termined and unanimous in our refolution to refift all foreign interference. But inftructed as we are by a long series of events, and corrected by experience, we are bound by our duty, and compelled by neceffity, to fubmit to his Majefty our humble opinion that the fituation of the country is too critical, and the dangers that furround it are too serious, to admit of any further trial of the fame councils which have conftantly failed; or of the fame perfons, for whofe continuance in office, notwithstanding the heavy and unanfwered charges which have been brought against them, even themfelves have nothing to plead, but a feeble, unavailing rectitude of intention conftantly overpowered by the fuperior policy and vigour of the enemy, or a pretended apprehenfion, equally falfe and malignant, of the defigns and principles of those whom his Majesty might appoint to fucceed them in the adminiftration of public affairs, as if in the prefent cabinet were to be found the only efficient perfons whofe loyalty and attachment to the conftitution were free from all fuspicion and doubt.

That lamenting, as we do, the failure of the late negotiations for peace, we beseech his Majefty feriously to reflect whether, when conducted by his prefent minifters, there could be any reafonable hope of their fuccefs. We have not forgotten their haughty and fupercilious rejection of all offers of accommodation previous to the commencement of hoftilities; and we too well remember the terms of inveterate and irreconcilable enmity on which the conteft was placed at the outfet, and on which it has ever fince been conducted, to hope for any conciliatory difpofition between the enemy and the original advisers of the war. We cannot be furprised that any overture which may now be made by his Majefty's minifters, after having wilfully neglected, or infolently refufed, every favourable opportunity of negotiation, fhould be received as an acknowledgment of weaknefs and diftrefs, rather than as a proof of fincere difpofition to peace.

Further, to reprefent to his Majefty, that the fituation of the country is in all refpects pregnant with dangers unknown at any former period. Our domeftic diftrefs is great, and is hourly increafing; the principles of our free conflitution have been violated, and fome of the most effential fecurities of our liberties deftroyed; the connexion with our fifter kingdom is threatened with diffolution, and all the foundations of our importance and power in Europe are rendered precarious and uncertain.

To extricate us from fuch difficulties requires much fortitude and wifdom. For thefe qualities we cannot look to his Majetty's prefent advisers; under them we cannot hope for a fuccessful profecution of the war, fill lefs for the conclufion of a fecure and equitable peace.

We therefore fubmit this our humble reprefentation to his Majefty, trufting that his Majefty will fee, as we do, the urgent and

indifpenfable neceffity of employing other perfons, and of adopting

other councils.

[The above addrefs was rejected by a majority of 113 noncontents to 13 contents.]

Against this Decifion of the Houfe the following Proteft was entered on the Journals.

Diffentient,

BECAUSE we feel it to be a duty prescribed to us by neceffity, and dictated equally by our love for our country, and by our regard for the perfon and dignity of the King himself, to declare our folemn and confcientious conviction, that nothing fhort of an immediate difmiffal of his Majefty's prefent minifters, and a change of the fyftem on which they have conducted the government, can enable us to fupport our prefent accumulated diftrefs, or afford us a chance of averting the dangers with which we are on all fides furrounded, and which, if not encountered with adequate fortitude and wifdom, threaten certain ruin and diffolution to the power, laws, and liberties of thefe kingdoms.

BEDFORD.

NORFOLK.

HOLLAND.

The following Refolution was moved by Lord Romney, in the Houfe of Lords, on the 22d March 1798, and agreed to.

RESOLVED, That in a crifis in which all the interefts of our country are at ftake, we have feen with peculiar fatisfaction that the zeal and public fpirit of every rank of our fellow-fubjects has rifen in proportion to the magnitude of the occafion; and that, animated on our part by the fame fentiments, we deem it our indifpenfable duty, inftead of distracting the councils of our Sovereign with propofals of change, to renew the declaration of our invariable adherence to the principles which have governed his Majefty's councils, and in which his Parliament has uniformly concurred, for the fecurity of thefe kingdoms against foreign at tack, and for the maintenance of our religion, laws, and conftitution.

On the 20th April the following Meffage was brought down to the Houfe of Commons, from his Majefly, by M. Dundas.

G. R.

HIS

IS Majefty thinks it proper to acquaint the Houfe of Commons, that, from various advices received by his Majefty, it appears that preparations for the embarkation of troops and warlike ftores are now carried on with confiderable and increafing acVOL. VII.

4 D

tivity'

tivity in the ports of France, Flanders, and Holland, with the avowed defign of attempting the invafion of his Majesty's dominions; and that in this defign the enemy is encouraged by the communications and correfpondence of traitorous and difaffected perfons and focieties in thefe kingdoms.

His Majefty places the firmeft reliance (under the bleffing of Divine Providence) on the bravery of his fleets and armies, and on the zeal, public fpirit, and unfhaken courage of his faithful people, already manifested in the voluntary exertions of all ranks of his fubjects for the general defence, more than ever neceffary, at a moment when they are called upon to defend all that is most dear to them.

His Majefty, in purfuance of the act paffed in the last feffion of Parliament for raifing a provifional body of cavalry, has thought it right to give directions for fuch regiments of cavalry to be drawn out and embodied; and it is alfo his Majefty's intention to order the part not yet embodied, of the augmentation made to the militia, under the act of the laft feffion, to be forthwith embodied and drawn out, in purfuance of his Majefty's communication already made to the Houfe of Commons on this fubject.

