CHAP. II.

Proceedings in Great Britain and Ireland respecting a final adjustment of commerce.-Propofitions fubmitted to the British Miniftry-and new model'd--Bills introduced in the House of Commons in each Country grounded thereon-Mr. Secretary Orde's speech on that occafion-Speech of Henry Grattanleave given to bring in the bill-public opinion on the fubject— Petitioners for and against the bill; fubfequent proceedings and event of the measure.

PREVIOU

REVIOUS to the meeting of the Irish parliament in 1785, the British cabinet, 'in concert with the Commiffioners appointed on the part of Ireland, had formed a plan for regulating and finally adjusting the commercial intercourse between the two countries. On the 7th of Febr. Mr. Orde, then fecretary to the Lord Lieutenant, announced this system to the house of Commons, and on the 11th a set of refolutions which he had before laid on their table and agreed to by the house without any material alterations.-The concurrence of the house of Peers being foon after obtained, these refolutions were immediately tranfmitted to England as the propofed bafis on the part of that kingdom, for an equitable and final adjustment.

The British parliament was for fome time occupied in receiving the petitions and hearing the evidence of manufacturers and merchants of every description, upon this fubject : -and the propofitions were afterwards brought forward by Mr. Pitt, but with a variety of amendments, variations and additions. To the original fet of propofitions, ten new ones were added, fome of them only fupplemental to and explanatory of the former, but feveral containing much new and important matter: they were thrown into heads of a bill.

On the 12th of Auguft, Mr. Orde introduced into the houfe of Commons here, a bill correspondent to that moved by the English minifter.-He moved the house that "leave be given to bring in aBill for finally regulating the intercourse and commerce between Great Britain and Ireland on permanent and equitable principles for the mutual benefit of both kingdoms."—He prefaced this motion with a speech to the following effect.

"Mr. Speaker.

"I have been fo much accustomed to the indulgence of this House, that notwithstanding the apprehenfion I must neceffarily feel from the great importance of the business I have to propofe, I have the fureft reliance upon the candour and generofity of the affembly to which I addrefs myself, conscious as I am of the benefits that will refult from what I now offer to this country, and only doubtful of my own ability to fet the question in a true point of view. I therefore call upon gentlemen to examine it with attention, but without prejudice, and I am confident they will find it so conducive to the true intereft of Ireland, that they will not repine at the many deys and interruptions which have unavoidably occurred dung the feffion.

On a fubject of fomuch importance, I truft gentlemen will think it unneceffary for me to remark, how effential it is towards forming a just determination, that they should diveft themselves of every impreffion that could be made by whatever they have heard out of doors, and that they fhould take the measure up on its own merits.

I should be forry to affume a responsibility that did not belong to me, but in this business I am proud to stand forward, and declare myself refponfible. I fay this to avoid mifrepresentation. I fpeak to this country, and I wish it may be heard in the fifter kingdom; because there is nothing in

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the bill which I shall now have the honour to propose, that I dare not honeftly avow, nor would I propose a measure that I was not in my heart convinced would conduce to the bene

fit of Ireland.

It has been faid, and very ftrongly relied upon, that this Houfe ftood pledged to the eleven refolutions which were paffed in the parliament of Ireland, and tranfmitted for the confideration of the British parliament; but a moment's reflection will shew gentlemen hat fuch a thing was impoffible; the very act of tranfmitting them for confideration fhewed that they might be accepted either as they went from hence, or with some shades of difference, or upon certain conditions.

It has been faid, that Great Britain is not pledged to this adjustment, though government was. I never wifhed to take off any part of the pledge that government had given to it, nor fhould I be authorized if I attempted to do it; but I must obferve, that government took it up at the defire of parliament expreffed in their address of the laft feffion; though government on both fides could only go a certain length in it. The eleven refolutions of parliament were indeed a groundwork on which government withed to erect an edifice, to contain an inexhauftible store of benefit to both kingdoms; and I ftill hope to fee it brought to perfection.-Other materials have fince been added, yet they are all congenial to the firft, and if arranged and placed together by the hands of those who are friends to the empire-if out of these materials an whole is formed, cemented together by the wisdom. of those who love those kingdoms, a pile may be raised that will stand the teft of ages. At the fame time that I avow the concurrence of government, I wish to justify their conduct, which I truft will be proved to have been alike friendly to Great Britain and this country; for in a business of fuch importance, where the intention is to conciliate, to unite, and to cement the interefts of the two countries for ever, it would be folly to lean with any unjust partiality to either.

In

In proceeeding on this bufinefs, it has been neceffary for minifters to confider the difference of the two countries. With that view minifters on the other fide have conducted themselves, and have brought into the British parliament, a bill founded on the variety of matter laid before them. When the eleven refolutions were paffed in this country, they were only to be confidered as the foundation of a treaty to which Britain was free to accede, or which she might reject. These refolutions arofe from an addrefs of this House, and gentlemen will recollect, that the circumstances which led to that addrefs, and in which the present government upon its arrival found this kingdom, were fuch, that it was impoffible to proceed without fome fyftem to rescue the 'country from fo much uncertainty and diftrefs. Government, therefore, at the defire of this House, took up the present measure. I, for one, approved of it, and gave my confent, but gentlemen will recollect it was a propofition of expectation from the other fide, almost every part of it led to conceffi on; the matter to be heard by us was fmall, it was apparent that the conceffions we required were all beneficial to this country, and therefore we were almost unanimous.

But on this very account it became neceffary on the otherfide the water to confider it with more attention, to confider what they fhould concede in a fyftem, which at least the force of prejudice taught them to look upon with apprehenfion. It was therefore neceffary for them to examine evidence, and much confequent difcuffion enfued; the refult was, that twenty refolutions containing the whole purport and fpirit of the eleven propofitions of Ireland, together with the conditions on which England is ready to affent to them, were paffed, and are now brought into the English parliament in the form of a bill.

Having fucceeded fo far as to bring in a bill, minifters fubmit the system to the confideration of this country, and have waited its decifion, that they might not seem to carry

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the fyftem without its confent, but to proceed according to its opinion, and hoping to bring the whole to an unanimous. conclufion.

I would therefore advife, that we fhould do as England has done; that we should first give leave to bring in a bill on our propofitions, then receive every information that can be laid before us, and after having formed our bill, upon what hall appear to be the true intereft of this country, compare it with the English bill; and after all, am fanguine enough to hope there will be found very little difference indeed,

But it is objected, that by bringing in a bill, Ireland is pledged, while Great Britain, in stopping where fhe is, may take advantage and make any alterations fhe thinks proper. I do not fee that, in either country, a bill can be confidered as any thing more than a propofition liable to any alteration before it receives the royal affent, and long before that can happen, the opinion of each nation on the present system will be fully known to the other. Therefore I fay no advantage can be taken by either; for if any alteration fhould be made by one country, it would only give the other an opportunity of receding from the treaty. For these reasons, I hope, I shall be allowed to proceed in the fhape of a bill, formed on onr own propofitions, which, I truft, I fhall make perfectly acceptable, by introducing such clauses and explanations as fhall make it clearly confonant to the free and independent conftitution of this country. Wherever it differs from the eleven propofitions, the alterations fhall carry upon them the proof that they are for the mutual benefit of both countries.

And here, Sir, allow me to declare, that I do not think it poffible that this country in fettling a fyftem which is for ever to unite her interefts with thofe of Great Britain, will feek to catch at little trifling objections; the good sense of this nation is too great to be duped by defigning people. I have declared, and I beg it may be believed, that I never