you, do not dare to lay your hands on the constitution; it is above your power. Sir, I do not say that the parliament and the people, by mutual consent and co-operation, may not change the form of the constitution. Whenever such a case arises it must be decided on its own merits-but that is not this case. If government considers this a season peculiarly fitted for experiments on the constitution, they may call on the people. I ask you are you ready to do so? Are you ready to abide the event of such an appeal? What is it you must, in that event submit to the people? Not this particular project, for if you dissolve the present form of government, they become free to choose any other-you_fling them to the fury of the tempest-you must call on them to unhouse themselves of the established constitution, and to fashion to themselves another. I ask again, is this the time for an experiment of that nature? Thank God, the people have manifested no such wish-so far as they have spoken, their voice is decidedly against this daring innovation.-You know that no voice has been uttered in its favour, and you cannot be infatuated enough to take confidence from the silence which prevails in some parts of the kingdom; if you know how to appreciate that silence it is more formidable than the most clamorous opposition-you may be rived and shivered by the lightning before you hear the peal of the thunder! But, sir, we are told we should discuss this question with calmness and composure. I am called on to surrender my birth-right and my honour, and I am told I should be calm, composed. National pride! Independence of our country! These, we are told by the minister, are only vulgar topics fitted for, the meridian of the mob, but unworthy to be mentioned in such an enlightened assembly as this; they are trinkets and gewgaws fit to catch the fancy of childish and unthinking people like you sir, or like your predecessor in that chair, but utterly unworthy the consideration of this house, or of the matured understanding of the noble lord who condescends to instruct it! Gracious

God! we see a Perry re-ascending from the tomb and raising his awful voice to warn us against the surrender of our freedom, and we see that the proud and virtuous feelings which warm the breast of that aged and venerable man, are only calculated to excite the contempt of this young philosopher, who has been transplanted from the nursery to the cabinet to outrage the feelings and understanding of the country.

Denunciation against the Men and Means by which the Union was perpetrated.

PLUNKET.

Let me again ask you, how was the rebellion of 1798 put down? By the zeal and loyalty of the gentlemen of Ireland rallying around-what? a reed shaken by the winds, a wretched apology for a minister who neither knew how to give or where to seek protection? No-but round the laws and constitution and independence of the country. What were the affections and motives that called us into action? To protect our families, our properties and our liberties.

-What were the antipathies by which we were excited? Our abhorrence of French principles and French ambition.-What was it to us that France was a republic?-I rather rejoiced when I saw the ancient despotism of France put down. What was it to us that she dethroned her monarch? I admired the virtue and wept for the sufferings of the man, but as a nation it affected us not. The reason I took up arms, and am ready still to bear them against France, is because she intruded herself upon our domestic concerns-because, with the rights of man and the love of freedom on her tongue, I see that she has the lust of dominion in her heart-because wherever she has placed her foot, she has erected her throne, and that to be her friend or her ally is to be her tributary or her slave. Let me ask, is the present conduct of the British minister calculated to augment or to transfer that antipathy? No, sir, I will be bold to say, that licentious and impious France, in all the

unrestrained excesses which anarchy and atheism have given birth to, has not committed a more insidious act against her enemy than is now attempted by the professed champion of civilized Europe against a friend and an ally in the hour of her calamity and distress at a moment when our country is filled with British troops-when the loyal men of Ireland are fatigued with their exertions to put down rebellion -efforts in which they had succeeded before these troops arrived whilst our Habeas Corpus Act is suspended-Whilst trials by court martial are carrying on in many parts of the kingdom-whilst the people are taught to think that they have no right to meet or deliberate, and whilst the great body of them are so palsied by their fears, and worn down by their exertions, that even the vital question is scarcely able to rouse them from their lethargy-at a moment when we are distracted by domestic dissentions-dissentions artfully kept alive as the pretext for our present subjugation and the instrument of our future thraldom!! Sir, I thank administration for this measure. They are, without intending it, putting an end to our dissentions-through this black cloud which they have collected over us, I see the light breaking in upon this unfortunate country. They have composed our dissention-not by fomenting the embers of a lingering and subdued rebellion-not by hallooing the Protestant against the Catholic and the Catholic against the Protestant-not by committing the north against the south-not by inconsistent appeals to local or to party prejudices-no-but by the avowal of this atrocious conspiracy against the liberties of Ireland, they have subdued every petty and subordinate distinction. They have united every rank and description of men by the pressure of this grand and momentous subject, and I tell them that they will see every honest and independent man in Ireland rally round her constitution and merge every consideration in his opposition to this ungenerous and odious measure. For my own part, I will resist it to the last gasp of my existence, and with the last drop of my blood; and when I feel

