ment of a Regent, that the Regent of England fhould be alfo Regent of Ireland.-[Leave was given.}

On the 22d of February, in the Houfe of Commons, Mr. Barrington moved,

THAT the proper officer do lay before the Houfe an account of the names of fuch perfons, who having been mentioned in the bill for tranfporting certain perfons therein named out of his Majefty's dominions, and for preventing their return, have been fince difcharged or otherwife liberated.

Alfo an account of the names of fuch perfons, who having been convicted of treasonable practices, under the laws of war, fince the commencement of the late rebellion, and whofe fentences had been confirmed by an act of the last feffion, have never fince been liberated,

[The two motions paffed in the affirmative.]

On the 23d of February, in the Houfe of Commons, Mr. Barrington moved

FOR

OR leave to bring in a bill to amend an act paffed in the 23d year of his prefent Majefty, entitled, "An Act for the better fecuring the Independence of the Houfe of Commons."

The motion was loft by the order of the day, which was moyed upon it and carried.

On the 1ft of March, in the House of Commons, in the Committee m

聘

the Rebellion Bill, Mr. O'Donnel moved the following Amendment.

PROVIDED always, &c. that all general officers or others, to

whom his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant fhall iffue his commiffion for executing martial law, fhall, from time to time, inftitute courts martial for trial of all perfons aiding and affifting to the faid rebellion, or of attacking the perfons or injuring the properties of his Majefty's loyal fubjects for rebellious purposes," which courts martial fhall be composed of five or more officers, to be on oath, the majority to decide on the guilt of the accused, and on the punishment to be inflicted. That no perfon fhall be punished by virtue of this act, until previonfly fo tried; and that no perfons fhall be fubject to the penalties herein mentioned for any crime committed previous to the paffing of this act.

[This amendment was negatived without a divifion.]

·Same Time and Place Mr. Edgeworth moved the following Amendment:

"THAT the duration of the bill fhould only be for two months," instead of until the next feflion of Parliament, and two months after the commencement of the faid feffion.

This amendment was alfo negatived without a divifion.

Mr. Dobbs gave Notice of his Intention to propofe the following Refolations in a Committee of the House on the State of the Nation.

THAT all finecure places be abolithed, making compenfation to their prefent polleflors.

That no man fhould hold a feat in Parliament who had held any office created fince 1782.

That the Catholics thould be wholly emancipated, referving a Proteftant representation in Parliament, until fuch time as the good conduct of the Catholics thould prove that no danger could refult from admitting them into Parliament.

That an abolition of tithes fhould take place.

...That a provifion fhould be made for the Roman Catholic bishops and clergy.

. On the 29th of March, in the House of Lords, in the Committee on the Rebellion Bill, the Lord Chancellor moved the following Amend

ment:

TO arreft and take into cuftody all who fhall be engaged or fufpected of being engaged in the faid rebellion, or in any manner aflifting thereto; and to hold trial on the fame by court martial a fummary manner, whether taken in open arms, or in any other manner affifting to rebellion.

in

[The amendment was agreed to.]

His Lordship alfo moved two other amendments to the follow ing effect, which were alfo agreed to.

Provided always, that no officer, non-commiffioned officer or Private, for any thing done in pursuance of this act, fhall be fubject to the courts of common law; and that they thall be refponfible to fuch courts martial only as by the articles of war they would be liable to, had this bill not been enacted.

Provided always, that nothing herein contained fhall militate against the acknowledged prerogatives of the Crown to refort to martial law for the purpofe of oppofing invafion or rebellion, with or without the advice of a privy council, or other perfon or perfons; and to use that prerogative in fame manner as if this act had not been made.

On

On the 2d of April, in the Houfe of Commons, Lord Cafilereagh brought down a Meffage from the Lord Lieutenant, the Subftance of which

was,

ΤΗ

HAT he was commanded by his Majefty to acquaint the Houfe, that his Majefty had received different voluntary offers of fervice in Great Britain, or any of his Majesty's dominions in Europe, from feveral Irifh militia regiments; that his Majesty was gracioufly pleafed to exprefs his fatisfaction at their zeal and fpirited conduct, and defired that the House would make a provifion for enabling his Majefty to accept fuch voluntary offers.

[The meffage, on the motion of Lord Castlereagh, was ordered to be referred to a Committee.]

