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"Gentlemen of the houfe of Commons,"

"I have ordered the public accounts to be laid before you. "I have the fullest reliance on your approved loyalty to the "King, and attachment to your country, that a due confide"ration of the exigencies of the ftate, will lead you to make "whatever provifions fhall appear to be neceffary for the pub"lic expences, and for the honorable fupport of his Majef"ty's government."

"My Lords and Gentlemen,"

"I am to recommend in the Kings name, to your ear"neft investigation those objects of Trade and Commerce "between Great Britain, and Ireland, which have not yet re"ceived their complete adjustment.-In forming a plan, "with a view to a final fettlement, you will be fenfible that "the intereft of Great Britain and Ireland ought to be for "ever united and infeparable; and his Majefty relies on your "liberality and wifdom for adopting fuch an equitable system, "for the joint benefit of both countries, and the support of "the common intereft, as will fecure mutual fatisfaction and "permanency."

"The encouragement and extenfion of Agriculture and "Manufactures, and efpecially of the Linen Manufacture, " will, I am perfuaded, engage your conftant concern.-Let " me likewife direct your attention, in a particular manner, "to the fisheries on your coafts, from which you may "reasonably hope for an improving fource of industry and wealth to this kingdom, and of strength to the empire."

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"The liberality which you have always fhewn to the main"tenance of your proteftant Charter-schools and other public "inftitutions, makes it unneceffary for me to recommend "them to your care. You cannot more beneficially exert

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"this laudable fpirit, than by directing your attention to im"prove and to diffuse throughout the kingdom, the advanta"ges of good education: sensible of its effential confequence "to the morals and happiness of the people, and to the dig"nity of the nation, I am happy to affure you of his Majef"ty's gracious patronage; and shall be earnest to give every "affiftance in my power to the fuccefs of fuch measures, as "your wisdom may devife for this important purpose.”—

"It is the province of your prudence and discretion to con"fider what new, provifions may be neceffary for fecuring the "fubjects from violence and outrage, for the regulation of "the police, and the better execution of the laws, as well as "for the general encouragement of peaceable fubordination " and honest industry.—It will be a pleasing task to me to af"fist and promote your exertions for the tranquillity of the "kingdom, for upholding the authority of the legislature, "and fupporting the true principles of our happy conftitution, "both in Church and state."

"The uniformity of laws and of Religion, and a common " interest in treaties with foreign states, form a sure bond of "mutual connection and attachment between Great Britain "and Ireland. It will be your care to cherish those inesti"mable bleffings with that spirit and wisdom which will "render them effectual fecurities to the strength and prof"perity of the empire."

This fpeech we fee particularly takes notice of the three following points-viz. 1ft. «Unconftitutional proceedings" which had taken place.-2dly. a final adjustment of Trade and Commerce between Great-Britain and Ireland"-sdly. a plan "to diffuse throughout this kingdom the advantages of good education.”—And accordingly each of these became a fubject of Parliamentary difcufon during the prefent year.--

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As to the firft, it has been already stated, that attempts. were recently made to prevail on the Sheriffs of counties, &c. to convene general meetings in their respective bailwicks, for the purpose of deliberating on the expediency of a reform in the reprefentation of the people; and for the appointment of a national congrefs, to meet in Dublin, and then digeft a plan of fuch reform:-Thefe were the unconstitutional proceedings to which the fpeech alludes.-The conduct of the Court of King's Bench in awarding an attachment on that occafion against the then High Sheriff of the County Dublin, (which was before mentioned) was however confidered by many, as not founded upon legal authority; and several members in the house of Commons, endeavoured to bring forward that enquiry.-At the commencement of this feffion it was therefore moved "that the proper officer do lay before this house copies of the proceedings had in the King's Bench laft Term, in the cafe of the King against Henry Stephens Reilly, Efq. late High Sheriff of the Co. of Dublin." -But after different alterations had been propofed and carried, this resolution was reduced to the following form, viz: " that the King's Attorney General do lay before this house, a copy of the charge exhibited by him against H. S. Reilly, late High Sheriff of the Co. of Dublin, in confequence of which he was attached by the Court of King's Bench; as alfo the excultion of the faid H. S. Reilly to the faid charge."

