On the 24th May Lord Caftlereagh prefented to the Houfe the fol lowing Meffage from the Lord Lieutenant. CAMDEN. I HAVE thought it my indifpenfable duty, by and with the advice of the Privy Council, under the prefent circumstances of this kingdom, to iffue a proclamation, a copy of which I ⚫ have ordered to be laid before the House of Commons. By the Lord Lieutenant and Council of Ireland. CAMDEN. A PROCLAMATION. C. HIS Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, by and with the advice of the Privy Council, has iffued orders to all the general officers commanding his Majefty's forces to punish all perfons acting, aiding, or in any manner affifting in the rebellion which now exists within this kingdom, and has broken out in the most daring and violent attacks upon his Majesty's forces, according to martial law, either by death or otherwife, as to them fhall feem right and expedient, for the punishment and fuppreffion of all rebels in their several diftricts: of which all his Majefty's fubjects are hereby required to take notice. Given at the council chamber in Dublin, the 24th day of God fave the King. The following Refolution, in Anfwer to the above Message, was moved by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and carried nem. con. Refolved, THAT an humble addrefs be prefented to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, to exprefs our cordial acknowledgment for the meffage fent this day by his Excellency to the House. We entirely approve the decifive measure his Excellency has taken by the advice of the Privy Council, however we may lament its neceffity. We renew our engagement of fupport; and when we reflect on the general firmnefs and vigour which are manifefted, we feel the fulleft affurance that the rebellion will be speedily crushed. On On Tuesday, June 17, the following Meffage from the Lord Lieutenant was prefented to the House of Commons by Lord Caftlereagh. I CORNWALLIS. HAVE received the King's commands to acquaint the House of Commons, that his Majesty, notwithstanding his just abhorrence of the unnatural and unprovoked, rebellion which has broken out in this kingdom, yet being ever difpofed to exert, as far as poffible, his royal prerogative of mercy, and to receive again under his royal protection those who by the arts of wicked and defigning men have been feduced from their allegiance, has fignified his gracious intention of granting his ge neral and free pardon for all offences committed on or before a certain day, upon fuch conditions, and with fuch exceptions, as may be compatible with the public fafety; for carrying which benevolent purpofe into execution, his Majefty has fignified his gracious intention of fanctioning, in the ufual form, by his royal fignature, a bill for that purpose, previous to its being fubmitted for the concurrence of Parliament. His Majefty has alfo directed me to lay before you several important papers, which may affift you in unfolding the nature and extent of the confpiracy which has long prevailed in this kingdom; not doubting that whilft your endeavours are directed to give effect to the gracious intentions of his Majefty, that you will feel it your indifpenfable duty to confider of and adopt fuch measures of falutary precaution as may tend to fecure the ftate hereafter against the machinations of the difaffected. In your deliberations, the fufferings of his Majesty's loyal fubjects will naturally receive your attention; and I recommend to you the framing of effectual measures for ascertaining their loffes, and bringing their claims under the confideration of Parliament. The numerous and continued advantages of his Majesty's forces over the rebels, afford me juft ground to believe, that as their hopes of fuccefs muft have failed, fo the obftinacy of their refiftance will fpecdily ceafe. The generals under my, command have received, and thall continue to receive, the moft pofitive orders to proceed against them with unceasing activity and vigour and I fhall not fuffer their exertions to relax fo long as any body of them whatever fhall remain in arms against his Majefty's peace. C. Lord Lord Cafilereagh moved the following Refolution, in Anfwer to the above Meffage. It was carried unanimously. THAT an humble addrefs be prefented to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, to request his Excellency will lay before his Majesty the fincere acknowledgments of his faithful Commons for the gracious communication which has been made by his Excellency, in his Majefty's name, to this House. That we should be dead to every feeling of loyalty and gratitude, if we did not moft unequivocally declare, that his Majefty's reign has been one continued feries of beneficent condefcenfion and favouring grace to his fubjects of this kingdom; that under his benevolent aufpices his Majefty's kingdom of Ireland had rifen to a height of profperity unhoped for and unparalleled in any former æra; that our commerce had been largely extended, our conftitution highly improved, and every clafs of fubjects conciliated by the moft liberal acts of conceffion and indulgence-that feeling from this conduct in his Majesty's administration, that the duties of allegiance and loyalty became daily ftronger in proportion to the benefits which were experienced, we cannot reprefs our indignation at the ingratitude of thofe who have inftigated the people to forget fuch obligation, and to engage in confpiracy, treafon, and rebellion. That we obferve, with the warmest admiration, that no demerit, no crime in his fubjects can extinguifh the workings of mercy in the royal breaft, and that his Majefty is ever more willing to confign their offences to oblivion, upon fuch conditions. and with fuch exceptions as may be compatible with the public fafety, than to punish them with that feverity which they fo fully deferve; that a conduct fo conciliatory and benevolent must deeply penetrate the heart of every fubject; and whilst it is our bounden duty to form the ftrongeft guards for the general fecurity, and for maintaining the rights of his Majefty's throne against the