nance of the national credit, and the real exigencies of the public fervice. My Lords, and Gentlemen, The fuccefs which has attended the measures taken in the laft feffion towards the fuppreffion of fmuggling, and for the improvement of the revenue, will encosrage you to apply yourfelves with continued affiduity to thofe important objects. You will, I truft, alfo take into early confideration the matters fuggested in the reports of the commiffioners of public accounts, and fuch further regulations as may appear to be neceffary in the differ. ent offices of the kingdom. I have the fulleft reliance on the continuance of your faithful and diligent exertions in every part of your public duty. You may at all times depend on my hearty concurrence in every measure which can tend to alleviate our national burthens, to fecure the true principles of the conftitution, and to promote the general welfare of my people." His Majefty having retired, the Duke of Hamilton rofe, and faid, Nothing but the strongest conviction of their Lordfhips candour and liberality, together with the lively idea which he entertained of its being his duty to exprefs his grateful feelings which fo feasonable and be nign a fpeech had excited, could have induced him to be fo forward on that important day. He then adverted to the various articles which compofed the fpeech. He commented on the great attention which his Majefty and his fervants had lately paid to the general welfare. As to Ireland, he confidered the eftablishment of a regular and permanent commerce between that country and G. Britain, as being of the utmoft confequence to the profperity of both and he did not doubt but the legislature would bestow all that inquiry and inveftigation into the fubject which its magnitude and importance demanded. His Grace like wife made obfervations on the blow which illicit trade had received from the taxes impofed in the preceding feffion of parliament. He confidered thefe taxes as having already produced many benefits and advantages to the nation: and, he could not fuffer himself to doubt, that their Lordships would concur chearfully and cordially in forwarding any future fcheme that might be propofed for the more complete fuppreffion of that ruinous fpecies of traffic. After adding a few words on that part of the King's fpeech which related to the prefent ftate of af fairs on the continent, he concluded with moving an addrefs of thanks to his Majefty. Lord Walfingham, in a short speech, feconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. In the House of Commons, Mr Philips moved the addrefs, and Mr Edwards feconded the motion. Lord Surrey declared, that within the whole courfe of his parliamentary experience, he had never before heard a fpeech fo remarkably deficient. Minifters hold parliament fo cheap, as hardly to think it neceffary to name to that Houfe the ordinary fupplies of the current year; and had left it doubtful, whether any would be wanted; not a word of parliamentary reform, fo much the object of national expectation; nor of establishing the right of trial by jury, on a clear and permanent footing; nor of the reduction, or augmentation, of the "military and naval eftablishments; nor of the ftate of our territorial dominions in the Eaft; notwithstanding the general blame, that has of late prevailed, of their mal-administration abroad and at home. Mr Pitt, in answer to Lord Surrey, allowed the fpeech was concife, but infisted on its being comprehenfive; that it gave every neceffary information refpe&ting the fapplies. His Majefty's words are, "That he had ordered the estimates for the present year to be laid before the Houfe."-For what purpose, if not to provide for the exigencies of government? His Majefty's " recommending œconomy in every department," furely must be understood to comprehend the military and naval departments. And by his Majefty's exprefs declaration, "to fecure to his people the true principles of the conftitution," every thing is implied that it was neceffary for a gracious King to promife, or a loyal people to expect. That by the "fuppreffion of fmuggling,' and "the improvement of the revenue,' fuch a retrofpect might be obferved to the affairs of the Eaft-India Company, as might fuffice till the effects of thefe regulations were more fully known. To have faid more of the affairs of the Eaft, before the late regulations could poffibly be known to operate, would surely have been premature. In the courfe of his fpeech, Mr Pitt glanced at other effential fervices, be Eides the "fuppreffion of smuggling," which the ftate had derived from the acts of laft feffion; and though he forbore to enumerate the fervices he had been the means of rendering his country, he had the heart-felt fatisfaction to find that his endeavours had not been in vain. He trufted, that the objections which his Lordship had been pleated to make, would leave no unfavourable impreffion upon the House, and that his Lordship's would be the only diffenting voice to the prefent motion. Lord North hoped the Rt Hon. Gentleman, among the many fervices he had rendered the country, did not allude to that most oppreflive, moft ill-founded, and injudicious of all injudicious acts, the commutation-act. He then adverted to the " fyftem which will unite both king doms the most closely, on principles of reciprocal advantages," mentioned in the fpeech. His Lordship played upon the word "reciprocal," as rather an unlucky werd, and expreffed his apprehenfions, left a similar fatality fhould attend the pretty word reciprocity of the minifter's, as did formerly in the American bufinefs. He next