portant fubject; among these were the duke of Richmond, lord Effingham, Mr. Pitt, Dr. Price, and Dr. Jebb. The most remarkable of the anfwers returned to this committee was that of the duke of Richmond, who recommended with great force, and in the moft decided language, the plan of UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE. "All plans merely of a fpeculative nature," this bold reformer affirmed, had been found infufficient to interest and animate the great body of the people, from whose earnestness alone any reform was to be expected. A long exclufion from any share in the legislation of their country had rendered the great mafs of the people indifferent whether the monopo→ ly that fubfifted continued in the hands of a more or lefs extended company; or whether it were divided by them into shares of fomewhat more or lefs juft proportion. They had been fo often deceived, that they were scarcely now disposed to confide in any fet of men. Nothing but felf-evident conviction that a measure tended effectually to the recovery of their rights, could, or indeed ouGHT to intereft them in its favor."

The meeting at Lisburne was quickly followed by an affembly of delegates held at Dungannon, for the province of Ulfter; at which the earl of Charlemont, generaliffimo of the volunteer corps throughout the kingdom; Mr. Conolly, confidered as the first commoner in point of property; and the bishop of Derry, brother to the late earl of Bristol, nominated in the year 1766 to the lord lieutenancy of Ireland, were prefent. The provinces of Leinster and Munster followed the example of Ulfter-a NATIONAL CONVENTION was appointed to be held at Dublin on the 10th of November.

Such was the pofture of affairs in that kingdom, when the parliament of Ireland, recently elected, met on the 14th of October 1783. The earl of Northington opened the feffion with a judicious fpeech, in which he profeffed to anticipate the greatest national benefits from the wifsdom and

and temper of the new parliament. On the very first day of the feffion the thanks of both houses were voted to the different volunteer corps of Ireland for their public fervices and a farther proof of the independent fpirit now prevalent appeared in the refolution proposed by lord Mountmorres, and which received the fanction of both houses, "That in the prefent ftate of the kingdom, it was expedient that there fhould be a feffion of parliament held every year."

On the 10th of November the national convention met agreeably to their appointment. Of this formidable affembly the earl of Charlemont was elected prefident. On the motion of the bishop of Derry, a committee was forthwith appointed to digeft a plan of reform, who in a short time reported their opinion, That every proteftant freehold er, or leafeholder, poffeffing a freehold or leafehold for a certain term of years of forty shillings value, refident in any city or borough, fhould be entitled to vote in the election of member for the fame: That decayed boroughs fhould be enabled to return reprefentatives by an extenfion of franchise to the neighbouring parishes: That the fuffrages of the electors should be taken by the theriff or his deputies on the fame day at the respective places of electi on: That pensioners of the crown, receiving their penfions during pleasure, should be incapacitated from fitting in parliament; that every member of parliament accepting a penfion for life, or any place under the crown, should vacate his feat; that each member should subscribe an oath, that he had neither directly nor indirectly given any pecuniary or other confideration, with a view of obtaining the fuffrage of any elector; finally, that the duration of parliament fhould not exceed the term of three years. This report was received by the convention with great applause, and refolutions to the fame purport unanimously paffed. On the very next day Mr. Flood, long known by his able and eloquent exertions in the cause of liberty, moved

the

the house of commons for leave to bring in a bill for the more equal reprefentation of the people in parliament. It now appeared that the coalition minifters, as yet in the zenith of their power, had formed a fixed determination to oppose to the utmost the encroachments of a dangerous and armed democracy, unknown in their newly affumed capacity to the laws and to the conftitution.

