mained in this kingdom, from the 1ft of January, 1771, to the 1ft of October, 1773, diftinguifhing each quarter refpectively. 119. An account of the amount of the arrears due on the civil and military eftablishment at Lady-day, 1773. On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the houfe received, 120. A particular account of the arrears due upon the military establishment of this kingdom, (the half-pay officers and widows of officers excepted) the 31ft of March, 1773. 121. An account of all arrears really due upon the civil establishment on the 25th of March, 1773. 122. The king's letter for reuniting the boards of cuftoms and excise. 123. An account of the imports and exports of corn, wheat, rye, meslin, bere, barley, malt, oats, flour, and meal, from the 25th of March, 1743, to the 25th of March, 1758, specifying the quantity imported and exported in each year respectively. 124. The like account from the 25th of March, 1758, to the 25th of March, 1773. On Wednesday, Nov. 17, were prefented, 125. An exact account of the ballance due to the linen board at Lady-day, 1773. 126. An account of the produce of the duties arifing from houfe fpirits, for ten years, ending Lady-day, 1773, diftinguishing the produce of each year. On Thursday, Nov. 18, were received, 127. An account of the arrears due at Lady-day, 1773, upon fuch of his majefty's letters as had been prefented at the treafury for payment, previous to that day. 128. An account of arrears at Ladyday, 1773, upon parliamentary grants and allowances. On Friday, Nov. 19, were prefented, 129. An account of what fums of public money remained in the hands of the teller of the exchequer, on the 25th day of March, 1773, and alfo on the 13th of November, 1773. 130. The amount of the military pen-. fions, from the 31st of March, 1763, to the prefent time, diftinguishing each year. On Friday, Nov. 26, was laid before the house, 131. An account of all new officers, and additional charges, which appear October 177A upon incident, during the period of lord Townshend's adminiftration. On Monday, Nov. 29, was prefented, 132. An account of the quantities, and feveral fpecies of goods, and merchandizes exported out of, and imported into the kingdom of Ireland, for two years, ending the 25th of March, 1773, each year diftinguished, with the amount of duties payable on each article, in each year, and total amount of the whole. On Saturday, Decem. 11, were prefented, 133! An account of the quantity of corn, meal, and flour brought into Dublin by land carriage, for which the premnium has been paid, between the 25th of March, 1771, and the 25th of March, 1772. 134. The like account between the 25th of March, 1772, and the 25th of March, 1773. On Monday, Dec. 13, was received, 135. An account of the quantity of flour and wheat imported into the kingdom of Ireland for thirty years, ending the 25th of March, 1773, each year diftinguished. These were all the accounts received to the 30th of December, 1773, on which day the house adjourned, until the 20th of January, 1774. On Monday the 8th of Nov. after the committee of accounts had clofed, and the fpeaker had taken the chair, a small contention arofe, on a motion of Sir William Mayne, to have the particulars of every eftimate, which was foon withdrawn. James Cavendish, Efq; (fon of Sir Henry Cavendish) being returned for the borough of Lifford, in the county of Donegal, took the oaths and his feat in the houfe. 64 Mr. Attiwell Wood then faid, "as a bill was depending in the house, " for a further encouragement for papifts to turn proteftants; in order "to fee how far it was neceffary, it was proper to know the number of confor"mifis, fince the reign of queen Anne; "and, therefore, moved, that an ac"count of all the certificates of con"formity, fince that period, should be "laid before the houfe; which was care "ried." Another little debate then arofe on a motion of Mi. Fortefcue, relating to a fum of money neceffary for compleatine the circular road. But it being oppof Goog Mr. Barry Barry then arofe and faid, "from the former candour of a right "hon. gentleman (colonel Blaquiere) "he hoped that he would now, if matters were ripe, acquaint the house with "the fyftem and intentions of govern"ment, that gentlemen might confider "of them, as they were next Monday "to go into the committee of fupplies." Colonel Blaquiere, in compliance with Mr. Barry's request, got up, and in a a fpeech which lafted upwards of an hour, delivered to the house a full account of what were the intentions of the prefent adminiftration. He opened his difcourfe by obferving that government did not intend to keep from the commons what they purpofed to do, as a fecret; he then expatiated on the very great arrear that was due, the heavy national debt, the decreasing revenue, the large annual expence that the kingdom laboured under, and how necellary it was to ftrike out fome expedient for its relief: he faid, indeed, that things had, in ma. ny refpects, been exaggerated; that the nation was not in fo bad a condition, but that prudence, economy and firmnefs might not only retrieve what was paft, but render flourishing that which was to come; that gentlemen had enlarged the diftreffes we laboured under, by making this kingdom a fingular example; whereas, throughout all Europe, there was a general failure, which had almoft occafioned a univerfal bankruptcy; that Ireland was not to expect it would remain an uninterested fpectator in the general