On the 18th Febru. the following refolutions paffed,---viz. "Ordere'd, that it be an inftruction to the grand Cominittee for Courts of Juftice to fit on Thursday next, at three of the Clock.

"Order'd that the copy of the charge exhibited againft Hen. Stephens Reilly, Efq. late High Sheriff of the County of Dublin, upon which the faid H. S, Reilly was attached, as alfo the order for the attachment against the faid Hen. S. Reilly,

Reilly, now lying on the table, be referred to the faid Committee.".

On the 24th, the late Hen. Flood, Efq. brought this fubject into debate, but finding he was overpower'd by a great majority, he attempted foon afterwards to re-affume it, in another form:-And we fhall here ftate that gentleman's fpeech on the occafion, as it will fully explain the point in queftion.

"I moved yesterday, (said he) that the officer of the court of King's bench fhould attend on this day, with the rule book of the court, on the crown fide, for the years 1761, 1762, and 1763. I conceived that it contained most useful and neceffary information. I will not fay, that for that reafon it was denied; but it was denied- I moved that the grand committee of courts of juftice fhould fit this day, to receive the fubject: that too was refufed; though certainly the most parliamentary mode of proceeding. I fhall, however, go on; for every thing that paffed in that committee the night before the laft, makes it more neceffary to enter into the prefent discussion.

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"I do not mean to arraign the King's-bench, much lefs the committee of this Houfe; but there are moments, and there are cases wherein a prejudice seizes on the minds of great and wife bodies, and induces them to decide in a manner lefs fuited to their wisdom and to their greatnefs, that one would have expected. The decried aggregate meeting; the dreaded reform of parliament; the inhabitants as well as freeholders, being invited by Mr. Sheriff Reilly's notice; the question of catholic franchife; the words reprefentation and congrefs ftrangely tortured; and the reprobated refolution of that meeting pledging their lives and fortunes to the unknown and unformed decifion of that congrefs, and of thofe reprefentatives; all these circumftances, heightened by eloquence and prejudice, feem originally to have run away with the difcretion

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tion of the King's bench, and to have had the fame effect on the committee of this Houfe, the night before the laft. The opinion of that night was an opinion merely founded on Mr. Reilly's cafe, and that under much colouring and misreprefentation. It becomes neceffary, therefore, to bring before you now, the constitutional question, as to the principle of attachment, without reference to any particular court of justice, or to any particular and specific cafe.

"The very power of parliament has been questioned, as if we would be competent to impeach a judge, or to address for his removal, and yet not be competent to enquire into hisjudgments, which ought to be our ground for doing either; or as if we could be competent to make laws, and yet have no knowledge or judgment as to the laws that are in being. But the conftitution and the law fay otherwife. The houses of parliament are made the guardians of the integrity of the bench, by recent ftatute. By the conftitution, original judicature, in cases of impeachment, remains to the parliament; and final judicature, did once belong to both Houses, though now, by compact, it is confined to the Lords. At all events. the wisdom of the conftitution faw that final judicature muft never be separated from the legislative power; for were it, it is evident that the final judicature might, by degrees, under colour of adjudication, invade the legiflation; whereas, when the final judicature is even in any one body of the legislature, it is not much to be feared that that body will endeavour to exalt its judicial at the expence of its legislative authority.

"As a strong inference, on the prefent fubject, arifes out of this principle, I shall take it a little higher. In the Saxon æra, from whence all the freedom of her conftitution is derived, all civil and criminal law was difpenfed in the county courts, when the alderman, earl, or fheriff, being names at different times for the fame thing, did prefide, being elected by the body of the county, and the freeholders or body of

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