try, which must ever be infepa rably connected with their own real profperity and advantage. Nothing material has happened, fince your meeting, with refpe&t to the war between Ruffia and the Porte; and it is with pleasure I can, inform you, that the very friendly affurances which I continue to receive from the neighbouring powers, give me the strongest reason to believe, that they have the fame good difpofitions as myself, to preferve the tranquillity of the rest of Europe.

Gentlemen of the Houfe of

Commons,

I thank you for the fupplies which you have fo chearfully given; and I fee, with great fatisfaction, that, notwithstanding the ample grants you have made for the feveral establishments, and the compenfation which has been fo proper ly provided for the holders of the deficient gold coin, you have been able to make a further progrefs in the reduction of the national debt.

My Lords and Gentlemen, I have nothing to recommend to you, but that you would carry into your refpective counties the fame affectionate attachment to my perfon and government, and the fame zeal for the maintenance of the publick welfare, which have diftinguished all your proceedings in this feffion of parliament.

His Majefty's most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, on Wednesday, November 30, 1774. My Lords and Gentlemen,

T

of this parliament, to inform you, that a moft daring fpirit of refiftance and difobedience to the law, ftill unhappily prevails in the province of the Maffachufet's Bay, and has, in divers parts of it, broke forth in fresh violences of a very criminal nature. Thefe proceedings have been countenanced and encouraged in other of my coloniés, and unwarrantable attempts have, been made to obftru&t the commerce of this kingdom, by unlawI have taken ful combinations. fuch meafures, and given fuch orders, as I judged moft proper and effectual for carrying into execution the laws which were paffed in the laft feflion of the late parliament, for the protection and fecurity of the commerce of my fubjects, and for the reftoring and preferving peace, order, and good government, in the province of the Maffachufet's Bay; and you may depend upon my firm and ftedfaft refolution to withstand every attempt to weaken or impair the fupreme authority of this legiflature over all the dominions of my crown; the maintenance of which I confider as effential to the dignity, the fafety, and the welfare, of the British empire; affuring myself, that, while I act upon thefe principles, I fhall never fail to receive your affiftance and fupport.

I have the greatest fatisfaction in being able to inform you, that a treaty of peace is concluded between Ruffia and the Porte. By this happy event, the troubles which have fo long prevailed in one part of Europe are compofed, and the general tranquillity rendered complete. It shall be my conftant aim and endeavour to prevent the

[R] 4

fhall

fhall fucceed, as I continue to receive the strongest affurances from other powers of their being equally difpofed to preserve the peace.

Gentlemen of the House of

Commons,

I have ordered the proper eftimates for the service of the enfuing year to be laid before you; and I doubt not but that, in this houfe of commons, I shall meet with the fame affectionate confidence, and the fame proofs of zeal and attach. ment to my perfon and government, which I have always, during the course of my reign, received from my faithful commons.

My Lords and Gentlemen, Let me particularly recommend to you, at this time, to proceed with temper in your deliberations, and with unanimity in your refolutions. Let my people, in every part of my dominions, be taught, by your example, to have a due reverence for the laws, and a just fense of the bleflings, of our excellent conftitution. They may be affured that, on my part, I have nothing fo much at heart as the real profperity and lafting happinefs of all my fubjects.

The bumble Addrefs of the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parliament affembled. Moft Gracious Sovereign,

We think it our indifpenfable duty to declare, on this occafion, our abhorrence and deteftation of the daring fpirit of refiftance and disobedience to the laws, which fo strongly prevails in the province of the Maffach ufett's Bay, and of the unwarrantable attempts in that and other of your majesty's provinces in America, to obftruct, by unlawful combinations, the trade of this kingdom.

We thankfully acknowledge, at the fame time, the communication it has pleafed your majefty to make to us, of your having taken fuch measures, and given fuch orders, as your majefty judged the most proper and effectual for the protection and fecurity of the commerce of your majesty's fubjects, and for the carrying into execution the laws, which were paffed in the laft feffion of the late parliament, relative to the province of the Maffachufet's Bay; and in the utmoft reliance on your majefty's firm and stedfast resolution to continue to fupport the fupreme authority of the legislature over all the dominions of your crown, your majesty may be affured, that we will chearfully co-operate in all fuch measures as fhall be neceffary to maintain the dignity, the fafety, and the welfare of the British empire.

As this nation cannot be uncon cerned in the common interefts of Europe, it is with the greateft fa.. tisfaction we are acquainted with the conclufion of the peace between

ful and loyal fubjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your majesty our humble thanks for your most gracious fpeech from the throne.

fulleft confidence in your majefty's endeavours to prevent, as far as poffible, the breaking out of fresh difturbances; and from the affurances given to your majesty by other. powers, we have the pleafing ex

pectation,

pectation, that nothing is likely to happen that may interrupt the prefent happy tranquillity in Europe.

We beg leave humbly to affure your majesty, that it will be no lefs our duty than our inclination, to proceed with temper and unanimity in our deliberations and refolutions, and to inculcate, by our example, a due reverence to the laws, and a juft fenfe of the excellency of our conftitution. Impreffed with these fentiments, and with the deepest gratitude for the many blethings we have enjoyed during the courte of your majefty's reign, it will be our principal care to teftify, with unaffected zeal, at this conjucture, our inviolable fidelity to your majefty, and our ferious attention to the public welfare.

