on the liberal principles of equality and reciprocity. Its general principle was to admit the mutual importation and exportation of the commodities of each country at a very low ad valorem duty. The negotiator of this treaty was Mr. Eden, who under the coalition administration had filled the lucrative office of vice-treafurer of Ireland.

This was the first memorable defection from that illftarred and heterogeneous alliance: and it was the more remarkable, as Mr. Eden had himfelf been generally confidered as the original projector of the coalition, or at leaft as the man who might conteft that honor with Mr. Burke. He foon attained to the dignity of the peerage under the title of baron Auckland.

About the fame time a convention was figned with Spain of fome importance, as it finally terminated the long fubfifting difputes refpecting the fettlements of the English nation on the Mofquito fhore, and the coaft of Honduras. By the prefent treaty the Mofquito fettlements were formally and explicitly relinquifhed, as they had already virtually been by the 6th article of the general treaty of 1783. In return the boundaries of the English fettlements on the coaft and bay of Honduras were fomewhat extended, but in fuch manner, and on fuch conditions, as to leave the king of Spain in full poffeffion of his territorial rights and exclufive dominion.

In a political view this convention anfwered a valuable. purpose, as it removed a probable fource of national difagreement. But the claims of humanity and juftice were not fufficiently attended to. For the Mofquito fettlers, who had from time immemorial occupied their lands and habitations under the protection of the English government, and who amounted to many hundred families in number, were peremptorily commanded to evacuate the country of the Mofquitoes, without exception, in the fpace of eighteen months, nothing farther being ftipulated in their favor, than that his catholic majefty " fhall order Y 2

his

his governors to grant to the faid English fo difperfed, alf poffible facilities for their removal to the fettlements agreed upon by the prefent convention."

The greatest confufion, confternation, and diftrefs among this unhappy people, was the inevitable refult of this barbarous edict of expulfion, which, with the coldblooded politicians of Europe, at the diftance of 3000 miles, paffed only for a regulation of commerce. An affecting reprefentation of their diftreffes, and an humble petition for fome fort of indemnification from the government which had thus carelessly abandoned them to their fate, was fubfequently prefented to the board of treasury; but it does not appear to have excited any attention. By the infolence of office," the fighs of the oppreffed are regarded as a fpecies of infult.

On the re-affembling of parliament, January 23, 1787, the first object of debate which prefented itfelf, was the commercial treaty with France. On the 12th of February the house refolved itfelf into a committee on this subject, when Mr. Pitt entered into a moft able and eloquent vindication of the meafure, though, in the opinion of impartial perfons, the treaty fufficiently fpoke its own merits. Mr. Pitt declared in energetic terms his abhorrence of the maxim, that any nation was deftined to be the natural and unalterable foe of another. It had no foundation in the experience of nations, or in the hiftory of men. It was a libel on the conftitution of political focieties, and fuppofed the existence of infernal malignity in our original frame. "France (Mr. Pitt faid) in most of our wars had been the aggreffor; but her affurances and frankness in the prefent negotiation were fuch as to entitle her to a return of confidence. It was indeed ridiculous to imagine that the French would consent to yield advantages without the idea of compenfation. The treaty would doubtlefs be a benefit to them; but he did not hesitate to fay it would be a much greater benefit to us. She gained for her wines and

and other productions a great and opulent market. We did the fame for our manufacturers to a far greater degree. She procured a market of eight millions of people, we a market of twenty-four millions. Both nations were difpofed and prepared for fuch a connection. France, by the peculiar difpenfation of providence, was gifted, perhaps more than any other country upon earth, with what made life defirable, in point of foil, climate, and natural productions, in the most fertile vineyards, and the richest harvests. Britain, on the other hand, poffeffing thefe advantages in an inferior degree, had, from the happy freedom of its conftitution, and the equal fecurity of its laws, rifen to a ftate of commercial grandeur, and acquired the ability of fupplying France with the requifite conveniences of life, in exchange for her natural luxuries."