Mr. Yelverton, attorney general, declared that the queftion thus introduced did not deferve to be difcuffed, but that it ought to be regarded as an infult upon the houfe. If the bill originated, as it was notorious it did, with a body of armed men, they fhould decidedly fet their faces against receiving it. They did not fit there to receive propofitions at the point of the bayonet. He entertained an extreme reverence for the volunteers, for the effential fervices they had conferred on their country; but when they formed themselves into a political body, to discuss the modes of reforming parliament, and to regulate the affairs of the nation; when they would probe the wounds of the conftitution with the fword, he would be their most determined opponent. The queftion was now, Whether the national convention or the parliament of Ireland were to legiflate for the country? What phænomenon was it they had fo lately feen? Armed men drawn up in files, preparing the way for other armed men, reforting in faftidious pomp to a general affembly, and difplaying all the oftentation of a real parliament! Would they fubmit to this? Was it decent for parliament to enter into any fort of compromise with this congrefs? Were the members of that houfe free in their deliberations while this military congrefs were fitting? No, it was neceffary they should say to the volunteers" You have obtained a conftitution and commerce; and now, inftead of dictating to the legislature of the kingdom, go to your own homes, change your attire, and turn your fwords, no longer needed for the defence of your country, into plough-fhares and pruning-hooks."

This

This fpeech, feconded by the efforts of Mr. Pelham, fecretary to the lord lieutenant, and other zealous partisans of government, was decifive; and notwithstanding the ardent exertions of the rival patriots, Mr. Flood and Mr. Grattan, the house at a very late hour divided-Ayes 77, noes 157.

Defirous to fix a ftill farther ftigma on the measures of the convention, it was immediately moved by Mr. Yelverton, "That it was now neceffary to declare that this houfe would fupport the rights and privileges of parliament against all encroachments."

This refolution being carried by a great majority, an addrefs to the king was moved, expreffive of the fense felt by the house of the bleffings they enjoyed under his aufpices, and affuring him that they were determined to fupport inviolate the prefent conftitution with their lives and fortunes.

In this addrefs the lords concurred. A protest, however, figned by the earl of Charlemont and four other peers, was entered in the journals of the house against it.

Mr. Flood reported to the national convention, at their fitting of the 1ft of December, the conduct of the house of commons; but far from displaying any symptoms of refentment, or even surprise, they came only to a tame and unintelligible refolution, "That they would carry on individually fuch investigations as might be neceffary to complete the plan of parliamentary reform;" not adverting to their recent and unanimous approval of a plan of reform, which they now virtually difcarded as incomplete. But their humiliation was yet more apparent in the addrefs voted on the following day to the king, on the motion of Mr. Flood, in the name of the delegates of all the volunteers of Ireland, "expreffive of their duty and loyalty, claiming the merits of their past exertions, and imploring the king that their humble wifh to have certain manifeft perverfions of the parliamentary reprefentation of that kingdom

kingdom remedied by the legiflature in fome reasonable degree, might not be attributed to any spirit of innovation, but to a fober and laudable defire to uphold the conftitution, to confirm the fatisfaction of their fellow fubjects, and to perpetuate the cordial union of both kingdoms." This act of paffive obedience and fubmiffion being ended, the convention adjourned fine die.

So unexpected and extraordinary a termination of a bufinefs which had previously wore fo menacing and formidable an afpect, merits fome attention. The convention probably did not at all expect a conduct so spirited and decifive on the part of the house of commons. If they refolved on the profecution of their plan, in direct contravention to the declared fenfe of the house, the moft alarming confequences might be expected to enfue. Exclufive of the perfonal rifque which they must in that cafe neceffarily incur as members of an illegal and TRAITOROUS affembly, they unquestionably neither wished themselves, nor was it by any means clear that their conftituents were prepared to fupport them in any attempt to fubvert the established government by force. The profpect of ultimate advantage bore no proportion to the certainty and magnitude of the evil to be encountered. Another confideration of the greatest moment was, that this convention well knew they did not really poffefs the confidence of the nation, taking that term in its proper and moft extenfive fenfe. It was an undoubted fact that more than two thirds of the inhabitants of the kingdom were catholics, who, if the propofed plan of reform had been adopted, would receive no benefit from it; and who were of courfe wholly indifferent as to the fuccefs of it. By fome daring and decifive fpirits it was indeed propofed at the provincial meetings, to place the catholics in the new order of things precisely upon the fame footing with the proteftants. This would indeed have given irrefiftible weight to the application; but men capable of cool and fober reflection, though firm and

zealous