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The fevere degree and long continuance confiftence is thrown up. of cold has been productive of different difeafes of the pulmonary fyftem.

Cough, dyfpnæa, catarrh, and peripneumony have prevailed in an uncommon degree. The laft of thefe difeafes, particularly that species of it called peripneumonia notha, has been feverely felt by many perfons in the decline of life, and great number it has proved

to a fatal.

This disease fometimes approaches in a very infidious manner; and in thofe patients who have long been fubject to catarrhal affections it does not excite much alarm, and on this account is often neglected till it affumes a formidable afpect. In addition to the common symptom of catarrh, a greater or lefs degree of pneumonial inflammation serves to characterize the difeafe.

A fenfe of weight about the præcordia, with a difficulty of breathing, firft announces the approach of this difeafe. Refpiration is performed rather with difficulty than with pain; or if pain is occafioned, it is rather of the obtufe than of the acute kind. The cough at the beginning is dry and hard; but afterwards a quantity of mucus of various colour and

IN

A continuance

of this expectoration, with an abatement of other fymptoms, forms a favourable prognofis refpecting the termination of the difeafe. The pulfe is frequently weak and irregular. In fome inftances confiderable pain is felt in the head: a bloated countenance and livid appearance about the cheeks and lips indicate a difficult return of blood from the head. In the early stage of this disease, antimonial preparations are more proper than those expectorants which are more heating and ftimulating, and when accompanied with mild diluting drink promote a gentle diaphorefis. Blifters often afford an alleviation of fymptoms, efpecially, when pain in the fide, or in any part of the cheft becomes urgent. In one of the patients referred to in the foregoing lift, this symptom was fo urgent as to render it neceffary to take away a few ounces of blood, by which means, together with the application of a blifter to the part affected, confiderable relief was obtained. In advanced ftages of the difeafe, the different preparations of fquills and fometimes the lac ammoniacum prove very ufeful expectorants, and promote a favourable termination of the difeafe.

STATE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS,
In February 1799.

FRANCE.

N our laft number we left the French troops pursuing, with their accustomed fuccefs, the vanquished forces of his Neapolitan majefty under General Mack. According to the account of the French General Championet, dated the 4th of January, the republican army had taken offeffion of Peicara and the fortrefs of Garea, paffed the Garigliano at two points under the command of the Generals Macdonald and Kellerman, and arrived before Capua, which they funmoned to furrender. General Mack, who commanded in perfon, anfwered, that he would defend himself. Upon receiving this reply General Macdonald ordered the attack, and the redoubts were taken. General Rey, when joined by the troops under Kellerman, prefented himself before Gaeta. This place, defended by 4060 men, 100 pieces of cannon and mortars, with provifions and ammunition for one year, and having in its port feveral veffels laden with corn, announced alfo that it would defend itfelf. General Rey im

mediately began the attack, and the garrifon foon tettified fymptoms of diforder, upon which the town furrendered, and the garrifon were made prifoners of war. The French found in this place 100,000 weight of gunpowder, 20,000 mufquets, &c. &c. General Rey then proceeded with his troops, and joined the first divifion before Capua. The left wing of the French army, about the fame time, after a difficult march, arrived before the fortrefs of Pescara, of which they took poffeffion. It was defended by 3000 men, 44 pieces of cannon, and a number of mortars.

General Mack, now finding himself clofely invested in Capua, fent a letter to General Championet on the 31st of December, informing him, that he had received an order from his government to propose to him an armistice to afford fome repofe to the troops of both armies in fuch an inclement feafon, and after fo much fatigue. To this the French general replied, that the French army by its cuftomary patience had overcome every

thing, and that nothing more remained for it to do but to fubjugate Naples. General Mack, thus finding himself clofely purfued on every fide, without a profpect of refuge or relief, was at length compelled to capitulate upon the fevere terms of furrendering himself and army pri foners of war. The unfortunate king of Naples, being informed of the repeated defeats of his troops under General Mack, had previously turned his thoughts to his perfonal fafety; and finding the populace of Naples unfavourable to his caufe, fought fhelter on board Admiral Nelfon's fhip the Vanguard, and with his family embarked for Sicily, where, after expe riencing great difficulties, he arrived, with the lofs of one of his children, who died in the paffage from the alarm and feverities they had experienced.

The fortrefs of Ehreinbreitftein, hitherto deemed impregnable, has furrendered to the French armies, after a blockade of two years, which now completes the chain of French pofts along the Rhine, and renders them entirely mafters of that important river.

GERMANY.

The last day of January the French minifters at Raftadt having received difpatches from Paris and Italy, delivered to the deputation of the empire the following note: "The underligned minifters plenipotentiary from the French republic for the negociation of peace with the German empire, declare to the deputation of the empire, that they are ordered neither to receive nor deliver any note upon any of the points in negocia tion, until a fatisfactory and categorical anfwer is returned to that which they tranfmitted on the 2d of January."

