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Impartial Reflections, 
 
 Price TWO SHILLINGS. 
 
IMPARTIAL REFLECTIONS 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 (QUESTION, 
 
 FOR 
 
 EQUALIZING THE DUTIES, 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 TRADE, 
 
 BETWEEN 
 
 GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 
 
 BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 LORD MOUNTMORRES. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed and fold by J. ALMON, No, 183, 
 Fleet-Street, lyS^, 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 Impartial Reflediions, 
 
 I T is not from a vain prefumption of 
 treating a fubjeft which engroffes 
 the public mind at the prefent moment 
 w'ith fuperior acutenefs, and depth of 
 argument.—But merely from a w'ifti 
 to ftate a few plain fads, that the 
 following remarks, which long fervice 
 and perfonal experience has enabled 
 the author of thefe confiderations to 
 colled in our filler kingdom, are fub- 
 mitted to the impartial tribunal of the 
 publick. 
 
 B 
 
 The 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 The difference between ancient and 
 modern times feems to be marked moft 
 ftrongly in the faculty of amplification. 
 Treaties which in claflick authors occu¬ 
 py but a page, are now e.xpanded into 
 volumes, by tedious fophiftry and re¬ 
 dundant explanation. 
 
 The great queftion relative to Ireland, 
 and the multiplied ftatements of the 
 Treaty with that country for the equa¬ 
 lization of the duties upon the trade of 
 the two kingdoms, abundantly verify 
 thefe obfervations. Tlie publick prints 
 teem with effays—the prefs groans with 
 daily pamphlets upon this fubjedt—the 
 gaping auditors in publick affemblies 
 prove the truth of the old adage, feientia 
 brevis^ ignorantia pritlonga cjl —and even 
 in our moft admired famplcs of elo¬ 
 quence, the frequent and well-known 
 repetition of “ now let me fuppofc a 
 cafe,” 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 cafe,” demonftrate how much time ia 
 wafted by thofe who wear out the night 
 in vague conjeiftures and defultory de¬ 
 clamations. 
 
 The faculty of fome who appear fore- 
 moft in the paths of eloquence, feems 
 to be that of perplexing and of mifre- 
 prefenting, of bewildering the mind ia 
 the labyrinth of unfounded fuppofition 
 and inapplicable hypothefis. 
 
 Of the value and Importance of Ire¬ 
 land to this country, more particularly 
 fince tlie fatal difmemberment of the 
 empire, it is fuperfluous to fay much. 
 Upwards of one million three hundred 
 thoufand pounds annually remitted to 
 Irifli landlords and proprietors who re- 
 fide in London,* befide a balance of trade 
 
 * Vide Lift of Abfentces, by Redmond Morres, 
 Efq. Faulkner, Dublin, 1768. 
 
 B 2 confider- 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 confiderably in favour of Great Britain, 
 are the be ft proofs of her importance. 
 
 It were to be wlflred, that the fame 
 certitude and precifion with which the 
 mind of man is fo delighted in mathe¬ 
 matical learning, extended itfelf to poli¬ 
 tical refearches. Certainty, however, is 
 not to be found in political arithmetick, 
 but all that is left in thefe difquifitions 
 is, to fearch for what is moft probable, 
 and comes the neareft to truth. 
 
 In ftating the balance of trade between 
 thefe countries, the Committee of the 
 Privy Council remark the great diffe¬ 
 rence between the Cuftom-lioufe books 
 in Great Britain and Ireland. 
 
 If we are to believe the firft, it is 
 greatly in favour of England j if the 
 latter 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 latter, confiderably in favour of Ire¬ 
 land. 
 
 Thus circumftanced, It is conceived 
 that an option lliould be made in favour 
 of the veracity of the one or the other, 
 to avoid the doubts and political feepti- 
 cifm which an attempt to reconcile 
 them muft neceflarily produce. 
 
 The Ledger of the Inlpeftor General, 
 from whence the following account was 
 taken, was eftabliihed under the aufpices 
 of a Committee of the Britilh Houfe of 
 Lords in 1696, and has ever been con- 
 fidered a record of the greateft authority 
 which this or any other country pof- 
 fefles; and the forms and regulations 
 are faid to have been preferibed by Dr. 
 Davenant—a name too well known in 
 the lift of commercial writers to need a 
 defignation or elogium. 
 
 The 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 The Irlfli books were never revifcd 
 by fuch authority. Precifion is not to be 
 fought after in records, which have been 
 regulated merely by Cuftom-houfc offi¬ 
 cers ; nor can the commercial records of 
 a country, ever limited and cramped in 
 trade, be compared with thofe of a king¬ 
 dom, celebrated for her cxtenfivc fei- 
 ence, and improvement in the ways of 
 commerce. 
 
 The following table is extracted from 
 the admirable performance of Mr. Chal¬ 
 mers’s hiftory of the comparative ftrength 
 of Great Britain in the four lall wars, 
 compiled from the Ledger oftheinfpeftor 
 General to the Culiom-Houfc of Eng¬ 
 land, of the imports and exports between 
 Great Britain and Ireland. 
 
 A 
 
( II ) 
 
 Mr. 
 
 A Tabic of Exports and Imports between Englar 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 Mr. Chalmers adds: “ in this detail 
 we fee a regular and a pleafing pro- 
 grefs; and we perceive what excellent 
 cuftomers the filler kingdoms are to 
 each other. The profperity of both 
 ought therefore to be the care of each, 
 becaufe the happinefs and intereft of 
 each mull be necelTarily found in the 
 refult." 
 
 From this table the balance of trade 
 in the year. 1772 is ^.745,210 in fa¬ 
 vour of England ; and it is to be ob- 
 fervedj that it has increafed gradually 
 in proportion to the improvement of 
 Ireland. 
 
 One circumllance deferves particular 
 notice, that the balance of trade was 
 confiderably againll England in the 
 year 1702, to the amount of ^(’.43,008 j 
 this 
 
( ^3 ) 
 
 this year was the period of the greateft 
 commercial deprejjm in Ireland, on ac¬ 
 count of the extinftion of the woollen 
 manufadlure in Ireland, by the ad- 
 drefles of the Lords and Commons of 
 England to King William. A revolu¬ 
 tion which gave liberty and affluence 
 to England, inlhied political fervitude 
 and poverty to Ireland. 
 
 The inference, however, to be drawn 
 from it is fair, that the advantage to 
 be had from Ireland was, and ever 
 will be, in proportion to her commercial 
 profperity. 
 
 Left I fliould dwell too long upon 
 the value of Ireland, and her mercantile 
 importance, upon a fubjeft of fuch 
 amplitude and exuberance, and expand 
 thefc confiderations by an unneceirary 
 preface, and thereby incur the charge 
 C prolixity. 
 
( H ) 
 
 I fhall fubmlt the following petition 
 upon the proteQing duties, which was 
 prefcntcd to the Houfe of Commons of 
 Ireland laft CefTion j brief as it is, it 
 contains a ftatc of the queftio'n, and 
 the leading features of the unjuft Ta¬ 
 riff, vs'hich at prefent fubftfts between 
 thefe countries. 
 
 It is neceffary to premife, that as the 
 convention from the volunteer corps 
 were then fitting in Dublin, the Houle 
 of Commons thought proper to rejed 
 it unheard. The defignation which 
 was aflumed by Mr, Travers Hartley, 
 member for the city of Dublin, and 
 other merchants of the Chamber of 
 Commerce, was their plea for this con¬ 
 duct, left other bodies, under illegal 
 deferiptions, might addrefs themfeives 
 to that afiembly to promote the reform 
 of 
 
( ^5 ) 
 
 of parliament, or other innovaiiom in 
 the ftate. 
 
 A learned gentleman, who has fince 
 been advanced to the bench of Judges, 
 hgnalizecl himfelf much upon this oc- 
 cafion, by deprecating the rejection of 
 this petition 5 the temporary plaudit 
 of the gallery, and the unwary burft 
 of popular applaufe, have been conti¬ 
 nued to him in the grateful recolleftion 
 of his countrymen. 
 
 As this petition was not heard, it is 
 difficult to fay what the quantum of 
 the impofition intended to be levied 
 upon the importation of Englifli goods 
 was; it was not fo unreafonable as to 
 equalize the prohibition,; but it was 
 faid, that Mr. Hartley intended to pro- 
 C 2 pofe 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 pofe a duty of half a crown on coarfc 
 cloths imported, in order to give a 
 currency to their own in the Irifh 
 markets. 
 
 To the Honourable the Knights, Citi¬ 
 zens, and Burgclfes, in Parliament 
 affembled. 
 
 The humble Petition of the Merchants 
 compofing the Council of the Cham¬ 
 ber of Commerce of the City of 
 Dublin, 
 
 Sheweth, 
 
 THAT you petitioners, appointed 
 by a numerous and refpeftable body of 
 the traders of thts metropolis, to watch 
 over, and promote their commercial 
 interefts, flatter thcmfelves they will 
 not 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 not bs tliouglit too prefuming, if, 
 moved by the diftrefies of multitudes 
 of their fellow citizens, and in com¬ 
 pliance with the duties of their delega¬ 
 tion, they humbly intreat the attention 
 of this Honourable Houfe to the pre- 
 fentdeprelied ftate of the manufadlurers 
 of this city and kingdom. 
 
