lfo part of the plan, that an effort hould be made to create an infurection in the metropolis, and in fome ther parts of the kingdom, where hefe focieties are moft numerous. Your committee are fully confident, hat while plans of this nature coninue to be traced and known, and while government retains the means which it at prefent-poffeffes, fuch vild and defperate projects may be xpected to lead only to confequences deftructive to their auhors; but your committee are, at be fame time, fo forcibly ftruck with the view they have had of this art of the fyftem, and with the eculiar danger continually arifing rom the fociety of United Irifhmen, which they deem to be in its nature ncompatible with the fecure main enance of public tranquillity, that hey have thought it neceffary to oring it thus diftinctly under the imnediate confideration of the house.

§ 8. Societies at Hamburgh.

In addition to this mafs of treafon in Great Britain and in Ireland, your committee find, that, for the purpose of more convenient communication between France and Ireland, a committee of United Irishmen has been formed at Hamburgh. That place has long been the receptacle of thofe difaffected perfons who have fled from Great Britain or Ireland, either from apprehenfion of the confequences of the treasonable practices in which they have been engaged, or for the purpofe of aflifting the confpiracies carried on against their refpective countries; and with the latter view it has been the centre of a correfpondence which has long fubfifted among the British and Irish focieties

established at that place, as well as in London and Paris; and this correfpondence with Great Britain and Ireland has frequently been covered by the pretence of commercial tranfactions, or of communicating intelligence for the public newfpapers.

Hamburgh has also been the refort of the difaffected of every other country, whofe intrigues are conftantly directed to the object of fpreading the principles of jacobinifm in Holstein and the north of Germany, and generally in all the. northern parts of Europe. Many emillaries, English, Scotch, and Irish, have been difpatched from time to time from Hamburgh to Great Britain and Ireland, and to various parts of the continent, as circumflances required. There has recently been established at Hamburgh, Altona, and the neighbourhood, a fociety called "The Philanthropic Society," for the purpose of correfpondence with the republicans of all countries, upon the plan of the correfponding focieties eftablifhed in Great Britain and Ireland; and whofe avowed objec is the reform of all kingdoms and ftates. The leading members of this fociety, who direct all the reft, compofe a committee of about twenty perfons, British, French, Dutch, and Germans. The members of the fubordinate focieties at Hamburgh and Altona, are all under the control of the committer, or principal fociety before-mentioned. This committee conftantly correfponds with Great Britain and Ireland, and all parts of Germany. It has fecretaries fkilled in differ ent languages, and correfponding agents in different towns, partionlarly in London. It may become a formidable

N 2

formidable engine in the hands of the French directory, and it appears to be making confiderable progrefs; but there is reafon to hope that it has at length attract ed the notice of the governments of thofe places.

Conclufion.

Upon a review of all the circumftances which have come under the confideration of your committee, they are deeply impreffed with the conviction that the fafety and tranquillity of thefe kingdoms have, at different periods from the year 1791, to the prefent time, been brought into imminent hazard, by the traitorous plans and practices of focieties, acting upon the principles, and devoted to the views, of our inveterate foreign enemy:

That, although the fociety of United Irishmen, in Ireland, has alone been enabled to attain its full ftrength and maturity; yet the focieties inftituted on fimilar principles in this country, had all an undoubted tendency to produce fimilar effects, if they had not been checked by the general demonftrations of the zeal and fpirit of his majefty's faithful fubjects, and by the timely and judicious ufe of thofe extraordinary powers, which parliament has, in its wifdom, from time to time confided to his majef. ty's government :

That, either directly or indirect ly, a continual intercourfe and connection has been maintained between all these focieties in Great Britain and Ireland, and that the real objects of the inftigators of thefe proceedings, in both kingdoms, were no other than the entire overthrow of the British confti

tution, the general confifcation of property, and the erection of a democratic republic, founded on the ruins of all religion, and of all political and civil fociety, and framed after the model of France.

The vigorous refiftance oppofed to the rebellion in Ireland, the fuccefs of the measures which have been employed for detecting and defeating the defigns of the confpirators here, and the general and ardent fpirit of loyalty and attachment to the laws and conftitution, have hitherto counteracted the progrels of the mifchief, and averted impending danger; but even thefe circumftances by no means appear to your committee to juftify the hope that the mifchief is eradicated, or the danger paft.

The principles and views of the confpirators remain unchanged. Their reliance on the affiftance and co-operation of France, by which they expect ultimately to effect their purposes, continues undiminished; and the fyftem of those fecret focieties which are at once the inftruments of feditious confpiracy at home, and the channel of treafonable correfpondence with France, though in many parts broken and interrupted, is by no means deftroyed.

