Medals and Medallists connected with Ireland. 9 



of it towards the discharge of the national debt. They were sent to England, 

 returned without alteration or objection, and the same course would have conti- 

 tinued, had not some mischievous intermeddling courtier discovered what he 

 considered an invasion of the rights of the Crown, which it was determined by 

 those in authority to repel. In the year 1751, the Lord Lieutenant, acting upon 

 this suggestion, in his speech from the throne at the opening of the session, 

 informed the House of Commons, " That he was commanded by the king to 

 acquaint them, that his Majesty, ever attentive to the ease and happiness of his 

 subjects, would graciously consent and recommend it to them, that such part of the 

 money then remaining in the treasury, as should be thought consistent with the 

 public service, should be applied to the further reduction of the national debt." 

 This was assuming that the king had an exclusive property in it, and might, as 

 an act of favour, permit the Parliament to dispose of it. The Commons in their 

 Address paid no regard to this unprecedented claim. The heads of the bill were 

 framed as usual, it passed the Commons and Privy Council, was sent to England, 

 but returned with the word "consent" inserted in it. Then, though many 

 members were dissatisfied with this infringement of their rights, it passed unani- 

 mously, and thus a precedent was made which was attempted to be used on the 

 event which produced the present medal. In the year 1753 even a larger sur- 

 plus was reported in the treasury. The Right Hon. Thomas Carter, Master of 

 the Rolls, presented, on the 13th of December, a bill, entitled " An Act for the 

 payment of £77j500, or so much thereof as shall remain due on the 25th of De- 

 cember, 1753, in discharge of the National Debt." This was read a first time 

 on the following day, and a committee was appointed to inquire if any, and what 

 alterations had been made in the preamble and enactments of the bill. On the 

 15th, Mr. Upton reported that an alteration, or rather an addition, had been 

 made, by inserting in the preamble the following words : " And your Majesty, 

 ever attentive to the ease and happiness of your faithful subjects, has been gra- 

 ciously pleased to signify that you would consent, and to recommend it to us, 

 that so much of the money remaining in your Majesty's treasury as should be , 

 necessary, be applied to the discharge of the national debt, or of such part 

 thereof as should be thought expedient by Parliament." The house was again 

 aroused to jealousy respecting an invasion of its privileges, and on the 17th it 

 resolved itself into committee, when the Master of the Rolls reported from it, 



VOL. XIX. B 



