THE LONDON MAGAZINE, ENLARGED AND IMPROVED, THE HISTORY OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE SIXTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF GREAT-BRITAIN. IN Begun and bolden at Westminster, on the 25th of January, 1785. TN the courfe of the recefs nothing had occurred to difturb the tranquillity of the cabinet. Some fmall changes had been made by the confent of all parties; and Lords Shelburne and Temple were engaged by additional honours to fupport the miniftry. The new taxes were found to be more productive than had been expected, and, though heavy, were borne by the people without murmuring. In Ireland, the people, with their ufual inconftancy, feemed weary of purfuing a parliamentary reform, or to defpair of fuccefs. The fpirit which at first engaged them in that purfuit was evidently on the decline; and the Irish parliament, which was juft affembled, promised a ready concurrence with every measure of government. On the continent, the claim of the Emperour to the free navigation of the Scheldt engaged the attention of Europe. Negotiations for a compromife were ftill carried on, while both parties made vigorous preparations for war. If the difpute fhould be ultimately decided by arms, it would evidently involve the leading powers of Europe. Great-Britain alone appeared but little interested in the event, and to have it in her power to preferve an advantageous neutrality. Jan. 25. His Majefty opened the feffion with the following moft gracious fpeech from the throne: My Lords and Gentlemen, AFTER the laborious attendance of the last feffion of parliament, LOND. MAG. Jan. 1785. it has given me peculiar pleafure, that the fituation of public affairs has admitted of fo long a recefs. Among the objects which now require confideration, I must particularly recommend to your carneft attention the adjustment of fuch points in the commercial intercourfe between GreatBritain and Ireland as are not yet finally arranged. The fyftem which will unite both kingdoms the most closely on principles of reciprocal advantage will, I am perfuaded, best enfure the general profperity of my dominions. I have the fatisfaction to acquaint you, that, notwithstanding any appearance of differences on the continent, I continue uniformly to receive, from all foreign powers, the strongest affurances of their good difpofition towards this country. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I have ordered the estimates for the enfuing year to be laid before you. I confide in your liberality and zeal to grant the neceffary fupplies, with a juft regard as well to the economy requifite in every department, as to the maintenance of the national credit, and the real exigencies of the public fer vice. My Lords and Gentlemen, The fuccefs which has attended the measures taken in the last feffion towards the fuppreffion of fmuggling, and for the improvement of the revenue, will encourage you to apply yourfelves with continual affiduity to thofe B important important objects. You will, I truft, alfo take into early confideration the matters fuggefted in the reports of the commiffioners of public accounts, and. fuch further regulations as may appear to be neceffary in the different 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. When his Majefty and the Commons had retired, the Marquis of Buckingham and Marquis of Lanfdown were introduced; and the Lord Chancellor having read the fpeech, the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon rofe to move an addrefs of thanks. He was forry that a duty fo honourable was not to be difcharged by an abler perfon, but he trufted in the goodnefs of their lordfhips that they would indulge him for a minute, while he declared how much he approved of the fpeech which they had heard, The fettlement of the commercial connection between this country and Ireland was an object of fuch ferious concern, that he knew their lordships would agree with him in thinking that it could not be more zealously recommended from the crown than it would be chearfully taken up by the Houfe. It must be highly pleafing to their lordships, as well as creditable to his Majefty's, minifters, that, at a time when alarms were given of contefts on the continent, we had fo borne ourselves, as to receive pacific affurances from all the neighbouring powers. The fuppreffion of fmuggling was an object the most defirable, and the reforms fuggefted by the commif fioners of public accounts, whofe labours did them fo much honour, were productive of fuch obvious benefit, that he was fenfible their lordships would be happy to give his Majelly afurances of their readinefs to fecond his gracious ideas in that refpect. On the whole of the fpeech he was.com, vinced there needed no argument to induce their lordships to agree with him in the propriety of an addrefs of thanks. He, therefore, fhould content himself with moving, that an addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, in the ufual terms