His Majefty's most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, 19th May, 1796.

My Lords, and Gentlemen, HE public bufinefs being now concluded, I think it proper to clofe this feffion,and at the fanie time to acquaint you with my intention of giving immediate directions for calling a new parliament.

The objects which have engaged your attention during the prefent fellion, have been of peculiar importance; and the measures which you have adopted, have manifefted your continued regard to the fafety and welfare of the people.

The happieft effects have been experienced from the provifions which you have made for repreffing fedition and civil tumult, and for reftraining the progrefs of principles fubvertive of all established government.

The difficulties arifing to my fubjects from the high price of corn, have formed a principal ob ject of your deliberation; and your affiduity in inveftigating that fubject, has ftrongly proved your anx ious defire to omit nothing which could tend to the relief of my people, in a matter of fuch general concern. I have the greateft fatisfaction in obferving that the preffure of thofe difficulties is in a great degree removed.

Gentlemen of the Houfe of
Commons,

I maft in a more particular man

ner return you my thanks for the liberal fupplies which you have granted to meet the exigencies of the war.- -While I regret the extent of thofe demands which the prefent circumftances neceffarily occafion, it is a great confolation to me to obferve the increafing refources by which the country is enabled to fupport them. Thefe refources are particularly manifetted in the ftate of the different branches of the revenue, in the continued and progreffive ftate of our navigation and commerce, in the fteps which have been taken for maintaining and improving the public credit, and in the additiona provifion which has been made for the reduction of the national debt.

My Lords and Gentlemen, I fhall ever reflect with heartfelt fatisfaction on the uniform wifdom, temper, and firmness which have appeared in all your proceedings fince I first met you in this place. Called to deliberate on the public affairs of your country in a period of foreign and domeftic tranquillity, you had the happinets of contributing to raife this kingdom to a ftate of unexampled profperity. You were fuddenly compelled to relinquish the full advantages of this fituation, in order to refift the unprovoked aggreffion of an enemy whole hoftility was directed againft all civil fociety, but more particularly against the

13

happy

happy union of order and liberty eftablished in thefe kingdoms. The nature of the fyftem introduced into France, afforded to that country, in the midst of its calamities, the means of exertion beyond the experience of any former time. Under the preffure of the new and unprecedented difficulties arifing from fuch a conteft, you bave thewn yourselves worthy of all the bleffings that you inherit. By your counfels and conduct, the conftitution has been preferved inviolate against the defigns of foreign and domeftic enemies; the honor of the British name has been afferted; the rank and ftation which we have hitherto held in Europe has been maintained; and the decided fuperiority of our naval power has been established in every quarter of the world.

You have omitted no opportunity to prove your juft anxiety for the re-establishment of general peace on fecure and honourable terms; but you have at the fame time rendered it manifeft to the world, that while our enemies fhall perfift in difpofitions incompatible with that object, neither the refources nor the fpirit of Englishmen will be wanting to the fupport of a juft caufe, and to the defence of all their dearest interests.

A due fenfe of this conduct is deeply impreffed on my heart. I truit that all my fubjects are animated with the fame fentiment, and that their loyalty and public Spirit will enfure the continuance of that union and mutual confidence between me and my parliament, which best promote the true dignity and glory of my crown, and the genuine happiness of my people.

His Majefty's moft gracious Speech both Houses of Parliament, 6th October, 1796.

My Lords and Gentlemen, IT is a peculiar fatisfaction to me, in the prefent conjuncture of affairs, to recur to your advice, after the recent opportunity which has been given for collecting the fenfe of my people, engaged in a difficult and arduous conteft, for the prefervation of all that is most dear to us.

I have omitted no endeavours for fetting on foot negotiations to reftore peace to Europe, and to fecure for the future the general tranquillity. The fteps which I have taken for this purpose have at length opened the way to an immediate and direct negotiation, the iffue of which muft either produce the defirable end of a juft, honourable, and folid peace for us, and for our allies, or must prove, beyond difpute, to what caufe alone the prolongation of the calamities of war must be ascribed.

I thall immediately fend a perfon to Paris, with full powers to treat for this object, and it is my anxious with that this measure may lead to the restoration of general peace: but you must be fenfible that nothing can fo much contribute to give effect to this defire, as your manifefting that we poffefs both the determination and the refources to oppofe, with increased activity and energy, the farther efforts with which we may have to contend.

You will feel this peculiarly neceffary at a moment when the enemy has openly manifefted the intention of attempting a defcent on thefe kingdoms. It cannot be doubted

what

what would be the iflue of fuch an enterprize; but it befits your wifdom to neglect no precautions that may either preclude the attempt, or fecure the fpeedieft means of turning it to the confufion and ruin of the enemy.

In reviewing the events of the year, you will have observed that, by the fkill and exertions of my navy, our extenfive and increasing commerce has been protected to a degree almoft beyond example, and the fleets of the enemy have, for the greatest part of the year, been blocked up in their own ports.

The operations in the Eaft and Weft Indies have been highly honourable to the British arms, and productive of great national advantage; and the valour and good conduct of my forces, both by fea and land, have been eminently confpicuous.

The fortune of war on the continent has been more various; and the progrefs of the French armies threatened, at one period, the utmost danger to all Europe; but from the honourable and dignified perfeverance of my ally the Emperor, and from the intrepidity, difcipline, and invincible fpirit of the Auftrian forces, under the aufpicious conduct of the archduke Charles, fuch a turn has lately been given to the courfe of the war, as may infpire a well-grounded confidence that the final refult of the campaign will prove more difaftrous to the enemy than its commencement and progrefs for a time were favourable to their hopes.

