we cry, beware neighbours! there's Hay en the born, there's a Snake in the grass! whereupon we are ftruck into an inftant pannic, we grow distracted and run about, as though our conftitution were, like the palladium of Troy, to be purloined or pilfered from us in the space of a night. What a rout have I been witness to, during a feffion of mock-patriotifm, about affent, confent, diffent, and miffent meffages of reconcilement between Allegiance and Intereft, between Liberty and common fenfe. We all remember, alfo, when the intention of a union was fo loudly proclaimed by fome popular Ram-Horns, as nearly to effect the overturning of our city; when our rulers were infulted, our legiflature violated, our magiftracy ufurped, and law and power wrefted away into the hands of the rabble (fee the hiftory of mobs p.51.) when the members of both eftates were publickly threatened with affaffination; when the populace violently entered our houfes of parliament, and compelled our governors and reprefentatives to take oaths of allegiance, before a mob-magiftracy, to a mob-administration *. Take warning then, my friends; confider what ye are about! If ye are not defirous that a fpirit of dominion should rife into any excels pernicious to liberty, let not liberty break bounds into any ex a bill, to hawl in what I deteft as much as he can; Araining at gnats, fwallow. ing camels, lethargic and frightful periods; mock patriots, mob magiftracy, mob adminiftration, &c. &c. &c. Let the gentleman fpeak plain, point out the agreffors, and I will go as far as he or any man in fhewing my contempt, deteftation and abhorrence of the men and the meafures. I should gladly know, whether this part of his work is to be confidered as the roaring of a British Lyon, or the bleating of an Irish Calf, or the braying of an Afs. The gentleman would do well to inform himself, that the mock patriots, and mab magiftrates, and mob administrations, were produced from the fame fource, EVIL GOVERNORS. Thefe never fail of tempting vain and avaricious men, to quit the fervice of their country, and inlift in the bands of evil minifters for a paltry title, or penfion. ceffes pernicious to government and the conftitution Before I take leave, I must touch, tho' with grief and reluctance, on one indelicacy that has efcaped the pen of our friend. He hints at a future poffibility of yoking a certain name with names which, I truft, throughout the annals of Ireland, will ever be found in a very remote arrangement. His expreffion indeed is merely hypothetical; it only fuppofes. that, if any finifter defigns fhould ambush in faid bill; if it fhould come to be attended with thefe fatal confequences, of which he was apprehensive, such consequences would prove injurious to his excellency's fame. I cannot therefore accufe Mr. Lucas of any thing more than of bringing fuch a name into fuch a neighbourhood; and even this must have efcaped him (as I faid) in the ebullition of his fervour and refentment against the bill. For he did not mean, he could not mean any actual offence to the name of Seymour, † which he, himself, avows to be unblemished and illuftrious. I am well informed that Mr. Lucas in private companies, has fpoken many advantageous things refpecting his excellency. I am well informed that he has often, and with pleafure, declared that his excellency, fince his entrance on his administration, has freely left every man to the dictates of his own confcience and equal duty * Our authors notion of liberty, feems alfo fomewhat odd. Liberty with him, breaks bounds! commits exceffes! &c.— How is it poffible? liberty must ever be fubject and amenable to the laws. It is libertinifm and licentioufnefs, that caufe thofe exceffes. Let them be punished wherever they are found. The members were folemnly affured, upon the honour of a great man, ufually well verfed in the ways and fecrets of government, that the alteration in the bill, was no measure of his excellency, nor one approved by him, and that he was authorifed to declare this for his excellency, as he alfo did for himself. To which, I immediately answered, that his excellency fhould be acquitted of the blame, and that the faddle should be fet on the right borse, meaning the gentlemen who took upon them to fupport the meafure, as if it had been patronifed by the lord lieutenant, to king and country; that he has treat our KING, as the Jews were acnobly declined all the little cuftomary customed to treat their GOD, by abufing arts of clofetings and fqueezings; and all the messengers whom he fent unto them. that, on the very bill in queftion, and even on the vote of credit, he never attempted to biafs the freedom of one voice. I, therefore, do not write this, fo much to reprove Mr. Lucas for a fingle inadvertency, as to warn you, my friends, not to misapprpable of the malleft intention of glancing a distant dart at the character of his excellency. mifapprehend him; not to furmife Permit me lastly to remind you, on this occafion, of a propenfity to which the lower clafs of our fellow citizens has been long addicted, and which may, not unaptly, be specified by the term STATION-BAITING * ; a propenfity which it may be advisable to reftrain till fome more preffing exigency fhall call it into Homer fays that the day, which makes a man a flave, takes away half his worth † I may add, with equal truth, that a rude licentiousness takes away a man's title to any portion of liberty. It becomes a greater tyrant than any that it ever defired to pull down, and tramples humanity as well as law under foot. It is your province, my lord, and yours, ye watchmen of our city! as magiftrates, as gentlemen, to hold this bear of a mob chained, till fome object may be pointed whereon to loofe him, without the imputation of utter barbarism and brutality. Let it not be recorded of us, that we *What our author means by STATION-BAITING, and the lower class of our fellow citizens, I am too infenfible to conceive, and confequently unable to anfwer. We know no diftinction of citizens. But our fellow citizen, the author, I fear, takes the rabble for his brethren; in which, furely he must be mistaken. + I beg leave to go a little further than the reverend Homer and our honoured author, and fay, that the day which makes a man a flave, takes away, NOT half, but ALL his worth. Can they fhew a fingle inftance, where the citizens, or any of the most rude rabble ever offered an infult or a flight, to a good lord lieutenant? I defy them. His Majefty's most gracious Speech to both boufes of Parliament, on Thursday the 14th day of January, 1766, My Lords and Gentlemen, Wed you, That Matters of Impor tance had happened in America, which would demand the most serious Attention of Parliament. HEN I met I acquaint That no Information, which could ferve to direct your Deliberations in fo interefting a Concern, might be wanting, I have ordered all the Papers, that give any Light into the Origin, the Progrefs, or the Tendency of the Disturbances which have of late prevailed in some of the Northern Colonies, to be immediately laid before you. No Time has been loft, on the first Advice of thefe Disturbances, to issue Orders to the Governors of my Provinces, and to the Commanders of my Forces in America, for the Exertion of all the Powers of Government in the Suppreffion of Riots and Tumults, and in the effectual Support of lawful Authority. Whatever remains to be done on this Occafion, I commit to your Wisdom; not doubting but your Zeal for the Honour of My Crown, your Attention to the just Rights and Authority of the British Legiflature, and your Affection and Concern for the Welfare and Profperity of all my People will guide you to fuch found and prudent Refolutions, as may tend at once to preferve those Constituti onal Rights over the Colonies, and to reftore to them that Harmony and Tranquility, which have lately been interrupted by Riots and Disorders of the most dangerous Nature. If any Alterations fhould be wanting in Commercial Oeconomy of the Plantations, which may tend to enlarge and fecure the mutual and beneficial Intercourse of My Kingdoms and Colonies, they will deferve your most ferious Confideration.In effectuating Purposes fo worthy of your Wifdom and publick Spirit, you may depend upon my mot hearty Concurrence and Support. The prefent happy Tranquillity, now fubfifting in Europe, will enable you to purfue fuch Objects of Our interior Policy with a more uninterrupted Attention. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I have ordered the proper Eftimates for the current Service of the Year to be laid before you: Such Supplies as you may grant fhall be duly applied with the utmoft Fidelity, and fhall be dispensed with the ftricteft Oeconomy. My Lords and Gentlemen, I earnestly recommend to you, to proceed in your deliberations with Temper and Unanimity. The Time requires, and I doubt not but your own Inclination will lead you to thofe falutary Difpofitions. I have nothing at Heart but legal Authority, the Prefervation of the Liberties of all My Subjects, the Equity and good Order of My Government, and the Concord and Profperity of all Parts of my Dominions. The bumble Address of the Right Honour able the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, on Thursday the 14th of January 1766. Moft Gracious Sovereign, WE, your Majefty's most loyal and dutiful Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, beg Leave to return our hearty and moft unfeigned Thanks to your Majefty your most gracious Speech from the Throne. for We, gratefully acknowledge your Ma jefty's Goodness and Condefcenfion, in ordering to be immediately laid before us all the Materials of Information, which may ferve to direct our Proceedings upon the very important Object which your majetty has propofed to our Confiderati. on. We cannot avoid expreffing our Satiffaction in your Majefty's parental care and Vigilance, in lofing no Time to iffue the neceffary Orders, for exerting the feveral Powers of Government in the Suppreffion of Riots and Tumults, and the Support of Order and legal Authority. Concurring heartily with your Majefty's falutary Intentions, we will exert our utmoft Endeavours to allert and fupport your Majefty's Dignity and Honour, and the legislative Authority of