took occafion to declare his fenfe of the plan of reform, which, he was convinced, would give such a shock to the conftitution, as would prove an eternal fcourge to any rafh fpeculator, who should venture to fport with fo ferious a fubject. Mr Burke, to the other deficiencies already remarked in the speech, added, the establishment of a finking fund, towards lightening the grand national bur. then, as not unworthy to have been noticed. He heard there were, at that inftant, dispatches in the hands of governmeat, brought by Mr Haftings's fecretary, accompanied with fome boxes of diamonds, laying open the distractions in India, and holding out war as the dernier refort; that the secretary dying in the paffage, had ordered his papers to be deftroyed, left they should bear teftimoby to the ruinous ftate of the country; bat pledged himself to produce fuch authentic information as could not be controverted. He concluded with moving an amendment to the addrefs, expreffing the deep concern of the Houfe on account of Indian peculation, &c. Mr Fox obferved to the Houfe, that an attachment had iffued from the King's bench in Ireland, against the sheriff of the county of Dublin, for convening a legal and conftitutional meeting, contrary to the fundamental principles of the conftitution, which inform us, that trial fhall ever precede condemnation. The minifter of that country fhould be very cautious how he directs his influence towards a violation of the fundamental principles of the conftitution. He then adverted to the daring and unprecedented attack on the rights of English juries, (alluding to the cafe of the Dean of St Afaph), which fhould invariably meet with fupport from every minister that could have the leaft pretenfions to a love for the conftitution; this was another point which fhould have been glanced at by his Majefty's fpeech. He then remarked poignantly on the expreflions of the Rev. Mr Wyvill's letter, bold and ho-, neft, as a man and as a minifter, as being the expreffion of the minifter in private converfation; that they must imply fome emphatical diftinction, he did not doubt; but he was yet to learn how they were to be feparated. He avowed himself a friend to a reform in the reprefentation; fpoke in terms of pointed acrimony of that most infamous, unproductive, oppressive, and rash tax, commonly called the Commutation-tax, which, were it to be repealed to-morrow, would leave behind it the ruinous marks of the mifchiefs it has occafioned. He wished to know, if, among the fervices the Rt Hon. Gentleman had to boast, his EaftIndia bill, which, instead of eradicating evils, had confirmed corruption and peculation in our Eaftern dominions, was among the number? Mr Pitt, in reply to the remarks of oppofition, did not wonder at Mr Burke's exclaiming against the shortness of the fpeech; the whole Houfe could bear teftimony of his averfion to short speeches. As to the Noble Lord's (North) facetious obfervation on the word reciprocity, as applied to American affairs, he fhould have imagined, that, instead of affording his Lordship a fubject for sport, it might have brought to his mind thoughts of most serious compunction. To the ftrictures of Mr Wyvil's letters, he did not hesitate to declare that the measure should have his fupport, without doors and within," as a man and as a minister, and in that, he thought, there was no myftery; that, with refpect to the epithets with which the commutation-tax had been distinguished, they were certainly mifapplied, as he pledged himself to prove, to the fatifA 2 faction faction of the Houfe; and he wished the words peculation and corruption, afcribed to the India bill, might be remembered, as he fhould one day be able to bring that charge to iffue. Lord North replied to the Rt Hon. Gentleman's ironical remarks; and, in a moft humorous vein of raillery, kept the House in a roar, till Mr Martin rofe, and put an end to the debate, by fuppofing, that every gentleman knew the plain fenfe of a plain word, and, for his part, he hated quibbling, as no man could think of the horrors of the American war, without lamenting the miferies occafioned by it. The queftion put on Mr Burke's amendment paffed in the negative; and the addrefs was carried nem, con. and ordered to be prefented in its original form. Gracious anfwers were returned to the addreffes. IRISH PARLIAMENT. On Jan. 20. his Grace the Duke of Rutland, Lord Lieutenant, opened the feffion with the following speech: "My Lords and Gentlemen, I have his Majefty's commands to meet you in parliament, and to defire your advice and co-operation upon thofe affairs of importance which in the prefent circumftances of the kingdom require your moft ferious attention. Whilft I lamented the lawlefs outrages and unconftitutional proceeding which had taken place fince your laft prorogation, I had the fatisfaction to perceive that these exceffes were confined to a few places, and even there condemned. And I have now the pleasure to obferve, that by the falutary interpolition of the laws, the general tranquillity is re-eftablished. