CHAP. jesty's troops were not yet totally defeated in XXXIII. America. 1778. 4th May. 9th Mar. a tax on places. SUCH a measure, fupported by fuch arguments, met with the deserved fate. Many who were obliged to court popularity on any terms, lent their fanction, though convinced of its futility, and, at the first convenient opportunity, abandoned the cause they reluctantly fuftained. On the fecond reading, a motion for the speaker to leave the chair being negatived by a majority of two only, a new propofal was brought forward to adjourn the commitment for two months, when fix fupporters of the bill quitting the house, the queftion was carried, and the bill loft *. ANOTHER attempt to acquire popularity was made Motion for by Mr. Gilbert, who moved in a committee of fupply, to impose, during the continuance of the war, a tax of one fourth part of the net annual income, on all falaries, fees, and perquifites of office, exceeding two hundred pounds per annum, and all annuities, penfions, ftipends, or other yearly gratuities iffuing out of the exchequer, or any branch of his majefty's revenues. This propofition was carried in the committee', but rejected on bringing up the report". 2d April. Propofitions for relief of Ireland. 7th. A COMMITTEE of the houfe of commons was formed to revife the Irifh trade laws. The propofition originated with lord Nugent, but was ftrenuoufly fupported by the oppofition members, particularly Mr. Burke, and carried without diffent. In the committee, lord Nugent, obferved, that from a series of unshaken loyalty, his countrymen, the Irish, were entitled to every encouragement which good and faithful fubjects could deferve, and a wife and grateful government be ftow; oppreffive laws had hitherto been their only reward: he did not, however, mean to offer complaints; if he did, his generous countrymen would difavow them; they faw Great Britain in diftrefs; their * The divifion on the first motion was 115 to 113; on the fecond 113 to 109. 100 to 82. m 147 to 141. refentment 1778. refentment was hufhed; and forgetful of their wrongs, CHA P. they made an unfolicited tender of their lives and xxxIII. fortunes. From a view of all the laws which bore hard on Ireland, he had drawn up a few refolutions, which he hoped the committee would adopt. He anticipated fome oppofition from the West India planters, but trusted the house would not be influenced by arguments founded on selfishness. He moved that the people of Ireland might be permitted to fend on board British veffels, navigated according to law, to the coast of Africa, and other foreign fettlements, all Irish manufactures, wool and woollen cloths excepted. The motion was flightly objected to, but carried without a divifion. RESOLUTIONS were afterwards adopted for importing into Ireland, from the coaft of Africa, all goods except indigo and tobacco; for permitting the direct exportation from Ireland to all places, except Great Britain, of glass manufactured in that kingdom; permitting, by the abolition of a duty amounting to a prohibition, the importation of cotton-yarn, the manufacture of Ireland, into Great Britain; and allowing the importation of Irifh fail-cloth and cordage. DURING the Eafter recefs a formidable oppofition Oppofition, was formed among the trading cities and towns against the bills founded on thefe refolutions. The firft which engaged the attention of the house was from the manufacturers of Somerfetfhire, against the bill for permitting the importation of fail-cloth from Ireland. Mr. Burke, who through mistake moved for leave to bring in the bill, obferved he had fince difcovered, that fuch a law was already in being. If the bill, he obferved, was to be productive of the confequences ftated in the petition, it was extraordinary the petitioners forgot to complain when they were hurt, and felt fo ftrongly when there was not even a poffibility of fuftaining injury. From this he inferred, that the jealoufy entertained of the other bills was equally CHAP. equally ill founded, and only originated in grofs XXXIII. prejudice, or the selfish views of individuals. Petitions in unufual numbers alfo flowed in from all parts of the kingdom, and from many different claffes of manufacturers ". 1778. 4th May. Numerous petitions. 