They at the fame time delivered a note to Count de Lehrbach, minifter to the king of Hungary and Bohemia, in which they declared, "That if within fifteen days from the date thereof the emperor does not cause the Ruffian troops to evacuate Austria, and his other ftates which form a part of the Germanic empire, hoftilities fhall recommence between him and France."

The congrefs referred the French note to the diet of Ratisbon, and the principal minifters difpatched couriers to Vienna.

WEST INDIES.

It appears, by intelligence from the Weft Indies, that on the 22d of October, the generale was beating at Cape Fran-cois, the troops were all under arms, at the news of General Touffaint marching with an army of 30,000 men, with an in

tention, it was faid, to embark the agent Hedouville, and to declare the independence of the colony. On the following day the agent embarked, and an hour afterwards General Touffaint entered the city with the cavalry, took poffeffion of the arfenal and fort Picolet, which commands the harbour. The day after his arrival he published a proclamation, in which he invited the municipality to affift him in quieting the apprehenfions of the citizens, affuring them that they had nothing to fear from the army, whofe difcipline was fuch, that not one foldier would behave amifs; and called on all the inhabitants to conduct themselves according to the laws and constitution of the French Republic, which he should fupport in the abfence of the agent, and until the orders of the directory should be known.

AMERICA.

The fenate of the United States, in a body waited on the prefident, on the 12th of December, and prefented him with an anfwer to his fpeech of the 10th, at the opening of the feffion; it was nearly an echo of the fpeech, coinciding with him in his obfervations upon the conduct of the government of France, that nothing had been done by it which could justify a relaxation of the means of defence adopted during the last feffion of congress.

The impeachment of Mr. William Blount commenced before the fenate on the 24th of December; his counsel gave in his anfwer in writing to the charges brought against him. They then adjourned to the 2d of January, to give the managers time to prepare their reply. Dr. Logan, late envoy of the French party to the executive directory of France, has been elected to a feat in the Pennsylvania legiflature by 1250 votes against 769.

In the legislative affembly of Virginia two refolutions have been propofed, upon which the ftrength of the contending parties will be tried; the firft refolution declaring that the federal constitution of the United States is calculated to fecure the freedom, fecurity, and happiness of the American people; that the executive government have acted with wifdom and energy in their measures towards the French, who have fhewn "fuch an irreconcileable fpirit of hostility as juftifies the government in having recourfe to thofe means of defence which heaven has placed in their hands."

The fecond, after declaring their firm attachment to the constitution, and to the union of the Rates, afferts at the fame

time the right of each ftate to proteft against the abuse of the powers granted by the compact; and laments, that in feveral late inftances a defire has been manifelted by the federal government to enlarge its powers by forced conftructions of the conftitutional charter which defines them, fo as to confolidate the ftates by degrees into one fovereignty, the obvious tendency and inevitable refult of which would be to transform the prefent republican fyftem of the united states into an abfolute or at leaft a mixed monarchy. "That the general affemblý do particularly protest against the palpable and alarming infraction of the constitution in two late acts of the alien and fedition acts, paffed in the laft feffion of the congrefs: the first of which exercifes a power no where delegated to the federal government, and which, by uniting legislative and judicial powers to thofe of executive, fubvert the general principles of free government, &c." This declaration concludes with an appeal to the other ftates, that they will concur with the affembly of Virginia in declaring that the aforefaid acts are unconftitutional, not law, but utterly null and void.

EAST INDIES.

It appears by intelligence from the Eaft, that Tippoo Saib is affuming a warlike attitude, and it is suspected that he holds a communication with General Buonaparte. Little apprehenfions of danger can, however, he entertained from that quarter, fince Government has taken the precaution to augment our military force in India. A detachment of 2000 men from the Cape embarked in the beginning of November, for the different prefidencies, under convoy of the Sceptre and Raifonable men of war.

IRELAND.

The oppofition to the propofed measure of an union with Great Britain has been fo great as to call forth from Adminiftration an open declaration of their difappointment.

The Lord Lieutenant opened the Seffion of the Irish Parliament, on the 22d of January, by a fpeech to both houfes. The finall part of it that related to the project of an union was couched in the fame general terms as his majesty's meflage to the British parliament of the fame day. After a difcuffion the most interefting, though not perhaps the most eloquent,, that occurred on any question in the Irish parliament fince the year 1782, and which occupied from four o'clock in the evening until one o'clock

the next day, in which there were about eighty fpeakers, the houfe divided on an amendment propofed by Mr. G. Ponfonby, expreffing their abhorrence of an union, which was loft only by one. There were for the amendment 105, against it 106. A divifion alfo took place, on paffing the address, ayes 107,

noes 105.