calamity, for that it was only reafonable to fuppofe it thould have a fhare in the fate, being fo nearly connected in the confequences that attended the reft of Europe. He mentioned that the ambitious defigns of Pruffia, who had an army of 224,000 men on foot, though he poffeffed but a mere fpan of territory, had obliged other powers to encrease greatly their national expences; that Great Britain was alfo forced to a political expence; and the chargeable review of the navy at Portsmouth, and the exercifing fleets fent to the bay of Bifcay, were not unneceffary expences, but had a deeper defign than many people imagined. He faid that he was no champion for the laft adminiftration, nor did the prefent intend to adopt its measures: et it must be obferved, that the bad ftate of the nation was not wholly owing to the mifmanagement or profufion of that adminiftration. The bounties, premiums, and parliamentary grants for the encouragement of arts and manufactures, amounting to one half of all the fupplies, caused a great decrease of the revenue, in the duty on imports; for in proportion as we improved our manufac tures, fo there was a decrease in the imports of thofe kinds of manufactures Thus if our charge had been increased, and our money expended, it had purchafed fuch an improvenient as tended to make this kingdom more flourishing. The augmentation had been reprefented by a member on the fecond bench (Mr. Chapman) a few days fince, as having coft the nation double the expence mentioned in the estimate, which induced the houfe to agree with that meafure: but that was a mistake: the charge had exceeded the eflimate, but that was partly owing to a new regulation of all his majefty's troops, of making the ais companies in each regiment into ten, and fome contingencies that were then unforefeen; that he did not look on that act of government as unneceffary; that it was a matter of falvation to the kingdom, and that until the addition was made to our military forces, and the late regulation, we had no army at all. He then proceeded to ftate, that the arrears on the 29th of September lat amounted to 370,4591. but that towards the discharge of that there was in hand the fum of 76,4651. which would reduce the arrear to 293,9941. He owned alfo, that the yearly deficiency of the revenue to pay the annual charge of the nation amounted to 138,3401. 6s. id. if. and if all this was fuffered to accumulate, the nation indeed must be ruined. But yet as reformation had been begun by government, fo it would be continued without the affiftance of the very accurate gentleman on the floor (Sir William Mayne). To provide for this arrear, without incurring a new debt, and to make the revenue and the annual expence go hand in hand together, was the intention of the prefent adminiftration; in which, indeed, fome new taxes were in confideration, which would be nothing equal to the taxes in Britain. That there the poor labourer, when he rifes to pursue his work, is obliged to pay for the light which ufhers in his morning of toil; and that, when the bufinefs of the day is finished, and he retires to reft, the very ruth candle is excised which directs him to his bed of ftraw. He obferved that -England and Ireland were clofely allied, and that it did not matter whether this was the mother or the fifter kingdom; that the fame care was neceffary to preferve both. That it was true, there was a diftinction between the two nations; that it was a Line which the wisdom of the legislature had drawn, and such a one as he hoped never to fee broken. He continued, "That he would be very candid with the houfe. The fum intended to be asked would be 300,000l. (the arrear to be provided for) by annuities, with furvivorship, at fix per cent. The charges of government to be provided for partly by a reduction of expence, which had been begun already in the re-union of the two boards, by which, and some other savings, together with a reduction of the quantium of premiums for land carriage of corn, would reduce the charges 100,000l. The new taxes in contemplation, were an additional duty on tobacco; an increase of the duty on all other wines to bring them on a par with Spanish wines, (by which 22000l. a year would be gained, though the advance on fuch wines would not exceed a penny a bottle;) a duty on cards; a duty on wrought plate; an additional duty on all geneva and brandy, of fix-pence per gallon, and on all other fpirits imported, two-pence per gallon; and also a duty on ftamps, which would add a fecurity to public tranfactions. Thefe, with an abfentee tax, would not only encrease the revenue, fo as to anfwer the yearly expences, but lay a foundation for a finking fund, by which in twelve or fourteen years time, the whole debt of the nation might be difcharged. He then enlarged on the propriety of these measures, and affured the houfe, that as it was his duty to correfpond with the British minifters (lord North and lord Rochford) he had faithfully reprefented the state of this kingdom, and had found them very ready to contribute every thing to its relief: fo that Ireland was not paft the power of redemption, bad as the state of it had been represented, and that the time of its being redeemed was near at hand. Mr. Barry Barry thanked the right Hon. member for his candor and explicitnefs, and declared, that he had great confidence in the prefent adminiftration; which confidence had urged him to be against the motion for a new committee of enquiry, laft Wednesday. Sir William Mayne faid, he only rofe up, that gentlemen might not depart the houfe with an idea that the state of the nation was in fo good a way as had been juft now reprefented. That he was against a sinking fund, as a dangerous weapon in the hand of a minifter; for that last year the British parliament had given the whole of that facred depofit to the minifiry, for the fervice of one year. And added, a finking fund was quite unneceffary in Ireland, which had been in a finking way for five years paft. Mr. Chapman excufed himself for having faid the charges of the augmentation had doubled the eftimate; that he spoke from information, which was what every perfon had a right to.