6th. SIR CECIL WRAY, declaring it the duty of every independent man to refift the bills, because fanctioned by lord North, endeavoured to procure the rejection of that founded on the firft refolution; but was fuccefsfully oppofed by Mr. Burke, who ably diftinguifhed himself throughout the proceedings. The bills before the house, he faid, reftored only what the wisdom of the British parliament had, on a former occafion, granted to Ireland. In the twelfth of Charles II. the British navigation act paffed, extending equally to Ireland. A kind of left-handed policy had, however, deprived her of the freedom enjoyed by that act, and fhe had ever fince remained under the most cruel, oppreffive, and unnatural restrictions, Deprived of every incentive to induftry, and excluded from every paffage to wealth, fhe had inwardly lamented, but never complained, of her condition. He did not mean, by defcribing her fituation, to engage the humanity of the houfe. The people of Ireland would not accept of favours; they called for justice, not pity; they requested Britain to be wise, not generous; to provide for her own good, and fecure her own interest, fenfible that wisdom and prudence would dictate, that to accomplish these, a contrary conduct towards them was neceffary. The annual revenue of the two kingdoms had been exultingly, but most inequitably, drawn into comparison, to prove that Ireland paid no proportion of tax. The number of inhabitants did not conftitute the fpecific difference in the article of taxation, but the distinction of internal opulence, and external advantage. Ac Thefe petitions were fo numerous, that a mere abftract of them occupies 4 octavo pages, closely printed, on a very fmall type. cording 1778. cording to that rule of comparison, Ireland was taxed CHA P. in a quadruple proportion more than England. The XXXIII. internal wealth, and external advantage of trade and commerce, were forty times greater in England than in Ireland, who was taxed, although deprived of the means of payment by reftrictions on trade. "Enlarge her ability to pay," he faid, "and in proportion, augment her taxes. The low rate of labour is a nugatory argument, for till the price of labour is equal, the fuperiority of manufacture will remain with England. The price of labour rifes with the growth of manufacture; is highest when the manufacture is best; and where the price of labour is most advanced, the manufacturer is able to fell his commodity at the lowest price." He refifted the effect of the petitions, confidering them the mere offspring of conjecture. Ireland could not vie with England in manufactures; an act permitting the free exportation of manufactured iron, had not been profecuted; the only article imported under it into England was a quantity of corkfcrews, which though evidences of luxury, afforded but a feeble proof of excellence of manufacture. The bill for free importation of woollen-yarn into England, had been oppofed by petitions from every part of the country; yet experience compelled an acknowledgment of its beneficial tendency. It was abfurd to think a participation of manufacture would be detrimental; the woollen manufacture had been planted in different parts of the kingdom; and competition had not depreffed but promoted the trade. He lamented, that in one instance, his confcience impelled him to oppofe the wifhes, though not the interests, of his conftituents at Bristol; if, from his conduct, he should forfeit their fuffrages at an enfuing election, it would ftand on record, an example to future reprefentatives of the commons of England, that one man at leaft had dared to refift the defires of his constituents, when his judgment assured him they were wrong. VOL. IIK F THE • СНАР. 1778. • afforded. THE houfe divided in favour of the bills; the peXXXIII. titioners were afterward heard by counsel, and notwithstanding the general difpofition of parliament, 11th May. and the concurrence of both fides, in not confidering Small relief it as a party question, the clamour of the interested bore down the sense of the legislature; a fort of compromise was effected; moft of the advantages intended for Ireland were abandoned; fome enlargement was afforded to the linen trade, and fome openings allowed in the West India and African commerce; but the whole tranfaction was confidered rather as an earnest of future conceffion, than as a measure of present fatisfaction. if May. Addrefs of Catholics. DURING the feffion, a dutiful and modeft address was prefented to the king, figned by nine Roman the Roman Catholic peers; lord Surry, heir to the duke of Norfolk, and a hundred and fixty-three other commoners, affuring him of their respectful attachment to his perfon, and the civil conftitution of the country, which having been perpetuated through all changes of religious opinions and establishments, was at length perfected by that revolution which placed his majesty's illuftrious houfe on the throne, and infeparably united his title to the crown, with the laws and liberties of the people. Their exclufion from the benefits of that conftitution, did not diminish their reverence for it; they fubmitted with patience to such restrictions and difcouragements as the legislature thought expedient; they thankfully received fuch relaxations of rigour as the mildness of an enlightened age, and the benignity of his majesty's government, had gradually produced; and fubmiffively waited, without prefuming to fuggeft either time or meafure, for fuch further indulgence as thofe happy causes muft, in their own feafon, effect. Their diffent from the establishment was purely conscientious; they held no opinions adverse to government, or repugnant to the duties of • 126 to 77. good |