 That your petitioners humbly con¬ 
 ceive this unfavourable fituation prin¬ 
 cipally to proceed from the very une¬ 
 qual and unjuft terms on which Great 
 Britain and Ireland trade — Ireland 
 opening freely her ports, at low duties, 
 to all the manufaftures of Great Bri¬ 
 tain— Great Britain prohiditiiig, by 
 exceftive duties, almoft all the fabricks 
 of Ireland. 
 
 That 
 
( i8 ; 
 
 That your petitioners beg leave to 
 aflure this Honourable Houfe, that 
 they feel, as well as profefs, for their 
 Sifter Kingdom, the moft cordial af¬ 
 fection ; and fully acknowledge this 
 country to be fo connefted with her, 
 that they muft ftand or HU together; 
 they, however, confider it incumbent 
 on them humbly to reprefent, that the 
 evident principles of policy and juftice 
 require that Britifi manujaclures im¬ 
 ported into Ireland, JJoould pay the fame 
 duties that are impojid m Irifj manufac¬ 
 tures of a fmilar fpccies imported into 
 Great-Briiaiti. 
 
 Your Petitioners humbly bcfeecli 
 this Honourable Houfe to take the 
 pre^mifes into confideration, and to 
 grant fuch relief as to its great wifdom 
 ftiall 
 
fliall feem meet, and your Petitioners 
 will pray. 
 
 Signed at the defirc, 
 and on behalf of the Council, 
 
 ^TRAVERS HARTLEY, Prcfident. 
 ANTHONY DERMOTT,-? Vice- 
 DANIEL MARSTON, iPrefidents 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 Thus where England lays a duty of 
 forty fliillings upon the importation of 
 Irifii goods—Ireland lays a duty of 
 fix pence upon the fame article. 
 
 This is admitted on all hands to con¬ 
 tain the out line of this gi'cat quef- 
 tion—this is the Tarif eftablifted be¬ 
 tween the two countries for a feries of 
 years — prohibitions which obtain in 
 no other cafe, nor againft any other 
 country againft the fifter kingdom! 
 imitating thereby the conduft of 
 thofc chuiliflr petty defpots, in private 
 life, who preferve a polite courteous 
 demeanor to ftrangers, but referve their 
 moments of ill temper and caprice for 
 their families and deareft connexions. 
 
 D 
 
 While 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 While men talk of fpontaneous non- 
 ’ importation agreements in Ireland, let 
 them remember that here is a perpetu- 
 non-importation agreement againft 
 Ireland, with all the form andw^arranty 
 of law—look for the word penalty— 
 or the word Ireland in the index—it 
 is a matter of indifference which—for 
 you will fcarcely ever find one with¬ 
 out the other. Thus you may trace 
 Ireland through the code, as you do a 
 wounded man in a crowd by his blood. 
 
 While this is the ftate of the com¬ 
 mercial intercourfe between the two 
 countries, it is to be remembered that 
 no prohibitions exifi; in her trade, 
 with ocher countries; and that by the 
 frc' trade Ireland has lately obtained, 
 her commerce has no other refiraints 
 than 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 than what are prefcribed by the waves, 
 and by the winds. 
 
 If the Irilh counteraft this fyftem of 
 prohibition, either by fimilar duties, 
 which they call protefting duties; or by 
 voluntary general non-importation a- 
 greements, our commercial Intercourfe 
 will ceafe: the intercourfe with other 
 nations is ftill open to her: the ftrange 
 bigotry which prevails in that country, 
 and the unhappy fpirit of intolerance, 
 has driven numbers of her inhabitants 
 to feek an alylum in foreign countries. 
 Neceflity has begot induftry : fome of 
 the firft commercial houfes at Oftend, 
 at Bourdeaux, at Cadiz, have Irifli 
 names in ihm-Jtniis. With thole they 
 may form a beneficial trade. Mercan¬ 
 tile connections lead to political j and 
 political connections, to alienation 
 from this country. 
 
 In 
 
( H ) 
 
 In this fihiiUion, the prcfcnt mini- 
 ller has adopted the juft fyltem cf equa¬ 
 lizing the duties upon the trade of theft 
 illarulSj to blend their commcrciai in- 
 icrefts, and fortify their union by t!ic 
 ties cf mutual advantage and recipro¬ 
 city ; a fyftem which will be thwarted 
 by party divifioits j the turbulency of 
 difappointed ambition, and the natural 
 diftruft and jcaloufy of trade; a lyftem 
 cmbarralled by various and jarring in- 
 terefts, vvliich, however, it is to be liop- 
 ed will fooncr or later take place, as it 
 is founded upon equity and juliice. 
 
 But if it ftrould mifearry through 
 a jealoufy of the communication of 
 thefe privileges; if tlte chimci-a of be¬ 
 ing undcrfokl by the imlkllied in arts; 
 and as yet unconverfant in manufac¬ 
 tures, by theft; who want capitals and 
 
 enter- 
 
( ^5 ) 
 
 cntcrpiize, and are unacquainted wiUt 
 the myjlcries of trade: if througli thefe 
 confidcrations, tliis febeme Ihould fail, 
 it does not require much fagacity to 
 foretell, that the continuance of thefe 
 prohibitions will operate as the prohi¬ 
 bition of the Irifli live cattle, when the 
 importation of them w'as declared a 
 nuifance in the days of the Second 
 Charles, which drove them into the 
 beef trade, and ferve principally to cn- 
 rich one, inftead of enriching both 
 countries. 
 
 It has been Juftly obferved, that if 
 Ireland is admitted to a participation 
 of trade and commerce, file ought to 
 contribute her juft (incta and adequate 
 proportion to the fupport and defence 
 of the Britifii Empire. A pofition the 
 juftice of which cannot be denied} but 
 the 
 
( ) 
 
 the author of thefe confiderations ne¬ 
 ver having had the honour of fitting in 
 the Houfe of Commons of eitlier king¬ 
 dom, would wifli to avoid entering in¬ 
 to a queftion of finance; what that 
 quota of contribution (hall be, or what 
 arrangements flrall take take place, 
 muft be left to thofe whofe fituations 
 qualify them to form a judgment, from 
 her revenues, and fifcal ability. 
 
 The idea of furnifliing a naval de¬ 
 fence for the protection of her trade, 
 feems to be the moft ufeful appropri¬ 
 ation of her abundant revenue, if it 
 ihould through thefe advantages fur- 
 pafs her domeftick cxpence, an ar¬ 
 rangement juftified by the naval de¬ 
 fence which belonged to her at an early 
 period; and by thofe frigates which 
 were fupported by the Irifli eltablilli- 
 ment 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 meat in Lord Strafford’s daysj an ar¬ 
 rangement which the curious in the 
 annals of Ireland will find in the letters 
 of that defpotick, but able Viceroy. 
 
 Such have been the prejudices which 
 have obtained againft the enlarge¬ 
 ment of the Irilh trade fince the re- 
 ftoration; fo many arc the objeffions 
 which operate againft it, at the prefent 
 period, that it would lead to a wide 
 field of difeuflion, and to a talk of re¬ 
 futation to which the author finds 
 himfelf unequal. 
 
 Onecirciimftance he cannot help ob- 
 ferving, that many of thefe fatal confe- 
 quences were dreaded upon the free¬ 
 dom of trade, and independance of le- 
 giflaturc, which flie obtained in 1780. 
 No inconvenience, nor no competition 
 have 
 
( 2S ) 
 
 ]iavc arofc from thciicc; ami the fears 
 of the prefent moment may be as ill 
 foiiiKlecl, and as chimerical. 
 
 It is however juft to ohferve, that 
 matters of this importance, and ar¬ 
 rangements of this extent, cannot be 
 th.c produclion of a moment; the great 
 man who is at the helm, dclervcs much 
 commendation for his caution, delay, 
 and circumfpeelion. By thefe means, 
 objccfioiis which i)rcccdc his plans, 
 may be removed, which would be dif¬ 
 ficult to remedy at an after period. 
 
 The complaints of the Weft-India 
 merchants, and their fears of the fmug- 
 gling of foreign fugars into England 
 tliioiigh Iicland, may fuj'eJy be remov¬ 
 ed by the adoption and efficacious exe¬ 
 cution oftheEngllftr regulations againft 
 tlic 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 the fmuggler. If the edict of the 
 French King againft the frcigljtage of 
 the French fugars in foreign hottO'ms, 
 and the confideration which is clearly 
 proved in a late pamphlet, that Ireland 
 (lid not import in the two laft years 
 jU'ufficient quantity of fugars for her 
 own confumption j but that nearly one 
 lialf of her demand was imported from 
 England, be not fufiicient, 
 
 Since the report from the Pfivy- 
 Council has been publifhed, a moft re- 
 fpeclable body of men, fmee upon 
 them the interefts of learning and 
 icience depend} intereft.s which in a 
 country like this, Ihould be paramount 
 to every other j J mean that of the 
 
 bookfellers, and their reprefentation 
 about the copy rights, demand pe¬ 
 culiar attention. 
 