-That he was not perhaps fo well informed as the right honourable gentleman; that he thanked him for the very genteel and delicate manner in which he had taken notice of the error; that he could not however coincide in imagining the kingdom to be in fo good a ftate as many members in the house represented; that the expences exceeded the income, as he before mentioned, and that whilft fuch a conduct was purfued, the kingdom was undoubtedly running, its own ruin; that the nation now was in the cafe of a prodigal gentleman, who by living beyond his income was obliged to mortgage part of his eftate; that the money he had raised on this mortgage was lavished alfo, and that he now wanted a further fum to fave him from deftruction; that he applied to his friends to lend him money; but they feeing no modes of real œconomy purfued, refufe to ferve him, unless he does immediately difband his useless train of fervants and dependents; leffen all unneceffary expences, and, when they are affur.d of his beginning to retrench, they then, and not till then, will affift him. He faid he believed he was right in his formerly mentioning the decay of trade; and it was warranted by a calculation which a right reverend prelate lately made, that upwards of twenty thousand inhabitants had emigrated from this country to feek bread in a foreign land, by thofe means of industry which could not obtain them fubfiften.e in their own; and he concluded, with obferving, how happy he was in fin lin that the right Hon. Secretary did confider himself as the political lega J 1 deriving under the will of the deceafed adminiftration. Sir Lucius O'Brien joined Sir William Mayne in his opinion of the bad ftate of the nation, which he attributed folely to lord Townfhend: who, he faid, if he had been Viceroy of Peru, would have left that kingdom as poor as he left Ireland. He faid, new taxes would demand new officers to collect them, and, yet might not advance the grofs revenue, fince one part might be leffened to augment another. He alfo maintained, that the bounties had been well beftowed, and had encreafed the revenue, especially the corn premiums. That tobacco was already taxed as high as it could bear, and that taxing it higher would, in his opinion, be a dangerous expedient. That if gentlemen's coaches, and all other neceffaries were to be taxed, he looked up on an absentee bill to be, indeed, a very proper one, to keep thofe gentlemen in the kingdom who otherwife would be forced, from the encreafing expence of every article of life, to quit it for fome cheaper country. He concluded by moving, that the proper officers do lay before this houfe, on exact account of the duty on all tobacco imported between March 25, and September 29, in the prefent year. Ordered. Mr. Gorge feared that the reprefentation of our affairs was too favourably made, faid we were in a much worfe condition; yet expressed his hopes of redrefs from the prefent administration. General Gifbourne fpoke in favour of Col. Blaquiere's reprefentation of the charge of the augmentation. The Marquis of Kildare declared his difapprobation of new taxes, and faid that the country was already too much burthened with old ones; that it was very proper to tax the luxuries of life, and wondered that, among other articles, lap dogs were not included. On Thursday Nov. 9, whilft the committee of accounts was fitting, Mr. Barry Barry, in examining the arrears returned by the deputy vice-treafurer, found the fum of 1500l. fet down as an arrear due on the penfion of Je. remiah Dyfon, Efq. He called to read the refolution relative to that penfion, paffed November, 1771, that that penfion ought not to be provided for: and then moved, that that article fhould be ftruck off: But it appeared that fome of the money was due before the Refotion paffed, he then moved to strike off 1250l. This was oppofed, not as to the measure, but to the mode; and it was agreed it fhould not be as a refolution, but that the chairman fhould omit that fum in his report of the arrears to the house. The speaker then took the chair, and Mr. Fitzgibbons arofe and declared his intention of entering into a detail of the real fate of the nation, which, he said, was very deplorable. But as the house was thin, it was agreed that that subject should be taken up at an early hour tomorrow. He was afked on what particular heads, that gentlemen might come prepared? He answered, that he would prove they were not able to grant the fupplies. The Marquis of Kildare prefented a petition of the mafter, wardens and brethren of the corporation of weavers, fetting forth that the manufactures of Great Britain and Ireland were greatly injured by the great importation, and univerfal wear of muflins, and other East India manufactures, and prayed relief