this Kingdom over its Colonies; and will take into Con fideration the most proper Methods to pro vide for the Reftoration of the Tranquillity of thofe Colonies, which has been disturbed by fuch violent and dangerous Commotions. We congratulate your Majefty, that the State of Tranquillity, fo happily fubfifting in Europe, leaves us at Leifure to attend to the mutual commercial Con cerns of your Kingdoms and Colonies. Permit us, Sir, to condole with you on the Lofs your Majefty and your Royal ́ Family has fuftained, by the premature Death of his Royal Highness Prince Frederick-William; whofe amiable Qualities, and early Attainments, afforded fo pleafing a Profpect of Happiness to your Majefty, and of Advantage to your Kingdoms. Our Deliberations will, we trust, be conducted with that Prudence and Temper which your Majefty fo graciously recommends. You will find, Si that our Sentiments correfpond with your Majesty's your Subgracious Intentions towards all tend to re-establish Tranquillity and Orjects; and that all Things which may der, and to cement the feveral Parts of the British Dominions in a close Connection and conftitutional Dependance, shall be the firft Objects of our Attention; that fuch a firm Authority may be eftablished, and fuch a general Satisfaction diffused over every Part of your extenfive Empire, as ought to diftinguish the Government of fo wife, fo juft, and so beneficent a Prince. The bumble Addrefs of the House of Commons to the KING. Moft Gracious Sovereign, WE, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament affembled, return your Majesty our most humble Thanks for your moft gracious Speech from the Throne. It is with the higheft Senfe of your Ma jefty's Goodnefs we acknowledge that Care for the Welfare of your People, and that Confidence in the Loyalty and Affection of your faithful Commons, which your Majefty fhews in the early Communication, your Majesty has been pleafed to order, of the neceffary Informations relative to the Disturbance in America. Your Reliance on the Wildon and Duty of your Parliament in a Matter of fo great Importance, and the Attention fhewn fhewn by your Majefty in referring to our Deliberation and Advice the joint Concern of your Majefty's Royal Authority, the Rights of your Parliament, and the Happiness of your Subjects, are at once Objects of our highest Admiration and Gratitude. It is our Duty, as it fhall be our Care, to imitate that Temper and Equanimity which appear in your Majetty's Conduct, by mixing with our Zeal for the Honour of your Majesty's Government, and with our juft Regard for the Dignity and Authority of Parliament, the utmoft Attention to the important Objects of the Trade and Navigation of thefe Kingdoms, and the tendereft Concern for the united Interefts of all your Majesty's People. It is with inexpreffible Grief we are again called upon to condole with your Majefty, on the Death of another Prince of your Royal Family, whofe amiable Difpofition, and whofe early Virtues in the firft Dawn of Life, while they fhew him worthy of the illuftrious Race he fprung from, muft now double our Regret for his untimely Lofs. The general State of Peace and Tranquillity to happily reigning in all Parts of Europe, must give the greatest Satisfaction to every one, who has any Concern for the true Intereft of this Country, or who feels for the general Happiness of Mankind. Our Affiftance fhall not be wanting to aid your Majefty with our Advice, and to ftrengthen your Authority for the Continuation of that Harmony, fo happily preferved by the Wisdom of your Majesty's Councils, and the Influence of your mild aufpicious Government. We affure your Majefty that we shall, with the greatest Chearfulness, grant your Majesty the Supplies neceffary for the current Service of the Year; having the firmeft Reliance on the Promise your Majefty is graciously pleased to make, of feeing them duly applied, with that Oeconony which your own Wisdom will direct, and which the Circumftances of this Country fo ftrongly demand. The Unanimity and Difpatch, which your Majesty is pleafed to recommend, we hall, from Motives both of Duty_and Inclination, endeavour to make the Rule of our Proceedings; being fenfible that nothing can more immediately tend to add Weight to the Deliberations of Par liament, or Efficacy to their Refolutions, And as the conftant Tenor of your Majefty's Conduct fhews that the Happinefs and Profperity of your People are the fole Objects of your Concern, we fhould be equally wanting in Duty to our Sovereign, and Care for own Honour, did we a Moment neglect our Part, in promoting all fuch wife and falutary Meafures as may tend to reflect Dignity on your Majefty's Government, and fix the Welfare of your People on the most folid Foundation. His Majefty's Answer to the above Address. Gentlemen, "THE Moderation and Temper with which you refolve to enter into the Confideration of the important Affairs I have recommended to you, cannot but give me the greatest Satisfaction; as, from those Difpofitions I entertain the fulleft Confidence, that your Wifdom will direct you to fuch Measures as will enfure the