 E 
 
 If 
 
If there Is any fpecies of property 
 which demands particular attention, it 
 is the property vvliich a man has in the 
 produdlion of his thoughts, and the 
 emanation of his mind, every body 
 knows, that this property is fecured 
 to authors, or their affignees, for four¬ 
 teen years, by the law of the land. 
 
 This favourable provifion for au- 
 tho^rs, is as yet unknown in Ireland; 
 but it is humbly apprehended, that the 
 adoption of the 8th of Queen Anne, 
 would be an advantage to Ireland j and 
 if a claufe were fupersdded, to allow 
 profccution in the Irilli Courts, for 
 printing books without licence, entered 
 at Stationers Hall in London; with 
 fuch provifions for the ftock aftually 
 on the hands of the Irilh bookfellers, 
 as the wifdom of the legiflature Ihall 
 
( 31 ) 
 
 devife, it would prevent the fale of thefe 
 pirated editions, and remove the ob- 
 jeftions of that refpeftable body of 
 men. 
 
 This great queftion has fo long oc¬ 
 cupied the confideration of parliament 
 and fucli have been the reftriftlons 
 laid upon tlie Irifli trade by Englifh 
 laws that it feems a rooted prejudice 
 that the commercial advantages which 
 they obtain, are a fubtraStioh and 
 drawback from the wealth of this 
 country. 
 
 But when we reflcft on the great 
 authorities which have delivered opi¬ 
 nions on this fubjeft, diametrically op- 
 pofite to what local intereft and vjono- 
 poly, have preferibed, if what the bell: 
 informed, and the grcateil: luminaries 
 E 2 of 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 of political fcience have faid, may be 
 deemed the fenfe of the people; we 
 fiiall be able to determine, whether the 
 commercial reftraints laid upon Ire¬ 
 land in paft times, were dictated by 
 wifdom } and whether they were go¬ 
 verned by the fenfe, or the prejudice of 
 this country in paftinws. 
 
 The ’firft regular fettlement of Ire¬ 
 land, was' in the days of James the 
 Firft: thofc who have read the reafons 
 why Ireland was nreer thoroughly fub- 
 dued, will find, that the Englifh autho¬ 
 rity did not extend far in that country 
 till after Tyrone’s rebellion. 
 
 When the fcheme of the Scotch co¬ 
 lony was in contemplation, Lord Bacon 
 in his advice to the king, expreftes him- 
 felf thus: “ biext, as to the liberties and 
 fran- 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 franchifes your Majefty will be pleafed 
 to give them, when I fpeak of libertys 
 I do not mean libertys of jurifdiction 
 as counties paiatine or the like, but li¬ 
 berties tending only to commodity, as 
 ..berty to tranfport their native com¬ 
 modities upon free and eafy terms to 
 this and other countries which I would 
 recommend to your Majefty.” 
 
 Lord Strafford himfelf held the fame 
 principle in one of his difpatches to 
 fecretary Coke, “ Next I fend you the 
 remonftrances of the two houfes of 
 Parliament about the prohibition on 
 the export of hydes, their rcafons are 
 unanfwerable, for where the general 
 trade of a country and tlieir export is 
 concerned, there I have ever been of 
 opinion that the lefs, *iat you meddle 
 the better.” 
 
 This 
 
( ) 
 
 This was Lord Strafford’s opinon, 
 arbitary in other refpe^'s, his notions 
 about trade, were juft and liberal, and 
 he was too wife not to know that a 
 partial and reftrained trade, is no trade j 
 for trade fickens at controul, and dies 
 upon reftraint, and upon prohibition. 
 
 It was upon the fame liberal plan 
 that a man of a very different party, 
 and principle, I mean Oliver Crom¬ 
 well, extended the benefits of the aft 
 of navigation to Ireland (of which I 
 fhall fpeak more fully hei'eafter) and 
 the advantages of a common participa¬ 
 tion of trade to the colonies. 
 
 After the rcftoration a moft unrca 
 fonable jealoufy took place about Ire¬ 
 land—the t2th of Ch. 2. c. 18, re- 
 ftraing the mariners to t’ioo thirds En- 
 glijh 
 
\ 35 ; 
 
 gUJJj —and the explanation of the aft 
 of navigation the 14th of Ch. II, for¬ 
 bidding the tranfpoit of tlie colonial 
 trade to Ireland, or Scotland, with an 
 exception only as to the export from 
 them, of provifions to the colonies. 
 
 This jealoufy was partly caufed by 
 the envj of the great merit, and riches 
 of the Duke of Ormond, to this was 
 owing the prohibition of the import of 
 Irifli cattle, asanuifance; but even at 
 that period Sir Jofiah Child in his 
 elements of trade—and Sir William 
 Temple in his letter to Lord Effex' la¬ 
 ment the poverty, and reprobate the 
 fyftcm which took place in regard to 
 Ireland, 
 
 It is true that after the revolution 
 the idea of a competition between 
 England 
 
( as ) 
 
 England and Ireland, prevailed gener¬ 
 ally in this country, this appears in the 
 writings of Dr. Davcnent, and though 
 he advifes every indulgence to the trade 
 of Ireland, yet he wifhes it to be re- 
 ftrained in thefe particulars, where the 
 cheapnefs of living might enable them 
 to underfcll Great Britain in material 
 concerns. 
 
 There is however a very able refuta¬ 
 tion of thefe doffrincs of Dr. Davenant, 
 by a learned and ingenious dignitary 
 of the church^, he has put thequeftion 
 abilraflcdly, whether, a poor country 
 can undcrfell a rich one, and he has 
 decided not only from reafoning on the 
 fuperior fcience and expertnefs of the 
 richer ftatc, but what is more from 
 facd and experience, that tliey cannot. 
 —The cafe which he mentions is that 
 of 
 
 Dean Tucker 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 of Sweden, where though the barr iron 
 is brought from thence to England, 
 though it pays a duty in a raw un- 
 manufacltired ilate at its entrance, 
 though it is carried to the Inland 
 counties and when manufactured there, 
 ])ays a duty upon export, yet the 
 Swedes have in vain fet up founderys 
 and Iron works to rival England, Such 
 arc the advantages that fuperior fcience 
 and wealth give England over her, tho’ 
 hucdi’ii is pcrliaps one of the poorefl: 
 countries in Europe, as may be col¬ 
 lected from one clrcumftance, that 
 travelling in that country does not ex¬ 
 ceed one penny per mile. 
 
 A jealoufy feems to pervade, a very 
 numerous body of merchants who have 
 lately met relative to the effects which 
 ojK'.fmg.thc Iriflj trade to this country 
 F may 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 may have upon foreign negotiations. 
 But upon a reprefentatipn which was 
 made to this country from Ireland, re¬ 
 lative to the eftabiiflrment of the 
 hempen and fall cloth manufactories, 
 in 1703, and alfo about the agreement 
 in 2698, between the two countries 
 about the linnen and hempen manufac¬ 
 tures, which was never adhered to 
 by England. Similar reprefentations 
 were made by the Hamburgh mer¬ 
 chants to the houfe of Lords* but the 
 venerable and revered name of Lord 
 Somers appears againft their opinions, 
 and thofe arguments of injuring the 
 trade of England with Ruflia and other 
 countries, were ovcruled in the report, 
 which was drawn up by him upon 
 that occafion, as it appears upon the 
 journals of the Houfe of Lords. 
 
 * Louis Journals, 1704 
 
 Sir 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 Sir Matthew Decker who wrote in 
 later clays fpcaks more ftrongly in favor 
 of Ireland; and confiders the reftraints 
 ii])on her trade as beneficial to the na¬ 
 tural enemies of England, and that 
 the prohibition to export their woollen 
 goods was an obligation upon them, 
 to finuggle raw wool to the French 
 coafts at all hazard, and fupply them 
 with that neceflary material, to the 
 infinite mifchief and detriment of the 
 Englifli trade. 
 
 And it is well known and remember¬ 
 ed by many, that Sir John Bernard 
 the great oracle of trade, and member 
 for the city of London, conftantly ex- 
 prefTed himfelf to the fame effeft in the 
 days of Sir R. Walpole, and confider- 
 ed all reft'raints upon the trade of Ire¬ 
 land, 
 
land, as eminently detrimental to Eng¬ 
 land. 
 