by a difcouragement thereof. This petition was read and referred to the grand commitee of trade. Mr. Maunfell, fen. (member for the borough of Killmullock in the county of Limerick) moved for leave to bring in heads of a bill to enable papists, upon the terms, and fubject to the provifoes therein mentioned, to take leafes for lives of lands, tenements, and hereditaments, Leave was given after a fhort oppofition, and Mr. Maunfel, fen. and Mr. Robert Fitzgerald were ordered to prepare the fame. Sir William Parsons, bart. (knight of the fhire for the King's County) moved for leave to bring in heads of a bill, for fhortening the duration of parliaments. This was oppofed by Mr. James Brown, Mr. Mason, General Gisborne, Colonel Brown, Mr. Prime Serjeant, Mr. Scot, and Mr. Tighe, who were against giving leave to introduce fuch a bill; but the propriety was urged, and defended by the Marquis of Kildare, Sir Edward Newenham, Mr. Ponsonby, Serjeant Dennis, Mr. Ogle, and Mr. Hamilton. Upon the question being put, the fpeaker declared the Ayes had it; but the houfe began to divide, till the Noes faw what numbers went out in favour of the bill, and then gave it up; and Sir William Parfons, Sir Richard St. George, bart. (member for the borony of Athlone in the county of Weft-meath) the Marquis of Kildare and Mr. Lloyd the other knight of the hire for the King's county, were ordered to prepare the fame. Colonel Burton moved for leave to hring in heads of a bill for the paving, lighting and cleanfing the ftreets of the city and county of the city of Dublin; and Colonel Burton, Mr. Agar, Mr. Hellen and Mr. Latouche, were ordered to prepare the fame. Lord Kildare prefented a petition of Achmet Borumbadad, founder of the Dublin baths, craving aid of parliament, which was referred to a committee. Hiftories of the Tete-a-Tete annexed; or, P To depict the character of our prefent hero, we must take the great outline of nobility, who travel not to fee but to be seen; incapable of obfervation, they only afford it to foreigners, who have too many opportunities of pronouncing My Lord Anglois a real John Bull. In his tour through France and Italy, he difplayed his tafte more in the choice of his Grifettes than his Vertu, affociating with his countrymen to attain the purity of the French and Italian languages, and a thorough knowledge of the polity, intereft, and views of the different courts he vifited *. He confequently returned an accomplished traveller, and had an unqueftionable right to expect promotion in the ftate; to this end he courted the friendfhip and protection of the late D. of N. who was then the ruling demagogue in the county of Suffex, where his lordfhip had alfo fome intereft. The firft fruits of this patronage were his being nominated Lord L- -t of that county. His grace had, it is well affured, made intereft for his lordship's being created and earl; but we know not to what motives to afcribe his lordship's rejecting this elevated dignity: fome attribute it to pride, others to a difguft he had taken at not being appointed to a more honourNOTE. * His friends, indeed, gave out that this behaviour was to be attributed to another caufe than the want of curiofity. They faid that the genuine fpirit of an English baron prevailed, and he would not condefcend to affociate even with Italian princes, as he thought them far in ferior to a British private gentleman. able and lucrative poft than that which His lordship had from his youth a natural propenfity to variety amongst the fair fex; his travels abroad had furnithed him with many opportunities of gratifying this difpofition; and as gallantry and politnefs go hand in hand upon the continent, this indulgence was not confidered as any way criminal, but, on the other hand, meritorious. It is true that a Frenchman, or an Italian upon the ton, plumes himself upon being the cher amant, or the cicefbeo of fome woman of confequence, and rather thinks it degrading to put up with Grifettes and profeffed proftitutes: but foreigners, and especially Englishmen, are unwilling to give themfelves the trouble of cementing a connexion of fuch an elevated rank; and, indeed, as they feldom fojourn long in one place, they may be held excufable for putting up with thofe momentary gratifications which every city affords in the perfons of the profeffed Thais's of the place. Upon our hero's return from his travels he married a moft amiable lady related to the D. of N. and widow of a man of rank and confequence. With this lady he feemed completely happy, and more than ftudious to pleafe and requite her affiduities. Probably this dif pofition would have ftill prevailed, had he not renewed an acquaintance with a certain little French Abbe, whom his lordship had seen in Paris, and who artfully infinuated himfelf into his patron's good graces. The Abbe was, in every fenfe of the word, an Avanturier. Without a fortune, but with ductile talents, he figured in the world as a man of fashion; he dreffed, wenched, and gamed equal to any nobleman in the metropolis; and in the country he had invitations on all hands to pafs weeks and months at almost every villa of confequence in the kingdom. The truth is, to fpeak in my lord Chefterfield's manner, he had ftudied and courted the Graces: he poffeffed in a very high degree that duplicity fo ftrongly recommended by that great and honourable genius; and if his intrigues did not extend to courts in a political fenf they were at least introduced there in |