Sir J. Hippisley will take the liberty of quoting the words of an eminent advocate, (Mr. Plomer) one of his Majesty's Council, upon this subject. Speaking of the correspondence with the late Pope, and the documents which were transmitted to England by Sir J. Hippisley to his Majesty's Ministers, “Is it not (said he) a maximum of absurdity that, under this law, your benevolent and patriotic exertions, by which the British fleet was so materially assisted in a time of need, might have subjected you to an accusation of high treason, and his Majesty's Ministers (who wisely and justly gave you the thanks of your country for your conduct) to a prœmunire as accessories after the fact?"

The Act of 31 Geo. III., c. 32, certainly leaves the intercourse, &c. with Rome in the same state as before the passing of the Act. The proceedings in the case of Lord Castlemain (State Trials, 1 Will. III.) are much in point, and worth observation.

Judge Blackstone, after apologizing for the severity of these laws from the history of them, and the urgency of the times which produced them, adds-" But if a time should ever arrive, and perhaps it is not very distant when all fears of a Pretender shall have vanished, and the power and influence of the Pope shall become feeble, ridiculous, and despicable, not only in England, but in every kingdom of Europe, it probably would not then be amiss to review and soften these rigorous edicts, at least till the civil principles of the Roman Catholics called again upon the Legislature to renew them; for it ought not to be left in the heart of every merciless bigot to drag down the vengeance of these occasional laws upon inoffensive though mistaken subjects, in opposition to the lenient inclinations of the civil magistrate, and to the destruction of every principle of toleration and religious liberty."

No one can doubt but the period is now arrived which is described by Mr. Justice Blackstone, nor is the authority slight, when we consider who the author of these sentiments

was, and the character and place in which he published them. It is not unfair to consider the learned professor as uttering the sentiments of the great university to whom his lectures were addressed.

I I

VOL. III.

III.-MANUFACTURES, FINANCES.

Mr. Alexander Hamilton to Lord Castlereagh, on the Cotton Manufacture of Ireland.

Sidmouth, February 25, 1800.

My Lord-The necessity for my calling to your recollection at the present moment the subject on which I am about to trouble you will, I trust, induce you to pardon me for intruding so far upon your time. Some time ago, when I had the honour of waiting on you at the desire of a great number of persons concerned in the cotton trade in the county and neighbourhood of Dublin, your Lordship was pleased to assure me that every protection that branch of trade now enjoys should be secured to it by the articles of Union for a number of years to come, in consequence of which I was enabled to relieve the persons who applied to me from the apprehensions they entertained, and they became in a great degree reconciled to the measure in contemplation, and have therefore declined importuning Government or Parliament by petitions on the subject.

By the articles of Union, as stated, they find no provision is made to maintain, even for a limited time, the present duty per yard on calicoes imported, in consequence of which, an alarm prevails throughout that, to throw our market open to Great Britain, the annihilation of this most important branch of the cotton trade, the only one that has succeeded to any extent in Ireland, is intended. You will permit me to observe that I have no doubt their fears are well founded, as, when your Lordship has leisure to go at large into the subject, I am confident you will be convinced that, from a variety of causes which must long continue to operate, calicoes can be imported on an average at five pence per yard less than they can be

manufactured for in Ireland, independent of the present duty; the reduction of which will, therefore, ruin this branch of trade that now employs such numbers at Belfast, at Balbriggan, in Dublin, and in Cork, and by which a sum of £250,000 is retained in the kingdom, the amount formerly sent out for this article. I have most unwillingly been guilty of this trespass upon your time, but, from the confidence placed in me by those at whose desire I applied to your Lordship on the subject, I think it incumbent on me to remind you of the assurances which I had the honour to receive from you, and which I conceived myself authorized to repeat to them.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

Lord Donoughmore to Lord Castlereagh. (Enclosing a letter from Mr. Edward Clarke, on the Cotton Trade.)

February 24, 1800.

My dear Lord-Allow me to submit the enclosed letter from Mr. Clarke to your Lordship's perusal. The writer is a very respectable gentleman in the cotton trade, residing at Palmerston, and who holds land from me there. This will excuse me to you for giving you the trouble. He is also a very active, useful magistrate. Indeed, I fear his apprehensions will prove too well founded, if the protection is withdrawn which has hitherto nursed this infant manufacture.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

DONOUGHMORE.

Merchants' Quay, February 21, 1800. My Lord-Understanding that it is your Lordship's wish to know the sentiments of the cotton manufacturers, calico printers, &c., on the consequence of the repeal of the protecting duties on that branch of business by the intended Union, and, being unfortunately prevented by a severe indisposition from doing myself the honour of personally attending your Lordship, I take the liberty of thus addressing you on that sub

ject, and beg leave to state that, encouraged by the Parliamentary aids and protecting duties granted in support of the cotton manufacturing and printing business in this kingdom, I early engaged a very large capital in that business, and established it on a most extensive scale at Palmerston, in the county of Dublin, and was the first person that gave it extent and respectability in this kingdom, by adopting the best modes used by Messrs. Peel and other extensive manufacturing and printing houses in Great Britain-that I have, from the commencement of said establishment to the present time, not only expended the sum of £20,000 and upwards, but also devoted my time and abilities in the extension and improvement of said business, and have now brought it to that degree of perfection, as to have given me every reason, till the proposition on the question of Union was brought forward, to hope that I should not only be amply compensated for all my exertions and expenditure, but that it would become an object of national utility by giving constant employment, as it does at present, to upwards of one thousand persons, men, women, and children.

That, notwithstanding my warmest wishes for that close and necessary connexion with the sister kingdom, and, convinced by the advantages that must eventually accrue to this country, as is so ably pointed out by your Lordship, I cannot avoid candidly informing your Lordship that it is my humble opinion that, if the present protection is not continued to these manufactures, it will be impossible for me or any other manufacturer in this kingdom to contend with the accumulated wealth and experience of Great Britain, so as even to preserve the supply of our home consumption.

These, my Lord, are my humble sentiments on the subject, and I trust to your Lordship's and the Government's liberality, that my well derived hopes of compensation from my long exertions may not prove fallacious, and that a large body of industrious and deserving people, a great part brought up under me in that business, whose industry and peaceable