It is a malig peerage, but levelling the peerage to the man. nant war carried on by one branch of the legislature against the other two, depriving, in the fame ftroke, one House of confidence, the other of dignity, Mr. PONSONBY.-I would not have fpoken, Sir, on this queftion, indifpofed as I am, were not my mind and my feelings ftrongly agitated by fome arguments which I have heard advanced by Gentlemen on the other fide. An hon. member has thought proper to amend the refolution of my Right Hon. Friend, by inferting the word any in the place of late and prefent adminiftration. I prefume from the manner in which this amendment was propofed, thofe gentlemen fuppofed we were adverfe to any general enquiry of this kind, and would reject it. The fact is not fo-and I now call on the Hon. Gentleman, and the Hon. and Right Hon. Gentlemen who fa vociferously approved the amendment-I call on them now to fupport this refolution, amended as it is to their own wish. If they do not, I hope the public will fee the trick endeavoured to be played on them, and that there is nothing in the contemplation of gentlemen but to get rid of every species of enquiry. Another Hon. and learned Gentleman, when an Hon. Friend of mine made a quotation, profeffed to quote the context of that quotation, but instead of doing fo he has quoted, what is not to be found in any part of that poem my friend alluded to, but in a very bad parody upon that poem--Which was the Campaign of Mr. Addison-hence the conclusion is pretty obvious, that the Hon. Gentleman's genius is better fuited to burlefque than heroics. Gentlemen have faid, Sir, that common fame is no ground for my Right Hon. Friend's motion. I deny it. No man acquainted in the fmallest degree with parliamentary history will deny that common fame is ground of enquiry, tho' not of of final decifion. But if gentlemen are unwilling to risk their gravity or reputation by instituting an inquiry on the ground of common fame, I will state to them what they will confider fufficient ground for this enquiry-a Member of this houfe standing up, and he afferting he has good reason to believe that peerages have been fold. This, Sir, the Gentlemen will acknowledge to be the ground of enquiry. Now, Sir, I am that man. I fay I have good reason to believe that Peerages have been fold for money-nay more, I have PROOF. Give me a committee, and if I do not establish my charge, degrade me-let me no longer enjoy the character of an honeft man. I dare you to it—and I risk my reputation on establishing the fact.-But, no; You will not give me the opportunity you are not afraid of falfhood in me, but of proof against yourselves! Good God, Sir the peerage of the land expofed to common auction! And what is the defence? Why the fame thing has been done before. What then? The reafoning is abfurd. If a criminal act pass unnoticed, is the repetition of it-the making it a part of the fyftem of government-is that therefore to be justified? Why, Sir, the fin gle act might be paffed over-it is making it the daily operation of Government-the fyftem by which they fubfift-that calls for reprobation and punishment, I hear much, Sir, from gentlemen on the other fide of the confidence of the people-of appeals to new elections.-Gentlemen may talk fluently, Sir, on this topic, and they may make that appeal with fecurity when they have taken good care by fuch means as we are now confidering to procure a majority of feats in this Houfe. Still, Sir, thefe means are not the lefs criminal-means fuch as never before were made ufe of as they have been in this country-means which tend to raise the vices of mankind to the feat of virtue-to place the petty fogging attorney, the man who has accumulated property by the most culpable and ungentleman-like methods-to make fuch men the peers of your land-the hereditary Counsellors of the Crown, one of these estates of your realm!-Good God! are you Gentlemen! do you hope for the honour of Peerage Peerage as a reward for your fervice, or that your pofterity should one day be raised to it, and will you bear to see the feat of honour thus debased-thofe Peerages fold, and fold for the worst of purposes, the purchases of the house of commons? But we are told this motion will not be agreed to because we do not offer the country a new Conftitution. What? because we do not propofe this, are we to be percluded from correcting any abufes ?-But, why should we propose this measure ?-Every thing originating here, is blafted in the bud-we face the North, let them produce the measure-with them it may profper-but it is the infelicity of that foil that in it nothing vegetates but the weeds of rank corruption. I now repeat, that I have proof of this charge against Administration, give me a Committee, and I will produce it. If you were innocent, the propofition affords you two advantages, the opportunity of fully establishing of your innocence, and of proving my falfhood. Here the queftion was called for, and on being put, there appeared, Ayes, Majority against the motion 83 135 52 Tellers for the Ayes,-Mr. G Ponfonby and Mr. Sheridan On the 5th of May 1791-the Lord Lieutenant concluded this feffion with the following speech. "My Lords and Gentlemen, "His majefty having directed an augmentation to be made of his naval forces, in order to add weight to his reprefentatives for the re-establishment of peace between Ruffia and the Porte, has commanded me to communicate this this circumftance to his parliament of Ireland, on whofe zealous and affectionate attachment to the interefts of his Majesty's crown his Majefty places the firmest reliance. The unremitted application you have given to your parliamentary duties enables me now to close the feffion, and to relieve you from any further attendance; and I have the King's directions to exprefs his perfect fatisfaction in the zeal and dispatch with which you have brought the public bufinefs to a conclufion. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, His Majefty directs me to thank you for the supplies which you have granted for the maintenance of the establishments and the honourable fupport of his government; they fhall be faithfully applied to the purposes for which they are granted. "My Lords and Gentlemen, "I have obferved with peculiar fatisfaction the attention you have fhewn to the interests of your country, by facilitating the business of the merchants in the payment of duties, by providing accommodations for the fhipping and trade of this metropolis, and by extending the operation of national credit. The falutary provisions you have made to check the immoderate use of fpiritous liquors afford the ftrongest proof of your regard for the public welfare. Succefs in this defirable measure can alone be expected from your continued and well directed efforts; I therefore truft that in your respective counties you will particularly apply yourselves to give efficacy to the regulations you have adopted on this important fubject. On my part no endeavours fhall be wanted to enforce the execution of laws fo judiciously calculated to preferve the health and amend the morals of the people, and to advance the industry and profperity of Ireland. To thefe objects my exertions are directed by his Majesty's com mands, and by every impulse of inclination and duty.” СНАР CHAP. VIII. Opening of the feffion in January 1792.-motion for an addrefs to his majefly. Mr. Grattan's Speech thereupon.-motion for leave to bring in a bill in favour of the Roman Catholics.— Speech of Sir Her. Langrifbe.-leave given.-Heads of the bill as prefented to the house-debates thereupon. W E proceed now to the fucceeding feffion, which commenced the 19th of January 1792. After the lord Lieutenant's fpeech which contained nothing remarkable; an addrefs to his majefty was (as ufual) moved for in the house of Commons.-On this occafion the following fpeech was made by Mr. Grattan, which we infert here, because it recapitulates and brings into one point of view most of the contested fubjects noticed in the preceding parts of this work. "I have no objection* (faid Mr. Grattan) to concur in every thing honourable to his Majefty-and fincerely do rejoice in every circumftance which can really add to his public and private happinefs.-I am fure every circumstance that can tend to increase that happiness, must give pleasure to every branch of his Majefty's fubjects, and to none more fincerely than to his loyal people of Ireland, who must ever rejoice in the aufpicious increase of the illuftrious House of Hanover, whofe acceffion to the throne of thefe dominions. has been attended with fo many bleffings to this country, as VOL. II well R Parliam, Reg.VOL. XII. |