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I have ordered the public accounts to be laid before you. I have the fullest reliance on your approved loyalty to the King, and attachment to your country, that a due confideration of the exigen cies of the state will lead you to make whatever provifions thall appear to be neceffary for the public expences, and for the honourable fupport of his Majesty's government. My Lords and Gentlemen, I am to recominend in the King's name to your earneft inveftigation thofe objects of trade and commerce between Great Britain and Ireland which have not yet received their complete adjustment. In framing a plan with a view to a final fettlement, you will be fenfible that the interefts of Great Britain and Ireland ought to be for ever united and infeparable. And his Majefty relies on your liberality and wifdom for adopting fuch an equitable fyftem for the joint benefit of both countries, and the fupport of the common intereft, as will fecure mutual fatisfaction and permanency. The encouragement and extension of agriculture and manufactures, and efpecially of your linen manufacture, will, I am perfuaded, engage your conftant concern. Let me likewife direct your attention in a particular manner to the fisheries on your coafts, from which you may reasonably hope for an improving fource of industry and wealth to this kingdom, and of ftrength to the empire. The liberality which you have always. fhewn to the maintenance of your Proteftant charter-fchools and other public inftitutions, makes it unneceffary for me to recommend them to your care. You cannot more beneficially exert this laudable fpirit, than by directing your attention to improve, and to diffuse throughout the kingdom, the advantages of good education. Senfible of its effential confequence to the morals and happiness of the people, and to the dignity of the nation, I am happy to affure you of his Majefty's gracious patronage; and fhall be earneft to give every affiftance in my power to the fuccefs of fuch measures as your wifdom may devife for this important purpose. It is the province of your prudence and difcretion to confider what new provifions may be neceffary for fecuring the subjećt against violence and outrage, for the regulation of the police, and the better execution of the laws, as well as for the general encouragement of peaccable fubordination and houeft industry. will be a pleafing task for me to affift and promote your exertions for the tranquillity of the kingdom, for upholding the authority of the legislature, and fupporting the true principles of our happy conftitution both in church and state. It The uniformity of laws and of religion, and a common intereft in treaties with foreign ftates, form a fure bond of mutual connection and attachment between Great Britain and Ireland. It will be your care to cherish these inestimable bleffings with that fpirit and wifdom which will render them effectual fecuri. ties to the ftrength and prosperity of the Upon his Grace's retiring, the Earl of In the Houfe of Commons, the Hon. Capt. Packenham moved the addrefs, and Col. Gore feconded the motion. A committee was then appointed to draw it up. The report from the committee being brought up, Jan. 21. the Rt Hon. H. Flood faid, Though I am in great pain, yet as the fubject before the Houfe is of importance, I could not abfent myfelf. I have no perfonal enmity to the Duke of Rutland. I hope on the firft of the feffron the parliament will convince the people, that they mean to do their duty; but I must make fome obfervations and objections to that part of the addrefs which goes to declare our interest mutual with the fifter-country. Do you participate in the treaties with foreign ftates? How many years have elapfed fince what is called a free trade has been obtained for this kingdom? Does administration hold out to you that they have obtained that object for you with Portugal?What an unfortunate country is this to be? Called upon to raise fupplies without limitation-what are the exigencies in a time of profound peace? IVe are not at war-nor are we, like England, at the head of an empire. I ask, are we to load ourselves, or, in the common fenfe of the words, is the revenue inadequate to the expences of government?-You have raised millions, and are accumulating a national debt. The minifter fome, time ago propofed to diminish your national debt by a finking fund; you are now called on, and you are now promifing to give a liberal fupply, and not the ufual ones? You ought not, in the time of peace, to strain yourselves. Hitherto parliaments of Ireland only confidered Ireland itfelf; but, if you agree to this, you make yourself imperial; you are only to confider Ireland, not England. I confider this as a legerdemain trick. Does England want protecting duties? No. What does the fpeech and addrefs fay? That a few places only looked for a parliamentary reform, is talle. More than half the counties in the kingdom have defired it; it has been propagated from north to fouth, and from east to weft. I do not blame the Duke of Rut land, but think he must have evil advi5 tion; for I will not fuppofe the cafe to fers, to blaft the character of a loyal nabe, that the Duke of Rutland is fo ignoing of the people to confider of a mode rant as to fay, that the peaceable meetfor a parliamentary reform is unconftitutional; and I fhall look upon any man that hereafter does any thing against any the conftitutional purpose of a national of the people, or meetings thereof, for reform, that is not warranted by the common or ftatute law, as an abettor of tyranny, and betrayer of the conftitution. You have feen politics enter the courts of law, and almost mount the bench. You have not been called on to raise the ufual fupplies, or to aid in a reform of parliaEnglish parliament, Mr Pitt was fincere ment and from what I heard in the in bringing about a parliamentary reform. He then moved an amendment, viz. "That your Majefty will be pleased faithful people of Ireland, aided by the, to extend your paternal care to your countels of minifters who have decidedly declared in favour of a parliamentary reform in Great