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endeavours have never been wanting to bring them to an end; and in those endeavours you may be assured I shall per

severe.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons; "It was with real concern that I found myself called upon by the situation of public affairs, to ask of my faithful Commons more than ordinary supplies for the service of the current year; and I cannot sufficiently thank you for the unanimity, cheerfulness, and public spirit, with which they have been granted.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen; "While we acknowledge the goodness of Divine Providence in preserving us from those calamities with which some parts of Europe have been afflicted, let me exhort you to employ your best endeavours in your several stations and countries, to render the national happiness complete, by discouraging and suppressing all groundless suspicions and domestic disturbances. I have no other object, and I can have no other interest, than to reign in the hearts of a free and happy people; and it is my earnest wish, that my subjects may not be prevented, by any mistakes or animosities amongst themselves, from enjoying, in the fullest extent, the blessings of a mild and legal government. The support of our excellent constitution is our common duty and interest. By that standard I would wish my people to try all public principles and professions, and to look upon those as their most dangerous enemies, who, under any pretence whatsoever, would persuade them to violate those laws, and undermine that authority which the constitution has provided for the purpose of preserving the general liberty and happi

ness."

1779.

FIFTH SESSION

OF THE

THIRTEENTH PARLIAMENT

OF

GREAT BRITAIN.

The King's Speech on Opening the Ses The King sion.] January 21, 1772. came to the House of Peers, and opened the Session with the following Speech to both Houses :

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My Lords, and Gentlemen; "It gives me much satisfaction that nothing in the situation of our affairs, either foreign or domestic, has obliged me to require your attendance earlier than might have been consistent with your private convenience; and that now you are met together, you will find yourselves at liberty to give your whole attention to the tions of law, and to the extension of our establishment of wise and useful regula commercial advantages.

"The performance of the engagement of the king of Spain, in the restitution of the repeated assurances I have received of Port Egmont and Falkland's Island, and the pacific disposition of that court, as well as of other powers, promise to my subjects with the greater confidence hope that we the continuance of peace; and we may shall not be disturbed in the enjoyment this blessing, as there is no reason to ap prehend that we shall become involved in the troubles which still unhappily prevail in one part of Europe.

of

of the infectious sickness in Europe, is, "The danger of the farther spreading trust, very much abated; but I must reThe parliament was then prorogued to commend it to you not to suffer our hap; the 23rd of July; and was afterwards fur-piness, in having been hitherto preserved ther prorogued to the 21st of January 1772.*

* " During the recess, the city had recourse to the accustomed measure of addressing and petitioning the throne. Their intention being announced, the lord chamberlain wrote to the lord mayor, informing him the livery could not be permitted to attend him to St. James's; and copies of this letter were posted in various parts of the city, under pretence of preventing the livery from assembling. A petition was presented, couched in the same language with others which had been previously addressed to the throne; it complained of the arbitrary, audacious, illegal, and wicked proceedings of the House of Commons, in imprisoning the city

from so dreadful a calamity, to lessen yonr

members, and procuring the Durbam Yard Act; and prayed the King to give peace to the nation by a speedy dissolution of parliament, and by removing his present wicked and despotic ministers from his presence and councils for ever. The King, in answer, said, he was always ready to exert bis constitutional prerogative in redressing real grievances, and the city of London should ever find him ready to listen to well-founded complaints; but he felt concern at seeing a part of his subjects still so misled and deluded, as to renew, in such reprehensible terms, a request with which he had repeatedly declared his resolution not to comply.

vigilance in the use of every reasonable | Majesty having retired, the following Adprecaution for our safety.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons; "I have ordered the estimates for the service of the current year to be laid before you; I make no doubt but you will see the propriety of maintaining a respectable establishment of my naval forces. I am pleased however to find that I shall be under no necessity of asking of you at this time any extraordinary aid.

dress was moved by the duke of Beaufort and agreed to without any debate:

"Most Gracious Sovereign; "We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lords spiritual and temporal, in parliament assembled, return your Majesty our humble thanks for your most gracious Speech from the throne.

