approve of. Thus were the approved principles, spirit, and substance of their speaker's address to the lord lieutenant, when carried into detail and practice, rejected by the very persons, who were supposed to have spoken through the mouth of the approver. The patriots however, although sensible, that no motion from their side of the house would ever be adopted by the majority, who in Lord Clare's phrase were kept steady in their ranks, yet they resolved, that their zealous, though ineffec tual exertions to heal the wounds of their expiring country should be handed down to posterity, whose impartial judgment no interest would sway. After the speech of the lord lieutenant to both houses of parliament had been read by order, a motion was made, and the question put (though afterwards negatived by a majority of 77), "That an humble address be presented to his majesty, humbly to lay ourselves at his majesty's feet, to assure him of our unshaken affection to his person and government, to lay before him the state of this nation, declaring our readiness and zeal to support, in the most honourable manner, the necessary expences of his government, and the dignity of his crown; that, however in the present session of parliament we have granted the supplies which were asked for the support of the present establishments, yet we should deceive his majesty. if we suffered him from thence to conceive, that the expence of those establishments could meet with the continued support, or entire approbation of his faithful commons. That the expences of his majesty's government have so increased in the course of twenty years, that the charge of the civil list alone has nearly doubled in that period. That one of the many causes of that increase is the rapid and astonishing growth of the pension list, now more than ever an object of universal complaint; a list, which does now greatly exceed the expences of all other charges of the civil list, even in its present state, and does considerably exceed the whole civil list at Lady-day, 1775, and is nearly double the charge of the pension list at that period, when it was so extravagant, that the commons, sensible of its weight, entered unanimously into the following resolution, which, with many others against it, were laid before his late majesty:

"Resolved, That the granting of so much of the public reve"nue in pensions, is an improvident disposition of the revenue, an injury to the crown, and detrimental to the public." That this increase in the pension list is more severely felt by his majesty's subjects, when they consider that its present extravagance does not appear to have any foundation or excuse in the public service, or private want of those, who principally compose it; and his majesty's faithful subjects have reason to believe,

*9 Com. Journ. p. 406.

that in a list so greatly augmented in favour of such persons, and in times of accumulating debt, the real names of some of those pensioners, and the merits of more, have not been truly laid before him. That another cause of this increase is, a number of new, great, and additional salaries in the nature of pensions, annexed to lesser offices, mostly sinecures, or of so insignificant a trust, that the frugality of former times allotted to them small salaries. That another cause is the creation of new employments, or the annexing great salaries to old offices, that became obsolete, because they were useless. That offices so created, or revived, or endowed with great additional salaries, are become a heavy charge upon his majesty's faithful subjects, unnecessary to the dignity of his crown, and under a prince of less virtue, dangerous to the constitution.... That his majesty's predecessors were graciously pleased to confine military contingences and concordatum to certain bounds; but in the last two years, during a considerable part of which time a great proportion of the army was not on the establishment, the exceedings on military contin gencies were greater by far than in the two former years, and greater than ever was known in Ireland, of which unexampled excess, a very considerable part does not appear to be expended for military purposes, but is an inferior pension list, applied to the use of persons, many of whom, from their occupation or sex, cannot be comprehended within the meaning of a military contingency. That the charge for exceedings on concorda tum, like that of military contingencies, has greatly exceeded its limit, and in its excess and application is a grievance. That the original establishment was 10,000% that the exceeding of Lady. day, 1777, was above 50,000l. an exceeding greater than ever was known before, part of which was for secret service, an expence suspicious from its nature, and alarming from its growth. That the exceedings on military contingencies and concordatum are the more an object of our jealousy, as we pre sume they are the more unbounded, because they do not come under the previous inspection of his majesty, and to this we attribute the abuses which have prevailed in both, and the appli cation of great sums of public money to purposes, which do not seem to belong to said establishments, or to any branch of the expence of government.

That in 1773, his majesty's faithful commons did grant seve ral new duties; that they were induced to such grant by a reliance then had on the faith of his majesty's ministers, plighted by the most solemn assurances publicly made to his commons, that the then expences of government should be greatly retrenched, so that the new grants of the people, and the stipulated retrenchment by the ministry, should unite to estabĺsh a system of equalization, and put an end to the ruinous practice of running in debt. That his majesty's faithful commons have performed

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their part of the engagement, by raising the revenue; but that the expences of this government, instead of being diminished, have been beyond example increased, insomuch that the commons did, in this session of parliament, come unanimously to the following resolutions: "Resolved, That the nett produce of the "unappropriated revenue for the two years ending at Lady-day, "1777, as stated in the accomptant-general's paper, No. 5, "including occasional payments, exceeded the produce of the "said revenue for the two years, ending at Lady-day, 1775, in "the sum of 214,2977. 5s. 113d." "Resolved, That the charge "of the military establishment from Lady-day, 1775, to Lady"day, 1777, was less than the charge of that establishment in "the two former years, in the sum of 98,240l. 16s. 43d." "Resolved, That it appears from the accomptant-general's paper, "No. 3, that the total amount of public charges, exclusive of appropriated funds, and deducting the charge on account of "Duncannon Fort, for the two years ending Lady-day, 1777, was 1,629,073/. 5s. 21d. and exceeded the produce of the reve"nue applicable thereto, in the sum of 82,130/. 19s. 1d."" That it appears, that the highest revenue ever known in this country does not equal the expences of government, even when a great proportion of the arm; is not on the establishment. That the bounty of his majesty's commons has had little effect, other than to encourage new and unnecessary expences, whereby his faithful commons are subject to a still accumulating debt; and likewise to those taxes granted for the sole purpose of putting an end to so ruinous a practice. That as the expences of government when the army return, will be considerably greater, so the revenue upon an average calculation, will be probably less than in the two last years: that the revenues have already gone back in the half year ending last September, above 100,000l. And accordingly his majesty's ministers, finding themselves unable to support the present charges of government, without increas ing the debt of the nation, though aided by all the new taxes, and though a great proportion of the army was not upon the establishment, did apply for a loan of 160,000l. bringing down the arrear to the 29th of last September, a method which has not been the usual resort of his majesty's ministers, and which bespeaks their sense of the state of the nation.

