the existence. The appearance of a champion in their cause, so emi. nent for his station, rallied all the bigotry to be found among the protestants, and recalled to this phalanx many who were well disposed, rather to seek the safety of their country in the harmony and good understanding of its inhabitants. The catholics of Ireland do not really feel very keenly the laws by which at present they are restricted; but, when they conceive themselves ill treated, and when they are out of temper, this grievance rises before their minds, with every possible aggravation. Complaints in Ireland against the laws which incapacitate Roman catholics, prove, not so much the severity of these laws, as the discontent of the country. tholic communion, to assemble, for the purpose of considering the propriety of an application to parliament, to relieve them from the several incapacities by which they remained affected. Even here, contrary to what might be expected from assemblies, in their nature popular, and composed of men not a little uneasy and exasperated, the proceedings were calm and deliberate. The earl of Fingall, at the head of the catholic nobility and gentry, joined the meeting of the citizens. It was probably owing to this circumstance, that so great a degree of order was preserved, and the general tendency of large and indiscriminate bodies to rash measures, completely counteracted. The conduct, From an early period in 1804, indeed, of this noble person, during the people began to murmur, and a period of some years, the most strenuously challenged the investi- critical and agitated of any in mogation of their condition; still the dern times, is deserving of the highpopular inclination was repressed est panegyric. Representing one of by partiality to the viceroy. As the oldest peerages in the king's dothe government was aware of insu- minions, his rank gave him a most perable obstacles, which must pre- decisive influence with a people acvent it from gratifying the wishes of customed highly to reverence ancithe great body of the people, it na- ent honours. He employed this adturally was desirous that these wishes vantage to soothe and compose the should be repressed, and should angry passions of his countrymen, not arrive at that degree of eager- and to divert the resentments of the ness, which might alienate the af- public from dwelling on privations, fections of the one party among its in which he was himself the most subjects, and prove offensive to the eminent sufferer, and some of which other. Matters fluctuated between were, with respect to him, his close these various inclinations; the more connections, or his family, almost considerable catholics, willing to gra- personal injuries. He strongly retify the viceroy, the middle classes, calls to our minds, in every step of anxious to vent their indignation his political life, those eminent peragainst the chancellor. At length, sonages who were worthy to be imabout the month of September, some mortalized by the masterly pen of inhabitants of Dublin, eager to place lord Clarendon; his conduct prethemselves at the head of popular sents to us, particularly, that of a proceedings, published a requisition nobleman placed in circumstances of to the inhabitants of the Roman ca- striking similarity, the great and good good marquis of Clanricarde. During the troubles which preceded the usurpation, this latter noble person was the first, in point of dignity,among the catholics of Ireland: neither personal insults, nor public injuries, nor the threats or entreaties of those who sought to intimidate or soothe him to compliance with their views, could move him from the steady course of loyalty and of honour. He stood on high, a bright example to all, an incentive to the good, a reproach to the ill-intentioned. Such, but with a happier star, was the earl of Fingall, amid the discontents and disaffection which, from the year 1796, made but too extensive a progress in Ireland. Another circumstance of considerable importance agitated Ireland about the same period. When the issue of specie from the bank of England was stopped, the same precaution was of course extended to the bank of Ireland, and certainly with at least an equal necessity; the dread of impending commotions had spread in Ireland so widely, that the practice of concealing the precious metals was resorted to by people in general, and circulation was already drained to a considerable amount, for the purpose of privately hoarding. But in England, the direction of the bank was in the hands of men of the first intelligence and ability; in Ireland, the directors On the present occasion, his in- were respectable individuals, but fluence and popularity were exert-plain and limited traders, by no means ed, and the result of his efforts, scientifically versed in that political aided by the universal wish to con- œconomy, of which they had becede to the measures of lord Hard- come (when their notes were renwicke, was, that the meetings of the dered the currency of the country) catholics, from which great mischief very principal administrators. was foreboded, were conducted with England, also, parliament preserved composure, and without offensive a vigilant inspection over the issues ostentation; and were neither cal- of the bank, which measure was toculated to inflame the feelings of tally unheeded by the Irish legislathose who pressed, nor to exaspe- tion.