 Many of thefe authorities apply more 
 to the general queftion which is pad 
 of the freedom of the Iriflr trade, than 
 to the queftion of the moment, but Mr. 
 Poftkthwaite in his commercial dicti¬ 
 onary, confiders every rettraint upon 
 the trade of Ireland, as a drawbacl: 
 from tlic wealth of England, and that 
 while England and her metropolis con¬ 
 tinue the emporium of the empire, the 
 feat of the arts, of plcafurc and pre¬ 
 ferment, all the wealth of Ireland after 
 circulating through that country, muft 
 terminate here at laft, as the blood 
 after circulating through the limbs 
 terminates at laft and returns to the 
 heart in the human body. 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 At tiic peri 
 
 od of tl) 
 
 ic union the fame 
 
 jealoufy of a competition prevailed with 
 
 regard to t!',c 
 
 icotch, 
 
 which now pre- 
 
 vails with rc; 
 
 gard to 
 
 the Iriflr; and in 
 
 the year 178c 
 
 many' 
 
 were the jealoufies 
 
 about the hi] 
 
 [h trade, 
 
 but neither; have 
 
 been juftified in the flighteft degree; 
 
 certain it is 
 
 , wlicthci 
 
 • Giving to the 
 
 want of caj)irais, to 
 
 experience, to 
 
 induflry, 01 
 
 ; enterpri 
 
 zc, the crowd- 
 
 ing her man 
 
 .ufoaurcs 
 
 into the capital, 
 
 where labou: 
 
 r is dear. 
 
 Ireland has not 
 
 availed lierfelf of her ai 
 
 [’vantages. The 
 
 ventures m; 
 
 adc to A 
 
 merica have ex- 
 
 cited much 
 
 complaint of the flownefs 
 
 of the rctur 
 
 ns; natioi 
 
 IS tliat have been 
 
 recently cma 
 
 .neipated,!' 
 
 cqiiire time to rc- 
 
 cover tiieufc 
 
 : of their f 
 
 aculties, and like 
 
 the antient 
 
 fage \v]i( 
 
 m Iiis fetters 
 
 were' If ruck 
 
 oif rath.cr 
 
 incline to fp'ecu- 
 
 late and allc^ 
 
 gorizc upc 
 
 m thiCpninof tlicir 
 
 
 
 pall 
 
I'-an:, and the plcafure of their prefent 
 fituation, than to make ufe of their fa¬ 
 culties, and turn them to advantage. 
 
 Of the writers who have appeared 
 upon this fubjeSt, one Jioble Lord 
 (Lord Sheffield) deferves particular at¬ 
 tention. Candor and truth muft pay 
 a due tribute to the materials which he 
 has fo laborloufly and induftrioufly 
 collefted.- Sorry at the fame time to 
 exprefs a doubt, that his pamphletf' 
 aboutAmerica, has introduced meafures 
 which are moil; unfatisfaftory to the 
 people of that country, and which pre¬ 
 vent a difpofition to returning regard 
 and reconciliation. 
 
 The noble Lordexprefies the greateft 
 veneration for the aft of navigation as 
 confined 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 mifitied to this country, and which he 
 would not have extended to Ireland. 
 
 I agree with him in the regard for 
 that palladium of the wealth and com¬ 
 merce of England as it orighially flood, 
 not fuch as it now appears upon the 
 code, but as it was originally framed. 
 
 An idea has been thrown out in an 
 able pamphlet, that the firfl aft, the 
 aft of the lath of Charles the fecond, 
 emphatically called the aft of naviga¬ 
 tion, extended its privileges to Ireland i 
 but it muft be remembered, that three 
 fourths of the mariners on board muft 
 be Englijhy according to tliat aft of 
 parliament, and the aft of the 14th of 
 Charles II. c. 11. and other fubfequent 
 afts, lay many more prohibitions upon 
 trade with regard to Ireland. 
 
 The 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 The ait, however, which I allude 
 to, is the aft of navi^alioii, wiiich was 
 brought ihrward in the clays of Oliver 
 Croaiwcll. This aft ewtends to Ire¬ 
 land by name, and to all the fub- 
 jefls of the common-wealth.” This is 
 indeed an act of navigation, the defini¬ 
 tion of which flioald juifly be an aft to 
 confine the colonial trade of the empire 
 to its labjefts; but the explanations 
 intrcduccd after the reiroration are laws 
 or monopoly, prejudice, and cxclufion. 
 
 Hut this leads me to fay a word 
 upon the fubieft, and to touch upon 
 an arduous difcunion, the hinury of 
 the navigation law?. 
 
 It is to be lamented, tlnat a moil- 
 able panijililct, which appeared in 
 1759, upon the great cpiciVion whicii 
 arofc 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 arofe about the couftruction of the 
 treaty in 1674 between England and 
 Holland, is now out of print; every 
 thing relating to navigation laws is 
 there treated with the greateft perfpi- 
 ciiity, and wonderful labour and re- 
 fearch. The fuppofed author is fo de- 
 fervedly and highly efteeraed, and his 
 abilities fo well known as to render 
 any elogium fuperfluous. 
 
 The iflands ofBarbadoes, Bermudas, 
 Antigua, &■:. continuing to refill the 
 power of Oliver Cromwell, and the 
 new eftablillinient, were the caufc of 
 an a£t to reftrain the commerce of thofe 
 iflands to the fliipping of the common¬ 
 wealth. This had a view particularly 
 to the Dutch, who were alpiring to be 
 the general carriers of the world, and 
 contains in it tlic rudiments of the ad 
 G of 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 of navigation; This took place in 
 1650. 
 
 The ad, which palled the following 
 year 1651, every body knows was the 
 caufe of the Dutch war, and reftrains 
 the colonial trade to the (hipping of 
 the Britilh empire. 
 
 But what is remarkable, it extends 
 the privileges of the navigation law to 
 Ireland by name, and under the gene¬ 
 ral defcriptlon “ of the fubjeds of this 
 common-wealth, and her poireflions." 
 Thefe ads are added in the appendix, 
 as they are materially different from 
 thofe which appear upon the ftatute 
 book, and are taken out of a book 
 which is likely to lie upon the flielf, 
 though printed by the Ufurper’s Prin¬ 
 ter, namely, Scohell's collection. 
 
 From 
 
From this circumftance It is proved 
 inefragably and beyond doubt, that if 
 the propofed fcheme fhould take place, 
 it would be fo far from alfefting the 
 original intention of the aft of naviga¬ 
 tion, that it would perfeftly coincide, 
 and correfpond with that venerable 
 palladium of Englifli wealth, and Eng- 
 lifh commerce. 
 
 The manner in which the fcheme has 
 originated in the Irifli parliament, and 
 the reception It met with, the ralnifte- 
 rial mode of bringing it forward, and 
 the inanmvres that have taken place, 
 are matters infinitely above the com- 
 prehenfion of the author of thefe re- 
 fleftions. 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 Too humble to be flattered by their 
 confidence — too much perfecuted in 
 this country to be honoured by their 
 regard—it would be equally wrong, 
 and equally prefumptuous in him to 
 juftify, or to praife the minilterial ar¬ 
 rangements upon this occafion. 
 
 The eficnce and fubftance of the 
 equalizing feheme is to be regarded, 
 not the form and ceremonial of its in- 
 trodu. ion j but if it fliould be deemed 
 inadmiflible in its prefent ftate—if mu¬ 
 tual rctraftions and conceflions arc ne- 
 ccllary,—if every man agrees that fome- 
 ihing (Iiould be done to promote com¬ 
 mercial intercourfc between the two 
 countries—though they differ in the 
 form—if jarring intcrefts, or faftious 
 mifreprefentations, raider the prefent 
 propofitions impracticable—the early 
 annals 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 annals of the Irifli Parliament point 
 out a method, by which fubjefts of as 
 great import as the prefent have been 
 carried through, namely, that of ap¬ 
 pointing Commiffioners from the Lords 
 and Commons of Ireland to confer 
 with an equal number here—befide the 
 prefent advantage, future periods might 
 reap the benefit of a fyftem of concilia¬ 
 tion, the form of which might be re¬ 
 peated and obferved, when the fame 
 difficulties arofe, and when mutual 
 conceffions were necefiary. 
 
 Numerous are the inftances which 
 occur in the early annals of Parliament 
 in Ireland, of difficulties which have 
 been adjufted, by appointing Commif¬ 
 fioners from thence; not only during 
 the troublefome periods of the reign of 
 Charles the Firft, and of the Protec¬ 
 
 torate 
 
( 5 ° ) 
 
 torate, but after the reftoration, and 
 the advantages which occur of dif- 
 CLiiions of intricate matters before a fe- 
 lecf and confined body, over that of 
 debates in large and popular affem- 
 blies, are too evident to dwell upon. 
 
 Many arguments are thrown out in 
 daily publications, againll; giving thofe 
 advantages to Ireland, at a time when 
 flte has relinquifited her fubordination 
 to the fupremacy of the Englifli Par¬ 
 liament ; but let it be remembered, that 
 it is by a fimilarity of laws and confti- 
 tutlon, and by a reciprocity of advan¬ 
 tage, that Ireland alone can be preferv- 
 cd to this country. 
 