The houfe of commons having met, according to adjournment, on the 24th of January, and the report on the address being brought up, Sir Lawrance Parfons rofe to comment on the part which echoed that celebrated paffage of the fpeech"Confolidating into one fabric the ftrength of both countries." He faid the construction of that affectedly ambiguous paragraph was no longer a mystery, and that it could not with confiftency be permitted to stand as part of the addrefs. He then entered into various arguments to prove that the propofed Union would tend to a complete furrender of the ineftimable conftitution of their country; a furrender of that conftitution which the vigour, the loyalty, wifdom and spirit of the nation in 1782 obtained; a constitution which an impotent effort of the British minifter, aided by his agents in Ireland, would now prefume to overturn, for the purpose of investing himself with supreme dominion in the mock legiflation which he wickedly and arrogantly would prefume to fubftitute for it. He controverted the propofitions laid down by the attorney-general in the former night's debate refpecting the ancient dependance of the Irish parliament upon the British legislature fo early as Edward the third. He proved by feveral quotations from the records of that and the fucceeding reigns, that Irish members, though fummoned to attend the British parliament, ftill referved a power of Rating that they attended not in confequence of any conftitutional dependance or obligation, but from a defire of cementing a political amity with England, and were in every fucceeding reign fo jealous in the interference in the taxation of Ireland, that it would eafily appear that the high independent fpirit of the nation was by no means of fo recent a date as gentlemen would prefume. He concluded with moving to this effect, "That the paragraph in the address stating that the house would take into confideration the principle of confolidating, as far as poffible, into one firm and lafting fabrick, the ftrength, the power, and the refources of the British empire," be expunged. Lord Caftlereagh

faid he did not feel himself called upon to difcufs the queftion of an union. That measure was not before the house. As to what had been infinuated relative to the minifter endeavouring to influence the members, he paffed it, he faid, with the contempt it deserved.

Mr. Ponfonby made a long and able speech in favour of the motion. The Right Hon. D. Browne, Sir H. Cavendife, Mr. J. Beresford, and Mr. Dobbs, took the fame fide of the question. Mr. P. Holmes and Sir J. Cotton were in favour of the paragraph. Mr. Moore O'Donnel made a fpeech of an hour and a half against the union. At fix o'clock in the morning the queftion was put, "That the paragraph do stand part of the addrefs:" upon which the house divided,

Ayes for the paragraph
Noes

Majority againft the paragraph, and confequently against the union,

105

III

6

The queftion on the addrefs, as amended, was then put, and carried without a divifion.

The house affembled again on the 28th of January, when the Right Hon. Ifaac Corry, was announced as chancellor of the exchequer, vice Sir John Parnel; and Mr. St. George Daly, as prime ferjeant, vice the Right Hon. James Fitzgerald. Adjourned to the 7th of February.

On the 8th of February, after the ufual formalities, Mr. O'Donnell called the attention of the house to what he conceived materially affected its dignity and privileges. He then proceeded to remark with much afperity on the language held out by the British minifter refpecting the conduct of the Irish parliament, as it appeared in a London news-paper, called the Sun, the proprietor of which, he faid, was in the confidence of the minifter. Having read fome paragraphs from that paper, he moved, that they were a falfe, malicious, and fcandalous libel on the Irish houfe of commons. Lord Caftlereagh faid a few words in reply. The motion paffed nem.

con.

Mr. O'Donnel then moved a fecond refolution, that the paper containing the paragraph he had read be burnt in Collegegreen, at twelve o'clock, on the fucceeding Monday, by the common hangman; which was agreed to. A vote of thanks was then moved to the fpeaker; which pafled unanimously.

Lord Corry, in the houfe of commons, on the 15th of February, rofe to make his promised motion on the ftate of the na

tion. After making feveral obfervations of the magnitude of the object he had in view, the quieting the agitations which now fhook the public mind, he moved, "That the houfe fhould refolve itself into a committee, to take into confideration the state of the nation." He was feconded by Lord Clements.

Lord Caftlereagh faid the noble lord had not even fuggefted any ground for the motion he had made. If his lordship called for this committee, with reference to the measure lately difcuffed in that houfe, it must be untimely, because that measure did not call for any further confideration at prefent. No public object could be answered by any declaration of the houfe on the fubject of an union; the house had already given its opinion, the measure was at prefent afleep, and all the power could effect no more. Mr. G. Knox faid, that he, as an enemy to the union, would oppofe the motion, as nothing could tend more to weaken the oppofition to that measure than fuffering party matter to mingle with it. Mr. Tighe expreffed his aftonishment that any objection could be made to the motion, when the exigency of public affairs called fo loudly for it. Colonel Vereker, Mr. Dobbs, and Mr. Handcock fupported the motion. Mr. Vandeleur oppofed it.