"Permit us, Sir, to offer to your Majesty our most dutiful congratulations on "My Lords, and Gentlemen; the happy event of the increase of your "The concerns of this country are so royal family, by the birth of another various and extensive as to require the prince, and to assure your Majesty, that most vigilant and active attention, and every addition to your Majesty's domestic some of them, as well from remoteness of happiness, must always afford the highest place as from other circumstances, are so satisfaction to your faithful subjects. peculiarly liable to abuses and exposed to "We beg leave to express to your Madanger, that the interposition of the legis-jesty our most grateful sense of your Malature for their protection may become ne-jesty's regard for our private convenience, cessary if in any such instances, either in not commanding us to an earlier attenfor supplying defects or remedying abuses, dance; and to declare to your Majesty you shall find it requisite to provide any our determination to give our most dilinew laws, you may depend upon my rea- gent attention to the promotion of the dody concurrence in whatever may best con- mestic interests of these kingdoms, and tribute to the attainment of those salutary the extension of our commercial advanends." tages, by the establishment of useful regulations of law.

The Lords' Address of Thanks.] His

"Causes, which it is no longer important to ascertain, had created irreparable variances among the leaders of city politics: their public meetings were scenes of hostility, clamour, and recrimination; and the press teemed with their mutual abuse. During the confinement of the lord mayor, the ward of Farringdon strenuously recommended the election of Mr. Wilkes as sheriff, and he promised to accept the office if chosen. He thought proper to wait on Mr. Oliver, who was expected to be sheriff, and announced himself as a probable co-adjutor. The imprisoned alderman was decidedly adverse to the measure, and, after remonstrating with him for a considerable time in vain, sent a letter to Mr. Wilkes's deputy, stating the total difference of their political Views, and his resolution for that, and many other reasons, not to serve the office of sheriff with Wilkes. Notwithstanding this intimation, Mr. Wilkes persevered in offering himself a candidate, and at the close of the poll, he and alderman Bull were returned by a large majority.

"During the recess, the office of Secretary of State, vacated by the death of the earl of Halifax, was conferred on the earl of Suffolk, and his place of Lord Privy Seal was accepted by the duke of Grafton. Lord Hyde succeeded, on the death of lord Strange, to the Chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster; but these changes made no alteration in the pofitical system of administration." Adolphus.

"We return your Majesty our humble thanks for your goodness and condescension, in acquainting us, from the throne, with the restitution of Port Egmont and Falkland's Island, on the part of the king of Spain, and with the assurances your Majesty has received of the pacific disposition of foreign powers. We are made happy by learning that your Majesty has which we at present enjoy, will be disno reason to apprehend that the peace turbed by our being any wise involved in the calamities of war, which still unhap pily prevail in one part of Europe.

"Your Majesty's paternal care, in res commending to us a due vigilance in the use of every precaution to preserve this country from that most dreadful contagion from which, under the Divine Providence, it has been hitherto our happiness to remain free, calls for our sincerest acknowledgments, and commands our utmost at tention.

"We beg leave to assure your Majesty, that our most diligent endeavours shall be employed to frame such laws as shall, in our judgment, tend to supply the defects, and remedy the abuses, which may appear to have been introduced in any branch of the various and extensive concerns of this country; and we look upon your Majesty's gracious assurance of your ready concur.

rence in whatever may best contribute to the attainment of those salutary ends, as a fresh proof of that desire which has constantly been shewn by your Majesty to promote the welfare of your people."

The King's Answer.] His Majesty returned this Answer:

"My Lords;

"I thank you for this loyal and dutiful Address. I receive, with pleasure, your congratulations on the increase of my family, and the assurances of the attention you will give to those objects which I have recommended to you for the public good. Nothing can be more acceptable to me, than the sense you express of my desire to promote the welfare of my people."

The Commons Address of Thanks.] The Commons being returned to their House,

Lord Hinchinbrooke rose to move an Address of Thanks. He said, that however 'much gentlemen might differ about the terms, none could have any objection to the first paragraph, which expressed their duty and affection to the sovereign and his royal consort, and their satisfaction at the increase of their family; that the wisdom and paternal care of the King in preserving us from the calamities of war, while at the same time he had asserted the honour and just rights of his people, demanded their highest acknowledgments; that the present state of the navy was respectable, but that from the peculiarity of his situation, he could not expatiate on the subject, and that he begged the House's pardon for having said so much. He then read the Address, which was as follows:

"Most Gracious Sovereign; "We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of Great Britain in parliament assembled, return your Majesty our humble thanks for your most gracious Speech from the throne.

"It is with unfeigned joy we beg leave to offer to your Majesty our congratulations on the birth of another prince, and on the happy recovery of the Queen, who is still more endeared to this nation by every new pledge of security for the happiness we enjoy under your Majesty's auspicious government, as well as by her Majesty's

amiable virtues.