 The happy meafure of the cx- 
 tenfion of the privileges of trade to 
 Ireland, was' prodiiftivc of the moft 
 beneficial 
 
( 51 ) 
 
 beneficial confequcnccs in the protec¬ 
 torate; it was by thefe antecedent be¬ 
 nefits tiiat Cromv/eli was enabled to 
 unite the three kingdoms in one Par¬ 
 liament, to vrhich Ireland and Scotland 
 deputed each of them thirty reprefen- 
 tatives; a meafure which in the pre- 
 feiit times, however impraclicable it 
 may be, is certainly the wilh of fome 
 enlightened and well informed men, 
 was effected by him without trouble or 
 difficulty, by the conciliatory method of 
 mutual privileges and common ad¬ 
 vantages. 
 
 In the prefent fituation of England; 
 and after the ruinous debt which has 
 been entailed upon her, and the millions 
 that have been expended in the American 
 fade, it would be unreafonable to give 
 any advantage to Ireland, if it were a 
 fubtraftion 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 fubtracllon frcm the trade or riches of 
 England i but that remains to be 
 proved; and it would be the heighth 
 of political folly to fuppofe, that what 
 is to be given to Ireland, will be a 
 drawback from the wealth of England; 
 merely bccaufc the ambition of fome, 
 the local intcrcfls of others, or the de- 
 figns of a party, who wifli onlytopof- 
 iefs thcmfclvcs of power, and of office, 
 and to play the old game of oufting 
 minifters by popular clamour, have 
 pronounced it, or to millakc the cry of 
 faclion for the voice of the people. 
 
 In nations which have exifted for 
 ji length of time, like towns that have 
 been long built, regularity of fyftem 
 in commerce, legiflation or building 
 is rarely to be found—however, every 
 attempt to bring about regularity of 
 fyftem 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 fyftcm is to be wiftied for, and every 
 attempt to approximate the truth > 
 though It cannot be attained, is 
 praife worthy. 
 
 An equality of weights and raca- 
 fures is an article of the great Charter 
 —in the material articles of life all 
 over England, and yet perhaps, if It 
 were attempted now, however, defire- 
 able it might be when confidered in 
 the abftradt, fuch inequalities have 
 obtained by length of time, and de¬ 
 viation from the original intention, 
 that it would meet with the greateft 
 difficulties) and yet the meafure muft 
 be acknowledged to be defireable if it 
 could be attained. 
 
 It has been fuppofed, that notvvith- 
 fianding it appears at firfi view a vaft 
 H and 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 and mighty advantage for Ireland 
 to participate in all the benefits of 
 Englifli commerce, yet Ihe will not 
 moft probably at leaft for fome time, 
 profit materially, by them; but this does 
 not leflen the value of the donation, 
 on the fide of England, for if fire 
 gives her the power and capacity of 
 enriching lierfelf by trade, and if in¬ 
 dolence or an innate vis inertia in 
 her iniiabitants, fliould prevent her 
 from making ufe of thofe advantages, 
 the fault will be on her fide, and Ihe 
 will have no one to blame but her- 
 felf. 
 
 Probably it will not liave the im¬ 
 mediate operation that is conjeftured, 
 it will take fome time before fhe dif- 
 covers lier vantage ground, and if 
 we may reafon from what lias hap¬ 
 pened 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 pened fmce the free trade, her com¬ 
 mercial progrefs will be retarded and 
 gradual. 
 
 It is not likely however, that Ire¬ 
 land by any poflible event, or any 
 fuppofed advantage, can be the rival 
 of England in riches or trade,—fince 
 there is a conftant progrelTion in 
 human affairs, and nations that have 
 furpafled others in the conteft of trade 
 and commerce, will probably continue 
 the fame advantageous progreflion and 
 leave others behind them, with the fame 
 proportionable diftance between them. 
 
 Before I conclude, I fhall mention 
 a circumftance, which at prefent engages 
 the contemplation of a great and power¬ 
 ful nation, the neighbour and the rival 
 of England; a queftion fimilar to that 
 which at prefent engages the publick 
 mind, and which indents in many cir- 
 H 2 
 
 cum- 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 cumftanees with the queftion of equar 
 lizing the duties between Great Britain 
 and Ireland; a queftion which for more 
 than a century paft has occupied the 
 counfels of that country: and has late¬ 
 ly been revived by a production which 
 does honor to the' age, and to the na¬ 
 tion} I mean an equalization of the 
 interior duties in the different provinces 
 of France. 
 
 This inequality of impofts arpfe at 
 fo early a period as the reign of King 
 John of France} fome of the provinces 
 not complying with his demands, and re. 
 monftrating againft the exceffive levies 
 which he was obliged to make} were 
 declared by him, lesprcvinces etrangeres, 
 and heavier duties^ were laid upon ex¬ 
 ports 
 
ports to them from provinces thatwere 
 more favourable to his views. 
 
 From this, various inequalities arofe 
 in the duties, in different provinces, to 
 the general detriment of trade, and in- 
 convience to the whole kingdom. 
 
 It was a favourite object of Louis 
 XIVth. and was profecuted under the 
 Adminiftration of Colbert, to create a 
 general Tariff for the whole kingdom, 
 and to fubjeftthe merchandizes of France 
 to duties only upon their export from 
 the frontiers and feaports, but to leave 
 the interior provinces either free from 
 impofts, or to reduce them to the ftand- 
 ard of equality. 
 
( s« ) 
 
 Such, however, were the difficulties 
 attending this meafure, tliat Colbert 
 fucceeded on!}- in three provinces, the 
 reft remained fubjeft to the motly 
 fyftem of taxes upon interior commu¬ 
 nication, which had been produced by 
 chance or by the caprice of a tyrant. 
 
 This meafure was afterwards re¬ 
 newed foon after the Adminiftration 
 of Cardinal Fleury; but it was found 
 fo difficult to adjuft tlic different 
 (|Uotas ofco)rtribution, and particularly 
 to find the true level and juft equali¬ 
 zation of the gabelle, or duty upon fait, 
 which conftitutes fo material an article 
 of the French finances; fuch were the 
 jarring intcrefts that it was ncceffary 
 to reconcile, and fo ftrong %vcre the 
 rcmonftrances of tlic parliament of 
 Brittany 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 Brittany in particular, that it was ne- 
 celTary to be relinquiflied. 
 
 In Mr, Neckar’s incomparable trea- 
 tife upon the French finances, this fub- 
 jjecl: is revived, and recommended with 
 all the powers of reafon and elo- 
 
 Thus, what in the earlier days of 
 tins country, was recommended by a 
 Bacon, laboured in another by a Col¬ 
 bert, and recommended by a Neckar, 
 and actually carried into execution In 
 this by Cromwell, namely an exten- 
 fion of the benefits of trade to the com¬ 
 ponent parts of the empire under a juft 
 and equal fyftem of duties, is propofed 
 by the prefent plan. 
 
 I have 
 
( 6o ) 
 
 I have already faid that I have no 
 reafon to be the friend of adminiftra- 
 tion, but the mind fliould not be 
 warped by perfonal flights, or perfonal 
 confiderations, in reflexions upon mea- 
 fures of publick and general welfare, 
 and in the contemplation of truth. 
 
 What has been found difficult in 
 France, what the power of a defpotick 
 Prince could not effeX, a fyftem founded 
 in reciprocal advantage, and common 
 welfare, may it is to be hoped be ef- 
 feXcd by the milder and more amiable, 
 though not lefa powerful and efficaci¬ 
 ous defpotifm of reafon, common ad¬ 
 vantage, mutual neceffity, reciprocal 
 benefit, and the general welfare of the 
 Britirtr Empire. 
 
 The 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 The equalization of the duties upon 
 trade between Great Britain and. Ire¬ 
 land, it is hoped, will fecure the ties 
 between the two countries, and render 
 their attachment indiflbluble. It will 
 give common ftrength to the the em¬ 
 pire, particular advantage to the com¬ 
 ponent parts. An untried and fallow 
 country, has unknown refources. The 
 population of countries increafe in 
 proportion to the foundnefs of their 
 policy and the wifdom of their laws, 
 and wherever the inlet may be, while a 
 common fund of wealth circulates 
 through the two kingdoms, the general 
 mafs of riches in the Empire will be 
 increafed. 
 
 It is alone by the mlldnefs of govern¬ 
 ment and beneficence of rule, that di- 
 I divided 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 vidcd parts of an Empire are rivetted 
 to each other. 
 
 The power of Rome was prcfcrved 
 over a vaft Empire by a common par¬ 
 ticipation of benefits > and till the late 
 fatal American war, the mild and hap¬ 
 py genius of England led hci' to this 
 juft and equitable fyftem of government 
 over that extenfive continent, A go¬ 
 vernment like the law of gravitation in 
 the fyftem of the nniverfe, powerful 
 and cfticacioub in proportion to the 
 diftance. 
 
 The evidence of the body of Englilh 
 merchants, has been attemjited to be 
 garbelled to anfwcr the purpofes of 
 party, but their teftimony upon this 
 occafion, upon the whole contradicts 
 the affertion that the fyftem of the 
 
 com- 
 
( C3 ) 
 
 commercial world was a Tpirit of mo¬ 
 nopoly, and of engrolTing all advan¬ 
 tages to thenifelves. 
 
