from the claims existing against them at the time of their
forfeiture, as this, he argued, would be establishing a premium for
rebellion. Such sums, amounting to about L80,000, he suggested, should
be appropriated to public purposes; L50,000 of which he recommended
should be employed in the completion of the grand canal reaching from
the Frith of Forth to that of Clyde. This liberal measure was received
in a manner that did honour to the feelings of the house; the leaders
of both parties joining in eulogising it. The bill passed the commons
without any opposition; but when sent to the lords it met with a
most determined resistance from the restored chancellor Thurlow, who
expatiated on the ancient maxim that treason was of so deep a dye that
nothing but the total eradication of the person, name, and family out
of the community was adequate to its punishment. On a division, however,
Thurlow was left in a great minority, and the bill passed, much to the
satisfaction of the public.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.

Parliament was prorogued on the 20th of August, the king expressing his
warmest thanks to both houses for their zealous and diligent attention
to the public service. His majesty dismissed his parliament with the
satisfactory conviction that he had established a ministry to his own
mind, and that he had nothing more to fear from the coalition which had
so long disturbed his peace. At the close of the session, indeed, the
popularity of Pitt was at its height, and his power was established--a
power which remained unbroken for seventeen long and eventful years.

{GEORGE III. 1784-1786}

THE STATE OF IRELAND.

At this period Ireland was in a very disturbed state. During the year
1783, an assembly of delegates, from the volunteer corps, assembled in
the provinces of Antrim, Ulster, Leinster, and Munster, for the pur-pose
of consulting on measures proper to be adopted to effect a reform in
parliament, and a national convention was appointed to be held at Dublin
on the 10th of November. Such was the posture of affairs when the Irish
parliament, which had been recently elected, met on the 14th of October.
The first measure of this parliament was to vote thanks to the different
volunteer corps for their public services; after which, a resolution,
proposed by Lord Mountmorres, "that, in the present state of the
kingdom, it was expedient that there should be a session of parliament
held every year," received th