that by the magnanimity of the king, and wisdom of the British parliament, he was enabled to assure them, that immediate attention had been paid to their representations, and that the legislature of Britain had concurred in a resolution to remove the causes of their discontents, and were united in a desire to gratify every wish expressed in the late address to the throne: and that, in the mean time, his majesty was graciously disposed to give his royal assent to acts to prevent the suppressing of bills in the Irish privy council, and to limit the mutiny-bill to the term of two years.

The joy which now diffused itself all over the kingdom was extreme. The warmest addresses were presented not only to his majesty, but to the lord lieutenant. The commons instantly voted a hundred thousand pounds to his majesty, to enable him to raise twenty thousand men for the navy; and soon after, five thousand men were likewise voted from the Irish establishment. The volunteers became in a peculiar manner the objects of gratitude and universal praise ; but none was placed in so conspicuous a light as Mr Grattan. Addresses of thanks flowed in upon him from all quarters; and the commons addressed his majesty to give him fifty thousand pounds, as a recom

pense of his services; for which they promised to make provision.

This request was also complied with; but still the jealousies of the Irish were not completely eradicated. As the intended repeal of the declaratory act was found to be simple, without any clause expressly relinquishing the claim of right, several members of the house of commons were of opinion, that the liberties of Ireland were not yet thoroughly secured. The majority, however, were of opinion, that the simple repeal of the obnoxious act was sufficient; but many of the nation at large held different sentiments. Mr Flood, a member of the house, and a zealous patriot, now took the lead in this matter; while Mr Grattan lost much of his popularity by espousing the contrary opinion. The matter, however, was to appearance finally settled by the volunteers, who declared themselves on Mr Grattan's side. Still some murmurings were heard; and it must be owned, that even yet the conduct of Britain appeared equivocal. An English law was passed, permitting importation from one of the West-India islands to all his majesty's dominions; and of course including Ireland, though the trade of the latter had been declared absolutely free. This was looked upon V o L. I. Y

in a very unfavourable light. Great offence was also taken at a member of the English house of lords, for a speech in parliament, in which he asserted, that Great Britain had a right to bind Ireland in matters of an external nature; and proposed to bring in a bill for that purpose. The public discontent was also greatly inflamed by some circumstances relating to this bill, which were particularly obnoxious. Lord Beauchamp, in a spirited letter addressed to the first company of Belfast volunteers, was at much pains to show that the security of the legislative privileges obtained from the parliament of Britain was insufficient, The lawyers corps of volunteers, in Dublin, who also took the question into consideration, were of the same opinion; but the circumstance which gave the greatest offence was, that the chief justice in the English court of king's-bench gave judgment in an Irish cause, contrary to a law which had limited all such judgments to the first of June. All these reasons of discontent, however, were removed upon the death of the marquis of Rockingham, and the appointment of the new ministry who succeeded him. Lord Temple went over to Ireland, and his brother and secretary, Mr Grenville, went to England, where he made such representations of the discontents which prevailed concerning the in

sufficiency of the declaratory act, that Mr Townshend, one of the secretaries of state, moved in the house of commons for leave to bring in a bill to remove from the minds of the people of Ireland all doubts respecting their legislative and judicial privileges. This bill contained, in the fullest and most express terms, a relinquishment on the part of the British legislature, of all claims of a right to interfere with the judgment of the Irish courts, or to make laws to bind Ireland in time to come.

The short, but highly useful, administration of lord Temple, was followed by that of the earl of Northington, on the third of June, seventeen hundred and eighty-three. The expected dissolution of parliament (which immediately took place) had created an universal ferment in the minds of the people. The volunteers again showed themselves the worthy guardians of the liberties of their country. Delegates from fortyfive companies in the province of Ulster, met at Lisburn on the first of July, to deliberate on the most effectual means of bringing about a parliamentary reform; and, appointing a committee of correspondence with other associated corps, requested a general meeting of delegates of the province on the eighth of Sep

tember. The representatives of two hundred and seventy-two companies accordingly assembled at Dungannon, on the day specified. Impressed with a high sense of their own strength, and animated with the love of liberty and independence, they published several resolutions concerning the parliamentary representation of the people; and electing five persons to represent each county in a national convention, which they appointed to be held in Dublin in the month of November, they sent pressing solicitations to the other provinces to join in a measure, which they hoped would be attended with consequences so salutary. Their chief complaint was, that of three hundred members who composed the house of commons, only seventy-two were elected by the voice of the people! fifty-three peers having it in their power to nominate a hundred and twenty-four members, and to influence the election of ten; and fifty-two commoners to nominate ninety-one, and influence the election of three!

In the new parliament (October) the thanks of both houses were voted to the volunteers, for their spirited support of the execution of the laws; and resolutions were passed, "That in the present state of the king"dom, it was expedient that there be a session of par