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Foreign News
May 9, 1771
The Virginia Gazette
Williamsburg, Virginia
What is this article about?
John Ponsonby, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, resigns his position in Dublin on March 4, citing disagreement with the House's address thanking the Lord Lieutenant, which he views as a censure of proceedings and a relinquishment of Commons' privileges.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
The following is an exact copy of the letter sent by the Speaker of the House of Commons of Ireland to the Members of that House, when he resigned the Chair.
Dublin, March 4.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
"WHEN I had the honour of being unanimously elected to the Chair of this House, I entered on that high office with the warmest sentiments of loyalty to his Majesty, and the firmest determination to dedicate all my endeavours to transmit to my successor the rights and privileges of the Commons of Ireland, as inviolate as I received them.
"But, at the close of the last session of Parliament, his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant was pleased to accuse the Commons of a crime, which, I am confident, was as far from their intentions, as it ever was, and ever shall be, from mine, that of intrenching upon his Majesty's Royal prerogative, and the just and undoubted rights of the Crown of Great Britain: And as it has pleased the House of Commons to take the first opportunity, after this transaction of testifying the approbation of the conduct of the Lord Lieutenant by voting him an address of thanks this session, I must, as in my humble opinion that address conveys a tacit censure of the proceedings, and a relinquishment of the privileges of the Commons, beg leave to resign an office I can no longer execute with honour. Your choice may fall upon some Gentleman, whose sentiments on this occasion, may differ from mine, and who may not think an address of this nature so derogatory to the dignity of the House.
(Signed) JOHN PONSONBY."
Dublin, March 4.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
"WHEN I had the honour of being unanimously elected to the Chair of this House, I entered on that high office with the warmest sentiments of loyalty to his Majesty, and the firmest determination to dedicate all my endeavours to transmit to my successor the rights and privileges of the Commons of Ireland, as inviolate as I received them.
"But, at the close of the last session of Parliament, his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant was pleased to accuse the Commons of a crime, which, I am confident, was as far from their intentions, as it ever was, and ever shall be, from mine, that of intrenching upon his Majesty's Royal prerogative, and the just and undoubted rights of the Crown of Great Britain: And as it has pleased the House of Commons to take the first opportunity, after this transaction of testifying the approbation of the conduct of the Lord Lieutenant by voting him an address of thanks this session, I must, as in my humble opinion that address conveys a tacit censure of the proceedings, and a relinquishment of the privileges of the Commons, beg leave to resign an office I can no longer execute with honour. Your choice may fall upon some Gentleman, whose sentiments on this occasion, may differ from mine, and who may not think an address of this nature so derogatory to the dignity of the House.
(Signed) JOHN PONSONBY."
What sub-type of article is it?
Political
What keywords are associated?
Ireland Parliament
Speaker Resignation
John Ponsonby
Lord Lieutenant
Commons Privileges
What entities or persons were involved?
John Ponsonby
Lord Lieutenant
Where did it happen?
Dublin
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Dublin
Event Date
March 4
Key Persons
John Ponsonby
Lord Lieutenant
Outcome
resignation of john ponsonby as speaker of the house of commons of ireland
Event Details
John Ponsonby resigns as Speaker due to the House's address of thanks to the Lord Lieutenant, which he believes censures prior proceedings and relinquishes Commons' privileges regarding the Crown's rights.