was no punishment introduced in its room. He then moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend the act already paffed, for enforce ing hard labour, and for tranfportation of delinquents.-Lease granted.

The Recorder bore teftimony to the very great neccffity there was at prefent for fuch a law; but it was alto nece Tary he laid to have it paffed before Christmas.

The Provost moved for leave to bring in a bill to deliver from confinement all perfons difcharged by proclamation, but detain d for their fees.

He said this bill was a copy of one obtained in England, by the moft remarkable perforage that had appeared in Europe for many centuries, Mr. Howard; this gentleman, with the most benevolent heart, had devoted the earlier part of his life in improving a moderate fortune, by acting as a father to his tenants, encouraging hen to industry, in promoting their profperity, and ultimately his own, in railing up around him what ought to be the pride, and is the ftrength of every country, a refpectable independent yeomanry. His fuccefs in this undertaking, and his amiable difpofition, foon caught the attention of the neighbouring gentlemen, and he was perfuaded to accept the office of theriff for his county; in this tuation he thought it his duty frequently to vifit the county jail, and his humanity foon interefted him to allay the miferies the wretched prifoners oftentimes unjuftly fuffer, as far as witdm, directed by tenderness, could go; he reformed the jail o' his own county, and from that was induced to proceed round all England; nay he did not confine his benevolent intentions to England only, for there is fearce a dungeon in Europe that he has not infpected, that the unhappy every where may taile of his benevolence. Some time fince it was propofed to him that the thanks of parliament fhould be voted as a reward and approbation of his merit. His reply was, that he was not ambitious of applaufe-that as to the thanks of parliament, he would not give a ruth for them—but if they would let him have fomething in his own way, if they would allow him to turn his labours to the public advantage, he would `receive it as a favour-he then propofed that this bill fhould be paffed, which, at his requeft, was granted. The Provo oberved, that fome time ago a very humane law had been brought in, to enable grand juries to prefent for the fees of perfons acqui.ted: but a partial and oppreflive ufe having Sometimes been made of it, it by no means anfwered the purpofe of the worthy Baronet who introduced it; indeed he faid it was a point of fome difficulty, and an object of moment in a free ftate to prevent any of its parts from extending beyond its proper bounds, and therefore he thought that power, though wifely and humanely intended, fhould not have been lodged with grand juries-their office was to fpread a field

to protect their innocent fellow-fubjects, or to put offenders on their trial-but it was not their province to fay, we will prefent the fees of this man who has been acquitted by his country, and not of this man, who has been acquitted alfo. The advantage of law fhould extend equally to all thofe who are in the fame fituation. He faid he himself had been for many years a judge of aflize, and though he had the happiness to ftand well with grand juries, yet they had not unfrequently refused to prefent the fees of perfons acquitted, though recommended by him from the bench.

Sir Hercules Langrishe feconded the Provoft; he faid he wished to have made this former law, which had been brought in by him, more extenfive, but in thofe days he could not venture to propofe it.Granted accordingly.

The Provost afterwards added, that his idea went in this matter to keep every part of the conftitution in its proper ftate, and to point out the proper line to grand juries fo as to hold the even fcale of their jurifdiction, without partiality or felf-intereft.

Mr. Toler thought it best to poftpone the last bill, or to let it come in as part of the general police bill.

The Prove thought it better to let it ftand upon its own ground. Mr. Toler fa d, he had another motion to make, which was of fome confequence to the caufe of juftice. It was in refpect to recognizances before magiftrates, for profecution, appearance, &c. a matter very trivial in opinion, and by the flattern manner in which they were paffed over, not a fifteenth part coming into the cafual revenue-because such matters came through many hands before they reached the fub-fheriff, and v hen it came to him, too often made a pretext of revenge and opprellion. He moved for leave to bring in a bill for furthering juftice, by enforcing the penalty of recognizance before magistrates, &c. and at the commitlion of oyer and terminer, and other courts of jultice.-Leave granted.