 Their language is, that they do not 
 defire to deprive the Irifli of the ad¬ 
 vantages which Providence has given 
 them, nor of the common right of mak¬ 
 ing the moft of their own materials. 
 
 The tenor of their condudl proves, 
 that they do not feck for advantage in 
 the reftraints and prohibitions of any 
 defeription of their fellow fubjecls. 
 
 Their teftlmony upon this occafion 
 proves, that they expect preference and 
 pre-emption from the fuperior {kill of 
 their workmen, and the fuperior value 
 of t})eir mcrcliandizes. 
 
 As 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 As tliclr acquiefcence in the Irifli 
 free trade in 1780, proved that they 
 did not tliink it was neceOiitry, that 
 one nation fliould be impoveriflied 
 that another might continue rich, but 
 that each country might thrive with¬ 
 out prejudice to the other, and that the 
 market of the univerfe was wide 
 enough for both kingdoms. 
 
 A P P E- 
 
[ 65 ] 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 [Rudimerds of Navigation 
 
 From SCOEELL’s Statutes, 
 Page 132. Anno 1650. 
 
 CAP. 28. • 
 
 T/Wr w;.'/;/if Barbada’s, Virginia, Bermuda’s, 
 and Antcgo, Proh'wited, 
 
 X^HEREAS in Virginia, and in the iflands 
 of Barbada’s, Antego, St. Chriftophers, 
 Mevias, Mounfirat, Bermuda’s, and divers other 
 iflands and places in America, there hath been 
 and arc colonics and plantations, which were 
 planted at the cofl, and fettled by the people, and 
 by authority of this nation, which arc and ought 
 to be fubordinate to, and dependent upon Eng¬ 
 land ; and hath ever fince the planting thereof 
 been, and ought to be fubjedl: to fuch laws, or¬ 
 ders and regulations as arc or fliall be made by 
 the parliament of England j and whereas divers 
 acts of rebellion have been committed by many 
 perfons inhabiting in Barbada’s, Antego, Bermu¬ 
 da’s and Virginia, whereby they have moft traitcr- 
 oufly, by force and fubtilty, ufurped a power of 
 government, and feized the Rates of many well- 
 affeited perfons into their hands, and banifbed 
 
 ♦ Ehckftonc, vol. i, p. 41S. 
 
 others 
 
f 66 ] 
 
 others, and have fet up thcmfelves in oppofition 
 to, and diftiniSt from this ftate and commonwealth, 
 many of the chief adlors in, and promoters of 
 thefe rebellions, having been tranfported and car¬ 
 ried over to the faid plantations in foreign fhips, 
 without leave, licence or confent of the Parlia¬ 
 ment of England ; the Parliament of England 
 taking the premifes into confideration, and find¬ 
 ing thcmfelves obliged to ufe all fpeedy, lawful 
 and juft means for the fuppreffion of the faid re¬ 
 bellion in the faid plantations, and reducing the 
 fame to fidelity and due obedience, fo as all peace¬ 
 able and well-affcclcd pcole, who have been rob¬ 
 bed, fpoiled, imprifoned or banifhed through the 
 faid trcafonable pradficcs, may be reftored to the 
 freedom of their perfons, and pofleffion of their 
 own lands and goods, and due punifliment in¬ 
 flicted upon the laid delinquents, do declare alt 
 and every the faid perfons in Barbadocs, Antego,,! 
 Bermudas, and Virgirria, that have contrived, 
 abetted, aided or affifttd thofc horrid rebellions,- 
 or have fiitcc willingly joined with them, to be 
 notorious robbers and traitors, and fuch as by 
 the law of nations are not to be permitted any 
 manner of commerce or traffic with any people 
 whatfoever; and do forbid' to all manner of per¬ 
 fons, foreigners and and others, all manner of 
 commerce, traffic and correfpondcncy whatfoever, 
 to be ufed or held with the faid rebels in the Barba- 
 da’s, Bermuda’s, Virginia and Antego, or cither 
 of them. 
 
 And be it cnaflcd by this prefent Parliament, 
 and by the authority of the fame, That after due 
 publication of this act made, to the end that none 
 inayjullly pretend ignorance, it ftial! .and may 
 be lawful to any the fleet or ftiips lent forth or 
 employed 
 
[ 67 ] 
 
 employed Inr the Parliament, or any private men 
 of war or mips to be llowcd or approved in that 
 behalf by the immediate power of Parliament, or 
 the council of ftate eft'abliflicd by Parliament, to 
 feize, furprizc and take all and all manner of 
 Clips, velicls and goods, of what nature or kind 
 foever, belonging to all perfons whatfoever, whe¬ 
 ther foreigners or others, or of what nation foever, 
 that (hall be found or met withall, trading or go¬ 
 ing to trade, or coming from trading v/ith the 
 faid rebels, or in or at the fald ifland of Barba- 
 Jocs, Bermudas, Virginia, or Antego aforefaid, 
 or any part or parts thereof, or thatlhall hold any 
 correfpondence with the faid rebels, or yield them 
 any afliftance or relief fur the fupporting their 
 faid rebellion : and the fame Clips and,goods fo 
 furprifed, to fend in to be proceeded againft in the 
 Court of Admiralty by virtue of this act j and the 
 judges of that court finding the fame to be with¬ 
 in the tenor and true meaning of this act, ad¬ 
 judge the fame to be well taken, and to be good 
 and lav/ful prize. 
 
 Aijd for the better information of the faid 
 court, and to the end the proceedings therein may 
 be acted and done according to the rules of law 
 and jullicc, and that nothing irregular may there¬ 
 in, or by the takers, be acted or committed. Be 
 it further enacted, That none of the goods nor 
 tackle, apparel or furniture of the faid Clips foto 
 be furprifed by virtue of this act, Qiall be em¬ 
 bezzled or purloined, but Ciall be preferved fafe 
 and entire till judgment be firft given in the faid 
 Court of Admiralty, or other order or decree there 
 made thereupon: and that all the commiflions, 
 confignmcnts, bills of lading, cockets, letters, 
 and all other inftruments and writings whatfoever. 
 
f 68 3 
 
 that fiiall be found on board the faid fliips and 
 vefTels, lhall be duly fcnt up to the faid Court of 
 Admiralty : and that alfo two or three of the of¬ 
 ficers or principal perfons of, or found in every 
 fuch fliip or vcflcl, fliall cither be brou^jht up to 
 be examined upon oath in the faid court, as well 
 touching the faid writings found in the faid (hip, 
 and the proprietors, owneis and mafters of the 
 fame /hips, ami tiie goods therein, and lire places 
 from whence they come, and to whom configned, 
 and whether bound, and fuch other queltions and 
 interrogatories a:- in each partitular cafe fiiall be 
 found meet; or otherwife, in cafe thev cannot 
 with convcniency he ftiu up, that then they be fo 
 examined duly upon oatli, before the chief officer 
 <)f fomc port in England, or the next jufiice of 
 the peace, concerning thepremifes before recited; 
 and their examinations, together with all the writ¬ 
 ings found on board the faid fiiips or veffels, to be 
 duly tranfmitted to the faid court; and thejudges 
 of the faid court thereupon, and upon fuch other 
 proofs and evidences as /hail he duly made, or ex¬ 
 hibited before them, fiiall proceed to judgment, 
 and give definitive fcntvnccby virtue oi' this act, 
 according as the nature of the fact /hall he jrvoved 
 before them,and according to the riilcsamigrounds 
 of jufiice : and if judgment fiiall be given for the 
 fame to be lawful prize, then it fiiall be difpofed 
 in fuch fort and manner as is in this prcfeiit act 
 afterwards limited ami appointed. 
 
 And to prevent for the time to come, and to 
 hinder the rarryitig over of anv fuch perfoiis as 
 are enemies to this commonwealth, or that may 
 prove danc roils to any of the Engli/h plantations 
 in America, the I’atliamcnt doth forbid and pro¬ 
 hibit all Clips of any foreign nation whatlbcver, 
 to 
 
r 69 ] 
 
 to come to, or trade in, or traffic with any of the 
 Englitli plantations in America, or any iflands, 
 port? or places thereof, which are planted by, and 
 in poffeffion of the people of this commonwealth, 
 without licence hrft had and obtained from the 
 Parliament or Council of State. 
 
