperated by recent rebellion,' or in the general moderation of his majefty's prefent advifers, any thing to allay our apprehenfions or remove our jealoufies; and we were unwilling to give our confent, at a period when new burdens are every day impofed, and new facrifices every day required of the people, to a meafure which muft fupply additional reasons for doubting the adequacy of their reprefentation, and Tufpecting the independence of parliament.

ferent application of that force more defirable, his majefty has recently had the fatisfaction to learn that the views of the Emperor of Ruffia in that refpect are entirely conformable to his own. But his majesty has not yet received any account that the formal engagements to that effect have been regularly concluded. He has, however, the fatisfaction of knowing that the fame promptitude and zeal, in fupport of the common caufe, which his ally has already manifefted in a manner fo honourable to himself, and fo fignally beneficial to Europe, have induced him already to put this army in motion towards the place of its destination, as now fettled by mutual confent. His majefty therefore thinks it right to acquaint the houfe of commons, that the pecuniary conditions of this treaty will oblige his majefty to pay the fum of two hundred and twentyfive thousand pounds in ftipulated inftalments, as preparation-money; and to pay a monthly fubfidy of feventy-five thousand pounds, as well as to engage for a farther payment, at the rate of thirty-feven thoufand five hundred pounds per month; which payment is not to take place till after the conclufion of a peace made by common confent.

His majefty relies on the zeal and public fpirit of his faithful commons, to enable him to make good thefe engagements.

of

And his majefty being defirous of continuing to afford the neceflary fuccours to his ally, the queen Portugal, as well as to give timely and effectual affiftance at this important conjuncture to the Swiss Cantons, for the recovery of their ancient liberty and independence, and to make every other exertion for improving to the utmost the fignal ad

vantages

gine of Britif tyranny, they have fucceeded in alienating a large portion of his majefty's fubjects; and if it be farther true, as ftated in the report of the committees of fecrecy of the Irish parliament, that the mifreprefentations of a few individuals have been found fufficient to feduce the allegiance of one whole province in Ireland; we are indeed at a lofs to conceive how the danger of fuch defigns is to be averted, or the force of fuch mifreprefentations diminified, by a measure, which reduces the number of reprefentatives of the Irish people, transfers the legal organ of their will out of the bofom of their own country, and annihilates all independent and ex, clufive authority in that kingdom.

An examination of the immediate confequences which the union formerly produced in Scotland, and a contemplation of the recent effects of its difcuffion in Ireland, fuggeft yet stronger reafons for doubting its efficacy either in healing difcontents, or furnishing the means of refiftance to any attempt of the enemy. We learn, from the moft authentic documents of thofe times, that in Scotland its agitation produced diforder and tumult; that, fix years after it paffed, nearly all the Scotch peers voted for its difiolution, and founded that vote on the difcontents it had occafioned; that it remained for a long period a fubject of fullen difcontent; that a promife of its diffolution was confidered, by the agents of the Pretender, as advantageous to his caufe in Scotland; and that two rebellions broke put in that kingdom, fubfequent to its accomplishment,

Furthermore, from what information we have been able to procure, we obferve, with the deepest concern

and alarm, that its difcuffion in Ire land has already been attended with the most fearful fymptoms. From the increafed powers with which it has recently been deemed necessary to arm the executive power, we cannot but infer, that the profpect of an incorporating union has failed to conciliate the minds of the difaf fected; and, from the ferment occa fioned by its difcuffion, it is evident that all other parties in Ireland are alienated or divided, and the means of refiftance in case of infurrection or foreign invafion thereby materi ally weakened.

We thought it therefore more pruden', in this moment of alarm, to defift from the profecution of a measure, which might become a fresh fubject of complaint, and a new fource of difcontent and divifion. And we were more difpofed to feek for the re-establishment of mutual 'confidence, in the adoption of conciliatory laws, in the removal of odious difabilities, in the redrefs of grievances, and the operation of a milder fyftem of policy on the affec tions of the Irish people, than in any experiment of theory and nominal union of governments.,

5thly, Becaufe, at a time when the danger of innovation has been deemed a fufficient pretext for the continuation of abafes, the fufpen fion of improvement, and the prefervation of a defective reprefentation of the people, we cannot regard without jealoufy and alarm an innovation of direct contrary tendency, viz. the introduction of a number of members into the British parliament, from a legislature, one branch of which has acknowledged the imperfection of its own conftitution; and against the other branch of which the fale of peerages has been

publicly

mestic comforts and family occupa tions without perfonal views, or profeffional allurements, to fill a ftation fo degrading to them as that of drill ferjeants for the army. But exclufive of this great and infuperable objection, we confider this bill as framed under circumstances of grofs inattention to the public intereft, to private rights of various deferiptions, and to the clearest and most important principles of the conftitution: and we thould eftcem ourfelves neglectful of our own characters, as well as deficient in public duty, if we did not record our marked and unreserved reprobation of a measure of fuch dangerous tendency: Firft, becaufe the promoters of this bill have, contrary to every principle of common juftice, eftablified an arbitrary proportion, by which the refpective counties are hereafter to be burdened with the expenfe of raifing their future militia, deviating from the eftablished feale, approved and fanctioned by the acts of the twenty-fixth and thirty-feventh of the king, without any grounds laid before parliament, by which the juf tice of fuch deviation could be eftimated; though in a few days, and with no expenfe, the annual lift for the county ballots returned to the lieutenants of each county, and di-, rected (by the 26th of George the Third, chap. 107, claufe 50) to be tranfmitted to the fecretary of frate, would without error have produced a correct fcale.

Secondly, Because all militia-men, not arriving (after the enrolment) at their respective regiments at the exat time contained in any order which may be given to them, are declared to be deferters, liable to be taken from fervice in the militia for five years within the kingdom, and

condemned to ferve in regiments of the line for life in any part of the world, by fentence of a regimental court marfhal, where neither the judge nor the witneffes are upon oath; and by an additional injustice the county, which paid the ferv.ce of the man, is liable to the farther charge of fupplying his place.

Thirdly, Because the difficulties and embarraffiments which men enrolled to ferve in the militia are ex

pofed to by this bill are fo obviously cruel and unjust, that it affords no flight ground of fufpicion that they are intended to promote the recruiting the regular forces from the militia by the forced defertions of the unfortunate individual who fhall be engaged in the militia fervice; for the man, as foon as he is enrolled, perhaps many hundred miles from his regiment, is ordered to join it, but by this bill no pay is to commence nor allowance to be granted till he actually arrives at his regi ment; he is deprived of all former fources of fubfiftence, and is not entitled to the means of present fupport; plunder or charity alone can maintain him on the road and if under all thefe infurmountable difficulties he does not arrive within the time limited in his orders, he is liable to be treated as a deserter.

Fourthly, Because by this bill the regiments of militia are invited to a ftate of diførder and mutiny by anticipation, as the bill has publicly declared that defertion before the period of its paffing into a law was to be made an offence not neceffarily followed by punishment, but that every man may by fuch defertion take leave of abfeuce till Auguft, if by that time he thall enlift into the regular fervice. The bill encou rages immediate defertion from a

fervice

t