The petition of Thomas Tennifon against Theophilus Clements, for an undue election for the county of Leitrim; and the petition of William Smyth for the fame, for the county of Westmeath, were received and referred; the first to the 29th of November, and the fecond to the 3d of December.

Mr. Croften propofed a bill to ascertain the qualifications of members ferving in parliament, viz. that a knight of the fhire fhould poffefs 600l. per ann. real estate, clear of all incumberances, and a citizen or burgefs 300l. with exception of the College and city of Dublin.

The Provet faid, if Dublin was to be excepted, being a trading city, and likely to be reprefented by a merchant, whofe fortune might be personal, Cork ought to have the fame exemption.

The Recorder rejected the principle of the bill, and denied the practicability of it. If, faid he, we were fure that virtue was al

ways an attendant upon riches, the principle of the bill would be a good one; but unhappily we know the contrary is fact, for those who have moft, the men who are wallowing in wealth, are ftill for having a little more; on the contrary, there are many Thining inftances of the poorer men maintaining inflexible virtue. We have all heard of Andrew Marvel, who could return the fecond and the third day to his bone of mutton, and defpife the wages of venality. But as to the practicability of this bill, it is notorious that in England, from whence it is copied, qualifications for members to ferve in parliament are bought and fold as openly and as frequently as any other commodity.

Sir Edward Newenham.-There is no doubt, but the prefent bill in England is notoriously evaded; therefore, though the bill now tendered may not be perfect, it is our bufinefs to render it effectual; we know the errors of the English bill, and may regu late this bill accordingly; few bils are perfect on their first introduction.

The Clerk now proceeded to read the bill at the table, when fome inaccuracies being found, Mr. Crofton withdrew it for the prefent.

Sir H. Cavendish moved, "that the condition of this country demands that every practicable retrenchment, confiftent with the fafety thereof, and with the honourable suppo rt of his Majesty's government, fhould be made in its expences."

Mr. Mofon obferved, that as the question was one of a number intended by the Hon. Baronet, he might with ftri&t parliamentary order object to its being brought forward alone, but he rather chofe to object to it as being offered at a moft improper time, before the national accounts could have been examined. They had indeed been but just read by their titles, and a committee ordered to infpect them, but as that committee had not reported, the Houfe had no information on which to found the refolution: in order therefore to have the question, to whose object he was a friend, fairly invefligated, he advifed the Hon. Baronet to withdraw it till the Houfe had full information on the fubject, otherwife he would move the previous queftion, whether the Hon. Baronet's refolution be now put.

Sir Henry Cavendish faid, he would offer a very few words, to thew the Houfe that this was the proper time for bringing on his motion. The public accounts he faid, had just been received, and taking it for granted they were accurate, they were fufficient ground to found his refolution upon; it was therefore unneceffary to wait for the report of the committee of accounts, for when that would be made, the time for retrenchment would be paft.It was not, he faid, neceflary for gentlemen to make ufe of a previous queftion to get rid of his refolution; they might if they could deny the truth of it, give it a direct negative. But I will, con

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our retrenchments fhould reach establishments, and not like Eng land plunge deeper each day in ruin. Miniftry both here and in that kingdom, have been often warned of the fatal confequences that must follow, but these warnings have been treated as the vifions of fpeculative men.—————) -England, that great and mighty country, now ftaggers under a load of debt, diftreffed and difmembered, her expences overwhelm her; and where is the man who will fay the fhall be redemeed? Where is the man who will fay, I will redeem her, and will fay how? Though every little minifter, or every little man who imagines he is a minifter, is ready to undertake the management of her affairs: where is the man who will fay that Ireland ought to have a peace establishment of 15,000 men? When the augmentation took place in Lord Townshend's administration, this country was unable to bear it, and fince that day we have been involving her deeper and deeper, because we at, firft engaged her in an undertaking beyond her firength :when all the world united against Britain, and she was furrounded with enemies on every fide, we gave way to the feelings of our hearts and fpared her 4000 men, and fome time after in the moment de flagrante bello, we granted her more than half our remaining troops; if then in time of war the country could subsist without troops, will any man fay, that in time of profound peace the ought to fupport 15,000 men? No, now is the time for reducing your military establishment-let your intention be known this day, that the Right Honourable Secretary may have time to communicate with England: if you neglect the prefent opportunity, no minifter hereafter will have even a pretence for restoring the finances of this country.