comDominions, which will always be the in mon Happiness and Welfare of all my variable Objects of my Care and Atten tion. "I receive your Condolence on the Death, as a Mark of your Affection and melancholy Event of my Brother's Loyalty. shall justify the Confidence you so affec"Ifhall be careful that my Conduct fuch Supplies as you may find neceflary tionately exprefs in my applying properly for the public Service." An abftract of the proceedings of the Guild of Merchants of Dublin, in full Hall afJembled, being quarter day. N. B. As a preparative to the Meeting of this refpectable Body, and that they bould be rightly informed, (according to the Authors intention) of a point expected to come into contemplation, a Piece was published under the title of An Antidote to Dr. L-s's Addrefs, addreffed to the Merchants of. the City of Dublin (see p. 51.)—But their Addrefs to their Parliamentary Member fhews the influence that Piece bad on them, and how little they addopted his notions of the Fact. RESOLVED, That the freedom of this guild be prefented unto Henry Flood Efq; for his steady attention to the juft prerogative of the crown, the rights and liberties of the subject, the honour and dignity of the parliament in this kingdom, and the trade and welfare of this most antient and loyal metropolis; and above all, for his having, on a late important occafion, exerted the utmost force of eloquence and argument in maintaining our most gracious Sovereign's fole and undoubted right of exercising, as King of Ireland, the executive power conftitutionally lodged in his Majefty's hands, by his vicegerents and privy council of this realm, without confulting or advifing with his privy council of Great Britain. Refolved, That the above freedom be prefented in a filver box, of the value of five pounds. BENJ. TAYLOR, Clerk of the guild. To Char. Lucas, Doctor of Phyfick, Reprefentative in Parliament for the city of Dublin. The Addrefs of the Guild of Merchants of the faid City. SIR, WE the Mafters, Wardens, and Bre city of Dublin, in common hall affembled, take this opportunity, thus publicly to declare our full approbation of your conduct in Parliament fince you became reprefentative for this city; and, at the fame time to thank you for your fteady, unbiaffed, and fpirited oppofition to that unprecedented innovation, which was made in the conftitution of this kingdom, by the alteration which the heads of a bill to prevent the exportation of grain suffered, in fome stage of its progrefs, before it was paffed into a law. As merchants and traders, we cannot help thinking ourselves deeply interefted in every event that may tend to abridge the liberties, or injure the conftitution of Ireland. We know that freedom and commerce are nearly related, that they one cannot fuffer and the other flourish: Trade muft decrease with every violation of liberty; confequently, Sir, the fupporters of the rights and privileges of this country naturaly claim every teftimony of our esteem. this city a free one: Your fellow citizens endeavoured to emulate your generous and difinterefted conduct; and, in fpite of every obstruction that power and self intereft could give, they chofe you for their representative; and experience has taught them they were not mistaken in their choice. YOUR zealous care and constant watch fulness in the cause of liberty, greatly contributed to render the corporation of YOUR revival of that long loft intercourfe, that conftitutional connection. which ought to fubfift between the conftituents and their reprefentatives, is a fresh teftimony of your fincere love to your country, as it will teach conftituents to know, that they have not only in new and extraordinary cafes, but in every cafe whatsoever, a right to inftruct those whom they have honoured with their service. WE hope, Sir, that our representatives in the council of this city, will ufe their affembly, for conferring on yourfuch gratebeft endeavours to procure an act of the ful marks of their affection, as your faith ful fervices merit. PERMIT us, Sir, before we conclude, to request a further exertion of your abilities in your country's fervice, by endeavouring to procure a law for a frequent renewal of parliaments in this kingdom; as fuch be the only means of fecuring us against future innovations in our conftitution, and future restraints upon a trade already too much limited. In teftimony whereof we have caufed our common feal to be hereunto put they day and year aforesaid. Signed by Order. BENJ. TAYLOR, Clerk of the Guild, To the moft worshipful and respectable the Mafters, Wardens, and Brethern of the Corporation of Merchants, or Guild of the Holy Trinity, of the city of Dublin. My most highly honoured and esteemed Brethren and Friends; of the public can receive no higher S a faithful and difinterefted fervant reward than having his fervices approved by the wife and good; you may better conceive than I can exprefs my gratitude and happiness upon finding my public conduct approved by this great body of my conftituents, who must be looked upon as the most competent judges of the national and commercial interefts of this kingdom. |