of acknowledgement and affurance of their readiness to fulfil his Majefty's wishes, as declared in the fpeech.. Lord Walfingham faid, that, in feconding the motion of the noble duke, he fhould prefume only to trouble their lordships with a few fentences, in addition to what his grace had fo forcibly and fully recommended to their notice. The topics held out to the attention of parliament in his Majefty's moft gracious fpeech were fo worthy of their moft ferious regard and were in themselves fo important, that he was confcious there needed not the weighty influence of his Majesty's recommendation, to induce their lordhips to take them into their view. The full and final accomplishment of a liberal fyftem of commercial connection between the two kingdoms of England and Ireland was a thing which every good man of both countries must be anxious to behold. Their lordships, would, no doubt, be moft ready to give his Majefty affurances, that they would co-operate with his Majefty in his patriotic views on this fubject; and that, from their earnest efforts on this head, they might hope to fee a fyftem formed, fo broad and liberal, fo becoming the enlarged fentiments of an intelligent people, and framed on fuch principles of justice and wifdom, as might at once be be neficial to the two countries refpectively, and conducive to the general in terefts of the united empire. The conduct of his Majefty's minifters, in fo wifely and advantageously preferving us from all fhare in the dif ferences which appeared on the continent, was highly deferving the thanks of that Houfe. Relieved fo lately from a war which had coft us fo much, and panting for repofe, their deter-, mined neutrality had been dictated by the beft policy; for by these means we fhould have leifure and opportunity to revie wo review our circumftances, which, he thanked Heaven, were yet profperous, and to improve them by thofe means of internal regulation that he averred we had in our power; and by which we should be enabled to affert our ftation among the kingdoms of Europe. The reforms of office, and the various regulations fuggefted by the commiffioners of public accounts, were certainly moft deferving of their lordships' regard, and they would, therefore, he was perfuaded, moft chearfully concur with his Majefty in that object. In regard to the fuppreffion of fmug gling he believed there was but one fentiment. It was an evil of fo ruinous a nature, that their lordships muft be happy to hear that the meafures of laft feflion had been productive of good. It would be their object to perfevere in their endeavours to fulfil the work they had begun, and totally to fupprefs the evil. It would be unneceffary for him to enlarge on the injuries which the unreftrained practice of fmuggling brought on a commercial country; in the destruction of the morals, in the alienation of the minds of the citizens, in the debaucheries which it occafioned, as well as in the lofs of revenue, and the confequent increafe, of burthens which it brought on the fair trader and induftrious artifan. The number of people engaged in contraband trade, before the late acts, would aftonish fuch lords as might not have turned their eyes to the fubject. It would furprife them to hear that it coft the nation no lefs than 200,000l. a year for the efforts which they made to watch, and prevent the commiffion of their frauds; and they would be happy to hear that the meafures taken lately by parliament had been fo fuccefsful, that in the last year there had been an increase in the Cuftoms of 400,000l. and in the Excife of a million, This was not all; these advantages had not been accompanied by the evils which were forefeen. Apprehenfrons had been entertained, that when the adventurous body of men engaged in the fmuggling trade were prevented from the further practice of their frauds, they would emigrate, that they would carry with them their capital and enterprife to foreign countries. This, however, had not enfued; for he was happy to find, that, by the liberal and prudent act of oblivion which had been paffed, thefe men had not been induced to abandon their country, but were daily ftriking out new and legal paths, and that numbers of them were at this time folicitous of being engaged in a trade highly beneficial to the country-the Newfoundland fifhery. The noble lord faid there was much to be done yet for the entire fuppreffion of contraband dealing; and he was perfuaded that the further wifdom and ability of parliament employed on this point would give an accefion of vigour to the ftate beyond the warmeft imaginations of men. He concluded with faying, that the fpeech having thus, in all its points, his entire concurrence, he with pleafure had rifen to fecond the noble duke in his motion for an addrefs. The addrefs was agreed to neminé diffentiente. In the Houfe of Commons, Mr. Phelips, junior, faid he felt himself happy that it was in his power, by a conductequally confiftent with his own