That, at the conclusion of the last war, his majesty was graciously pleased to order the then chief governor of Ireland, to recommend to his faithful commons a diminution of the then debt, and a reduction of the then expences of government, that the debt of the nation, as resolved, was then 521,1617. 16s. Od; that the debt of the nation at Lady-day, 1777, was not less than 834,086/. 19s. 3d.; and the nation is likewise subject to the pay of certain life annuities, at the rate of 61. per

cent. for the sum of 440,000l. besides 166,000% provided for by loan this session of parliament; in all 1,440,086l. 19s. 3d. of which the greater part has been accumulated since the peace, and more particularly within these few years last past, notwithstanding the new tax granted to put an end to the ruinous practice of running in debt. That the loan duties were the last session of parliament increased; and when the loan of the present session shall be resorted to, will in all probability be exhausted. That the expences, which have out-run the abilities of the people, appear the more alarming, because his majesty's faithful commons cannot be apprized what bounds are intended to be put to them. That even though we could be induced to think that such expences were the objects of support, not of retrenchment, yet an attempt to lay new duties upon import, export, or home consumption, would probably depress the old duty, and hazard or destroy the weakly remains of the trade of Ireland. That we humbly hope his majesty will forgive us for having delayed so long to lay before him the real state of this country, a country labouring under the severest restrictions in trade, and under a heavy weight of taxes, which are yet exceeded by her expence. That we have waited as far as was consistent with our duty to his majesty, or to those whom we represent, confiding in the solemn and repeated assurances of economy from time to time received from his majesty's ministers; that at length harassed by a course of unnecessary expence, we can no longer refrain from laying the state of this nation at the foot of the throne; and without presuming to point out any particular method of redress, we do most humbly rely upon his royal virtues, and implore his protection."

It was now currently believed, though not officially known in Ireland, that France was about to abet the cause of the American colonists; upon which, as on all occasions, the Irish were prominently forward in giving proofs of their attachment, duty, and loyalty to their sovereign. The commons therefore prepared an address to his majesty, and sent it up to the lords for their concurrence.* But within four days from their having

The form of the address was to the following effect: 9 Com. Journ. p, 451. "To the King's Most Excellent Majesty. The humble Address of the "Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses in parliament assembled. MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN,

"the

"

"WE your majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, and commons of Ireland, in parliament assembled, in the present critical situation of affairs beg leave humbly to approach your ma"jesty with the most unfeigned assurances of loyalty, duty and attachment to your majesty's royal person and government; and to declare, that at a time "when the public tranquillity is in danger of being further disturbed by the interposition of a foreign power, we feel ourselves called upon to take the "earliest opportunity of expressing our zeal for the dignity of your majesty's "crown, and our earnest wishes and warmest regards for the prosperity of

voted that address, Mr. Secretary Heron informed the House of Commons, that he had in command from his excellency to communicate to them the following message:* (“BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.)

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"I have his majesty's commands to acquaint you, "that his majesty, having been informed, by order of the French "king, that a treaty of amity and commerce has been signed"between the court of France and persons employed by his "majesty's revolted subjects in North America, has judged it "necessary to direct, that a copy of the declaration delivered by "the French ambassador to Lord Viscount Weymouth, be laid "before the House of Commons: and at the same time to "acquaint them, that his majesty has thought proper, in consequence of this offensive communication on the part of the "court of France, to send orders to his ambassador to with"draw from that court. That his majesty is persuaded that "the justice and good faith of his conduct towards foreign powers, and the sincerity of his wishes to preserve the tran"quillity of Europe, will be acknowledged by all the world; "and his majesty trusts, that he shall not stand responsible for the disturbance of that tranquillity, if he should find him"self called upon to resent so unprovoked and so unjust an aggression on the honour of his crown, and the essential "interests of his kingdoms, contrary to the most solemn as"surances, subversive of the law of nations, and injurious to "the rights of every sovereign power in Europe. That his "majesty, relying with the firmest confidence on the zealous "and affectionate support of his faithful people, is determined "to be prepared to exert, if it shall become necessary, all the "force and resources of his kingdom, which he trusts "will be found adequate to repel every insult and attack, and "to maintain and uphold the power and reputation of his do"minions."

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After this message had been read, it was ordered to be entered on the journals, and a motion was immediately made and carried, that an humble address should be presented to his excellency, to request that he would be pleased to return his majesty their thanks for the important intelligence his majesty had been pleased to communicate to them. That they had read with the utmost indignation and resentment a copy of the "Great Britain. We think it at this time peculiarly incumbent on us to "assure your majesty, that your majesty may rely with the greatest confidence "on the entire affection of your faithful subjects of Ireland, and depend on "their co-operating cheerfully with your majesty to the utmost of their ability, "in asserting the honour of your majesty's government, and establishing "the security of your dominions."

9 Com. Journ. p. 458.