trust, under its ancient standard, partake in the glory of restoring the religion, liberty, and indepen dence of those provinces, so long in intimate union and alliance with this country.

While you rejoice with me in the events which add so much lustre to the British character, you will, I am persuaded, as cordially join in the sentiments so justly due to the conduct of my good and faithful ally the emperor of Russia. To his magnanimity and wisdom, directing to so many quarters of Europe the force of his extensive and powerful empire, we are in a great mea. sure indebted for the success of our own efforts, as well as for the rapid and favourable change in the general situation of affairs. I have directed copies to be laid before you of those engagements, which have consolidated and cemented a connection so consonant to the permanent interests of my empire, and so important at the present moment to every part of the civilised world.

Gentlemen of the House of Com

mons,

The ample supplies which yon have granted to me in the course of the last session will, I trust, so nearly provide for the exigencies of the public service, even on the extensive scale which our present operations require, as to enable me, without further aid, to continue those exertions to the close of the present year; but, in order to afford you the convenience of a longer recess, I recommend it to you to consider of providing for the expense which will be necessary in the early part of the ensuing year, and with this view I have ordered the proper estimates to be laid before you.

My Lords and Gentlemen, In pursuance of your recommen. dation, I judged it proper to com

municate to my two houses of parlimtin Ireland, at the close of their last session, the sentimen:s which you had expressed to me respecting an incorporating union with that kingdom.

The experience of every day confirms me in the persuasion, that signal benefit would be derived to both countries from that important measure; and I trust that the disposition of my parliament there will be found to correspond with that which you have manifested for the accomplishment of a work which would tend so much to add to the security and happiness of all my rish subjects, and to consolodate the strength and prosperity of the empire.

Protest on the Bill for enabling his Majesty to accept the Service of an additional number of Vulanteers from the Militia, under cer tain Restrictions.

DISSENTIENT,

1. Because, by this bill, and by the recited act of the last session, whose powers are by this bill aggravated and extended, the constitutional purposes of the militia esta blishment are totally and finally subverted.

2. Because all the purposes of procuring men for the army might have been easily obtained, by disbanding the Supplementary War Militia (which, by its extraordinary increase, had confessedly oc casioned a scarcity of men), without reducing the permanent militia establishment to a service, in which no gentleman could hereafter hope that his patriotic and disinterested industry would enable him to form his county regiment to a continued state of discipline, at the head of which he might, with credit and honour to himself, answer the pur

pose

pose of his institution in the defence of his coutry against in invasion.

3. Because by this measure, all that system and arrangement which nourished the zeal of independent country gentlemen is irrecoverably done away in the existing pressure of a formidable and alarming war, and the peace establishment of militia (if, mangled as it is by this bill, it can survive the war) will necessarily be reduced to a mere standing army of the worst sort; independent of an annual vote of parliament-deprived of all its former constitutional advantages,con nected with the people by nothing but the unequal and oppressive burthens it imposes on them, and commanded by such persons as may be procured to be regulating fficers to a mere drill army of recruits.

4. Because the landed interest of England and Wales; already so heavily burthenad, is most materially affected by this total revolution in the militia system; inasmuch as the peculiar expenses of a militia, originally formed for our unalienable domestic defence and insular garrison, are unjustly continued on the oppressed owners and occupiers of land in England and Wales, when they are by this measure deprived of the advantages which they bad purchased, namely, those of security, resulting from a permanent domestic protection for their wives and children,' which, uirder the faith of parliament, was held out to them as the vatoabte consideration for heatty taxes imposed Bolely on them.

L

Speech of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, on opening the Parliament, Jan. 22, 1799.

My Lords and Gentlemen, I have received his majesty's commands to meet you in parliament.

I congratulate you on the happy effects which have followed the unparalleled achievmentof the detachment of his majesty's fleet under the command of rear admiral lord Nelson; on the total defeat of the French squadron off the coasts of this kingdom, by that under the command of Sir J. B. Warren; and the brilliant and important conquest of Minorca. Those events, while they afford to us, in common with every other description of his majesty's subjects, matter of just pride and satisfaction, must, at the same time, give confidence to other powers, and show to all Europe the beneficial effects of a syɛtem of vigour and exertion, directed with manly perseverance, against the destructive projects of the commomenemy.

are

are active in rasing an expectation of fresh assistance from France.

In this situation, and under the evident necessity of continuing the war with vigour, bis majesty firmly relies upon that spirit and magnahimity which have hitherto marked all your exertions in support of the honour of his crown, of the interest of this kingdom, and of the general cause of the empire.

Gentlemen of the House of
Commions,

I have ordered the public accounts and estimates to be laid before you; and as I am confident your wisdom will raise the supplies which may be necessary in the manner least burthensome to the

subject, so you may depend upon my attention to their prudent and economical application.

It is with great satisfaction I observe, that, notwithstanding our internal calamities, this kingdom, blended as its interests are in the general prosperity of the empire, has participated in the effects of the increasing wealth and commerce of Great Britain, and that our revenues and trade have increased.

My Lords and Gentlemen,' It is my duty to recommend to your attention the various objects of internal regulation which have so long enjoyed the benefit of your protection and support. Your agriculture, your manufactures, and particularly the linen manųfacture, the Protestant charter schools, and other charitable institutions, will require, and will, I am sure continue to receive, that aid and encouragement which they have uniformly experienced from the liberality of parliament. I am confident you will feel a particular anxiety to give further attention to the just and honourable claims of

to secure it.

The zeal of his majesty's regu lar and militia forces, the gallantry of the yeomanry, the houourable co-operation of the British fencibles and militia, and the activity, skill, and valour of his majesty's fleets, will, I doubt not, defeat every future effort of the enemy, But the inore I have reflected on the situation and circumstances of this king. dom, considering, on the one hand, the strength and stability of Great Britain, and, on the other, those divisions which have shakenIreland to its fouadations, the more anxious I am for some permanent adjust ment which may extend the advantages enjoyed by our sister king. dom to every part of this island.

The unremitting industry with which our enemies persevere in their avowed design of endeavouring to effect a separation of this kingdom from Great Britain must have engaged your particular atten

tion ;