Your committee have already referred to the pofitive information laid before them, ftating that hoftile preparations are now making, with extraordinary vigour and exertion, in fome of the ports of France, for the invafion of this country, or of Ireland. The activity of feditions and treasonable focieties, in their correfpondence with France, and in their endeavours to gain profelytes here, keeps pace with the preparations of the enemy; and the

principle

A

principle of fecrecy, generally enforced by unlawful oaths, which is the great characteristic of thefe focieties, peculiarly fits them for the moft defperate enterprifes, and, by holding out a profpect of fecurity, increases the means of feduction. It has, at the fame time, an obvious tendency to elude detection in the first inftance, and to defeat legal inquiry in the next. To this principle therefore, in the opinion of your committee, fuch farther meafures, as parliament in its widom may think fit to adopt for the public fafety, fhould be more immediately and decifively pointed.

Your committee have feen, with fatisfaction, the powers which, in conformity to the ancient practice and true principles of the conftitution, have from time to time, as the urgency required, been confided to his majefty's government; and they feel it their duty particularly to remark, that the power of arrefting and detaining fufpected perfons (a remedy fo conftantly reforted to by our ancestors in all cafes of temporary and extraordinary danger) has, under the prefent new and unpre: cedented circumftances, been found particularly efficient. It has great ly interrupted and impeded the correfpondence with the enemy, and has checked, from time to time, the progrefs and communication of fedi-' tion and treafon at home. But from particular circumstances which have come under the obfervation of your committee in the courfe of their inquiry, they feel it their duty to remark, that the good effects of this meature would be rendered more complete, and the public tranquillity better fecured, if the leading perfons who have been, or may be hereafter detained on fopicion of

treasonable practices shall hereafter be kept in cuftody in places fufficiently diftant from the metropolis.

The whole of the fecret information which has been laid before your committee has ftrongly confirmed them in their opinion of the heceffity of confiding thefe extraordinary powers to his majesty's government; and the very circumftances which create this neceflity, and which continue at this time to operate more Lowerfully than ever, have rendered it their peculiar duty to abstajn from difelofing, in its full extent, the particular information, of which they have flated to the houfe the general refult, and on which their judgement is founded; but they trust that they have laid before the houfe fufficient grounds to juftify their perfuafion, that the multiplied and various attempts, by which the enemies to their country carry on their dangerous confpiracies, can only be defeated by a correfponding vigilance on the part of government, and by the exercife of fuch additional powers, as may from time to time be intrufted to it by parliament, and may be beft adapted to the peculiar exigency of the moment. And although your committee do not think it any part of their province to fuggeft particular meafures, the confideration of which must be left to the wildom of parliament, they cannot forbear particularly and earnefily preffing their unanimous opinion, that the fyftem of fecret forieties, the establishment of which has, in other countries, uniformly preceded the aggrefiion of France, and, by facilitating the progrefs of her principles, has pr pared the way for her arms, cai not be fuffered to exift in thefe king doms compatibly with the lafety of

N 3

their

their government and conftitution, and with their fecurity against foréign force and domeftic treafon.

Your committee have great fatis faction in adding, that if this grow ing and formidable evil can be effectually repreffed, and if the fame fyf tem of vigilance and precaution which has been fuccefsfully adopted for fome years paft, is adhered to, there is every reafon to look forward with confidence to the ultimate difappointment and defeat of the projects which have been fo long purfued by our foreign and domeftic enemies. Imprefied with a juft fenfe of the bleffings enjoyed under our happy conftitution, which diftinguith this country from every nation in Europe, all ranks and conditions of fociety have fhown their determination to preferve those blessings entire,

and have ftood forward with a be coming ardour and alacrity in their defence. While this laudable fpirit continues to pervade every part of the kingdom, and while the wisdom of the legiflature encourages and directs its exertions for the public fafety, your committee entertain a full conviction that the religion, the laws, and the conftitution of Great Britain, and with them the interests and happiness of all claffes of his majefty's fubjects, will, in the midst of furrounding danger and calamity, and in fpite of every machination at home or abroad, reft, under the protection of Divine Providence, on the fureft bafis, fecured by the energy and firmness of the government, and by the courage, the patriotifm, and the virtue of the nation.*

13,500,000

99

-

12,000,000

An act for raising the fum of three millions by way of annuities.

To enlarge the time limited for the redemption of the land-tax, and to explain and amend the former act.

January 4, 1799.

An act for extending the time allowed for taking out certificates for ufing armorial bearings.

To amend the acts refpecting promiffory notes and bills of exchange.

To continue the Scotch fmall note act.

To continue the act refpecting merchandife on board of neutral hips, and for regulating the trade and commerce to and from the Cape of Good Hope.

January 9.

An act to repeal the duties impofed by an act for granting aid and contribution for the profecution of

An act to amend the income-act. To amend the land-tax redemption act.

To continue the bounties on Britifh and Irish linens exported, and taking off the duties on the importation of foreign raw linen yarns. Mutiny-act.

For the regulation of the marines on fhore.

To continue the act for reftraining the negociation of promiffory notes and bills of exchange, under a limited fum.

To continue the Scotch fmall note act.

To continue the act for difallowing the bounty on fail-cloth or canvas exported to Ireland.

To revive and continue the act for prohibiting the importation of cambrics and French lawns, except warehoufed for exportation.

To repeal part of the provifional cavalry act.

April 10. An act to continue the Scotch diftillery act,