felves highly material, and in a fecondary view, well worthy of attention.

I have heard it asked, when I preffed the meafure, what are the pofitive advantages that Ireland is to derive from it? To this very queftion I prefume the confiderations which I have already urged afford a fufficient anfwer. But, in fact, the question itself is to be confidered in another view; and it will be found to bear fome refemblance to a queftion which has been repeatedly. put, by fome of the Gentlemen oppofite to me, during the laft fix years. What are the advantages which Great Britain has gained by the prefent war with France?

To this, the brilliant fucceffes of the British army by fea and land, our unexampled naval victories over all our enemies, the folid acquifition of valuable territory, the general increase of our power, the progreffive extenfion of our commerce, and a series of events more glorious than any that ever adorned the page of our history, afford at once an ample and a fatisfactory answer. But there is another general answer which we

have uniformly given, and which would alone be fufficient: it is, that we did not enter into this war for any purpose of ambition; our object was not to acquire, but to preserve; and in this sense, what we have gained by the war is, in one word, ALL that we should have loft without it: it is, the preservation of our Constitution, our Independence, our Honour, our Exiftence as a Nation.

In the fame manner I might answer the question with respect to Ireland, I might enumerate the general advantages which Ireland would derive from the effects of the Arrangement to which I have already referred, the Protection which the will fecure to herself in the hour of danger. The most effectual means of increasing her Commerce and improving her Agriculture, the command of English Capital, the infufion of English Manners and English Industry, neceffarily tending to ameliorate her Condition, to accelerate the progrefs of internal civilization, and to terminate those feuds and diffentions which now diftract the Country, and which she does not poffefs, within herself, the power either to controul or to extinguish. She would fee the avenue to Honours, to distinctions,

and exalted Situations in the general feat of Empire, opened to all those whose abilities and talents enable them to indulge an honourable and laudable ambition.

But, independent of all these advantages, I might also anfwer, that the question is not what Ireland is to gain, but what he is to preferve: not merely how she may beft improve her fituation, but how fhe is to avert a preffing and immediate danger. In this view, what the gains is the prefervation of all thofe bleffings arifing from theBritish Conftitution, and which are infeparable from her Connexion with Great Britain. Those Bleffings of which it has long been the aim of France, in conjunction with domeftic traitors, to deprive her, and on their ruins to establish (with all its attendant miferies and horrors) a Jacobin Republic, founded on French Influence, and exifting only in fubferviency to France.

Such, Sir, would be the answer, if we direct our attention only to the question of general advantage. And here I fhould be inclined to stop; but fince it has alfo been more particularly asked,

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what are the advantages which he is to gain, in point of Commerce and Manufactures, I am defirous of applying my anfwer more immediately and distinctly to that part of the subject: and, as I know that the ftatement will carry more conviction with it, to those who make the inquiry, if given in the words of the Right Honourable Gentleman, to whom, and to whofe opinions, I have had more than one occafion to advert in the courfe of this night, I will read you an extract from his recorded fentiments on the fubject, in the year 1785, on this fame memorable occafion of the Commercial Propofitions. Speaking of a folid and unalterable Compact between the two Countries, fpeaking exprefsly of the peculiar importance of infuring the continuance of those Commercial benefits, which fhe at that time held only at the discretion of this country, he fays"The exportation of Irish Products to England, " amounts to Two Millions and a Half annually; "and the exportation of British Products, to Ireland, amounts to but One Million."

He then proceeds to reafon upon the advantage which Ireland would derive, under fuch circumstances.

cumstances, from guarding against mutual prohibitions; and he accompanies the statement, which I have juft read, with this obfervation--

"If indeed, the Adjustment were to take away the Benefit from Ireland it would be a "good cause for rejecting it; but, as it for ever "confirms all the Advantages we derived from

our Linen Trade, and binds England from

making any law that can be injurious to it, "furely Gentlemen who regard that trade, and "whofe fortunes and rents depend on its profperity, "will not entertain a moment's doubt about embra ર cing the offer."

Such was the reasoning of the Irish CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER; which I confider to have been perfectly juft. With reference to his late opinions, I do not think I can more forcibly reply, to a perfon who figns his name to Propofitions which declare that the ruin of the Linen Trade of Ireland is likely to be the confequence of an Union, than by opposing to him his own opinion. I fhall be able to ftrengthen the former opinion of that Gentleman, by ftating, that the progress

that