and impolitic. If it is intended as a tax upon property, neither in the original criterion, viz. the affelfed taxes of 1795, nor in the propofed relief, do we recognise any juft principles of taxation, or perceive any fair or adequate method fuggefted for the impartial diftribution of the burden. Because the relief propofed in the bill to thofe who may, by the increase of their affeffed taxes, be liable to pay more than the tenth of their income, requires a difclo. fure of their pecuniary, circumftances, which is contrary to the customs and prejudices of Englishmen, and repugnant to the principles of the conftitution; and which to perfons engaged in commerce or trade must be attended with yet greater inconveniences than the payment of more than the tenth of their income. Furthermore, this regulation appears to us an indirect breach of the faith fo often and facredly pledged to the ftockholder; for, fhould the whole of the income of any individual claiming this relief confift in a dividend upon stock, a tenth of that income is immediately facrificed, and the dividend, in violation of the faith of the parliament and the nation, diminished one-tenth by the intervention of government. Because the operation of this bill is not confined to a definite period of time, but, by the most wanton violation of juftice, remains in force till a certain fum is produced; thus exacting from the honest the deficiencies which may have been occafioned by accidental circumftances, by the defigns or the diftrefs of individuals, by the favour or the neglect of the collectors. (Signed) HOLLAND. MeJoge from his Majefty to Parliament, delivered by Mr. Dundas, April 20, 1798. G. R. His majesty thinks proper to acquaint the house of commons, that, from various advices received by his majesty, it appears that preparations are making on the part of the French government, by the embarkation of troops and warlike ftores, and by the increafing activity of the fleets in the ports of France, Flanders, and Holland, with the defign of invading his majefty's dominions; and that in fuch defign they have been encou raged by the communications and correfpondence of certain traitorous and difaffected societies in thefe kingdoms. To render fruitlefs fuch defigns, his majefty places the firmest reliance on the bravery of his fleets and armies, and on the zeal, patriotifn, and unthaken courage of his people, which has ever been manifefted in their general exertions for the defence of the country, and which are more than ever ne ceffary when called upon to defend all that is most dear to them. His majefty, in purfuance of the act of parliament for raifing a body of cavalry, has thought it right to to give directions for fuch regi ments of cavalry as are embodied to be drawn out; and it is his intention to order fuch parts of the fupplementary militia as are not yet embodied to be forthwith em bodied and drawn out, in purfir. ance of the communication already made to the house of commons on this fubject. His majefty thinks it incumbent on him to make the fulleft ufe of the means provided by parliament for the defence of the country; but but he alfo feels it indifpenfibly neceffary to defire the houfe of commons to confider, without delay, of fuch further measures as may be neceffary to enable his majefty to defeat the machinations of the wicked and traitorous perfons within this realm, and to guard against the defigus of its enemies abroad and at home. Speech of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland on opening the Sefion of Parliament, January 16, 1798. My lords and gentlemen, I have his majesty's commands to affemble you in parliament at this important period, and to refort to your deliberation and advice. When I reflect on the tranquillity which attended the late general election, I have just ground to believe that the wifdom and firmnefs which were manifefted by the late parliament were felt and approved by the nation at large, and that your conduct will be actuated by fimilar principles in defence of our happy conftitution. It must have given you great concern to learn that his majesty's endeavours to restore the bletings of peace have been again fruftrated by the defperate anibition of the French government. I have his majefty's commands to lay before you his royal declaration, and the various papers which paffed in the courfe of the late negotiation, in which the magnanimity and moderation of his majefty were fo eminently difplayed, as to leave no pretext or colour for the infidious conduct and fallacious ftatements of the enemy. His majefty relies with confidence on the spirit of his people of Ireland, who are fenfible of their duty to their God, their fovereign, and their country. He knows they are incapable of being intimidated by any threats, or deluded by any offers; and he implicitly depends on the valour of his regular and militia forces, the active loyalty of the diftrict corps, the courage of the nation, and the prowefs of his fleets and armies, for defeating every hoftile attempt which may be made on this kingdom. The late fignal victory of admiral lord Duncan over the Dutch fquadron, achieved on their own coafts with fuch profeffional fkill and heroic gallantry, has not