HOUSE OF COMMONS.

THURSDAY, JULY 28.

The two millions Exchequer bills' vote of credit bill; the 1,500,000 Exchequer bills' bill, the quafia additional duty bill, and the bill for regulating the exportation of tobacco, were read a second time, and ordered to be committed the next day.

The Houfe in a Committee went through the renewed woollen manufacturers' bill. The amendments were agreed to, and the bill, ordered to be read a third time the next day.

Leave was given to bring in a bill for enclosing certain lands in the parish of Roxborough, in the county of Oxford.

Lord Hawkesbury brought up the bill for enabling his Majefty to fettle an annuity of 16,000l. on the Houfe of Orange; which was read a firft, and ordered to be read a fecond time next day.

Lord Caftlereagh obtained leave to bring in a bill for exempting fuch perfons as fhall have found fubftitutes for the army of referve from ferving in the militia of the country. Read a first time and ordered to be read a fecond time the next day.

Mr. Vanfittart brought up a report relating to the exporsation of copper and other articles from Great Britain, in neutral fhips. Ordered to be taken into confideration next day.

The Houfe, on the motion of Mr. Vanfittart, refolved itfelf into a Committee, to confider of the bounties and drawbacks on fugar exported from Great Britain and Ireland.Report to be received next day.

Mr. Vanfittart brought up a bill for retifying the mistakes of a former act, paffed in the 42d year of the reign of his prefent Majefty, and for the better collecting the duties on auctions. Read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time next day.

The bill for regulating the exportation of tea to Ireland was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time next day.

Lord Hawkesbury moved that the confideration of the contested election petitions which stand for Auguft, be further poftponed, and taken into confideration in September.Agreed to.

VOL. IV. 1802-3.

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The Eaft India fhipping bill was read a third time, and paffed.

The Lord Mayor of London brought up a petition from certain perfons, relative to the Bell Dock light houfe bill, and praying that counsel might be heard against the said bill.

REBELLION IN IRELAND.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer prefented to the House the following mellage from his Majesty :

"GEORGE R.

His Majefty feels the deepest regret in acquainting the Houfe of Commons, that a treasonable and rebellious spirit of infurrection has manifested itself in Ireland, which has been marked by circumstances of peculiar atrocity in the city of Dublin.

"His Majefty relies with perfect confidence on the wisdom of his Parliament, that fuch meafures will be forthwith adopted as are beft calculated to afford protection and fecurity to his Majesty's loyal fubjects in that part of the united kingdom, and to restore and preferve general tranquillity. "G. R."

After the message was read from the chair, The Chancellor of the Exchequer rofe and addreffed the Houfe to the following effect: There must exift in this Houfe a general anticipation of thofe feelings and fentiments which his Majesty has entertained in making the communication which has just been read from the chair. There is also, I am perfuaded, in this House, a difpofition and fixed determination, to justify and repay that confidence which has been repofed in it by our beloved Sovereign, in adopting fuch measures as may be belt fuited to the circumstances of the prefent conjun&ture. Government had every reason to suppofe, that the contamination of principles which had produced in former years the calamities of rebellion in Ireland had been completely done away; that the experience of the bleffings which have been already enjoyed in that country fince the period to which I allude, under the wife measures which were then adopted for the purpofe of quelling the fpirit of infurrection which was then teftified; and further, that the experience which the world has already had of all those views of revolution and French principles of military defpo tifm, would have operated upon those who were base enough to join in rebellion against the conftitution of the country. Thefe flattering hopes, I am exceedingly forry to say, have

been

been difappointed to a great degree. It was faid by a great and eminent character, that he pitied that man who would endeavour to aggravate the crime of treafon. That crime, however, must be felt to be highly aggravated by the circumftances of the prefent moment, when the whole body of the people of this country appear to be united, and co-operating with Government in the fupport of our glorious constitution. Notwithstanding all that has yet happened, I am convinced that the great majority of the people in Ireland are equally unanimous in respect to the defence of their country, are equally loyal to their King, and equally anxious to fupport the prefent happy conftitution with thofe inhabiting this part of the united kingdom. The crimes of high treafon muft, I fay, be peculiarly aggravated, when, notwithstanding all the measures which have been adopted by Government, a fpirit of difaffection and difloyalty fhould have been manifefted in any quarter of his Majesty's dominions; and that, too, at the very moment when we are employed in planning meafures, and adopting the most prudent precautions, for the exprefs purpose of fupporting our most excellent conftitution. Lamentable, indeed, it was, at this critical conjuncture of affairs, that any portion of his Majefty's fubjects fhould have been laying plans which were detrimental to the very exiftence of that glorious conftitution under which they have lived and enjoyed fo many bleffings. I muft view it as a circumftance deeply to be deplored, that in one part of the united kingdom, any fet of men fhould be endeavouring even to encourage that enemy against whom we, in this part of the kingdom, are fo firmly uniting, to repel from our fhores, in cafe he should dare to approach our country. I am perfuaded, however, that the number of those who are fo rebelliously difpofed, even in that part of the united kingdom, is but finall, and that there is still a strong and prevalent difpofition exifting to oppofe our mutual enemy. I fhall have the honour of laying before the Houfe, after this queftion is difpofed of, information concerning the particular inftances of infurrection contained in the proclamation iffued by the Lord Lieutenant in Ireland; but I cannot conceive that any information can be reckoned neceffary to perfuade the Houfe to agree to the addrefs which I am about to propofe. I am convinced that the mind of that man who is ardently interested for the welfare and profperity of his country muft ficken with indignation and fhame, on the very mention of fchemes tending to the fubverfion