The apparently hoftile difpofitions and conduct of the court of Madrid have led to difcuffions, of which I am not yet enabled to ac

quaint you with the final refult; but I am confident that whatever may be their iffue, I fhall have given to Europe a farther proof of my moderation and forbearance; and I can have no doubt of your determination to defend against every aggreflion, the dignity, rights, and interefts, of the British empire.

Gentlemen of the House of
Commons,

I rely on your zeal and public fpirit for fuch fupplies as you may think neceffary for the fervice of the year. It is a great fatisfaction to me to obferve, that, notwithftanding the temporary embarraffments which have been experienced, the state of the commerce, manufactures, and revenue, of the. country, proves the real extent and folidity of our refources, and furnifhes you with fuch means as must be equal to any exertions which the prefent crifis may require.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The diftreffes, which were in the laft year experienced from the fcarcity of corn, are now, by the bleffing of God, happily removed, and an abundant harveft affords the pleafing profpe&t of relief in that important article to the labouring claffes of the community. Our internal tranquillity has allo continued undisturbed; the general attachment of my people to the British conftitution has appeared on every occafion, and the endeavours of thofe who wifhed to introduce anarchy and confufion into this country, have been repreffed by the energy and wifdom of the laws.

To defeat all the def gns of our enemies, to restore my people the bleffings of a fecure and honourable peace, to maintain invioJate their religion, laws, and liberty, and to deliver down unimpaired to the lateft pofterity the glory and happiness of thefe kingdonis, is the conftant with of my heart, and the uniform end of all my actions. In every meafure that can conduce to thefe objects, I am confident of receiving the firm, zealous and affectionate fupport of my parliament.

Proteft of Earl Fitzwilliam against the Address of the Houfe of Lords to the Throne on his Majefty's Speech announcing the opening of a Negotiation for Peace with the French Republic.

Diffentient,

ift. Because, by this addrefs, amended as it stands, the fanction of the lords is given to a feries of measures, as ill judged, with regard to their object, as they are derogatory from the dignity of his majefty's crown, and from the honour of this kingdom. The reiteration of folicitations for peace to a fpecies of power, with whofe very exiftence all fair and equitable accommodation is incompatible, can have no other effect than that which it is notorious all our folicitations have hitherto had. They muft increase the arrogance and ferocity of the common enemy of all nations; they muft fortify the credit, and fix the authority of an odious government over an enflaved people; they muft impair the confidence of all other powers in the magnanimity, conftancy, and fidelity of the British counc ls; and it is much to be apprehended it will

inevitably tend to break the fpring of that energy, and to lower that fpirit which has characterifed in former times this high-minded nation, and which, far from finking under misfortune, has even rifen with the difficulties and dangers in which our country has been involved.

2d. Because no peace, fuch as may be capable of recruiting the ftrength, economizing the means, augmenting the refources, and providing for the fafety of this kingdom, and its infeparable connections and dependencies, can be had with the ufurped power now exercifing authority in France, confidering the defcription, the character, and the conduct, of those who compofe that government; the methods by which they have obtained their power, the policy by which they hold it, and the maxims they have adopted, openly profeffed, and uniformly acted on, towards the deftruction of all governments not formed on their model and fubfervient to their domination.

3d. Because the idea that this kingdom is competent to defend itself, its laws, liberties, and religion, under the general fubjugation of all Europe, is prefumptuous in the extreme, contradictory to the fuppofed motives for our prefent eager folicitations for peace, and is certainly contrary to the standing policy both of ftate and commerce, by which Great Britain has hitherto flourished.

4th. Becaufe, while the common enemy exercifes his power over the feveral ftates of Europe in the way we have feen, it is impoffible long to preferve our trade, or, what cannot exift without it,

our

ournaval power. This hoftile fyftem feizes on the keys of the dominions of these powers, without any confideration of their friendship, their enmity, or their neutrality; preferibes laws to them as to conquered provinces; mulets and fines them at pleafure, forces them, without any particular quarrel, into direct boftility with this kingdom, and expels us from fuch ports and markets as the thinks fit; in fomuch that (Europe remaining under its prefent flavery) there is no barbour which we can enter without her permiflion, either in a commercial or a naval character. This general interdict cannot be begged off; we must refift it by our power, or we are already in a state of vaffalage.

5th. Because, whilft this ufurped power fhall continue thus conftituted, and thus difpofed, no fecurity whatever can be hoped for in our colonies and plantations, those invaluable fources of our national wealth and our naval power. This war has fhewn that the power prevalent in France, by intentionally diforganizing the plantation fyftem (which France had in common with all other European nations), and by inverting the order and relations therein eftablithed, has been able with a naval force, altogether contemptible, and with very inconfiderable fuccours from Europe, to baffle in a great measure the most powerful armament ever fent from this country into the Weft Indies, and at an expence hitherto unparalleled, and has, by the force of example, and by the effects of her machinations, produced, at little or no expence to herfelf either of blood or treafure, uniwerfal defolation and ruin, by the general deftruction of every thing

6th. Because it has been' declared from the throne, and in effect the principle has been adopted by Parliament, that there was no way likely to obtain a peace, commonly fafe and honourable, but through the ancient and legitimate government long eftablished in France. That government in its lawful fucceffion has been folemnly recognized, and afliftance and protection as folemnly promifed to thofe Frenchmen who thould exert themselves in its reftoration. The political principle upon which this recognition was made is very far from being weakened by the conduct of the newly-invented government. Nor are our obligations of good faith, pledged on fuch strong motives of policy to those who have been found in their allegiance diffolved, nor can they be fo, until fairly directed efforts have been made to fecure this great fundamental point. None have yet been employed with the finalleit degree of vigour and perseverence.

7th. Because the example of the great change made by the ufurpation in the moral and political world (more dangerous than all her conquefts) is by the prefent procedure confirmed in all its force. It is the first fuccefsful example furnithed by hiftory of the fubverfion

of