man believes to be fummonfes, and for this he is to be fent to gaol, and profecuted for high treafon. The learned gentleman very properly rejected the information as infufficient; in fo doing, he did honour to his judgment, and to the difcernment of those who employed him, and who could not poffible have selected a man whose head and whose heart more eminently entitle him to truft and to confidence.

If any gentleman entertains a doubt concerning the facts I have referred to, I am ready to lay the proofs upon the table. But they are of too great notoriety; therefore, to detain the committee no longer, I move you,

"That it is the opinion of this committee, that some fur ther provifions by ftatute are indifpenfably neceffary to prevent tumultuous rifings and affemblies, and for the more adequate and effential punishment of perfons guilty of outrage, riot and illegal combination, and of adminiftering and taking unlawful oaths."

A petition was during this feffion prefented to the house, from the Prefbyterian Clergy conftituting the general fynod of Ulfter; fetting forth, "that the petitioners have long felt and lamented the inconveniencies arifing from the want of a feminary of learning, fo conftituted as to fuit their circumftances, for the education of their youth for the facred miniftry in this kingdom; that they have hitherto been obliged to fend their fons abroad to be inftructed at foreign univerfities, at the hazard of their personal safety, at an increased expence, and a confiderable annual lofs to the nation; that fome efforts have been lately made to establish an inftitution of this kind in the north, but that the petitioners find that the expenses of such an undertaking must greatly exceed the ability of individuals, and that unless a support more ample and permanent than that which can arise from private fubfcriptions be obtained, they must despair of carrying their

wifhes

wishes into effect. In that fituation, to whom should the petitioners look for assistance but to those who are set to watch for the public prosperity, to whom the purfe of the nation is committed, and who, in so many inftances, have discovered a laudable difpofition to apply it to purposes both honourable and useful? The petitioners are happy to perceive that the present juncture affords encouragement to apply to the wifdom of the Houfe for their affiftance with the confidence of hope. The wish that his Majesty has graciously expressed, that fome plan might be adopted for the more general improvement of education in this kingdom, and the prompt refolution of the House to comply with his Majesty's paternal inclination, embolden them to hope for favourable attention, for the petitioners cannot suffer themfelves to think that his Majefty's proteftant fubjects, the prefbyterians of Ireland, will be excluded from the benefits of fo enlarged a policy. The petitioners think it unneceffary to point out particularly to the Houfe the advantages which would arise from complying with their prefent wishes; they only beg leave to fuggeft that it would mark the liberality and equity of the House, be an obliging gratification to a very numerous and respectable body of his Majefty's loyal fubjects, prove a confiderable national faving, and add to the credit of this kingdom, by extending. its literature and civilization: With expectations thus founded, therefore the petitioners apply to the generosity of the Houfe, humbly requesting such aid for instituting and fupporting an academy or academies for educating their youth for the facred function, under the fuperintendence and direction of the general fynod of Ulfter as to the Houfe fhall feem meet. ". This petition was not complied with.

The Lord Lieutenant at the opening of this feffion, intimated in his fpeech that his Majefty had concluded a treaty of navigation and commerce with France; it was therefore now referr'd to a committee of the whole houfe to take that part of his Excellencies fpeech into confideration: and the committee made the following report.

1. Refolved,

1. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be expedient that all articles of the growth, produce or manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, which are not specified in the fixth article of the treaty of navigation and commerce between his Britannic Majefty and the Moft Chriftian King, figned at Versailles the 16th of September, 1786, fhall be imported into this kingdom on payment of duties as low as any which shall be payable on the importation of the like articles from any other European nation.

2. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be expedient that the duty to be paid on wines imported directly from France into Ireland shall be no higher than those duties which they now pay.

3. Refolved, that it appears to this committee that the duty hereafter to be paid upon beer, the produce or manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, imported into this kingdom, fhall be at the rate of 30l. per centum ad valorem.

4. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be expedient that the duty hereafter to be paid for all cabinet work and turnery, and for all inftruments of mufic, being of the manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, imported into this kingdom, fhall be at the rate of 10l. per centum ad valorem.

5. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be expedient that the duty hereafter to be paid for all articles compofed of iron or steel separately or mixed, or worked or mounted with other fubftances, fuch articles being of the manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, and not exceeding in their value 50s. British, or 54s. 2d. Irish currency, by the hundred weight, imported into this kingdom, shall be at the rate of 51. per centum ad valorem.

6. Refolved,

6. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be expe dient that the duty hereafter to be paid for all articles compofed of iron or fteel feparately or mixed, or worked or mounted with other fubftances, and exceeding in their value 50s. British, or 54s. 2d. Irifh currency, by the hundred weight; and for all buttons, buckles, knives or fciffars, and for all other articles of hardware or cutlery, and for all articles compofed of copper and brafs feparately or mixed, or ' worked or mounted with other fubftances, fuch articles being of the manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, imported into this kingdom, fhall be at the rate of 10l. per centum ad valorem.

7. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be expedient that the duty hereafter to be paid upon all forts of cottons and woollens, whether knit or woven, including hofiery, the product or manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, imported into this kingdom, shall be at the rate of 121. per centum ad valorem.

8. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be expedient that the duty hereafter to be paid upon all linens made of flax or hemp, of the manufacture of the Europeari dominions of the French King, imported into this kingdom, fhall be no higher than the duty which linens the manufacture of Holland imported into this kingdom now pay.

9. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be expedient that the duty hereafter to be paid for cambricks and lawns, being of the manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, imported into this kingdom, fhall be for every demi piece of cambrick, and for every demi piece of lawn, not exceeding feven yards and three quarters of a yard English measure in length, and not being above the value of 50s. British, or 54s. 2d. Irish currency, refpectively 55. 5d. and fo in proportion for any greater length; and

that

that the duty for any cambrick imported in demi pieces exceeding seven-eighths of a yard English measure in breadth, and for any lawn imported in pieces exceeding one yard and a quarter English measure in breadth, and being above the value of 50s. British, or 54s. 2d. Irish currency, respectively, fhall be 10l. per centum ad valorem.

10. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be ex-pedient that the duty hereafter to be paid upon all faddlery of the manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, imported into this kingdom, fhall be at the rate of 15l. per centum ad valorem.

11. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be expedient that the duty hereafter to be paid upon gauzes of all forts of the manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, imported into this kingdom, fhall be at the rate of 10l. per centum ad valorem.

12. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be ex-pedient that the duty hereafter to be paid upon the importation into this kingdom of millinery made up of muflin, lawn, cambrick or gauze of any kind, or of any other article specified in the fixth article of the faid treaty of navigation and commerce, of the manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, shall be at the rate of 121. per centum ad valorem; and that if any article not fo specified, and which may be legally imported into this kingdom, fhall be ufed in fuch millinery, fuch articles fhall pay duties as if separately imported into this kingdom.

13. Refolved, that it appears to this committee to be expedient that the duty hereafter to be paid upon all porcelains, earthen-ware and pottery of the manufacture of the European dominions of the French King, imported into this kingdom, fhall be at the rate of 121. per centum ad valo

rem.

14. Refolved,