your independence, and your Trade free with infinite reluctance:-and have endeavoured ever fince to undermine the one, and deftroy the good effects of the other-but the fpirit and great natural advantages of our Country have baffled all their infamous attempts: The Minifter of the day perceiving the rifing generation glowing with true Patriotifm and national dignity, and finding it daily more difficult to influence and corrupt the Irish Legislature; and ftill regretting that fuperiorityover Irishmen, England was obliged to renounce in 82-why he wishes by bringing forward an Union to cut the bufinefs fhort, and by thus taking our Constitution away from us altogether, he knows he may tax, rob, and infult us with impunity.-Now, what fay the English merchants, what are their thoughts on the subject? They obferve that since the freedom of your Trade was declared, we have increafed in commerce, wealth and confequence. They fee with a jealous eye, our Manufactures beginning to flourish; and now find very contrary to their intereft, and very much against their wishes, that the people of Ireland are not that lazy, filthy, ignorant and barbarous race of Men, which they have often represented us to be-No-their voice begins to change-they behold the Irish peafant frugal, laborious and induftrious-they fee the Manufacturer poffefs genius, quickness and application-yes, I fay, great application where there is any incentive held out to Induftry. They fee you making rapid progrefs

in every branch of Manufacture, that you outdo them in fome, and are beginning to rival them in others. They perceive all this, and then fay, let us join with the Minifter in ruining the Commerce of Ireland-'twill be our advantage, the Irish will no longer be able to encourage or pursue their Manufactures from the immenfe Taxes that will be fixed upon them; and from their Nobility and Gentry leaving the Kingdom, great quantities of wealth will leave them and circulate amongst

us.

Were we to fuppofe this queftion given up to the deliberation and final decifion of a number of honeft, rational, intelligent and liberal Men in no wife interefted in the event-Men neither influenced by prejudice nor carried away by paffion, and what would be their mode of reasoning? what would be their decifion?As Men, as friends to the caufe of humanity and liberty, I fay, that after having well and fully confidered the nature of this measure, its object and confequences after an ample statement of facts on the treatment of Englishmen towards Irish for this last past Century, and after having previoufly laid down certain maxims; fuch as that liberty is the birth-right of Man-a right inherent in his Nature, and given him by GoD-that all civil Government has its origin in the People-that Governors cannot delegate a right to others they poffefs not themselves, and that when they do not fulfil their

duty they are refponfible to the People alone; after I fay, laying down fuch felf-evident Propofitions and a few others, which all Men are now fully acquainted with; they would deliver themselves in the following terms

ift. That inafmuch as it appeareth from hiftory and tradition, that it has ever been the policy and cunning of the British Legiflature to excite religious animofities and cruel hate in his gracious Majefty's kingdom of Ireland.

2d. That inafmuch as, fuch vile and wicked policy and cunning has had its defired effects, in caufing manifold cruelties and unchriftian-like perfecutions in his faid Majefty's kingdom of Ireland.

3d. That inafmuch as, it has ever been the conftant, uniform and undeviating practice of the English Miniftry, to plunder and opprefs his gracious Majefty's fubjects of Ireland.

4th. That inafinuch as, fuch bafe and unworthy practices have ever met with the indignation and reprobation of his faid Majefty's loyal fubjects of Ireland.

5th. That inafmuch as it has ever been the cuftom of the British Legiflature, and the wifh of the English Merchant, to fhackle the com merce of Ireland, to injure the manufactures,

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and damp the spirit of his majesty's loyal, induftrious and hardy Irish Manufacturer.

6th. And that inafmuch as, fuch fetters put on their commerce, fuch injury done to their Manufactures, and fuch difcouragements, placed in the way of trade, have caufed much difaffection and much difunion, in his gracious Majefty's loyal fubjects of Ireland.

7th. And that inafmuch as, through and by the kind hand of Providence, through our gracious Majesty's fond and tender wishes, and through our patriotic and virtuous Parliament of 82, many and most important conceffions were made to his Majefty's faithful fubjects of Ireland.

8th. And that inafmuch as fuch conceffions have added much to the dignity, the honour, and the profperity of his faid Majefty's loyal fubjects of Ireland.

9th. And inafmuch as it is evident to the whole nation, and to all Europe that the welfare and happiness of Ireland, depend on its preferving its own independency, and that it muft infallibly return to its former wretchednefs and degradation in cafe of a Legislative Union with England.

10th. And inafmuch as, a legislative Union with England, will be deftructive of the liberty and comforts of his Majefty's loyal fubjects of Ireland.

11th. And inafmuch as, a nation without haying the power of making its own Laws, and levying its own taxes, is in a state of Slavery.

I 2th. And inafmuch as, a ftate of Slavery, is the most abject condition of human nature.

13th. And inafmuch as, his Majefty's loyal Subjects of Ireland, will be in the fame abject condition of Slavery provided this faid Legiflative Union, fhould be carried into effect.

14th. And inasmuch as, his faid Majefty's brave Subjects of Ireland never will accept of any offers from any nation under the Sun, in barter for their national rights and juft privileges; and as it is not in the power of England to give them any real or folid advantages; but on the contrary, will put upon their fhoulders many very heavy and grievous burthens and taxes; will faddle upon their backs, a part of her own enormous National Debt, and withal caufe an immenfe drain of wealth by Absentees from his faid Majefty's Kingdom of Ireland.

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15th. And whereas, it appeareth to us and to the whole Nation, that fuch ruinous confe