 And be it further enacted, ordained and declar¬ 
 ed by the authority aforefaid, That from and after 
 the twentieth day of November, 1650, it fhall 
 and may be lawful for any Ibip or fhips fent forth 
 by the parliament, or allowed of by the Parlia¬ 
 ment or Council of State, to feize, take and 
 furprife any fhip or Ihips of any foreign na¬ 
 tion whatfoever, that (hall be outward bound to 
 any of the faid plantations, ports or places, with¬ 
 out fuch licence as aforefaid, and from and after 
 the firff of January, 1650, It fhall and may be 
 lawful foi Inch fliips fent forth and allowed as a- 
 forefaid, to feize, take, and furprife any foreign 
 fliips that fiiall be found trading at any of the 
 plantations, iflands and places aforefaid, with¬ 
 out fuch licence as aforefaid ; and from and after 
 the 20th day of March, 1650, it lhall and may 
 be lawful for any of the Parliament’s fllips, 
 or private men of war, allowed of by the Parlia¬ 
 ment or Council of State for the time beinn;, to 
 feize, take and furprize any fhip or fhips that are 
 coming from, or have traded at any of the plan¬ 
 tations as aforefaid, without fuch licence as afore¬ 
 faid : and all fuch fliips fo taken, with all goods, 
 tackle, apparel and furnituie, to fend into fdme 
 port of this commonwealth, to be proceeded againft: 
 in the Court of Admiralty, as in this ail 'is or¬ 
 dered, limited and appointed in cafe of trading 
 to Earbadocs, Antego, Bermudas, and Virginia, 
 01 any of them : all which prizes fo to be taken 
 
[ 70 ] 
 
 anJ ailjudjeci by virtue of this ai^, fliall be dif- 
 j)ofc(l of as followcth ; that is to fay, of wliat 
 fhall be taken by the fliips fent forth by the Par¬ 
 liament, two thirds thereof to be to the ufeof the 
 Commonwealth, for the fcrvice of the navy, as 
 the Parliament fiiall direft : and one other third 
 part to be to the commanders, officers and com¬ 
 pany of thofe fhips by whom the fame fnall be 
 taken refpediivcly, according to the ufual rules of 
 ilivifion aniongfi: them ; and for what fhall be taken 
 by private men of war allowed as aforefaid, lobe 
 to the ufe of the owners or fetters forth of the faid 
 Ships, as they themfelyes fhall agree, one tenth 
 part of the whole, heretofore allowable to the 
 Lord Admiral, being firft taken out, to be dif- 
 pofed bv the Council of State, for fuch ufes as 
 the Parliament fliall direct and appoint. 
 
 Provided always, That if any prices fo taken, 
 or any part thcieof, fhall appear, and be piovcil 
 in the faid Court of Admiralty to be any fhip or 
 goods belonging to any of the well-aft'cclcd and 
 good people of this commonwealth, remaining 
 and continuing under the obedience and protec¬ 
 tion of the Parliament, and before taken or Air- 
 prifed from them by any enemy or rebel, or dif- 
 alFccled perfon, and afterwards again furprifed 
 and retaken by any of the fleet or fhips employed 
 in the fervice of the Parliament, or any privatp 
 man of war, allowed .as aforefaid, that then fuch 
 fliips and goods, and every fuch part and parts 
 belonging to the faid good people aforefaid, fhall 
 be adjudged tobereftored, and fr.all he by decree 
 of the faid Court of Admiralty accordingly re- 
 flored to fuch former owner or owners, paying 
 for and in lieu of falvage, only one eighth pait 
 of the true value thereof; unlcfs fuch fhips fo. 
 
 retaken 
 
i 71 ] 
 
 retaken fliall appear to have been after their tak- 
 iiii!; by the enemy, or rebels, or difaffefted, fur- 
 niihed and fet forth by them as men of war on 
 their behalf: in which cafe the true and firft 
 owners to whom the famefhall bereftored, fnall be 
 adjudged to pay, and {hall pay for fplvage the full 
 moyety of the true value of the faid fhips fo re¬ 
 taken and rcflorcd. 
 
 Provided ncverthelefs, and it is further enadl- 
 eJ, That the Council of State for the time being 
 have hereby power to grant licence and leave to 
 any of the Ihips of thjs nation to go to, and trade 
 at Barbadoes, Antego, Bermudas, Virginia, or 
 or any of tlrem, without prejudice or damage, 
 any thing in this aiS to the contrary notwith- 
 ftanding. 
 
 And it is further enafled by the authority afore- 
 faid. That the faid Council of State have hereby 
 power and authority to fend Ihips to any of the 
 plantations aforefaid, and to grant commillion or 
 commiffions to fuch perfon or perfons as they fhall 
 think fit, with power to enforce all fuch to obe¬ 
 dience as do or (hall {land in oppofition to the 
 Parliament or their authority; and to grant par¬ 
 dons, and to fettle governors in all or any the 
 faid idainls, plantations and places, and do to all 
 juft things,- and ufc all lawful means to fettle and- 
 preferve them in peace and fafety, until the par¬ 
 liament {hall take further or other order therein, 
 any letters patents, or other authority formerly 
 granted or given to the contrary notwithftanding. 
 
 And to the end that due intimation and publi¬ 
 cation of this act may be made, and public no¬ 
 tice thereof be taken, fo that none may juftly 
 plead c.vcufe through ignorance of the fame, Be 
 it ordered and enaited, That this prefent adl fhall 
 be 
 
f n ] 
 
 be publiflicd by the Serjeant at Arms attending- 
 the Parliament, three fcvcral days upon the Ex¬ 
 change, London, at the time of the concoutfc of 
 merchants thither. 
 
 Paired 3 Odfober. 
 
 [ CromzveWs M of Na-vigatm. ] 
 CAP. 22. * 
 
 GoooJs fyom fat cign Parts by whom to be imported. 
 
 ■pOR the incrcafe of nitnping and the cncou- 
 ragement of the navigation of this nation, 
 which under the good providence and protection 
 of God, is fo great a means of the welfare and 
 I'afcty of this commonwealth; Be it enacted 
 by this prefent Parliament, and the authority 
 thereof, 'I'hat from and after the ilt day of De¬ 
 cember, 1651, and from thence forward, nogoods 
 or commodities whatfoever, of the growth, pro¬ 
 duction or manufacture of Afra, Africa.orAmcrica, 
 or of any part thereof; or of any iflands bclong- 
 to then’., or any of them, or which.are deferibed 
 or laid down in the iifual maps and cards of thofc 
 places, as well of theEnglifli plantations as others, 
 flial! be imported or brought into this Common¬ 
 wealth of England, or into Ireland, or any other 
 lands, iflands, plantations or territories to this 
 commonwealth belonging, or in their pollcllion, 
 in any other Blip or Ihips, vcfl'cl or vcil'cls 
 
 BhckHonCj vol. i. p. 419. 
 
 what- 
 
[ n ]■ 
 
 whatfover, but only in fuch as do truly and with' 
 out fraud belong only to the people of this com¬ 
 monwealth, or the plentations thereof, as the 
 proprietors or right owners thereof; and whereof 
 the mafter and marriners are alfo for the moftpart 
 of them, of the people of this commonwealth, 
 under the penalty of the forfeiture and lofsof all 
 the goods that (hall be imported contrary to this 
 act; as alfo of the (hip (with all her tackle, guns 
 and apparel) in which the faid goods or commo¬ 
 dities (hall be fo brought in and imported ; the 
 one moyety to the ufe of the commonwealth, and 
 the other moiety to the ufe and behoof of any 
 perfon or perfons who (ball feize the faid goods 
 or commodities, and (hall profccute the fame in 
 any court of record within this commonwealth. 
 
 And it is further enafted by the authority 
 aforefaid. That no goods or commodities of the 
 growth, produftion or manufafture of Europe, 
 or of any part thereof, (hall after the firft day of 
 December, 1651, be imported or brought into 
 this commonwealth of England, or into Ireland, 
 or any other lands, iflands, plantations or terri¬ 
 tories of this commonwealth belonging, or in 
 their polfeffion, in any (hip or (hips, velTel or 
 vclTels whatfocver, but fuch as do truly and with¬ 
 out fraud belong only to the people of this com- 
 monvyealth, as the true owners and proprietors 
 thercdf, and in no other, except only fuch foreign 
 (hips and velTels as do truly and properly belong 
 to the people of that country or place, of which 
 the faid goods are the growth, produftion or ma- 
 nufadlure ; or to fuch ports where the faid goods 
 can only be, or moft ufually are firft (hipped for 
 tranfportation; and that under the fame penalty 
 of forfeiture and lofs exprelTfd in the former 
 L branch 
 
i* w J 
 
 branch of thre a£f, the faid forfeitures to be re-' 
 covered and employed as is therein expreffed. 
 
 And it is further enafted by the authority aforc- 
 faid, That no goods or commodities that arc of 
 foreign growth, production or manufacture, and 
 which are to be brought into this commonwealth,- 
 in Clipping belonging to the people thereof, lhall 
 be by them Clipped or brought from any other 
 place or places, country or countries, but only 
 from thofe of their faid growth, production or 
 manufacture; or from thofe ports where the faid 
 goods and commodities can only, or are, or ufu- 
 ally have heen firft Clipped for tranfportation j 
 and from none other places or countries, under 
 the fame penalty of forfeiture and lofs exprefled 
 in the firft branch of this act, the faid forfeitures 
 to be recovered and employed as is therein ex¬ 
 preffed. 
 