future machinations of the difaffected, we fhall ever keep in view the humane difpofitions of the royal mind, and endeavour to render his Majefty's mercy complete and efficacious; that we requeft his Excellency will communicate to his Majesty our fincere thanks for ordering to be laid before us feveral important papers, which may affift us in unfolding the extent of the confpiracy which has long prevailed in this kingdom, and we fhall refer them to fuch an examination as their peculiar nature may properly demand. That we fhall immediately attend to the fufferings of thofe loyal fubjects whofe families and property have been injured by the rebels, and fhall endeavour to afcertain their loffes in fuch a manner as to bring the claims which refult from them to the fulleft confideration; that we truft, from the valour of all his Majefty's 5 Majefty's forces, their numerous and fignal fucceffes, and from the late entire difperfion which the rebels have experienced, from the vigorous meafures which have been adopted by his Excellency, all future resistance will speedily terminate. Thofe offers of mercy to the repentant, thofe measures of vigour against the obftinatè, which are the wife refult of his Excellency's councils, cannot fail finally to extinguifh the prefent rebellion, and to restore the invaluable bleffings of fubordination and peace. His Excellency's Speech to both Houses on the 6th of October 1798, on proroguing the Parliament. I My Lords and Gentlemen, HAVE the fatisfaction of acquainting you, that I have received the King's commands to releafe you from your long and fatiguing attendance in Parliament; and I am ordered to thank you, in his Majesty's name, for the unfhaken firmnefs and magnanimity with which you have met the moft trying difficulties, and with which the measures have been planned, which you have adopted for the prefervation of your country. I offer you my most fincere congratulations on the glorious victory which has been obtained by his Majefty's fquadron under the command of Sir Horatio Nelfon, over the French fleet in the Mediterranean, which not only reflects the highest honour on the officers and feamen by whom it has been achieved, but affords a profpect of the moft beneficial confequences to the future interefts of the British empire. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons, I am commanded to convey to you his Majesty's particular thanks for the fupplies which you have fo liberally granted, and by which you have manifefted both the extent of the refources which this kingdom poffeffes, and the fpirit with which they are employed by the Commons of Ireland for the prefervation of the ftate. His Majefty laments the neceffity which calls for the impofition of fresh burdens on his Majefty's fubjects; but he trufts that they will fee how much their prefent fafety and their future happiness depend on their exertion in the arduous conteft in which they are engaged; and he affures his faithful Commons, that the aids which they have afforded shall be carefully applied to the great object of maintaining the honour and promoting the interest of their country. My Lords and Gentlemen, The circumftances which have taken place fince its commencement, must render this feilion very memorable. VOL. VII. 4 C. The The fouleft and darkeft confpiracy was formed, and long cairied on by the implacable enemy of thefe realms, for the total extinction of the conftitution, and for the feparation of his Majefty's kingdom of Ireland from Great Britain. By the unremitting vigilance of my predeceffor in this government the treason had been detected; the apprehenfion of the principal confpirators, and the falutary measures wifely adopted, checked its progrefs; and through your fagacious diligence it has been developed in all its parts, and traced to all its fources. A dangerous and wicked rebellion, the confequence of that confpiracy, has been in a great meafure fubdued; and the attempt of our inveterate enemy to rekindle the flame of civil difcord, by fending a force into this country, has terminated in defeat. Religion, the greatest comfort and fupport of mankind, has been moft wickedly perverted to the purpofe of inflaming the wort of paffions; and the vileft arts have been used to perfuade the ignorant and unwary, that in a reign which has been marked by a feries of indulgences to all fects of Chriftians, it is the intention of his Majetty's government to opprefs, and even to extirpate that defcription of his Majefty's fubjects who have received repeated and recent marks of his favour and protection. The Catholics of Ireland cannot but have obferved what has been the conduct of those who affect to be their friends towards the rites and the characters which they venerate, and under whose aufpices the perfecuted paftors of their church have found an afylum. Amongst a number of offenders fome most active characters have neceffarily been felected as objects of public juftice; but in every period of this dangerous confpiracy the lenity of Government and of Parliament has been confpicuous; and a general act of pardon has recently iffued from the royal mercy, for the purpofe of affording fecurity to the repentant, and encouraging the deluded to return to their duty. The vigour and power of his Majesty's arms, the loyalty, spirit, and activity of his regular, militia, and yeomanry forces, together with the prompt and cordial affiftance of the militia and fencibles of Great Britain, have abundantly proved how vain every attempt must be, either by treachery within, or by force from abroad, to undermine or overturn our civil and religious establish ments. From the dangers which have furrounded you, and which you have overcome, you must be fenfible that your fecurity can only be preferved by perfevering vigilance and increasing energy. You will not fuffer your efforts to relax, and you may be affured of my zealous endeavours to fecond your exertions. Our hopes and our objects are the fame, that the deluded may fee their error, and the difaffected be reclaimed; but if an endeavour fhall be made to abufe |