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When chosen.

continue the Scottish Small Note and Distillery Acts;
-for recruiting for the service of the East India Com-
pany *;-to amend the Income and Land-Tax Redemp-
tion Acts;-for laying on various additional taxes ;-for
exempting volunteer corps from being balloted for the
militia;-for augmenting the salaries of judges in Scot-
land ;—to make perpetual the Acts against punishing
felons by burning in the hand;-and for the relief of
insolvent debtors;-for purchasing the Duke of Rich-
mond's coal-duty;-for prohibiting the exportation of
corn; and to allow the importation of Spanish wool;-
for suppressing treasonable and seditious societies, and
to prevent unlawful combinations among workmen ;—
for continuing the Act relating to penitentiary houses,
and for the transportation of felons, with their removal
to temporary places of confinement in England and
Scotland;-for licensing printing presses in England;
-and for granting 200,000l. for the reduction of the
National Debt + !—The Taxation this year amounted to
33,311,0187.; loans, and excess of Exchequer bills issued,
24,392,2157.-Total income, 59,703,2331.

On the 9th of Jan. 1800, the Directors of the Bank of
England agreed to lend the government three millions
for six years, without interest, on condition that the
Bank charter should be renewed for a further term of
twenty-one years, to be computed from the 1st day of
August, 1812; that is, until the same day in 1833.—
On the 21st of April, the question of the Union with
Ireland being again brought before Parliament, Mr.
Grey moved that the proceedings be suspended until
the sentiments of the Irish people could be ascertained;"
but his motion was negatived by 236 against 30. On
the 2d of July, the Act of Union received the royal

On March 5th, the Court of Directors of this company consented to the wishes of the government, by giving up the point of recruiting for its own service; which put an end to a long controversy.

+ Here was a munificent attempt at reduction! particularly when we note the fact that 24 millions were added to the Debt this very year, by loans and Exchequer bills!!!

When chose

assent, to take effect on the 1st day of January, 1801;
and on Aug. 2d, it received the royal assent in the
Irish Parliament;-consequently the session termi-
nated, and with it the existence of the Parliament of
Ireland*.

On Nov. 19, a Bill was brought into the Commons, and
afterwards passed, for ascertaining the population of
Great Britain. On Dec. 14th, Mr. Jones moved an
address to his Majesty for the dismissal of his ministers;
which was negatived by 66 against 33.-Acts were
passed for prohibiting the sale of bread not baked a cer-
tain time, and for regulating the price and assize of the
same;-for establishing regulations in the offices of the
House of Commons ;-for regulating the government of
the British territories in India;-for regulating trials
for high treason in certain cases ;-to amend the stamp-
duty and income tax Acts, and for additional duties on
hops;-for the safe custody of insane persons charged
with offences ;-to empower his Majesty to shorten the
time for the meeting of Parliament, in cases of adjourn-
ment; to authorize him from time to time, to prevent
the exportation of provisions or food, and to grant a
bounty on the importation of wheat, flour, and rice ;-
for the better relief and employment of the poor, and to
extend the provisions of 17 Geo. II. respecting vagrants.
The military and naval establishments, at this time, con-
sisted of 417,952 men; exclusive of volunteer corps not
receiving pay from government.-The National Debt
(funded) amounted to 451,699,9197.;-the taxes to
34,069,4571.;--the income tax alone produced 5,601,6247.;
-loans and Exchequer bills issued in excess, 26,666,8311.
-Total income for 1800, 60,736,2881.

On Feb. 5th, Lord Castlereagh, then Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant, having delivered a message to the Irish Parliament, recommending a speedy union between the two countries, a warm and animated debate ensued as before, in the Commons; but, on a division, there were 158 in favour of the measure, and 115 against it. In the Lords it was carried by a great majority. Addresses were immediately made in both Houses, declaratory of their approbation of the resolutions proposed by the British Parliament for the union of the two kingdoms.

When chosen.

Sir John Mitford", (afterwards Baron Redesdale), Jan. 10 1801

He resigned, Feb. 8, 1802.

This was the first session of "THE IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND," as constituted by the legislative union of the two kingdoms. By the articles of Union, 100 Commoners were to represent the counties, cities, and boroughs of Ireland; England, Wales, and Scotland, sending the same number of members, respectively, as before:-28 Lords Temporal were to represent the Irish Peerage, and were to be elected for life; and four Bishops were to represent the Irish Prelates, taking their places each session, by rotation t. One of the first benefits to Ireland resulting from this Union, was a Bill, on March 20, " for continuing martial law, on account of the insurrectionary state of that kingdom."-On April 14, a Bill for further suspending the Habeas Corpus Act, and for preventing seditious and tumultuous meetings, passed both Houses. Parliament, at this time, began to vote monuments in St. Paul's Cathedral to the memory of departed naval and military heroes:-the first were Captains Moss and Riou, and Sir Ralph Abercrombie.-On May 4th, Lord Temple moved in the Commons, that the Rev. John Horne Tooke, being in priest's orders, was ineligible to sit as a member of that House; and that the Speaker should issue a new writ for Old Sarum:-this was not agreed to, but a Bill was brought in to disable persons in holy orders to sit for the future; which Bill passed soon afterwards into a law. On June 30th, an additional allowance of 80001. a year was made to the income of the Prince of Wales, until his debts should be paid off;-when, the money was to be repaid (?) by a deduction from his then

He succeeded the Rt. Hon. Henry Addington. On March 17th, there was a general change in the ministry; when Mr. Addington succeeded Mr. Pitt, who resigned the offices of First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer, which he had held for 17 years.

