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STATE 
ea February, 19797 
GREAT RITAIN. 
HE Parliament of Great Britain 
afiembled on the 14th of February, 
but notwithitanding the critical ftate- of 
public affairs, no bufinefs. has yet been 
traniacted. It is, indeed, fu! ‘pected, that 
“the anxious withes of the nation, are 
about to be complied with, and that a 
general change of minifters and meafures 
1s at hand. 
The pecuniary difirefles of the go- 
vernment, and the alarm of mvafion, are 
the f farject s which have wholly engroffed 
the public attention. The- difcounts 
that attend ail public fecurities, and the 
depreciatio a of the funds, are great be- 
yond example, The rumours of inyafion 
have been fo far realized, that, on the 
.23d, according to the London Gazette, 
E4cO men were landed on the coat of 
Pembrokethire, from 5 French per of 
wars they were, 
furrounded by the armed peatants and 
fome military, and obliged to furrender. 
IRELAND. 
The two Houfes of Parliament met a 
few days ae the alarm of the invafion 
had fubfided. . 
The fpeech of the Lord Lieutenant 
was replete with grateful expreflions of 
approbation, on the loyalty and fidelity 
lately manifefted-by the people. Lone 
and ardent debates took place, in both 
Houfes, upon the motion for an Addrets 
to his Majeity.” Mr. Gratton, and 
his adherents, drew very ftriking pic- 
tures, of the inconfiftency and 1 Incompe- 
tency of LORDMALMESBURY 5 powers, 
in the late negociation for peace; and 
expreffed their doubts of the fincerity 
ef the Britifh Miniitry. 
ee the defencelefs ftate of 
Ireland, when the enemy were on the 
eoatt, Mr, Curran obferved, that when 
the French armament avrined upon the 
coaft of Ireland, there was not a Britith 
line of battle fhip to be feen. Why 
was this? He did not mean to criminate 
the Britifh Admirals who commanded, 
but he would contend that the affair, 
at-firft view, appeared fuch as deferved 
to be enquired into. Ireland certainly 
deferved proteétion from Great Britain. 
He knew, indeed, that the contributions 
of Ireland, in a pecuniary way, were 
laughed at by the great monied intereft 
of aaa, but it ought to-be remem- 
bered, that the gave: 100,000 men to her 
navy, and to her armics. 
Inthe Houie of Lords, Lornp DILLON 
exprefled much indignant difapproba- 
tion of what feil 
however, nnmediately- 
from Mr. Fox, in the 
or PUBLIC AFFAIRS. 
sg ute of Commons ; his Lorde 
fhip. read from a printed {fpeech, pro- 
feffing to be that-gentleman’s, “ That 
Treland had but the thadow of a legi- 
flature ;"’ he contended, that the affertion 
was calculated to. encourage an inyafion-s 
he felt for an infulted legiflature, and 
for an injured country—he felt, with 
concern,-that Ireland had long been 
made the footftocl of ambition, to ) gratify 
a Bey in England. 
The Lord Chancellor, fpeaking of 
the late attempt to invade Freland, faid, 
thar there was not a doubs hat the oe 
{cent by the enemy, was folicited and 
negociated by traitors in the bofom of 
Ireland. He read, in fupport of this 
affertion, .a manifefto by GENERAL 
Hocue, addrefied ** Fo the. army em- 
ployed. in. effeéting the revolucion of 
freland ;*” informing’ the troops that 
they were chofen to facilitate the revo- 
lution in Ireland, already undertaken 
by excellent republicans, in that country 5 
and, after libelling ‘the loyalty of the 
country, and enumerating | the grievances 
of frifhmen, it gives a pofitive aflurance 
to the troops, that on their arrival in 
Treland, they will be received with hof- 
pitality and fraternity. It adds. that 
after a> republic one. and indivifible 
has been-ereéted there, the Irith repub- 
licans will accompany the invincible 
French to- London, where they wk 
punifh Parra: 
FRANCE. 
On the 4th of February, the miedary 
fent a meilage to the Council of Five. 
Hundred, and of the Ancients, with 
feveral papers, relative to a con{piracy 
which had juft been difcovered. The 
Directory oblerved, that it could not 
be diffembled, that the audacity of the 
different BGions combined againft the 
Republican Government, was obvioutly 
feconded by the fyftem which was adopt- 
ed by the greater number of periodical 
writers, and which became every day 
a fource of greater affliction to good 
citizens—that the one preached royal- 
ifm with the moft daring effrontery ; 
the others outrageoufly inculeated licen- 
tioufnefs and anarchy ; both united their. 
efforts to fow fedition between the efta- 
blifhed authorities and their confti- 
tuents, and thus to effect the fubverfion, 
of focial order. 
The meffage, as well as an feveral 
pieces produced along with it, and the 
minutes of the arreft of the confpirators, 
werg 