"We return your Majesty our warmest thanks, for your gracious communication

of the assurances your Majesty has received from the king of Spain, as well as from other powers, of their disposition to maintain the public tranquillity; and we cannot but feel the greatest satisfaction at the fair prospect which those assurances, and the performance of his Catholic ma jesty's engagement, by the restitution of Port Egmont and Falkland's Island, afford your Majesty's subjects of the continuance of peace at the same time, we have the greatest confidence, that the respect de rived to this nation, from the moderation and firmness of your Majesty's conduct, will continue to preserve your Majesty's dominions from the calamities of war, which still unhappily prevail in the distant parts of Europe.

"We acknowledge with gratitude your Majesty's paternal care, in the precautions your Majesty has taken to preserve this kingdom from the infectious sickness with which we have of late been alarmed; and though we have the satisfaction to find, that, by the blessing of Providence, the danger of its spreading is now dimi nished, we will not be negligent, on our part, in taking such measures as may, from time to time, appear best calculated to secure this nation from the visitation of so dreadful an evil.

"Your Majesty's faithful Commons will cheerfully grant to your Majesty such supplies as shall be found necessary for the service of the current year; and we will be careful to make sufficient provision for the establishment of a respectable naval force, on which, we are truly sensible, the security, as well as the importance, of this nation must ever principally depend.

"We assure your Majesty, that we will not fail, during this season of tranquillity, to employ our time in making such provi sions as may be found necessary for the improvement of our laws, and the extension of our commerce: and your Majesty may rely on our vigilant and active attention to those important concerns recom mended to us by your Majesty; and wherever it shall be found, that, with respect to any of these, either from the remoteness of their situation from the seat of government, or from other circumstances, such abuses prevail as expose them to danger, we shall think it our duty to endeavour, by every regulation in our power, to remedy those evils, which may, in their consequences, so essentially affect the interest and honour of this country."

Mr. Vane seconded the Address, saying

that the noble lord had expressed himself so fully and so justly upon them that little remained for him to add; and that, if it was not customary on these occasions to say something, he could content himself barely with seconding the motion. He then briefly recapitulated the arguments of the noble mover, declaring, that to congratulate the King on the different accounts mentioned by him was in fact to congratulate ourselves; that as we were now, through the wisdom of his Majesty, at peace with all the world, and likely to remain so, the House would have leisure to direct their attention to domestic affairs; that the malversation of the East India Company's servants called loudly for their interposition, and that he trusted they would have an opportunity of displaying their legislative wisdom in adjusting these matters. Here he run over the heads of the different charges brought against the Company and its servants. He hinted that at present the Company had not that power over their servants, to compel their orders to be obeyed; nor to prevent them from enriching themselves in an arbitrary manner at the expence of the Company, ruin to the nation, and perhaps in its consequence the entire loss of those dominions to Great Britain.

After the hon. gentleman had sat down, every body expected that some member of the opposition would rise, but nothing but silence succeeded. The Address was agreed to, and the House adjourned before four o'clock.

The King's Answer.] To the above Address the King returned this Answer:

"Gentlemen,

"I thank you very heartily for this most datiful Address. Your affectionate congratulations on the birth of another prince, and the regard you express for the Queen, are highly acceptable to me.

"I receive with pleasure and approbation the assurances you give me of your zealous endeavours for the extension and security of the national interest and ad

vantages.

"I have nothing so much at heart as to see my kingdoms flourishing in commerce, and my people happy under my

observed on it, that the present high prices made it necessary to continue the prohibition for another year; but that it was proposed to insert a clause in the Bill, to give power to parliament to make any alterations in the course of this session that might be thought necessary. A member expressed his wish, that the time of the prohibition should not extend till the next session, as then the seed time would be over, and many farmers would neglect to sow wheat from the stock in hand, and difficulty of selling, supposing a great crop next year. It was observed on this, that were the time to be shortened, it would occasion a sudden rise, especially as foreign countries, Germany particularly, had such a present deficiency: that on speculation, corn would be stored to supply them, and a scarcity here ensue, before farmers could thresh out their new crops. The resolution of continuing the Act agreed to.

Sir W. Meredith moved, That it might be a general order, that no bill, or clause in a bill, making any offence capital, should be agreed to but in a committee of the whole House. He observed, that at present the facility of passing such clauses was shameful: that he once passing a committee-room, when only one member was holding a committee, with a clerk's boy; he happened to hear something of hanging; he immediately had the curiosity to ask what was going forward in that small committee, that could merit such a punishment? He was answered, that it was an inclosing Bill in which a great many poor people were concerned, who opposed the Bill: that they feared those people would obstruct the execution of the Act, and therefore this clause was to make it capital felony in any one who did so.— This Resolution was unanimously agreed to.

