According to the judicious reflection of a modern author, Experience has now happily confirmed the justnefs of that great man's fentiments, and both nations ⚫ have reason to rejoice that the subtle reasoning of the Judges met not with the fame regard as on that occafion, in the reign of the great-grand-daughter of James.'

At that time, when the long-projected incorporation came to be carried into effect, it foon appeared that an endeavour at any such conformity of laws would be attended with infurmountable difficulties. Their ancient jurifprudence and tribunals were therefore, in general, preserved to each country, and even a fundamental difference fanctioned between the ecclefiaftical laws and establishments of the one and the other, which Lord Bacon feemed to think scarcely practicable.

It remains for me now, before I conclude, to fay a very fhort word or two of the two counter-projects which have been recommended to the Houfe.

The one is, a repeal, without condition or distinction, of all laws in both countries affecting Roman Catholics, and a free communication and permanent fecurity of every branch of trade to the fifter kingdom. By these means, it is faid, you will produce the only defirable Union between Great Britain and Ireland, the Union of hearts and affections.

As to the first part of this scheme, though I have declared my intention on this occafion to avoid entering into the general merits of the Catholic queftion, as it

would

would stard on the fuppofition of a Union, I have no fcruple to ftate my concurrence with thofe who think that an attempt to grant what is called Catholic emancipation, while the local Parliament remains, would excite fuch a ftruggle between property and numbers as would greatly aggravate many of thofe mifchiefs which now exilt in Ireland, tending to revolution and feparation, through the medium of a civil war of the most deftructive and ferocious kind.

I have, in a former part of what I have faid, anticipated the answer to the commercial part of the proposal, and fhown, that if we were inclined, or it were right to grant every thing that may ftill be wanting to an entirely free trade, we could not give permanent fecurity to the grant otherwise than by Union.

With regard to the union of hearts and affections, I will not recur again to any difcuffion of that fentimental kind of connexion of late fo much talked of by perfons not apt to be led aftray by a glare of words, but which, unless arifing from one of a coarser but more intelligible fort;` that which a permanent and unchangeable identity of interests and an indiffoluble conspiratio et confenfus partium in the political machine have a neceffary tendency to produce and perpetuate; is, in my judgment, mere idle and unprofitable declamation.

The other project is the reverse of this; if I have understood it, it might be thus expreffed: Beware of the ، Catholics of Ireland; tread back the rah and inconfiderate fteps you have taken in their favour; erafe them again from the catalogue of electors, and re-enact

against them that Popish code, the relaxations of ، which,

I

which, at leaft till the last in 1793, have been the univerfal boast and praise of his Majesty's reign on both fides of the channel: let there, however, be this modification in your proceeding, that although all Romanists, as they were called, fhall be primâ facie confidered as having, by their prefumed share in the late confpiracy and rebellion, forfeited all the privileges their fect had recovered within the last twenty or thirty years; yet each individual among them may take upon himself the burden of proving his innocence of that charge; and, having established it (a jury being fummoned I fuppofe to try each particular cafe), he fhall not only be restored to those privileges, but fhall, on fuch purgation, be put individually into the poffeffion of every ? right belonging to Protestants.'

The hardship, cruelty, impolicy, and impracticability to any extent, of this fcheme, I am satisfied did not, when it was thrown out, occur to the Hon. Propofer in the forcible manner in which they must imprefs the minds of those who have had occafion to attend much to the late history and prefent condition of that kingdom. But the numberlefs difficulties which would belong to the execution of its detail, in establishing again a religious and Proteftant, not a geographical and English pale, and in feparating; man by man, as they should prefent themselves to the outlet of that ideal fold of penalties and difabilities in which it is proposed to enclofe and coop up the body of the Catholics; the innocent from the guilty, the sheep from the goats, were pointed out in fo clear a manner immediately after the plan was stated to the House, that it would be in vain to attempt to add any thing to what was then faid.

Sir, I am too sensible of the unusual length of the intrusion I have been guilty of on the time and indulgence of the House to continue it still longer, by any other apology than this, that as it has certainly not been my habit often to trouble them, fo it fhall be my practice in future to avoid trefpaffing on their patience, unless perhaps on fome rare occafions, like the present, where, being particularly led by a sense of duty to the confideration of any question of importance, I may feel it to be an irresistible part of that duty to fubmit to them the grounds of my opinion, and the reasons and motives for my vote.

APPEN

APPENDIX.

No. I. Page 1.

1. The King's Message, prefented by Mr. Secretary Dundas, 22d January 1799.

HIS

[IS Majefty is perfuaded that the unremitting industry, with which our enemies perfevere in their avowed defign of effecting the feparation of Ireland from this kingdom, cannot fail to engage the particular attention of Parliament, and his Majefty recommends it to this House to confider of the most effectual means of counteracting, and finally defeating, this defign; and he trusts that a review of all the circumftances which have recently occurred (joined to the fentiment of mutual affection and common intereft) will difpofe the Parliaments of both kingdoms to provide, in the manner which they fhall judge moft expedient, for fettling fuch a complete and final adjustment as may beft tend to improve and perpetuate a connexion effential for their common fecurity, and to augment and confolidate the strength, power, and refources of the British empire.

2. Addrefs thereupon, presented to his Majesty, 24th January 1799.

We your Majefty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament affembled, beg leave to return your Majesty the thanks of this House for your Majesty's most gracious meffage; and to affure your Majefty, that, impreffed with a deep fenfe of the magnitude of the objects to which your Majefty is pleafed to direct our attention, and anxious at all times, and particularly at the prefent crifis, to avail ourselves. of every opportunity to improve and perpetuate the connexion between Great Britain and Ireland (fo effential to their common fecurity), and to promote the strength and prosperity of every part of the British empire, we shall not fail to enter