fentiments, and becoming the dignity of his conftituents, to give his full approbation to his Majefty's moft gracious fpeech, which expreffed fo much anxiety for the welfare of his people, as muft infpire them with the utmost fenfe of gratitude and loyalty; and he begged leave, therefore, in fympathy with fuch feelings, to propofe an humble addrefs of thanks to the throne, which was, as ufual, a recitation of the fpeech Mr. Noel Edwards feconded the' motion, and commented on the many circumftances of attention to the good of this country which appeared in all his Majefty's character, on which he bestowed much praife. The Earl of Surrey concurred with many parts of the fpeech, and of the propofed addrefs, but thought it in many points deficient, and for-, getful of feveral matters which were of the most important concern, and engaged the expectations of all m n at the prefent moment. He wished to know whether, by the estimates for this year being ordered to be laid before the Houfe, and the expectation of ready fupplies, with the affurance alfo of the utmost economy in the expenditure, they were to remove the neceffity of any new load of taxes; if that was the meaning, which it certainly implied, and which ought to be unequivocally the truth, he fhould be happy to hear it fo explained in the courfe of the difcuffion of the argument; but he was aftonifhed that on the mention of economy there was no intimation of any reduction of the army. He could not but think from this, that there was the utmoft ambiguity and evafion in the conduct of minifters; why did they make his Majefty delude his fubjects with the mere fhew of decorum, with the fimple expreffion and mention of the objects which deserved his attention, but always efcaped unexecuted, for the benefit of his people? He wished them to adhere to their intentions, and fulfill their engagements. In a fifter kingdom, the profecuting fheriff's ex officio for their conduct, grounded on charges against them of impartiality, was a matter of nice confideration. The meafure, he conceived, was violent, and unjuftified by precedent. The reform which was fo inuch talked of in the reprefentation of this kingdom was an important affair, and he longed to know if it was to meet with the ferious fupport of the minifter; till his doubts and fufpicions were done away, he could not but give his hearty negative to the addrefs. Mr. Pitt requested the Houfe to indulge him with fome obfervations which he would make on feveral fuggeftions which the noble lord had offered on the fubject of the addrefs. From the tenor of the fpeech, and the filence he had obferved all around him, he could not imagine there was one diffenting voice to the addrefs which his hon. friend had propofed. He was highly flattered that the noble lord had approved of any part of his Majesty's fpeech; and though he had ftated that there were many deficiencies in it, he could not think the noble lord had made them appear. With regard to the estimates for the year, and the neceffary fupplies to be granted, whether their amount would preclude the neceffity of a new loan, and whether there would be any reduction of the army, thofe were questions totally dependant on fucceeding events, and the circumftances of the times. With regard to the reform in the reprefentation of this kingdom, he hoped to be able in a few days to give notice to the House of fome future day, which he meant fhould be preceded by a call of the Houfe, when he intended to lay a propofition of this nature before it.. He hoped it would appear to be founded on a juft conception of the prefent deficiencies in the ftate of the reprefentation of this country; that it would be found calculated to establish the rights of the people on a fure and firm bafis; and tend to the permanent fecurity of the true principles of the conftitution. And he must entreat and conjure every gentleman in this House to come on that day with a mind free of impreffion from general prejudices, and give the fubject that impartial, fair, and folid difcuffion which its importance, its weight, and folemnity re-. 'quired. Lord North faid he would not deny. his affent to the addrefs. The affairs of Ireland, which were recommended to our attention, and the adjustment of them on a fyftem which would unite both countries moft clofely on principles of reciprocal advantage, he feared, might be connected with the doctrine. of the fettlement of the last peace, where the conceffions were faid to have been reciprocal, but he found all the conceffions were on one fide; he, there fore, found himself totally at a lofs for the meaning of the word reciprocity,and, therefore, begged minifters would interpret, whether it was to be restored to its antient meaning, or what it now fignified? He could not but view most alarming confequences from any idea of a reform in the reprefentation of this country, and fuch as must be unfpeakably dangerous. He obferved there had been a letter from a reverend gen tleman, |