know the local circumstances of Ireland, or the causes of that rebellious fpirit which was now again breaking out in that kingdom. He understood, from the candid opinions of those who knew the local circumftances of that country infinitely better than he did, and who, he was convinced, had the unity, the prosperity, and the happiness of the Britifi Empire at heart, that the greateft grievance complained of by the great majority of the population of Ireland, who were Roman Catholics, was the exaction of tithes for the main tenance of the clergy of the Church of England, at the fame time that they were tithed in another way for the maintes nance of their own clergy and thus were they doubly faddled with an heavy impost. He did not pretend to point out what would be the most proper mode of remedying this evil, and of quieting the minds of the great mafs of Irith population; but he most fincerely wished fome mode could be devifed for doing away this obnoxious impoft upon the catholics of that country, and thus obviating that which had fo long and fo uniformly proved a fource of discontent and irritation. If this could be done, and he by no means withed it to be done in any way injurious to the established. clergy, he was convinced it would do more towards quieting the minds of the lower orders in that country, than any other means which legiflation or coercion could effe&; and he trusted that, even late as it was in the Seffion, his Majefty'sMinifters would inftitute fome parliamentary inveftigation on the subject, with a view to the adoption of fome efficient meafure. ** Sir T. Metcalfe rose to ask fome questions about the ar rears in the hands of the board of firft fruits, and why they were not appropriated? Mr. Corry anfwered, he was not prepared to ftate minutely the reafons why they fuffered their money to be leofe in the hands of a banket. All he could now fay was, that they were obliged annually to ftare their accounts to the Commiffioners; and as they were in the habit alfo of annually receiving a confiderable donation from the Irish Parlament, he muft prefome their accounts were fatisfactory. Mr. Hutchinfon faid, no man more fincerely withed than he did to maintain the refpedability of the Proteftant Church of Ireland, and the comforts of its paftors; bai he most cordially concurred with the hon. Member near him (Mr. Francis) in the urgent and important neceffity of going into fome investigation upon the fubje& of Ireland, previously to the the approaching prorogation, and endeavour to come at the true caufe of the unhappy disturbances, and of fuggefting, if poffible, fome lenient remedy. He had already three or four times in the course of this Seffion endeavoured to call the attention of the Houfe, and of his Majefty's Minifters in particular, to the fubject of Ireland. He had endeavoured to imprefs upon them the importance, at all times, but more especially at the present, of attaching to this country and its Government the confidence and affections of that people. He had endeavoured to imprefs upon them, that there they would find a tower of ftrength, with the aid of which they might defy the enmity of the world. He would now put it again to his Majesty's Ministers; and if he could not obtain from them a promife that they would before the prorogation, bring forward for inquiry the fubject of Irish affairs, with a view to some remedy, he pledged himself that he would at an early day bring forward the fubject, feeble as his efforts might be.-[Mr. Hutchinfon was proceeding, but was called to order three fucceffive times by Mr. Alexander, who said it was not from any oppofition to the hon. Gentleman's propofal he did fo, but to remind him, that his notice would come more regularly as a distinct proceeding, as it was not orderly in the Committee.] Mr. Corry's motion was agreed to, and the Chairman ordered to report the next day. MILITIA. Mr. Sheridan role to explain fomething that had fallen from him on a former evening, which had been misconceived, and he was fure unintentionally miftated. It was in relation to the imperfect state of the militia regiments in Kent and Surry, which circumftance he was ftated to have charged upon the negligence of the Magiftrates of thefe counties. But he did not impute the circumftance to their negligence, or to the noble Lords at the head of the Lieutenancy in those counties; and he had indeed the authority of one noble Lord (Lord Grantley) to declare, that the deficiency arose from a defect of law to enable the Lieutenants to enforce the returns from the deputy officers. He trusted, however, the next returns from those counties would prove the militia in a much lefs defective state; and he withed to know from the right hon. Secretary at War, whether it was intended to adopt any measure to render the law more efficient; as, if it was not, he fhould move for a return of the whole militia of the county county, in order that the Houfe might fee where the deficiencies exifted, and who were really to blame. The Secretary at War faid, that certainly he had himfelf remarked on a former night, that feveral regiments of militia were grofsly defective in their numbers, and particularly thofe in the counties round London; but he did not attach blame to any particular perfons, but merely stated the blame muft lay fomewhere. However, by the laft returns from thofe counties, he was glad to find the deficiency confiderably obviated, under the bill for raifing the Supplementary Militia; and he trusted that by the time that returns fhould be made up to the rft of Auguft, the regiments would be still more complete. If the hon. Member was difpofed to move for the returns of any particular regiment, there would be no objection to produce it; but a general motion for the return of all, he should oppofe as unneceffary. EAST INDIA BUDGET. Lord Caftlereagh (after the House had refolved into a Committee on the East India affairs) opened at confiderable length the general statement of the Eaft India Company's affairs in the year beginning from March 1801, and ending in the fame month 1802; he alfo prefented an estimated statement for the year of 1802-3. In the budget which he had prefented at the beginning of the Seffion, he had given a detailed ftatement of the affairs of the Company in 1800-1, and only an eftimated statement of 1851-2. He now, having received the accounts, was able to prefent the actual statement of the Jast year, and an estimated statement of the current year. He was happy to inform the Committee, that the actual revenue for the last year confiderably exceeded the estimated revenue, and that the revenues of every presidency were in a ftate of improvement. He was confcious that he was going to call the attention of the Committee to a detail of accounts which were not fo materially interefling as a budget which more immediately affected the country; but when it was recollected that he was going to fpeak of an empire poffefsing an annual revenue of thirteen millions, and which was fo intimately connected with the profperity and commerce of this country, to which it contributed fo largely, he trusted he fhould be heard with attention. His Lordfhip then gave a very detailed statement of the fituation of the East-India Company, both as to its revenues and its charges. The revenues he divided into the foreign revenue and the home VOL. IV. 1802 3. $ A revenue: revenue: it will be found ftated with accuracy, clearness, and precifion in the following schedule. BENGAL. REVENUES.-Average 1799, 1800, to 1801-2 6,761,598 MADRAS. Net revenue estimated for 1802-3, more than pre- was 654,912 1,136,597 Which exceeds the average from 1798-9 to 1800-1 101,528 Eftimated for 1801-2 Actual amount More than estimate CHARGES-Eftimated for 1801-2 Actual amount More than estimate Deducting excess of charge from excess of revenue, the net charge is lefs than estimated And the net charge of the years 1801-2 is 234,132 preceding year by 348,825 Revenues estimated less than actual, in 1801-2 The prospect estimated for 1802-3 better than BOMBAY. REVENUES-Excluding the revenues of the ceded provinces transferred to Madras in July 1800, the average revenues from 1799, 1800 to 1801-2 251,456 Which exceeds the average drawn on the fame principle from 1798-9 to 1800-1 Eftimated for 1801-2 Actual amount More than estimate 39,564 271,825 305,992 34,167 |