the hour of my dissolution approaching, I will, like the father of Hannibal, take my children to the altar, and swear them to eternal hostility against the invaders of their country's freedom.-Sir, I shall not detain you by pursuing this question through the topics which it so abundantly offers.-I should be proud to think my name might be handed to posterity in the same roll with those disinterested patriots who have successfully resisted the enemies of their countrysuccessfully I trust it will be-in all events I have my "exceeding great reward"-I shall bear in my heart the consciousness of having done my duty, and in the hour of death I shall not be haunted by the reflection of having basely sold, or meanly abandoned, the liberties of my native land. Can every man who gives his vote on the other side this night lay his hand upon his heart and make the same declaration? I hope so -it will be well for his own peace-the indignation and abhorrence of his countrymen will not accompany him through life, and the curses of his children will not follow him to his grave.

- THE WIDOW OF EPHESUS.

PINDAR.

At Ephesus (a handsome town of Greece)
There liv'd a LADY,-a most lovely piece!

In short, the charming toast of all the town.
In Wedlock's velvet bonds had liv'd the dame.-
Yes! brightly did the torch of HYMEN flame,
When DEATH, too cruel, knock'd her Husband
down.

This was, indeed, a lamentable stroke.

PRUDENTIA'S gentle heart was nearly broke!

Tears, pea-like, trickled; shrieks her face deform; Sighs, sighs succeeding, heave her snowy breast; Winds, call'd hysterical, expand her chest, As tho' she really had devour'd a storm. Now, fainting, calls she on her poor dead Love: How like the wailings of the widow'd dove. All Ephesus upon the wonder gaz'd! Men, women, children, really were amaz'd.

"Tis true a few OLD Maids abus'd the pother-
"Heav'n's! if one husband dies,-why take another!"`
Said they contemptuous, cocking up the nose;
"Ridiculous enough!-and what about?

"To make for a dead husband such a rout!
"There are as fine as he, one might suppose.
"A body would presume, by grief so mad,
"Another husband was not to be had;

"But men are not so very scarce, indeed:-
"More than are good, there are: God mend the
breed!"

Such was the conversation of old Maids,
Upon this husband's visit to the shades.
At length her SPOUSE was carried to the tomb,
And
poor PRUDENTIA mop'd amid the gloom.
One little lamp, with solitary beam,

Shew'd the dark coffin that contain'd her DEAR,
And gave a beauteous sparkle to each tear,
That, rill-like, dropp'd;-or, rather like a stream.
Resolv'd was SHE, amid this tomb, to sigh,
To weep, and wail, and groan, and starve and die!
No comfort! no! no comfort would she take.
Her friends beheld her anguish with great pain;
Begg'd her to try amusement; but in vain:-

"No! she would perish! perish for his sake!"
Her flaxen tresses all dishevell'd flow'd;-
Her vestments loose, her tucker all abroad,
Revealing such fair swelling orbs of wo!
Her lids, in swimming grief, now look'd on high,
Now downward droop'd; and now she pour'd a sigh,
How tuneful! on her dear pale Spouse below.
Who would not covet death for such sweet sighs?
And be bewail'd by such a pair of eyes?

It happen'd that a Rogue condemn'd to death,
Resign'd (to please the Law) his roguish breath;
And near the vault did this same felon swing.
For fear the ROGUE's relations, or a friend,
Might steal him from the rope's disgraceful end,'
A smart young SOLDIER watch'd the Thief and
string.