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fubverfion of its conftitution. Parliament, I think, has a right to expect the admiration, the thanks, and the gratitude of the whole body of the virtuous and loyal inhabitants of the united kingdom, for their activity and exertion on all fuch critical occafions, in order to reftore tranquillity. In the full perfuafion, therefore, that there will be no difference of opin on, I beg leave to propose,

"That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majesty, to return his Majefty the thanks of this Houfe for his moft gracious meffage; to affure his Majesty, that we learn with the ftrongest feelings of regret and indignation, that a treasonable and rebellious fpirit of infurrection has manifested itself in Ireland, which has been marked with circumstances of peculiar atrocity in the city of Dublin; that his Majesty may be affured of the readiness and determination of his faithful Commons, to adopt forthwith fuch meafures as may appear to them to be best calculated to afford protection and fecurity to his Majefty's loyal fubjects in that part of the united kingdom, and to restore and preferve general tranquillity."— After this question has been difpofed of, I fhall then fubmit to the Houfe the proclamation which has been iffued in Ireland by the Lord Lieutenant,

Mr. Windham faid, Sir, having heard the motion which has just now been propofed by the right hon. Gentleman, I cannot fobear exprefling my fentiments on the fubject. The propofing of an addrefs to the throne'upon the very fame day on w ich his Majesty's meffage has been delivered, is a thing which is exceedingly unufual in parliamentary proceedings. I think it may be reckoned respectful to the Crown, to make a small nterval of time betwixt his Majefty's message and the addrefs which is now propofed; because it teftifies more ftrongly that degree of attention which we, his Parliament, have paid to it. It is exceedingly defirable for the House that fuch delay should be interpofed, that they may know what answer in their wisdom feems to be most proper, The objects comprehended by this meffage, however, are not at present fit for mature confide ation. In the present instance, I entertain no doubt of the propriety of the House affenting to the purpose of his Majefty's meffage, but there might be a queftion, whether or not that meffage really contained all that was conformable to our feelings on the occafion? The affent which must be given to any message from the Crown, must not only exprefs our general concurrence in the matters

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therein comprehended, but it ought alfo to fignify our real fentiments and ideas upon the fubject. Were not this the cafe, I have no doubt that an immediate answer might on the pretent occafion be returned, but it has not been the practice of this Houfe to do fo. The right hon. Gentleman has given us to understand, that he would not think it prudent to detain the Houfe with the particulars of this important intelligence, previous to his motion being adopted; fo that we are just left in a state of fufficient information to make fuch an anfwer as he has now propofed. If this conduct be adopted, and reckoned prudent, I thould wish to know, why the other practice has ever prevailed? If the bare ftatement of meafures be enough, then it would be thought unbecoming in Parliament ever to enter into any minute confideration of a meffage, previous to its adopting an answer to be returned to his Majefty. Now, upon this particular fubject, I can really conceive, that there is a great deal of information and mature deliberation wanted, before we can frame an address which could be reckoned proper for the occafion. When we have fomething more than this general communication of a rebellion having broken out in Ireland, many different reflections may arife out of the particulars in regard to what this House ought either to fay or do. Is it an easy matter to fay, that Ireland has been furprised by an open rebellion or infurrection having broken out, that Government have been fo ignorant of their dangers, that even the capital of that part of the united kingdom has been almoft wrefted from them by means of that rebellion? Are not these points on which the Houfe would wish to be informed, before they think of adopting any final answer to fuch a communication? were faid that fuch information could not be now fubmitted, If it but that the earliest opportunity of doing fo fhould be embraced for that purpose, I would willingly allow my objections to fall to the ground, and should be of the fame opinion with the right hon. Gentleman, that, without knowing more, we should testify our defire and inclination to affift his Ma jefty. Such, however, not being the cafe, and this being all the information we are-to procure upon the fubject, previous to our voting an addrefs, I fay that the House is thereby precluded from all opportunity of entering into the confideration of the fubject. The right hon. Gentleman has expreffed his flattering hopes and expectations as to this rebellion only affecting a very small part of that country, and of its being prevalent only amongst a very fmall portion of its inha

bitants;