* The bank, thus left to itself, rate the opposition of those who without control or superintendresisted the great measure, often, ance, regulated the issue of notes though inaccurately, denominated by its own discretion, and extended its emancipation. Four or five meet- discounts to the widest range of ings of this nature were held, for private attachment or interest. The the purpose of deliberating as to quantity of its notes supplying the the propriety of the mode and time circulating medium, shortly amountof application. The final decision ed so high, as nearly to quadruple did not take place until the winter the notes and specie employed in the of 1805; the account of it, toge- currency of Ireland, anterior to the ther with the proceedings in conse- restriction. The private bankers, quence, will therefore properly encouraged by the facility of makcome under the arrangements of our ing good their payments in Bank of subsequent volume. Ireland paper, became liberal in a propor L 3 In Mr. Forster, who has since stood forward as a grand accuser of the bank of Ireland, was, during the whole period of this reprehensible neglect, a princípal adviser of the crown, and a leading member of the Irish house of commons. proportionate degree; and the trade of discounting appeared so lucrative, that the number of bankinghouses in Ireland speedily augment ed from, perhaps, twelve, to above seventy. All these establishments issued notes to a considerable extent, and, in the course of three or four years, instead of the amount of five millions in cash and paper, which, before the restriction in 1797, supplied the wants of barter in Ireland, the circulating currency in bank and private paper swelled to the enormous amount of twenty millions during the present year! The silver coinage first fell before this inundation. For a great part of the present reign, a scarcity of silver had been felt in Ireland; but at present, that coin totally disappeared. In fact, in a currency so abundant, and the matter of which was so easy to be procured, a nominal guinea was out of proportion below the value of twentyone shillings of sterling silver. The private bankers stepped in, and in the country parts of Ireland, supplied the want of silver by notes of eighteen-pence, half-a-crown, seven shillings and sixpence, and nine shi!lings. In Dublin, the affair fell into the hands of professed coiners, who issued flat pieces of silver, from four-pence to eight-pence, in intrinsic value. Upon this depreciation of the currency, exchange rose between England and Ireland, as might be expected, to "the disadvan. tage of the latter, fluctuating between fifteen and twenty pounds per centum. The members of parliament, who resorted to England, and the great Irish proprietors residing there, were the first to become sensible of this inconvenience, and to raise an outcry against it, al 1 though probably their gain, in the advance of rent, was more than equivalent to the loss on remittances.— In Ireland there was little or no re pining; absentees were at all times unpopular in that country, and the exchangers and bankers had the address to inform the people, that the high premium on remittance operated as a tax solely upon those who drew their rents out of the country. But on the change of administration, in the present year, Mr. Pitt having committed the Irish exchequer to Mr. Forster, that gentleman understood too well the importance, in a political point of view, of the partics whom the high exchange affected. He directly applied himself to gratify them in this their favourite object. It was, therefore, become necessary to create, in Ireland, dissatisfaction at the actual state of the currency. Without any previous notice, the shillings hitherto current were refused by the servants of the post-office. The alarm spread immediately; an universal stagnation ensued, as to all inferior traffic. No state of things could be more alarming; the labouring poor could not procure bread for the shillings (we will not call them silver) which, a few days back, they had received as current; the petty traders in pc. rishable commodities could neither venture to keep their articles, nor dispose of them. Military patroles were obliged to be called out, to prevent the tumults apprehended at the shops of bakers, and other small retailers of provision. For two or three Saturdays, successively, the appearance of things continued to create