Lord Corry replied to his opponents, by reading a refolution to the houie, for an addrefs to his majefty, to the following effect: Refolved, that an humble addrefs be prefented to his majefty, affuring him of our attachment to his royal perfon and government. That we look upon our connection with Great Britain as the boaft and happiness of this country. That the competency of an independent legiflature, to the wants and regulations of this country, has been fully evinced in the profperity which has refulted from the free conftitution established in 1782, and that we confider its continuance as effential to the welfare and happiness of Ireland, and to her connection with Great Britain, with whom we are determined to ftand or fall." After a long debate, the houfe divided.

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On the 24th of Februry, the house of commons were informed by Lord Stopford, that their addrefs had been prefented to his majefty and graciously received. A Committee of thirteen members was then appointed to inveftigate the papers prefented by Mr. Secretary Dundas, refpecting certain perfons, whole object was to feparate Ireland from Great Britain, and to make their report upon them to the houfe.

Mr. Pitt, on the 31st of January, moved the order of the day for taking into confideration his majesty's meflage; which having been read, he openly confeffed his difappointment at the manner ́in which the measure had been treated in the parliament of Ireland; but was convinced, from reflecting on the bufinefs fince he first mentioned it, that it would be for the advantage of Ireland to be fegiflatively confolidated with this kingdom, and that it would add to the happinefs and ftability of the British empire. In difcuffing the queftion, however, he allowed it as an indifputable point that the Irish parliament was fully competent to reject any propofition from this country to unite the parliaments, nor could it be done without the acquiefcence of the Irish houfe of commons. He hoped that, upon a more deliberate difcuffion of the fubject, the fifter kingdom would at length fee the advantages which would attend the adoption of the propofed meafure. He contended, that as Ireland was the most afsailable part of the British empire, parliament ought to profit by the defigns of the enemy, and, by confolidat ing the two countries, render it fecure against future attack. He next adverted to the adjustment of 1782, which, he infifted, fo far from being a final fettlement, left the kingdom expofed to confiderable peril; and he quoted the words of Mr. Fofter, the fpeaker of the Irish houfe of commons, to prove that fuch was his opinion. He then spoke of the jarring interefts of the various religious fects in Ireland. As to the difparity of numbers between the Roman Catholics and Proteftants, he said, that it was the only kingdom where the majority were not enentitled to the fame privileges as the minority. He thought that much of the apprehenfion and inquietude entertained by the Proteftants, with refpect to the Catholics, would be obviated by a legiflative union. He next calculated the advantages which would arife in a commercial point of view, and again quoted the language of Mr. Fotter on the Irish

propofitions, to prove it. He denied that the country would be ruined and the capital depopulated by the adoption of the meature. Perhaps fome of the members, who now live in the metropolis of Ireland, would refide in this country, but Dublin would ftill retain its courts of law, with which it was not intended to meddle, and the feat of learning. That city would, besides, be benefited in trade, which would more than compenfate for other loffes. He then called the attention of the houfe to the union with Scotland, and concluded with reading a series of propofitions, fetting forth at great length the numerous advantages which would attend the adoption of the propofed meafure; and moved, "that his majefty's meffage be referred to a committee of the whole houfe."

Mr. Sheridan rofe and combated the arguments of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He dwelt particularly on the unfavourable reception which the measure met with in the Irish parliament, and cautioned the right honourable gentleman to beware how he preffed his plan against the fenfe of the nation. He concluded by faying, that no measure can have a tendency to improve and perpetuate the ties of amity and connection now existing between Great Britain and Ireland, which has not for the bafis the manifeft, fair, and free confent and approbation of the parliaments of the two countries; that whefoever fhall endeavour to obtain the appearance of fuch consent and approbation in either country, by employing the influence of Government for the purposes of corruption or intimidation, is an enemy to his majesty and to the conftitution.

Lord Hawkesbury and Dr. Lawrence fpoke in reply; after which the house divided-Ayes 140, noes 15.

On the 17th of February, Mr. Pitt moved the order of the day for the house to refolve itfelf into a cominittee, to confider of the propofition refpecting an amicable adjustment between Great Britain and Ireland.

Mr. Sheridan objected to the order being read. The houfe of cominons, he faid, had not pledged itself to purfue the meafure farther, though the right honourable gentleman had declared, that he would not abandon it during his political life. The house had not gone farther, he obferved, than to vote that the propofitions fhould be referred to a committee, but that did not oblige them to record them on the journals. He could not think that parliament conceived itself bound by the pledge

of

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