Very plaufible objections were nevertheless fuggefted by the leaders of oppofition against this treaty, and predictions hazarded of the injury which would be fuftained by Great Britain in confequence of this meafure, which were far from being eventually verified; and which it is therefore fuperfluous to particularize. Such, nevertheless, was the impreffion made upon the houfe by the arguments advanced, that no less than 162 members divided against the minifter on a motion for an addrefs to his majefty, declaratory of the approbation of the houfe; which was ultimately carried by a majority of 76 voices.

The oppofition in the house was not however fupported, as in the cafe of the Irifh propofitions, by any commercial clamors beyond its walls. And Mr. Pitt accurately and fatisfactorily accounted for this difference, by obferving "that in the former inftance the clamors of the manufacturers, though he thought them founded in error, had been general and violent, because they perceived no great and positive advantage in the intercourse to balance the apprehended evil of a rivalry and competition, England being already in poffeffion of the Irish market. But now that

they

they faw fo manifeft and valuable a benefit to be reaped, they were willing to hazard the poffibility of the injury."

The topic on which the oppofition infifted with the most advantage, and indeed the only real difficulty refpecting the execution of this treaty, arofe from its inconfiftency on the first blush with the famous Methuen treaty, concluded with Portugal early in the prefent century, in conformity to which the duties on Portugal wines were to bear in future the proportion of only two-thirds of those imported from France, and other countries. But this point being candidly conceded by France in the progrefs of the bufinefs, the measure received, as it well deferved, the neceffary concurrence and fanction of parliament, and the whole tranfaction terminated greatly to the honor of the minifter, and the advantage of the nation; the fole caufe of regret, in fact, being the limitation of the treaty to the fhort period of twelve years.

Another very useful commercial measure, though of very inferior importance, a measure founded on the reports. of the commiffioners of public accounts, was early in the prefent feffion brought forward by Mr. Pitt for the confolidation of the cuftoms, by the total abolition of all the exifting confused and complex duties, and fubftituting in their ftead a fingle duty on each article, amounting as nearly as poffible to the aggregate of the various fubfidies · now paid; taking univerfally, instead of a fraction, the nearest integral number above it. By this means the revenue would be confiderably benefited, and the merchant relieved from a ferious inconvenience. It is a curious circumstance, that the series of refolutions prefented to the houfe, but of which they chose to wave the formality of reading, amounted to more than three thoufand in number.

A regulation of finance, much lefs generally approved, was alfo propofed by Mr. Pitt, relative to the tax on posthorfes, which he affirmed to have been moft grofsly and fcandaloufly evaded. By way of remedy, he recommend

ed

ed that it should be farmed by auction to the highest bidder, on the ufual plan of the turnpike duty. This was represented as repugnant to the genius of the English conftitution. It might prove, as the farming of the revenue had notoriously done in France, the fource of infinite abufe and oppreffion. It eftablished a dangerous and alarming precedent, and required to be refolutely refifted in the outfet. Upon the question for going into a committee on this bill, the numbers were only 147 ayes to 100 noes. It must however be acknowledged, that this obnoxious regulation has not been found productive of any practical inconvenience.

In the courfe of the feffion Mr. Fox moved for the repeal of the odious fhop tax, which, in confèquence of the pertinacious adherence of Mr, Pitt to a measure in itself very trivial and uninterefting, had become a matter of permanent and ferious concern. It appeared from the ftatement of Mr. Fox, that the city of London and its environs paid forty-three fhares in fifty-nine 'of this duty, the whole produce being eftimated at only fifty-nine thousand pounds. This was affirmed with reafon to be an unjust and monftrous difproportion. But in truth the commutation tax fell as heavily in proportion upon the country, as the fhop tax upon the metropolis; however comparatively deftitute of the means of enforcing their complaints, or procuring redrefs. On the divifion the numbers were, ayes 147, noes 183; the ministerial majority in a full houfe being, on this fecond attempt at repeal, reduced to 36 voices only.

On the 28th of March 1787, a motion of great importance was made by Mr. Beaufoy, a member of the houfe, diftinguished by his knowledge, talents, and general respectability of character, for amending, and in part repealing, the laws known by the appellation of the corporation and teft acts, fo far as related to the proteftant diffenters, who weakly flattered themfelves, that their recent fervices

were