anxiety; for, on these days, the working people were accustomed to lay in their weekly stock, and receive receive their wages. At length employers resorted to the expedient of discharging small demands by orders on the baker, or provision shops; others provided quantities of halfpence, which passed current in rolls; some silversmiths issued silver tokens, with the connivance of go vernment; a number of dollars were also, at a high price, brought into circulation, and the bank of Ireland opened an office, where the depreciated silver was received, at a fair value. Apprehensions were likewise entertained that the city of Dublin would not patiently have submitted to another privation, inflicted upon it during the present season. A large tax is levied upon the city, for defraying the expence of supplying fresh water to the inhabitants; this fund is managed by the corporation, who contracted with another corporate body, the proprietors of the grand canal, to furnish water to the city. The period of the contract having expired, the parties could not agree on the terms of a renewal; and the inhabitants, whilst two jobbing cor. porations were contending for their spoil, were left destitute of this most indispensible article. The interposition of government was at length provoked by the continuance of the strife, by the danger to which the town was exposed, exemplified in the instance of a small fire, which water could not be procured to extinguish, and by the dread that the city might be visited by distempers, if the people were suffered to continue under this pressing necessity. At the spe- ' cial instance of the lord lieutenant, whose popularity was unbounded, the supply was restored by the canal company. The patience manifested on these several occasions, goes, indeed, very far to prove, that the temper of the Irish is remote from that promptitude to violence, and that hostility to its government, which had been represented as pervading the dispositions of the people, and evinces the good effects which are to be expected from a popular and conciliating government. By arts like these, the earl of Hardwicke has safely conducted that country through a period, in which so many instances occurred of trying and exemplary difficulty. CHA P. XI. -- Affairs of France.-Retrospect to 1803.-Probable Views of Bonaparte, in a Rupture with England.-Flattering Statements of Affairs, at the Commencement of the Year, by the Government.-Plot against the Government of Bonaparte detected-Generals Moreau, Lajollais, and other Conspirators, arrested and imprisoned-Report on this Transaction-Addresses to Bonaparte on his Escape from the menaced Danger—his Reply— General Pichegru arrested-Consideration of the Government towards Moreau-and why-found guilty-pardoned and transported.—Arrest of the Duke D'Enghien in the neutral Territory of Baden-his high Character and Reputation-conveyed to Paris-hurried before a Tribunal of Bonaparte's Creatures at Vincennes - Trial-Cruelties exercised towards him-Condemnation and Death!-Indignation excited in Europe by this Transaction-Conduct of Russia thereon-Resentment of Bonaparte-angry Correspondence between those Powers.-Fresh Conspiracy againt France announced by her Government-England accused as ferme..ting it in foreign Courts.—Messrs. Drake and Smith obliged to quit Munich and Stutgard, at the Requisition of France.-Fresh Accusations against the English Government-Reply of Lord Hawkesbury, on its Part, addressed to the different Courts of Europe.-Death of General Pichegru in Prison, supposed to be by Assassination.--Execution of the other Conspirators.-Bonaparte's Views upon the Crown of France.-The Senate propose to elect him Emperor-his Answer-Addresses of different Bodies to the First Consul, on the same Subject-Proceedings in the Tribunate on this Point-Carnot opposes his Elevation to that Dignity-Replies to him—the Measure of electing him Emperor carried-Decree to that Effect-adopted by the Senate Senatus Consultum" thereon-Bonaparte Emperor-announces his Dignity to the Courts of Europe-Declaration of the Courts of Russia and Sweden upon this Occasion.-Fresh Violation of the Germanic Empire, by Bonaparte.-Seizure of the British Minister, at Hamburgh, by the French-and carried a Prisoner to Paris—confined in the Temple― released upon his Parole.-French Treaty with Genoa-highly advanta geous to the former Power.-Bonaparte orders the Pope to attend his Coronation at Paris -Allocution of that Potentate, addressed to his Prelates -arrives at Paris-and crowns Bonaparte-great Festivities at Paris upon that Occasion.-Annual Report of the State of the Nation on the last Day of the Year.-Conclusion. OTWITHSTANDING NOT the lofty tone of menace and in. sult directed by the French govern ment, even before the renewal of hostilities, against this country, devoted, as it should appear from their language, to be blotted from the list of independent nations; and, |