See the cycle of Irish prelates, in page 22.

By report of the Secret Committee, it appeared that an association for seditious purposes had been formed under the name of the "United Britons,”—the members whereof were to be admitted by a test.

When chosen.

income. Acts were passed," for the better collection
of rates for the relief of the poor;"-to revive several Acts
for securing and detaining persons conspiring against
the king and government ;-also for preventing seditious
meetings and unlawful combinations among workmen ;—
to amend the Act permitting Bakers "to make and sell
certain sorts of bread;"-for the more effectual pre-
vention of forgery of bank notes (including those of
private and country banks), bills of exchange and bank
post bills;-for settling in what cases persons holding
offices of profit in Ireland shall be incapable of sitting
in Parliament;-to permit the exportation of tea to
Ireland, duty free, and to facilitate the trade of Ireland
and the United States of America;-for the regulation
of public notaries;-and for securing the copies and copy-
right of printed books to the authors and their assigns.-
Total produce of the tax on income for 1801 (including
79,5917., voluntary contributions), 5,822,7411.:-expense
of collection, 152,6201.:-Five pound Bank of England
notes in circulation, 13,845,800l.:-Two and One pound
notes, 2,519,4001.-The taxes for 1801 amounted to
35,516,3511.-Loans, 28,415,211.:-Total income,
63,931,562. Population of England, Wales, and Scot-
land, 10,943,646*.

Charles Abbot, Esq. (late Baron Colchester), Feb. 10 .
On March 27th, 1802, Mr. Addington gave notice of his
intention to move for the immediate repeal of the income
tax, which was repealed accordingly on April 5th. At
the same time the national debt was stated in the Com-
mons to amount to 543,627,5781. !—the annual interest
of which was upwards of 17 millions. On the 12th, Sir
Francis Burdett moved for an inquiry into the conduct
of the late ministry; but it was negatived by 246 against
39; and on May 7th, Mr. Nicholls moved an address to
his Majesty, thanking him for removing Mr. Pitt, the

1802

Of this number, England alone contained 8,331,434; Wales, 541,546; Scot land, 1,599,068; the army, 198,351; the navy, 126,279; seamen in merchant vessels, 144,558; convicts, 1410. London and Westminster contained 900,000,

on

When choseni.

great debt-contractor, from his councils; but even that
was negatived by 224 against 52; and an amendment
by Lord Belgrave", importing " that it was principally
owing to the energy and firmness of the late minister
that the honour of the country had been supported, and
its commerce maintained," was carried by the same
majority; as was also a motion of thanks to Mr. Pitt,
by Mr. Peelt! On May 24th, Mr. Dent brought a Bill
into the Commons against bull-baiting, and other
popular barbarities:-it was strongly opposed by Mr.
Wyndham, who contended that horse-racing, hunting,
&c. were more cruel and immoral than either boxing or
bull-baiting; and was lost by a majority of 13.-On
June 3d, 10,000l. were voted to Dr. Jenner for the dis-
covery and introduction of Vaccination; and 1200l. to
Mr. Greathead for his invention of the Life-boat.-
On the 29th, Parliament was dissolved by proclamation.
-Acts were passed, -to permit French wines to be
imported in bottles or flasks, under certain restrictions;
-to enable the King to settle annuities of 12,0007. a
year, each, on the Dukes of Sussex and Cambridge, and
to make allowances, in certain cases, to subaltern officers
of the militia, during peace ;-"to amend and render
more effectual the Acts 26th and 32d Geo. III. for
reduction of the national debt ;" (!!)—for the better pro-
tection of letters and packets, and for preventing them
being sent otherwise than by post ;-to authorize mem-
bers of Parliament and certain officers under govern-
ment, to send and receive letters, packets, votes, pro-
ceedings in Parliament and newspapers, by the post,
free from postage ;-for the more effectual prevention of

Afterwards Earl Grosvenor, now Marquess of Westminster.

Such was the confidence of the magnates and monied men, that this loanmonger-this gigantic tax-collector-was the only pilot who could "weather the storm,"-that, on his birthday, which was celebrated at Merchant-Tailors' Hall, May 29, no less than 900 noblemen and gentlemen of the first rank and influence did him the honour of inviting him to a splendid feast; at which his vanity and ambition were flattered by the most fulsome compliments, while his warlike and debt-contracting propensities were excited to action by loyal toasts and bombastic sentiments against Buonaparte and the French!

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