ever happened, it would perhaps be found that the beautiful frame of our government might be lost, and that neither the existence of a Prince, nor of fapient hereditary counsellors, would be thought effential to the vital principles of freedom.

MR. MONTFOAD faid, there are four claffes of people in this affembly to whom I wish to addrefs myfelf; the first are those who by reafon of their advanced age, or want of health, are unable to ferve their country in perfon; they may do it much fervice by contributing to the caufe in a pecuniary way. Unless you appear to be in earneft, and able to carry into execution what may be agreed on at your Convention, you will be fpurned at by those who at prefent enjoy the power of ruling in this country. I therefore earneftly recommend, to fuch as cannot perfonally affift in this bufinefs, by reafon of years and infirmities, and are rich, that a fubfcription be immediately opened to purchase arms, ammunition, and accoutrements. The fecond clafs of people, are thofe who once took up and carried arms in the cause of their country, but who have long laid them afide. Different caufes may have operated upon the minds of different men to induce them to do fo; many years have they ftood idle, and left the talk to others, who have laboured inceffantly to emancipate their country. To thofe who were enrolled among their armed brethren, I recommend their imme diately refuming their arms, and helping to liberate their country. The third clafs are thofe who are young enough, who enjoy good health, and who are rich enough to enable them to be volunteers, but, nevertheless, have not yet joined their brethren in arms, to thofe I recommend their lofing no time ---the caufe requires the exertions of all; thefe have as much at stake as others, I therefore entreat them to come forward and enrol themselves among their armed brethren.

THE fourth and laft class are very different from those I have mentioned, these are the lower order of

the people, but who are the ftrength of the nation; by whofe labour the whole are fupported; these have their country's welfare as much at heart as the others, because on them falls the weight of many ufelefs and burthenfome taxes, which are again lavished away upon placemen and penfioners. This defeription of the people are willing to help to free their country but are not able. Their affiftance is abfolutely neceffary, for the caufe requires the union and force of the whole people. By reafon of their poverty they are not able to arm or cloath themfelves, nor to lofe the neceffary time requifite to obtain a proper degree of difcipline. To enable them to do fo fhould be applied a part of the fubfcriptions raised by the rich; help them alfo with your advice; they require the advice and inftruction of those whofe ftation and fituation of life have been fuch as to enable them to acquire knowledge, experience and wisdom. Avoid being led with rafhnefs into premature meafures; be firm, but be not rafh; for on the determined cool firmnefs of the whole people, does the fuccefs of your measures depend. The time is now arrived which requires the exertions of every individual of the community, in the feveral ftations and fituations in which they are able to act. You who are rich and not able to ferve in perfon, contribute and contribute liberally to the caufe, by enabling your poorer brethren to act. Ye who are poor come forward and you may and will be enabled to do much good, by the contributions of the rich being applied to aflift you. And to you who are rich enough to arm and clothe yourfelves, and whofe age and health are fuch as make you eligible foldiers in the caufe of your country; I hope you' will all come forward at this crifis. Perhaps fuch' another coincidence of circumstances may never come again. The caufe in view is a glorious caufe, the falvation of your country; be united, be firm, and in the end you must be fuccefsful.

COUNSELLOR SAMPSON fupported the amendment, on the ground that it rendered the refolution more explicit.

REV. MR. KELBURN oppofed the amendment, because he was convinced it could anfwer no valuable end. He faid that as an individual he did not prefer the much boafted conftitution; he did not know whether there was really any fuch thing: he had heard of a government by King, Lords and Commons, but could never approve of hereditary legiflators, because wisdom is not hereditary; and he asked if fecurity could be given for their inheriting hereditary wisdom, as well as hereditary titles-and granting that this could be done, and that Lords always inherit the wifdom of their progenitors, yet he could not fee any right to hereditary legiflation; for it was fuppofed to be a fundamental principle of the British Conftitution, as it is called, that the people cannot be taxed without being reprefented, and that it was as bad to be fubject to other laws, laws affecting life, without being reprefented, as laws affecting property, for life is more valuable than property-all that a man hath will he give for his life.

BESIDES, Crown and Lords are two to one against the people in this fuppofed conftitution, the Lords are created and creatable at pleafure by the Crown, and the Commons have been found at times very complaifant, fo far fo, as to give up the rights of the people for fomething to patch their old coats. The mover of the amendment had faid, that it would be time enough to ufe the words propofed to be expunged, when a reform fhould be denied'; but as no fecurity could be given that a reform would not be denied; it was but fair to fpeak our minds out at once; we spoke but hypothetically, and only faid that we would prefer a government by King, Lords and Commons, were that Commons to be the true and real reprefentatives of the people, rather than have recourfe to violence, though we might efteem another form of government more perfect.

AT a meeting of the Belfast Volunteer Battalion, (Blue) 29th December, 1792,

ROBERT GETTY IN THE CHAIR,

THE following Addrefs to the Society of United Irishmen of Dublin, was unanimously agreed to:

Friends and Countrymen,

ACCEPT of our fincere thanks for your animating addrefs to the Volunteers of Ireland ;-as a part of that body permit us to affure you, that we are ready to protect our Country in that guarded quiet, which may fecure it from external hoftility, and to maintain that internal regimen throughout the land, which fuperfeding a notorious police, or a fufpected militia, may preferve the bleffings of peace, by a vigilant preparation for war.'

YOUR country is much indebted to you, for your zealous efforts to revive that latent fpirit which has too long flumbered in the breasts of Irishmen; on the efforts of the people, the freedom of Ireland depends.

Go on generous countrymen-continue your efforts for the good of the whole community. Tho' envy may detract, tho' corruption may calumniate, and tho' the hand of power may be raised againft you, yet fuccefs will crown your labours, for the people are with you, and will fecond your patriotic exertions.

ROBERT GETTY, CHAIRMAN,
JAMES MCLEAN, SEC.

Ar a meeting of the Committee appointed by a late meeting of the inhabitants of Belfast, at the Donegall-Arms, on Monday the 31st of Decem

ber,

1792,

JAMES HOLMES IN THE CHAIR:

RESOLVED, That this Committee do recommend it to the feveral parishes, granges, and great towns

in the county, to meet and elect each two perfons, to reprefent them at a county meeting, to be held on the 14th day of January next, at Ballymena ; for the purpose of promoting that great measure, an equal reprefentation of all the people in parliament, and to determine on the propriety of calling a provincial meeting, to forward the fame purpofe.

RESOLVED, That in confequence of the powers vefted in us, we do hereby request a meeting of the inhabitants of the parish of Shankill, at the parish church, on Saturday next, the fifth of January, to elect two Delegates to attend the meeting of this county, propofed to be held on the 14th January, at Ballymena-And alfo, a meeting of the inhabitants of Belfaft, at the town houfe, on Tuesday, the 8th January.

RESOLVED, That the mode of election on this occafion, be recommended to be by ballot; and in order to expedite the bufinefs, it is requested that each perfon do come prepared with the names of two Delegates, written on a piece of paper.

A COMMITTEE will attend with boxes constructed for the purpose of taking the ballot, from eleven o'clock until two on each of the days.

Committee adjourned till to morrow at 12 o'clock, JAMES HOLMES, CHAIRMAN.

BELFAST LIGHT DRAGOONS.

JOHN BURDEN IN THE CHAIR.

AN authentic declaration of the public opinion, being now neceffary, both for the direction of the legislature and the people: and as the country is not yet, we truft, fo far degraded, that its unanimous and perfevering demands upon any point of government, can be finally unfuccefsful :-We, the members of the Belfaft Light Dragoons, have affembled, in order to declare our political fenti ments, viz.