I am no partizan either here or in England, I can gain nothing by it; I am ready in either place, like a man, to fupport minifters while they are right, and whenever they are wrong to oppofe them, and refift their measures. At prefent I hope my honourable. friend will allow me to alter his motion, and ftate a precife idea; I would have it run thus: "Refolved, that the condition of this country requires every practicable retrenchment, &c. and that the military establishment in its present state, affords room for effe&tual retrenchment."

I love the army as a body of brave and worthy men, but I would not facrifice the kingdom to their benefit. Now, Sir, if minifters really mean economy, they will agree with this amendment of mine; if not, they will amufe us with words only.

Mr. George Ponfonby-Sir, I can fee as plainly as any man the intent of the reflections thrown upon your predeceffor in the chair; and I muft fay, as to the mover of this refolution, that no difapprobation of his gives me any but a pleasurable fenfation: and I do at all times feel that fupreme contempt for his difapprobation and opinion, which I now take the liberty to declare.

Mr.

Ponsonby then entered into a defence of his father's (the late Speaker) conduct―he recited the history of that time—He said that Mr. Flood had exerted himself to support his father's interest against Lord Townshend's attacks; and asked, why, when virtue in the fhape of Lord Townshend had overturned intereft, the alledged fyftem of profufion had not been overturned alfo? He declared his firm reliance on the Duke of Portland and his friends, that they intended an effectual and fatisfactory reform; and concluded that if the Hon. Baronet thought the circle in which he fat was compofed of men grown old in iniquity, it would be but charitable for him to come amongst them, as only from his virtuous contact and indefatigable labours, they could hope to be brought into the road of righteoufnefs.

Mr. Flood faid, he had not fupported Mr. Ponfonby's intereft, but he had oppofed Lord Townshend's administration: he faid this to exculpate Mr. Ponfonby from the charge of ingratitude, for when he had felt the hand of power, Mr. Ponfonby had not fupported him; but he never looked at fuch little things as the intereft of particular men or their parties; they appeared great indeed to the men who were engaged in them, but in the eyes of the man who contemplates the public welfare, they vanish into nothing. Had I, faid he, been his father's fupporter, the Hon. Gentleman but ill requited me, when in his loudeft tone, he cried out to have me dismissed, and feemed to reproach minifters with pufillanimity for delaying the fentence. He declared, indeed, that he had no perfonal diflike to me, but it was only to oblige one or two particular friends; yet the Gentleman boafts of whig principles, whig connexions; whig friends he may juftly boast, but fuch conduct was a manifestation of whig apoftacy. God and nature have eftablished this limit to power, it cannot long subsist divested of rectitude. Do we mean to take up the works of retrenchment ourfelves, or will we leave it to others to do for us? Will we retrench our own expences, or leave it to others to œconomize for us?

If we proceed upon this bufinefs, the people will stand grateful and admiring fpectators of our progrefs, if not, they may perhaps take it up themselves; let us then act honeftly, let us tell Great-Britain what no man can deny, that the military is the place to make retrenchment. I will fuppofe minifters as good as any man can wish, but 'tis our duty to give them opportunity of exercifing their honeft intentions.

Mr. George Ponfonby utterly denied his ever calling for the dif miffal of the Hon. Gentleman; he repeated his words, which, he faid, could not bear that interpretation.

The Speaker earneftly exhorted gentlemen to avoid any per sonality, and informed them, that it was against the order of the Houfe to mention any thing which had been spoken in a former debate,