only added fresh luftre to the glory of his majesty's navy, but has given new ftrength and fecurity to all his majefty's dominions. Gentlemen of the house of commons. I have ordered the public accounts, and the estimates for the enfuing year, to be laid before you; I lament that additional burdens are ftill neceffary, in order to maintain the honour and fecurity of the empire in the prefent exigency; and although from the ftate of preparation in which this kingdom ftands, fome of the demands of former periods will not recur, yet I fear the general expenfe of the enfuing year will not admit of any confiderable reduction. When you reflect on all you have to preferve, and all you have to expect from the enemy you have to combat with, I doubt not the fupplies will be cheerfully granted. I fhall endea vour, on my part, that they fhall be faithfully applied. My lords and gentlemen, of of the houses of lords and commons in May laft, I directed immediate and vigorous measures to be taken for repreffing difaffection in the northern parts of the kingdom, and for reftoring fecurity and confidence to the loyal and well-difpofed; the effect of which has been manifefted in the return of fubordination and induftry in that quarter. Other attempts have ince been made by the leaders of the difaffected in fome parts of the midland and fouthern districts with too much fuccefs; and emiffaries have been employed, and publications have been circulated by them to revive religious animofities, and to open profpects of plunder, by which means the lower claffes have been excited to commit acts of the moft horrid outrage and barbarity. I have to lament that the diligence and activity of the magiftrates, though affifted by the troops which have been ordered into that part of the kingdom, have not yet been able entirely to put a stop to thofe difturbances. Conftant vigilance and unremitting exertions continue to be neceffary when all means are tried to excite the people to rebellion and revolt-when a fyftematic plan of affaffination is adopted and encouraged, and when the most audacious attempts are made to impede and prevent the adminiftration of juftice. Amidft your exertions for the defence of the kingdom, I muft not omit to recommend to you not to relax your attention to its commerce, its agriculture, and its manufactures, and efpecially to that of the linen; nor will your liberality be lefs confpicuous in continuing that protection to the proteftant -charter fchools, and the other charitable inftitutions under which they have fo long flourished.. 1798. His majefty has commanded me to declare to you, that his firm refolution is taken in the prefent arduous conteft. He will not be wanting to his people, but with them will ftand or fall in the defence of their religion, and in the prefervation of the independence, laws, and liberties of his kingdoms. It will be a fource of infinite fatisfaction to my mind, if, in the execution of my duty, I can contribute to fupport the generous determination of my fovereign, and maintain the fafety and profperity of his people. I rely upon your advice and co-operation; and, aided by them, I look forward with confidence to a happy iffue of the conteft in which we are engaged. Addrefs of the Speaker of the Trifk May it pleafe your excellency, Large as the fupplies of the laft feffion were beyond all former grants, thefe which the commons now offer to his majefty are not inferior; they go to the fullest extent of every fervice propofed by government, and are given with an unanimity and zeal which mark the unalterable determination of this kingdom to stand or fall with Great Britain, and fhow that our vigour rifes as the vaunting menaces of the enemy increafe. With the fame unanimity we have voted the maintenance of an army far greater than was ever kept up by this kingdom during any preceding war; and we have continued to them the augmentation of pay which was granted by the last parliament, and which your excellency did juftly ftate to that par (N) liament liament to be a seasonable and honourable acknowledgment on their part of the fteadinefs and loyalty of that army; the prefent parliament feels the fame fentiments to wards them. Repeated experience of the order and alacrity which they have shown on every occafion that has offered, confirms his majefty's faithful commons in thofe fentiments; and we join moft cordially with his majefty in his firm reliance on the valour of his regular and militia forces in this kingdom, which his majefty has been pleafed to exprefs in his gracious anfwer to our addrefs this feffion. While the courage, the vigour, and the difcipline of thofe forces muft render them formidable to the enemy, and enfure his defeat, fhould he be defperate enough to attempt invafion, their zeal, and that of the yeomen, to put down rebellion, to cruf infurrection, and to affift the executive power in protecting the loyal, the innocent, and well-difpofed, affords the moft convincing proof of their ardent and unflakeable attachment to the best sovereign, and beft conftitution, that ever blefied a free and happy people. We are free-and we will not tamcly give up our happiness. The loyal fpirit of the nation is able to crufh rebellion to atoms