for the purpofe of prote&ting the 
_ people from the burthens it occa- 
fioned, made the following motion, 
*« That the refolutions of this houfe 
 again{t increafing the number of 
«the commiflioners of the revenue, 
| # and dividing the-boards, be laid 
* before his Majefty, with an hum- 
| # ble addrefs, that his Majefty will 
| “be graciouily pleafed to order to 
| # be laid before this houfe the par- 
# ticulars of the reprefentations, in 
“ confequence of which two new 
| ®commiffioners of cuftoms have 
| # been added, notwithftanding the 
* refolutions of this houfe ; and alfo 
that his Majefty will be gracioufly 
* pleafed to communicate to his 
faithful commons the names of 
# the perfons concerned in recom- 
- mending that meafure.”” 
’ Mr. Conolly feconded the mo- 
ion, which, after much debate, was 
ejeCted by a diyifion by a majority 
135 to 80. 2 
Soon after Mr. Forbes called the 
Attention of the houfe to the increafe 
of the penfion lift, and moved an 
| addrefs to his Majefty, to communi- 
| €ate to the houfe the names of thofe 
) @inifters who advifed the fame. 
| This motion was alfo rejeéted by a 
| majority of 136 to 92. 
' The members in oppofition were 
not difcouraged by thefe repeated 
efeats. On the 15th of February, 
S. Ponfonby moved to reprefent 
| to his Majefty, « That his faithful 
| Commons, having taken into confi- 
eration the growth of public ex- 
pence ifi the laft year, could not but 
ferve many new and increafed 
| falaries annexed to offices granted to 
| Members of that houfe, no fewer in 
‘2 The proteft was as follows : 
HISTORY OF EUROPE, 
[105 
number than 143 that fo rapid an 
increafe of places, together withthe 
number of additional penfions, could 
not but alarm the houfe; and tho’ 
they never could entertain a doubt 
of his Majefty’s affeétion and re- 
gard for his loyal kingdom of Ire- 
land, yet they feared that his Ma- 
jelty’sfervants may, by mifinforma- 
tion, fo far have abufed his Majef 
ty’s confidence as to have advifed 
{uch meafures for the purpofe of in- 
creafing influence.” Mr. Grattan 
feconded the motion: and at one 
o’clock, after a long debate, the 
queftion was put, and the houfe di- 
vided, when there appeared, ayes 
87, noes 146. 
About the fame time the follow- 
ing refolution was moved in the 
houfe of peers by the duke of Leinfter: 
“© Whereas the lord vifconnt 
Strangford has been deprived of a 
penfion, which, at the requeft of 
this houfe, his Majefty was gra- 
cioufly pleafed to grant him, urti} 
an adequate provilion fhould be 
made for him in his own line of 
profeflion: and whereas no caufe 
has been fuggefted or communicat- 
ed to thé noble lord for fuch mark 
of his Majefty’s difpleafure: the 
houfe, therefore, has every ground 
to believe, that the fame had refe- 
rence to his conduét in parliament 
in thé lait feffions; and declare and 
refolve, that the advifer of the mea- 
fure aéted difrefpeétfully to this 
houfe, unconftitutionally, and un-: 
dutifully to his Majefty.” r 
The motion being put and nega- 
tived by a majority of 20, a ftrong 
proteft was afterwards entered in 
the journals *. 
: ‘The 
© Dissesrienr, 
Recasi we conceive that the power of granting penfions was originally vefted in 
‘own, to enuble the fovereign, whom the conititution regards as the fountain 
| gratification and of mercy, to promote public virtue, by rewarding eminent fer- 
| Wiees and tran{cendent merit, and ta relietc the diltrefs into which men of ancient and 
Be 
illuttrious 