Britain, in compliance with the withes of the people, and in confirmation of the conftitution." objections which Mr Flood made to the Sir Hercules Langrishe answered the many ridiculous points of view, that the addrefs, and put the amendment into fo laughter. Houfe was for a long time in a roar of The Attorney-General fupported Sir H. account of the rife and progrefs of reformaLangrishe, and gave a molt entertaining tion in Ireland, including fome account of James Napper Tandy, and the other select whofe authority the congrefs, which is inembers of the aggregate committee, by the Houfe with laughter, at the expence now fitting, was created. After shaking of thefe reformers, he became more ferious; and, on the grounds of law and the conflitution, demonftrated the rectiing before the court of King's-bench, tude of his conduct in the late proceedand faid he was happy that the sheriff's of the city of Dublin had taken his advice, of Dub in fheriff had fallen into. He and avoided the error which the county had been obliged, he faid, though against his natural disposition, to punish the the- . riff of the county of Dublin; and he declared, that while he had the honour would make every man who prefumed to to be the King's Attorney-General, he grapple grapple with the law know, that the law was too ftrong for him. Mr Boyde bore teftimony to the legality of Mr Attorney-General's proceed. ings, and declared that he thought his conduct to the sheriffs of the city not on ly legal, but kind and merciful.-He himfelf had advised them to the fame effect. He was convinced that no man loved the conftitution, or regarded the liberty of the fubject, more than the At torney-General; and to prove this, he declared, that he himfelf had been prefent in the court of King's-bench, when that gentleman made ufe of thefe words, and repeated them aloud, that every one might hear him;-" God forbid that I, the King's Attorney General, fhould deny, or attempt to deftroy, the fubject's right of petitioning the Crown, or either Houfe of Parliament. My profecution is pointed at a man that has abused the authority delegated to him by the Crown, and who has perverted it to the oppref. fion of the fubject." Mr Boyde then proceeded to reprobate and condemn the difrefpectful language that had been ut tered against the Judges, whofe opinions he fhould ever revere, and whofe character ought always to be treated with refpect. Mr Grattan declared for the addrefs in a speech of considerable length, in which he reprobated the late meetings and meafures for á reform, though he declared himself a friend to it.- The addrefs was carried without a divifion; · and likewife an addrefs to the Lord Lieutenant. In the House of Lords, Jan. 21. Lord Rawdon moved an addrefs to the Lord Lieutenant. Lord Montgarret objected to that part of the addrefs which mentioned the temper and moderation of his Excellency in the late exigency of affairs. He said, this paragraph carried an implication that all was quiet; but he thought otherwife. There was even at that hour an affembly fitting, which was either lawfully warranted by the conftitution to do fo, or it was not lawful. If the former, all could not be deemed contented with any degree of juftice ;- if the latter, why were not the members of it taken into cuftody? The very bufinefs of reform, which they had met upon, was fanctioned by the opinions of the English minifters, and why object to it in Ireland? He then proceed ed to make remarks on the other paragraphs of the addrefs. On that which mentioned induftry, and the encouragement of manufactures, he observed, that, protecting duties might certainly be productive of a temporary inconvenience to fome English manufacturing towns; he was certain they would ultimately tend to the benefit of both kingdoms. In regard to that paragraph of the addrefs, which glanced at foreign treaties, he faw no immediate confequence which could arife from that quarter. He needed only mention Portugal. On the whole, he would object to the addrefs, except harmlefs parts, which recommended the charter-fchools, &c. and he thought himself well founded in the negative. The Duke of Leinfter likewise objected to that paragraph which thanked the temper and moderation of the Lord Lieutenant in the fuppreffion of the late disturbances; for he could not help remarking, that though riot and licentioufnefs had taken a very great ftride, yet the indolence of adminiftration had retarded its coming timely forward to prevent the confequences which happened; and from hence enfued proceedings in the King's bench, to which he could not give his approbation. The Houfé divi-, ded, Contents, for the addrefs, 26; Noncontents, 5. Dr JOHNSON's WILL, extracted from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. N the name of God, Amen. I SAMUEL JOHNSON, being in full poffeffion of my faculties, but fearing this night may put an end to my life, do ordain this my laft will and teftament. I bequeath to God a foul polluted with many fins, but I hope purified by repentance, and I truft redeemed by Jefus Chrift. I leave 7501. in the hands of Bennet Langton, Efq; 300l. in the hands of Mr Barclay and Mr Perkins, brewers; 150l. in the hands of Dr Percy, Bishop of Dromore; 1ocol. three per cent. annuities in the public funds, and 100l. now lying by me in ready money; all thefe beforementioned fums and property I leave, I fay, to Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir John Hawkins, and Dr William Scott of Doctors Commons, in truft for the following uses; That is to fay, to pay to the reprefentative of the late William Innys, book felles |