wherever it thall dare to fhow itfelf; and, with the firmnefs which fo ftrongly marks your excellency's character, with the conftant fuccefs which has attended every vigorous measure that neceflity has called on your excellency to adopt, we have nothing to fear. We have, indeed, to lament, that traitorous confpiracies can ftill continue, and that any men can be found in the land fo lost to every fenfe of patriotism, of humanity, of duty to themselves, their country, and their God, as to degrade the nation and the name of Irishman, by acts of ingratitude, barbarity, and affaffination, which would debafe a favage acts which call for the heavy hand of juftice, and which the ordinary power of the laws has proved inadequate to prevent the melancholy and frequent repetition of. But while we lament fuch a mortifying calamity, we have the fatisfaction of feeing how little its malignant influence, or the efforts of an exafperated and revengeful enemy has affected our commercial profperity. Notwithstanding the largeness of the fupplies, we have continued the ufual bounties and encouragement to the trade, the agriculture, and the manufactures of the kingdom; and we fee with fincere gratification the defirable effects of thofe encouragements, in the great increase of trade during the war, in the general confidence which attends private as well as public credit, in the unufual plenty which our agriculture fupplies, and in the profperous ftate of all our manufactures, but moft particularly of our great ftaple the linen. Speech of his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, on proroguing the Irish Parliament, O&. 8, 1798. My lords and gentlemen, I have the fatisfaction of acquainting you that I have received the king's commands to releafe you from your long and fatiguing attendance in parliament; and I am ordered to thank you, in his majefty's name, for the unfhaken firmnefs and magnanimity with which you have met the most trying difficulties, and with which the measures have been planned which you have adopted for the prefervation of your country. I offer you my most fincere congratulations on the glorious victory which has been obtained by his majesty's fquadron under the command of fir Horatio Nelfon, over the French fleet in the Mediterranean, which not only reflects the highest honour on the officers and feamen by whom it has been achieved, but affords a profpect of the most beneficial confequences to the future interefts of the British empire. Gentlemen of the houfe of commons, I am commanded to convey to you his majesty's particular thanks for the fupplies which you have fo liberally granted, and by which you have manifefted both the extent of the refources which this kingdom poffeffes, and the fpirit with which they are employed by the commons of Ireland for the prefervation of the ftate. His majefty laments the neceffity which calls for the impofition of fresh burdens on his majesty's fubjects; but he trufts that they will fee how much their prefent fafety and their future happiness depend on their exertions in the arduous conteft in which they are engaged; and he affures his faithful commons, that the aids which they have afforded shall be carefully applied to the great object of maintaining the honour and promoting the interefts of their country. My lords and gentlemen, The circumftances which have taken place fince its commencement must render this feffion ever memorable. The fouleft and darkeft confpiracy was formed and long carried on by the implacable enemy of thefe realms for the total extinction of the conftitution, and for the feparation of his majesty's kingdom of Ireland from Great Britain. By the unremitting vigilance of my predeceffor in this government, the treafon has been detected, the apprehenfion of the principal confpirators, and the falutary measures wifely adopted, checked its progrefs; and through your fagacious diligence it has been developed in all its parts, and traced to all its fources. A dangerous and wicked rebellion, the confequence of that confpiracy, has been in a great meafure fubdued, and the attempt of our inveterate enemy to rekindle the flame of civil difcord, by fend'ing a force into this country, has terminated in defeat. Religion, that greatest comfort and fupport of mankind, has been moft wickedly perverted to the purpose of inflaming the worst of paffions; and the vileft arts have been used to perfuade the ignorant and unwary, that in a reign which has been marked by a series of indulgences to all fects of Chriftians, it is the intention of his majesty's government to opprefs, and even to extirpate that defcription of his majesty's fubjects who have received repeated and recent marks of his favour and protection. The catholics of Ireland cannot but have obferved what has been the conduct of those who affect to be their friends, towards the rites and the characters which they venerate, and under whofe aufpices the perfecuted paftors of their church have found an afvlum. Amongst a number of offenders, fome moft active characters have neceffarily been felected as objects of public juftice; but in every period of this dangerous confpiracy the lenity of government and of parliament has been confpicu(N 2) ous, |