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1768, was distinguished by a material change in the conftitution. In early times the parliament of this country was annual. In latter times the duration of our parliaments was prolonged, from the commencement of each reign to the demise of the king, unless he chofe to diffolve it by an exertion of prerogative. Thus the nation had in reality a number of felf-created legiflators, no representatives. This arrogated power was not only deftructive of a radical principle of the conftitution, but replete with moft pernicious confequences. From the moment of their election, the Commons became wholly independent of their conftituents. The temptations of lucre and avarice multiplied and feduced them from the paths of rectitude and integrity; and the public welfare was facrificed by felf intereft at the unhallowed fhrine of venality and corruption. Such was the temper of

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the nation when Lord Townfhend was fent over to take upon him the adminiftration of this kingdom. He was inftructed to ufe every means to break the power of the ariftocracy of Ireland, and to reduce the kingdom to a ftate of ftill greater fubferviency to Great Britain, how far he fucceeded in his defigns, the hiftory of his adminißration will fully illuftrate. It is rather • a painful task to a man of nice fenfibility to be obliged by the recital of facts to occafion a dif agreeable fenfation in the breaft of any man; but regardless of private when public confiderations come in competition with them, I fhall boldly declare my fentiments unawed either by power, or influenced by interefted motives

Under the auspices of a baneful minifter who directed the adminiftration in the reign of George the Second, the method of bribing the legislative body was reduced to a fyftem. Various attempts were made to obviate this evil, and to bring back the Conftitution to its original principles. During the adminiftration of Lord Townshend, a bill for limiting the duration of Parliament to seven years was tranfmitted to Great Britain; and returned with the addition of a year. This bill called the C&tennial Bili paffed into a law This change was attended with the most falutary confequences. The parliament was diffolved, in purfuance of this bill, and a new one elected, which met in Auguft of the following year. In this fellion an infringe

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ment was attempted by government upon the privileges of the Commons. A money bill that did not originate with them, was prefented to the Houfe. It was once read, and they then rejected it with becoming fpirit. The Lord Lieutenant was much difpleased, and repeatedly prorogued them until February feventeen hundred and feventy one, The rifing of Infurgents in the North of Ireland, denominated Steel-boys took place this year occafioned by an abfentee nobleman, who letting fome lands then out of leafe, propofed to take fines from his tenants inftead of an additional rent. Such tenants as were in circumftances to comply, paid the fines, and fuch as were not able to pay fines were oufted by new comers who infifted upon a rent from the old tenants greater than they were able to pay. Being thus deprived of their habitations and means of fubfiftence, they became desperate, and perpetrated the most attrocious crimes, particularly against those who were inftrumental in reducing them to their prefent diftreffed fituation. On account of the enormity of their crimes, many of them were taken and tried at Carrickfergus, and were acquitted either for fear of the refentment of the populace, or a fuppofed partiality in either witneffes or jury. On this account, the legiflature paffed an act, by which all perfons indicted of fuch offences were ordered to be tried in counties different from thofe in which the crimes were committed. In confequence many

of the Steel Boys, who had been guilty of thofe offences were fent to Dublin, and there put upon their trial, but this was confidered to be a breach of a fundamental law of the conftitution, neither did the jury there find any of them guilty.

This odious act was foon after repealed, and many infurgents were tried in their respective counties and executed.-Thefe examples, aided by the exertions of the military, extinguished the commotion, but the caufe from which it originated, produced effects that were highly injurious to this country, for fhortly after, many thoufands of its inhabitants emigrated to America.-In tak, ing a review of this adminiftration, as an impartial writer, I must confider Lord Townshend's protest against the rights of this kingdom as an outrageous and hafty measure; for the right of the House of Commons to reject bills has never been denied, not even by government itself, nor has it ever been afferted, that a money bill is exempted from this right. By way of extenuation of his Lordship's conduct, it may be faid, he had orders; I believe he had, but as there are terms on which no honeft man will accept of an employment, fo there are terms on which no honest man will continue in one, and the British minifter who could compel Lord Townshend to execute the worst orders, could not compel Lord Townshend to continue Lord Lieutenant. This nation does not pay the Chief Governor an

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immenfe falary purely for the purpose of behold. ing him, nor does it mean that he fhould be a mere cypher of state, unable to ferve and obfequious to injure us The people looked for protection, not violation in Lord Townfhend, but he did not answer the purpose of his magistracy in being the channel to let in upon the kingdom the tyrannic adminiftration of another,

The incoherent conduct of Lord Townshend deftroyed the advantages at this conjuncture. He came to destroy the power of an and at the fame time declared he had

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He came to establish government in its own authority, and gave the wages of govern ment to those who opposed government. came to destroy the undertakers in this kingdom and by his measures he made their party the party of the nation. The genuis of Lord Townfhend's admininiftration appears to be a rage of unbecoming inconfiftency, and his government was surprising to all men, from the facred perfon who filled the throne, to the gaping throng, who wondered at his Excellency's relaxation of all dignity; that the conduct of the representative body should be fairly laid before the public, is equally important to them as to Lord Townf hend either the laws were violated by the house of Commons or they have been falfified by the representative of Majefty; and the innocence of the one is the guilt of the other

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