Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

"That in order to promote and fecure the effential Interefts of Great Britain and
"Ireland, and to confolidate the Strength, Power, and Resources of the Bri-
"tish Empire, it will be adviseable to concur in fuch Measures as may best
"tend to unite the two Kingdoms, in fuch Manner, and on fuch Terms and
"Conditions, as may be established by Acts of the respective Parliaments of
"Great Britain and Ireland."

By Authority.

DUBLIN:

PRINTED BY J. MILLIKEN, 32, GRAFTON-STRELT,

1800.

price 2.2

226. i. 169(1)

1

[ocr errors][merged small]

LORD CHANCELLOR's SPEECH,

IN THE

House of Lords of Ireland,

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1800.

he Order of the Day being read for taking his Ma jefty's Meffage into Confideration, relative to the propofed LEGISLATIVE UNION between Great Britain and Ireland, and the Articles for that Purpose.

The Lord Chancellor arose and spoke as fol lows,

MY LORDS,

I RISE to call your Lordships attention to a sub

ject, certainly the moft momentous which has ever been submitted for decifion to the Parliament

[blocks in formation]

of this Country; a fubject embracing the vital interefts of Ireland, and intimately affecting the ftrength and profperity of the British Empire. In this grave Affembly, I feel perfect confidence, it will receive a calm, and patient, and difpaffionate investigation. I am fenfible, nevertheless, that it falls to my lot to addrefs your Lordships under great difadvantages. The beft talents, the most enlightened minds of which the British empire has ever had to boast, have been roused to exertion in contemplating an Incorporation of these kingdoms; and after the brilliant and ample difcuffion which the fubject has received in both countries, it cannot well be expected of me to throw new light upon it. But when I recollect the criminal and unexampled efforts which have been made, from the moment when this measure was firft propofed for difcuffion, to bear it down. by noise, and faction, and intrigue, if not by recommendations of open rebellion.-I should condemn myself for a grofs dereliction of my duty, if I were to forbear to fubmit it to your Lordfhips most serious confideration, in all its various and important views and bearings; more efpecially as I feel a ftrong conviction indeed, that nothing but Union can fave this kingdom from annihilation, and eventually uphold the fability of the British Empire.

My

« PreviousContinue »