His Majefty feels it incumbent on him to make the fullest use of the extenfive means provided by Parliament for the national defence; but he feels it at the fame time, under the circumftances that he has ftated, ncceffary to recommend it to the Houfe of Commons to confider, without delay, of fuch further measures as may enable his Majefty to defeat the wicked machinations of difaffected perfons within thefe realms, and to guard against the defigns of the enemy, either abroad or at home.

Mr. Dundas moved the following Addrefs, which was agreed to. THAT an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, to return his Majefty the humble thanks of this House for his most gracious meffage; and to affure his Majefty, that this House will without delay proceed to the confideration of the interesting fubjects therein mentioned, with all the attention which their importance to the fafety of these kingdoms requires.

[On the fame day a fimilar meffage was prefented to the Houfe of Lords, and a fimilar addrefs with the above agreed to.]

On the 23d April the Duke of Portland brought down the following Meffage from his Majefty to the House of Lords.

G. R.

HIS

IS Majefty recommends it to the Houfe to confider of enabling his Majefty to make remittances from time to time, to be applied to the fervice in Ireland, in fuch manner as shall be

approved

approved by the Parliament of that kingdom, as fhall not exceed the fum of two millions, on provision being made for interest, and charges upon a loan to that amount.

[An addrefs of thanks to his Majefty for the above meffage was moved and carried.-On the 24th April Mr. Pitt brought down to the House of Commons a fimilar meflage, which was ordered to be referred to a committee of fupply of the whole House.]

On the 12th June 1798, Mr. Pitt brought down to the Houfe of Commons the following Meffage from his Majefty.

G. R.

HIS Majefty, relying on the experienced zeal and affection of his faithful Commons, and confidering that it may be of the utmost importance to provide for fuch emergencies as may arife in this critical conjun&ture, is defirous that the House will enable him to take all fuch meafures as may be neceffary to disappoint or defeat any enterprifes or defigns of his enemies, and as the exigencies of affairs may require.

[His Majefty's meffage was ordered to be referred to a committee of fupply of the whole Houfe.-A fimilar meffage was prefented on the fame day to the Houfe of Lords, by Lord Grenville, and an address of thanks to his Majesty agreed to.]

On the 14th June 1798, Mr. Sheridan moved, in the House of Commons,

THAT a committee be appointed to take into confideration the

ftate of Ireland.

The motion was negatived by a majority of 159 to 43.]

On the fame Day Mr. Sheridan moved,

THAT an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majesty, to submit an opinion to his Majefty, that the deplorable ftate of Ireland calls for an immediate and total change of councils and measures in that kingdom: That if the fyftem of coercion, enforced in the manner it has been, fhall fucceed to the full extent of the most fanguine expectations of those who have advised it, the conquest of a defert is all that can be obtained by it; and that Ireland, fo reduced and fo defolated, can be no way preferved but by a continued waste of the wealth and ftrength of Great Britain, for which no other return from that country can be rationally expected but implacable hatred waiting for revenge: That if thefe measures fail, the poffibility of which no wife government could leave out of its 4D 2 calcu

calculation, Ireland will not merely be loft, but may become an acceffion to the power of France, and England be exposed to the iffue of a conteft on English ground, not for acquifition or dominion, but probably for exiftence. We fhould fail in the duty we have undertaken, if we did not at the fame time exprefs to your Majesty our abfolute conviction that no change of fyftem in Ireland would be effectual to its purpose, without a removal of those perfons whofe counfels have produced the prefent calamities, and who cannot in reafon be confidered as capable of correcting their own errors, or of attempting it with fincerity; and whose past conduct, both in practice and profeffion, renders it impoffible for them, even were they to act on a fincere conviction of past errors, to raife an expectation in Ireland of fuch a government, on temperate principles, as might difpofe the people to fubmit to the regular and indifpenfable reftraints of juftice administered according to law, or even to accept of conceffion without diftruft, or of benefits with gratitude.-Nothing, in our opinion, but a total change of men as well as measures can prevent the otherwife certain alienation, and more than poffible feparation, of that country from Great Britain.

[The motion was negatived without a divifion.]

On the 15th June the Duke of Leinfter moved in the House of Lords, THAT a committee be appointed to inquire into the causes of the prefent calamitous ftate of Ireland.

[The motion was negatived by a majority of 51 to 18.]

On the 18th June 1798, Mr. Dundas prefented the following Message from his Majefty.

G. R.

HIS Majefty thinks proper to acquaint the House of Commons,

that the officers, non-commiffioned officers, and privates of different regiments of the militia of this kingdom have made to his Majesty a voluntary tender of their fervices, to be employed in aid of the regular and militia forces of this kingdom, to suppress the rebellion now unhappily exifting in Ireland.

His Majefty has received with the utmost fenfibility this striking and feasonable proof of their ardent zeal and attachment to his perfon and government, and of affectionate concern for the interefts and fafety of his Majefty's faithful and loyal fubjects in Ireland and conceiving that the being able to avail himself of this new and diftinguished inftance of public fpirit may eventually be of the utmost importance for the prefervation of the lives and proS perty