 And it is fuather enacted by the authority afore- 
 faid. That no fort of cod-fifh, ling, herring, pil¬ 
 chard, or any other kind of falted filh, ufually 
 fiftied for and caught by the people of this nation; 
 nor any oil made, or that lhall be made of any 
 kind of fifli whatibever; nor any whale-fins, or 
 whale-bones, fhall from henceforth be imported 
 into this commonwealth, or into Ireland, or any 
 other lands, iflands, plantations, or territories 
 thereto belonging, or in therr poffeffion, but only 
 fuch as lhall be caught in veffels that do or fliall 
 truly and properly belong te the people of this 
 nation, as proprietors and right owners thereof: 
 and the faid fifli to be cured, and the oil aforefaid 
 made by the people of this commonwealth, under 
 the penalty and lofs expreffed iri the faid firft 
 branch of this prefent act; the faid forfeit to be 
 recovered and employed as is there expreffed. 
 
[ 75 ] 
 
 And it is further enacted by the authority afore- 
 faid, That no fort of cod, ling, herring, pil¬ 
 chard, or any other kind of failed filh whatfoever, 
 whieh fhail be caught and cured by the people of 
 this commonwealth, fhail be from and after the 
 ill day of February, 1653, exported from any 
 place or places belonging to this commonwealth, 
 in any other fhip or mips, veflel or vcffcls, fave 
 only in fuch as do truly and properly appertain 
 to the people of this commonwealth, as right 
 owners ; and whereof the maftcr and mariners are 
 for the moft part of them Englifh, under the pe¬ 
 nally and lofs expreffed in the faid firft branch of 
 this prefent act; the faid forfeit to be recovered 
 and employed as is there cxprefTed. 
 
 Provided always. That this act, nor any thing 
 therein containcu, extend not, or be meant to re¬ 
 train the importation of any of the commodities 
 of the Straights or Levant Teas, laden in the fhipr 
 ping of this nation as aforefaid, at the ufual ports 
 or places for lading of them heretofore, within 
 the faid Straights or Levant feas, though the faid 
 commodities be not of the very growth of the faid 
 places. 
 
 Provided alfo, That this act nor any thing 
 therein contained, extend not, nor be meant to 
 raftrain the importing of any Eaft-India commo¬ 
 dities loadcninthe Ihippingof this nation, at the 
 ufual portor placcs forladingof them lieretoforein 
 any part of thofe fcas, to the fouthward and eaft» 
 ward of Cabo Bona Efperanza, although the faid 
 ports be not the very places of their growth. 
 
 Provided alfo, That it fhail and may be law¬ 
 ful to and for any of the people of this common¬ 
 wealth, in vcfTels or fhips to them belonging, and 
 whereof the maftcr and mariners are of th^is nation 
 as 
 
as aforcfaid, to load and bring in from any of the 
 ports of Spain and Portugal, all forts of goods 
 and commodities that have come from, or any 
 way belonged unto the plantations or dominions 
 of either of them refpeftively. 
 
 Be it alfo further cnaded by the authority aforc¬ 
 faid, That from henceforth it (hall not be lawful 
 to any perfon or perfons whatfoever, to load or 
 caufe to be loaden and carried in any bottom or 
 bottoms, fhip or Ihips, vefTel or velTcls whatfo¬ 
 ever, whereof any ftranger or ftrangers born, (un- 
 lefs fuch as be denizens or naturalized) be own¬ 
 ers, part owners, or mafler, any fiih, viflual, 
 wares, or things of what kind or nature foever 
 the fame fhall be, from one port or creek of this 
 commonwealth, to another port or creek of the 
 fame, under penalty to every one that fhall of¬ 
 fend contrary to the true meaning of this branch 
 of this prefent act, to forfeit all the goods that 
 lhall be fo laden or carried, as alfo the fhip upon 
 which they lhall be fo laden or carried, the fame 
 forfeit to be recovered and employed as directed 
 in the firft branch of this prefent act. 
 
 Laftly, That this act nor any thing ibercln 
 contained, extend not to biil'ioii, nor yet to any 
 good-s taken, or that lhall be taken by way of rc- 
 prifal by any Ihip or Ihips, having commiflion 
 from this commonwealth. 
 
 Provided, That this act, or any thing there¬ 
 in contained, lhall not extend, nor be conftrued 
 to extend to any filk orfilk-wares which lhall be 
 brought by land from any parts of Italy, and 
 there bought with the proceed of Englilh com¬ 
 modities, fold either for money or in barter; but 
 that it lhall and may be lawful for any of the 
 people of this commonwealth to fliip the fame 
 
C 77 3 
 
 in Ehglifli veflels from Oftend, Newport, Roter- 
 dam, Middleburg, Amfterdam, or any ports there¬ 
 abouts ; the owners and proprietors firft making 
 oath by themfelves, or other credible witnefs, 
 before the commiflioners of the cuftoms for the 
 time being, or their deputies, or one of the Ba¬ 
 rons of the Exchequer, that the goods aforefaid 
 were fo bought for his or their own proper ac¬ 
 count in Italy. 
 
 Paired 9 October. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 To THE P U B L I C. 
 
 AS the Political Tranfaftions of this Country 
 are Matters which concern every individual, 
 a faithful Recital of them mull afford particular 
 Satisfaction. To effect this delirable Purpofe, 
 has been the Object of the prefent Printer of 
 The general ADVERTISER j and he 
 Trulls, that the Accounts of the Parliamentary 
 Debates, and of fuch State Papers as are laid be¬ 
 fore the Houfc, are given in the Paper he Pub- 
 lilhes, with the llrictell Inmartiality, and the 
 moll fedulous attention to Truth. The Cm» 
 mcrcial Concerns of the Public, the Bufinefs of the 
 Theatres, and whatever happens worth recital, 
 Dmejlii 
 
[ 78 ] 
 
 Ticni'^hc nnd Fcrcigii, with a faithful Dctaif of 
 alt that palfcs in both Houfes of the Irifi Parlia- 
 mnit, arealfo given in The GENERAL AD- 
 V ERTISEK, which is publifhed at an early Hour 
 every Morning; by J. Almon, at No. 183, in 
 Fleet-ftreetwhere he alfo carries on the Print¬ 
 ing Bufincfs, in all its Branches, on thcchcapcfl; 
 Terms, and in the moft expeditious Manner. 
 
 And of whom nm It had the folloidn^ 
 
 New I’uiiLiCATioKs. 
 
 ‘I’bc GenAiie 'Report Compkle. 
 
 I. the report of the LORDS of the 
 -*■ COMMITTEE of COUNCIL, ap¬ 
 pointed for the Confideration of all Matters re¬ 
 lating to 'i'rade and Foreign Plantations, upon 
 tfje two Queftions referred to them by his Ma- 
 jelly’s Order in Council, on the 14th of January 
 Jaft, viz. 
 
 1. Upon the Propriety of reducing Duties pay¬ 
 able in Great Britain on the Importation "of 
 Goods, the Growth and Manufacture of Ireland, 
 to the fame Rate as the Duties payable in Ireland 
 on the importation of the like Goods, the Growth 
 and Manufacture of Great Britain, 
 
 2. What Preferences are now given to the Im¬ 
 portation of any Article, the Growth, Produce, 
 and Manufacture of Ireland, b^ any Duty or 
 Prohibition on Importation, Ufc, or Sale of the 
 like Articles from Foreign Parts; and how far it 
 may be the intcreft of Great Britain, in future to 
 continue, or alter the fame. Price Two Shillings. 
 
 II. An ANSWER to » A Short EITay on 
 the Modes of Defence beft adapted to the Situa¬ 
 tion and Circumflanccs of this Ifland.” Price 
 One Shilling and Si.xpence. 
 
C ] 
 
 lil. An authentic Copy of the PROCEED¬ 
 INGS of a COURT-MARTIAL, held at the 
 Horfe-Guards, on Tuefday the 9th of Novem¬ 
 ber, 1784, and continued by Adjournments to 
 Friday the 12th of the fame Month on HUGH 
 DEBBIEG, Efq. one of the Colonels of the 
 Corps of Engineers; on two Charges exhibited 
 by his Grace CHARLES DUKE OF RICH¬ 
 MOND. Price Three Shillings. 
 
 NEW PLAYS. 
 
 I. BARATARIA; or, Saticho turned Go¬ 
 vernor. As it is performed at the Theatre-Royal^ 
 Covent-Garden. Price One Shilling. 
 
 II. ROBIN HOOD; or, Sherwood Foreft; 
 a Comic Opera; as it is performed at the Thea¬ 
 tre-Royal, Govent-Garden. Price One Shilling 
 and Sixpence. 
 
 III. FAIR AMERICAN: a Comic Opera; 
 as it is performed at the Theatre-Royal, Drury- 
 Lanc. Price One Shilling and Sixpence. 
 
 IV. The SONGS, Chorufcs; and Recitative, 
 in the Pantomime of the MAGIC CAVERN; 
 at the I'heatre-Royal, Covent-Garden. Price 
 Sixpence. 
 
 V. SPANISH RIVALS. A Mnfical Farce; 
 as it is performed at the Theatre-Royal, Drury- 
 Lane. Price One Shilling.