Debate in the Commons on the Number

of Seamen.] January 29. In the Committee of Supply,

Mr. Buller, one of the lords of the Admiralty, moved, "That 25,000 men be employed for the sea service, for the year 1772, including 6,664 marines." He contented himself with stating that the establishment in 1771, before the alarm of a war, was 16,000, including 4,000 marines: Bill for prohibiting the Exportation of that 40,000 were voted last year; that, Corn.] January 24. The House went for the present year, an additional number of ships, more than in 1770, were destined for the East Indies, an additional number

government."

into a Committee on the Act for prohibit
g the exportation of Corn. Mr. Cooper

for the Jamaica station, an addition in the Mediterranean, and that by a new arrangement the 20 guard ships kept at home were to have a greater complement of men, not only that they might be kept ready upon any emergency, but that they might be kept cruising, and not suffered to lie in port, where they were found to rot and to be consumed by the worms: that he did not pretend to account for the propriety of the different destinations, which was not his department, but supposing the destinations right, the additional number of men requisite would be 9,000, making in all 25,000, for which number he moved. Mr. Harvey, another lord of the admiralty seconded the motion, and entered a little into the reasons of the destination, and amongst other things said, as a reason for the increase of force at Jamaica, that the Spaniards had a great force in these parts; that they might rendezvous at Vera Cruz, and attack Jamaica before we could send assistance; that though we kept up twenty guard ships at a great expence during the last peace, yet they were really used all the while as a job, and were totally unfit for service when we came to want them; that they were rotten and consumed in the ports by worms. And that to keep the guardships in proper order, and to supply the East Indies and Jamaica with a proper force, and to strengthen our force in some other parts, the additional number of 9,000 was ne

|

tries, and let them return to England in winter. And with respect to the guard. ships, they were of opinion, that the pre sent system of keeping them so fully manned was wrong; in their idea, it was best to keep the ships ready, but to trust to pressing to man them.

Sir George Savile took notice, that the King's Speech had declared, that every thing promised the continuance of peace, and yet the present motion had the ap pearance of war; that it was too weak a force for war, and a great deal too much for peace; that at the same time men who wished well to the public, could not ven ture to give a negative to the motion, be, cause the ministers, notwithstanding the pacific declarations of the King's Speech, might have reason to apprehend war; but if this was meant as a perpetual peace es tablishment, every honest man must op pose it, as being attended with a ruinous expence. That if the guardships were now allowed to be a job, and to have an swered no purpose, what security could we have that they would not again be a job, only with the difference of being a much more expensive job? That this increase would no doubt give a great deal of additional influence to the first lord of the Admiralty, and would enable him to pro vide for all his friends in the Cinque Ports and elsewhere, who send members to par liament, and if the infamous practice of selling offices and commissions should be. introduced, he would have many more Admiral Keppel, and sir Charles Saun- things to sell; but with regard to the ders, arraigned and condemned this dis- public, if we are to keep up a war esta position of the fleet, and opposed the in-blishment in time of peace, we must infal crease of seamen. They observed, that in the East-Indies the force was either too great or too little; too great, if there was a probability of a permanent peace, as expressed in the King's Speech; and too little, if war: that whenever we sent any ships, the French did the same; so that, in time, each nation would have so large a navy in those seas, that it was trusting entirely to the prudence of the commander, whether or not he engaged the nation in a war: that as to Jamaica, the force there, being only about four ships, was by no means sufficient to defend it, if attacked; and as to North America, there was no enemy in those parts; and the ships, from the inclemency of the season, must be shut up for some months in the year: therefore, upon the whole, they thought that it would be better to send some ships every summer to those coun

cessary.

libly be ruined, and that it was better far to go to war, if we cannot trust our neigh hours, than to waste our strength in use less inactivity. That after once intro ducing such a force in time of peace, no minister would venture to diminish it, nor indeed would he have the inclination, the sweets of power, and the influence arising from having so many things to give away, and the appearance of hardship in de priving persons of their commissions, were motives sufficient to prevent hereafter any diminution; and as the navy was the fa vourite service of England, the minister was too likely to be supported in the most extravagant propositions for its increase.

Mr. Cornwall observed, that the in crease of seamen would cost the nation 500,000l. and shewed the impossibility that this increase in the establishment would ever be lessened, as no argument for

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