On the 18th of April, in the Houfe of Commons, on the Question for receiving the Report of the Regency Bill,

LORD Caftlereagh moved that the further confideration of the Report be deferred till the 1st of Auguft, which was carried in the affirmative; and of courfe the bill was loft.

His Excellency's Speech to both Houfes on the 1ft of June 1799, ox proroguing the Parliament.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

1 HAVE received his Majesty's commands to release you from your further attendance in Parliament, in order that the various parts of the kingdom, which are ftill agitated by the projects of the difaffected, may reap the advantage of your more immediate vigilance and protection.

I am at the fame time to thank you in his Majefty's name, for the continued and undiminished zeal which you have manifefted for counteracting the wicked plots of internal confpirators, and for the defeat of every hoftile attempt which the defperation of the enemy may meditate.

The fituation of affairs on the continent has been materially improved in the period which has elapfed fince the commencement of the feffion. The fignal advantages already obtained by the Auftrian arms, and the vigorous and decifive exertions on the part of Ruffia, must be fubjects of great joy and congratulation to all who can eftimate the value of established order and legitimate government. I know the pleasure you must derive from the confoling profpect that Europe may be ultimately rescued from the ravaging arms and the defolating principles of France.

Gentlemen

I thank you, in his Majefty's name, for the large and extraordinary fupply which you have fo honourably voted to meet every with of the Government, and every exigency of the flate. You muft reflect with the higheft fatisfaction on the liberal co-operation which, in every moment of difficulty you have experienced from the British Parliament: and have the fullest confidence that the public fpirit of ountry will not be found inferior to that of Great Britain, in fubmitting to fuch temporary burdens as the fafety of the community may require.

I fincerely regret that fo extenfive a demand fhould be made on your liberality; but when no meafure has been left untried by the malice of our enemies to fever this kingdom from the British empire, and to involve you in all the horrors of rebellion and maffacre, you have difplayed true wifdom in proportioning your exertions to the bleffings you have to preferve, and the miferies you have to avert.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

I am to return you his Majesty's acknowledgments for the many important meafures you have accomplished this feffion. Your liberality and juftice to those who have suffered from their loyalty will confirm the exertions of the well-difpofed; and your judicious provifions for the regulation of paper currency are calculated to preferve its credit from depreciation without diminishing the neceffary circulation.

I am fenfible of the confidence which you have repofed in me, by enabling me to exercife the powers of martial law in the manner beft adapted to the prefent circumftances of the country. It will be my care to employ thofe powers for the purposes for which they were given, by taking the most effectual and fummary measures for the fuppreffion and punishment of rebellious proceedings, interfering as little as poffible with the ordinary adminiftration of juftice among his Majefty's peaceable fubjects.

I have his Majesty's particular commands to acquaint you, that a joint address of the two Houfes of Parliament of Great Britain has been laid before his Majefty, accompanied by refolutions pro* pofing and recommending a complete and entire union between Great Britain and Ireland, to be eftablished by the mutual confent of the Parliaments, founded on equal and liberal principles, on the fimilarity of laws, conftitution, and government, and on a fenfe of mutual interefts and affections. His Majefty will receive the greateft fatisfaction in witneffing the accomplishment of a fyftem, which, by allaying the unhappy distractions too long prevalent in Ireland, and by promoting the fecurity, wealth, and commerce of his refpective kingdoms, muft afford them at all times, and VOL. VIII. efpecially

3 M

efpecially in the prefent moment, the beft means of jointly oppofing an effectual refiftance to the deftructive projects of foreign and domeftic enemies; and his Majefty, as the common father of his people, muft look forward with earnest anxiety to the moment, when, in conformity to the fentiments, wishes, and real interefts of his fubjects in Great Britain and Ireland, they may all be infeparably united in the full enjoyment of the bleffings of a free conftitution, in the fupport of the honour and dignity of his Majesty's crown, and in the preservation and advancement of the welfare and profperity of the whole British empire.

I feel most fenfibly the arduous fituation in which I am placed, and the weight of the truft which his Majefty has impofed upon me at this most important crifis; but if I fhould be fo fortunate as to contribute in the fmalleft degree to the fuccefs of this great meafure, I fhall think the labours and anxieties of a life devoted to the fervice of my country amply repaid, and fhall retire with the confcious fatisfaction that I have had some share in averting from his Majesty's dominions thofe dangers and calamities which have overspread fo large a portion of Europe.

APPENDIX.