“Like one man, to combat in the sight Of a just God, for liberty and right.”
FINANCIAL MEASURES.
In discussing the military estimates during this session, an addition of 30,000 men was proposed and agreed to. Supplies were demanded in June to the amount of £33,730,000, but the whole granted during the year exceeded £41,000,000. In order to raise this sum, the custom and excise duties were increased, and the income-tax was renewed, though not to its former extent; a duty of one shilling in the pound was imposed on land, to be paid by the landlord, and nine-pence by the tenant. The war taxes were estimated at £12,700,000 annually, but they were to cease at the end of six months after the return of peace, Some of the new taxes imposed were extended to Ireland, and the lord-lieutenant of that country was authorised to raise £1,000,000, by loan.
PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.
This session closed on the 12th of August, by a speech from the throne. In his speech, his majesty expressed his reliance that, under the continuance of the Divine protection, the exertions of his brave and loyal subjects would prove to the enemy and to the world, that an attempt to subvert the independence of the United Kingdom would terminate in the ruin of that people by whom it was sought. He assured his parliament that economy in the public expenditure should be carried as far as was consistent with the necessary exertions to frustrate the designs of the enemy.
INSURRECTION IN IRELAND.
During this summer an insurrection, headed by one Robert Emmett, a brother to the barrister of that name who took part in the recent rebellion, broke out in Ireland. Emmett had been expelled from the university of Dublin, and had resided abroad so long as the Habeas Corpus act was suspended, but on the removal of that obstacle, he returned to Ireland. On his return, as rebellious spirits still abounded in every part of that unhappy country, he formed a party for the purpose of endeavouring to overturn the existing system of government. The stoppage of the coaches was to be the signal for revolt in the country, while the grand object of the insurgents in the metropolis was to secure the seat and ministers of government, and to proclaim a new constitution. There were scarcely above one hundred immediately connected with the plot; but these were so sanguine of success, that they supposed the spirit of rebellion would, at their bidding, pervade the whole kingdom. It was on the 23rd of July that the spirit of revolt began to manifest itself. On the evening of that day, a mob assembled in St. James’s-street and its vicinity, and about nine o’clock the concerted signal was given by a number of men riding furiously through various parts of the city. Outrage followed; the chief justice of Ireland, Lord Kilwarden, was stabbed to death with pikes, Colonel Brown was shot, and others were wounded. But this conspiracy was soon quelled; about half-past ten, a small body of regular troops approached the insurgents, and they fled in every direction; nothing more was heard of Emmett or his associates till they were brought to justice. A special commission was issued for the trial of those rebels who were captured, and Emmett and several others were executed. On this occasion, the Roman Catholics, with Lord Fingal at their head, came forward and rendered government important services in quelling the rebellion.