His Majesty's most gracious Answer.

Permit us to affure your majefty. that we receive with the highest fenfe of your majefty's goodness the early information which you have been pleafed to give us of the state of the province of the Maffachufett's-bay.

We feel the most fincere concern, that a fpirit of disobedience and refiftance to the law fhould sti!! unhappily prevail in that province, and that it has broke forth in freth violences of a most criminal nature: and we cannot but lament that fuch proceedings fhould have been countenanced and encouraged in any other of your majesty's colonies; and that any of your fubjects should have been fo far deluded and misled as to make rash and unwarrantable attempts to obftruct the commerce of your majesty's kingdoms by unlawful combinations.

We beg leave to prefent our moft dutiful thanks to your majefty, for having taken fuch meafures as your majefty judged most proper and effectual, for carrying into execution the laws, which were paffed in the laft feflion of the late parliament, for the protection and fecurity of the commerce of your majefty's fubjects, and for reftoring and preferving peace, order, and good government, in the province of the Maffachufett'sbay.

Your faithful commons, ani

Commons to the King.

Moft gracious Sovereign,

W

E, your majefty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects the commons of Great Britain in par liament affembled, return your ma

affurances, will ufe every means in their power to affift your majefty in maintaining entire and inviolate the fupreme authority of this legiflature over all the dominions of your crown; being truly fenfible that we should betray the truft re

pofed

pofed in us, and be wanting in every duty which we owe to your majesty and to our fellow-fubjects, if we failed to give our most zealous fupport to thofe great conftitutional principles, which govern your majefty's conduct in this important bufinefs, and which are so effential to the dignity, fafety, and welfare of the British empire.

We learn with great fatisfaction, that a treaty of peace is concluded betv.en Ruffia and the Porte; and that, by this happy event, the general tranquillity is rendered complete : and we entertain a wellgrounded hope, that your majesty's conftant endeavours to prevent the breaking out of fresh difturbances will be attended with fuccefs; as your majefly continues to receive the ftrongest affurances from other powers, of their being equally difpofed to preferve the peace.

We affure your majefty, that we will, with the utmost chearfulness, grant to your majefty every neceffary fupply; and that we confider ourfelves bound by gratitude, as well as duty, to give every proof of our most affectionate attachment to a prince, who, during the whole courfe of his reign, has made the happiness of his people the object of all his views, and the rule of all his actions.

Dublin-Cafle, May 4. This day the houfes of lords and commons waited upon the lord lieutenant with the following addrefs to his majefty.

To the King's most excellent Ma. jefty.

The humble Addrefs of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal,in Parliament affembled.

Moft gracious Sovereign,

W

E your majefty's dutiful and loyal fubjects, the lords fpiritual and temporal. in parliament affembled, beg leave to approach your majefty, with hearts full of gratitude, for your paternal regard to your faithful and loving fubjects of the kingdom of Ireland, efficient. ly manifested by your majesty's gracious compliance with the prayer of your faithful fubjects of this kingdom, in returning a bill for the encouragement of tillage.

The improvement of agriculture is a benefit fo univerfal, diffufive, and permanent in its nature, that it has ever been held a grand object in the eye of the greatest princes: It is therefore peculiarly becoming the protection of a fovereign, whofe paternal attention extends to every part of his dominions.

Permit us, fir, to add, that as it is at once the great source of population, civilization, and morality, it cannot fail of being the ftrongest reinforcement against all his enemies to a monarch. who, making the spirit of the conftitution his rule of conduct, and the interest of his people the end of all his actions, reigns all powerful in the breast of every truly loyal subject.

His Majesty's Anfwer to the House of Lords.

promote the interefts and happiness of his fubjects, cannot fail of giv-. ing great fatisfaction to his majefty, and is agreeable to their conftant zeal and loyalty for his perfon and government, upon the continuance of which his majefty has the firmeft dependence.

RE

G. R.

Die Martis 24° die Maii, 1774 ESOLVED by the lords fpiritual and temporal, in parliament affembled, that the humble thanks of this houfe fhall be returned to his majefty, for his majefty's moft gracious anfwer to

the addrefs of this house of the fecond inftant.

Ordered, That the Lord Chancellor do attend his excellency the lord lieutenant with the faid refolution, and defire his excellency will please to lay the fame before his Majefty.

To the King's most excellent Ma

jefty.

The bumble Address of the Knights, Citizens, and Burgefjes, in Parliament assembled.

Moft gracious Sovereign,

The improvement of agriculture, the extenfion of commerce, and the increase of population, are objects worthy the attention of the best of fovereigns, and cannot fail to be the confequence of this moft excellent law. And we flatter ourselves that it will be a pleafing reflection in your royal breaft, that the increase, of population in this country will add to the numbers of the most dutiful and loyal fubjects, at all times moft zealously and affectionately devoted to your majefty, and to your iiluftrious houfe.

His Majesty's Anfwer to the Houfe of

Commons.

jesty.

The humble Addrefs of the Knights, Citizens, and Burgeffes, in Parliament affembled.

Moft gracious Sovereign,

E, your majefty's most duti

commons of Ireland, in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your majefty our most humble thanks for your majefty's moft gra