formation. Although it was an event which had been for fome time daily expected, the Houfe feemed affected with the decpeft fenfibility, and forrow was apparent in every countenance. The recollection of his former pre-eminence in power, of his unrivalled eloquence, of his unwearied exertions in the public fervice, and of the unexampled profperity to which Great Britain had attained under his adminiftration, rushed upon the mind with irrefiftible force, and produced an emotion which the fympathy fo powerful in popular affemblies heightened to enthufiafm. The motion made by Colonel Barré, "that the remains of the Earl of Chatham be interred at the public expence," was unanimoufly adopted; with the farther addition," that a monument be erected to his memory in the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminfter." This was followed by a motion from Lord John Cavendish, for an Addrefs to the King, "that his Majefty would be graciously pleased to make a permanent provifion for the family of the late WILLIAM PITT, Earl of CHATHAM, in confideration of the fervices performed by that able Statefman ;" and in the fequel, a bill was brought into Parliament, and unanimously paffed, by which a clear annuity of 4000l. per annum, payable out of the Civil Lift, is for ever to be annexed to the Earldom of Chatham, and the fum of 20,000l. voted for the discharge of debts and incumbrances. Thus

2

nobly

nobly and gratefully did the nation reward the fervices of the man whofe counfels, to the amazement of the world, fhe had for fo many years neglected and contemned. The ready concurrence of the Court in the honors lavished on the memory of this great Statesman, may be ascribed entirely to the decided manner in which he delivered, almoft in his laft breath, his fentiments against the recog-. nition of American Independence, and which may be regarded as the fole political error, with which, in respect to America, he is chargeable. What his precise ideas were, with regard to the plan of conciliation proper to be adopted in the actual circumftances of the nation, cannot be ascertained; but of this we may reft affured, from the uniform and fyftematic tenor of his policy, that he never would have employed coercive means in accomplishing it. When he found, and had he been restored to the plenitude of power he certainly would have found, America determined to maintain her Independency, he muft doubtlefs have difcovered, and could not but have fubmitted to, the neceffity of recognizing it. It is exceedingly to be lamented, that perfonal and party confiderations prevented that firm and cordial coalefcence amongst the Whigs in oppofition to the Court, which was fo neceffary to give efficacy to their exertions. The diflike of Lord Chatham to the Newcastle or Rockingham party was invincible; and the divi

fions and animofities which originated in that dif like, and which his death was far from extinguishing, have at length terminated in what may be confidered as the almoft total ruin of the Whig intereft, and the final and complete triumph of the Tories; at leaft till the calamities, which have never yet failed to refult from a Tory fyftem of govern*ment in this country, fhall again awaken the dormant spirit of Whiggism in the nation, and confign the abfurd, pernicious, and deteftable maxims of Tory government to public contempt and execration. But when a just allowance is made, and just allowance must be made for thofe imperfections from which no human character is exempt, Lord Chatham will unquestionably rank as one of the greatest, moft enlightened, and beneficent Statesmen that ever adorned the annals of any age or country.

The diftreffes in which the kingdom of Ireland was involved in confequence of the war, and the general and loud complaints of the bulk of its inhabitants, made it abfolutely neceffary to attempt fomething farther for its relief; and in a Committee of the whole House it was refolved,

I. That the Irish might be permitted to export directly to the British plantations or fettlements all goods, wares, and merchandize, being the produce of that kingdom, or of Great Britain, wool and woollen manufacturcs only excepted; as alfo foreign certificate goods legally imported.

II. That

II. That a direct importation be allowed of all goods, wares, and merchandize, being the produce of the British plantations, tobacco only excepted.

III. That the direct exportation of glafs manufactured in Ireland be permitted to all places except Great Britain.

IV. That the importation of cotton yarn the manufacture of Ireland be allowed, duty free, into Great Britain; as alfo,

V. The importation of fail-cloth and cordage. These refolutions excited a very great and general alarm amongst the commercial part of the British nation, who feemed to confider the admiffion of Ireland to any participation in trade, as equally destructive to their property, and subverfive of their rights.

After the recefs, very many instructions and petitions were prefented to the Houfe in oppofition to them and it deferves mention, as a ftriking inftance of commercial folly and prejudice, that, in feveral of the petitions, the importation of Irish fail-cloth and of wrought iron is particularly specified as ruinous to the fame manufactures in England; though it was by this time difcovered, that, by a pofitive law of long ftanding, Ireland was in actual poffeffion of thofe very privileges, although the Irish were fo far from being able to profecute thefe manufactures to any pur

pofe of competition with the British, that great quantities of both were annually exported to that country from England. An almost equally great and equally groundless alarm had been taken at the bill paffed a few years fince for the free importation of woollen yarn into England; which was by experience found and acknowledged to be not merely innocuous, but beneficial; yet fuch influence had the apprehenfions of the public upon the difpofition of the Houfe, that the bills founded on the refolutions actually paffed were ultimately difmiffed, and some trivial points only conceded, not meriting a distinct specification.

Late in the feffion, Sir George Saville moved for leave to bring in a bill for the repeal of certain penalties impofed by an act paffed in the 10th of King WILLIAM, entitled an Act for preventing the farther Growth of Popery; which penalties the mover ftated to be, the punishment of Popish Priests, or Jefuits, as guilty of felony, who fhould be found to officiate in the fervices of their church; the forfeiture of eftate to the next Proteftant heir, in cafe of the education of the Romish poffeffor abroad; the power given to the fon, or other nearest relation, being a Proteftant, to take poffeffion of the father's cftate during the lifetime of the proprietor; and the depriving Papifts of the power of acquiring any legal property by purchafe. In propofing the repeal of these penal