PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Proclamation for calling out the Militia, and affembling the GEORGE R. Parliament; BY THE KING, A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS by an act, paffed in the twenty fixth year of Our reign, entitled, " An act for amending and redu ❝cing into one act of Parliament the laws relating to the Militia in that part of Great Britain called England," it is enacted, That it fhall be lawful for Us, in the cafes and in manner therein mentioned, the occafion being firft declared in Council, and notified by proclamation, if no Parliament fhall be then fitting, to order and direct the drawing out and embodying of Our militia forces, or any part thereof. And whereas We have received information, that in breach of the laws, and notwithstanding Our Royal proclamation of the twenty-firft day of May laft, the utmoft induftry is ftill employed by evil difpofed perfons within this kingdom, acting in concert with perfons in foreign parts, with a view to fubvert the laws and established conftitution of this realm, and to deftroy all order and government therein; and that a fpirit of tumult and diforder, thereby excit ed, has lately fhewn itfelf in acts of riot and infurrection. And whereas, under the prefent circumftances, it is more particularly neceflary, that for the immediate fuppreffion of fuch attempts, fome addition fhould be made, as the exigency of the cafe may require, to the force which may be in readiness to act for the fupport of the civil magiftrate; We therefore, being determined to exert the powers wefted in Us by law for the protection of the perfons, liberties, and properties of Our faithful fubjects, and fully relying on their zeal and attachment to Our perfon and government, and to the happy conftitution established in thefe kingdoms, have thought fit to declare in Our Council, Our Royal intention, for the caufes and on the occafion aforefaid, to draw out and embody fuch part of Our militia forces as may more immediately enable Us to provide for the faid important objects.-And We do hereby, in purfuance of the faid recited recited act, notify to all Our loving fubjects Our faid intention, and the caufes and occafions thereof Given at Our Court at Windfor, the first day of December, one thousand feven hundred and ninety-two, and in the thirty-third year of Our reign. GOD fave the KING. BY THE KING. A PROCLAMATION. GEORGE R. WHEREAS by an act paffed in the twenty-fixth year of Our reign, entitled," An act for amending and reducing into cr one act of Parliament the laws relating to the Militia in that part of Great Britain called England," it is enacted, that when ever We fhall caufe the militia to be drawn out and embodied, on the occafions and in the manner therein mentioned, if the Parliament fhall then be feparated by fuch adjournment or prorogation as will not expire within fourteen days; We may and fhall iffue Our proclamation for the meeting of the Parliament within fourteen days; and the Parliment fhall accordingly meet and fit upon fuch day as fhall be appointed by fuch proclamation, and continue to fit and act in like manner, to all intents and purposes, as if it had stood adjourned or prorogued to the fame day: And whereas we have thought fit, in purfuance of the faid act, this day to declare in Our Council, certain causes and occafions moving Us to order and direct, that fuch part of Our militia forces, as may more immediately enable Us to provide for the important objects therein mentioned, fhould be drawn out and embodied: And whereas, in pursuance of the faid recited act, We have thought fit on this day to iffue Our Royal proclamation, notifying the caufes and occafions fo declared in Council as aforefaid: And whereas Our Parliament now ftands pro rogued to Thurfday the third day of January next; We therefore, by the advice of our Privy council, do hereby publish and declare Our Royal will and pleasure, that Our faid Parliament fhall, on Thursday the thirteenth day of this inftant December, be held for the difpatch of divers weighty and important affairs. And the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Knights, Citizens, and Burgeffes, and the Commiffioners for Shires and Burghs of the House of Commons, are hereby required to give attendance at Westminster on the faid thirteenth day of December. Given at Our Court at Windfor, the first day of December, one thoufand feven hundred and ninety-two, and in the thirty-third year of Our reign. GOD fave the KING. His Majefly's most gracious Speech to both Hufes of Parliament, at the opening of the Seffions on the 13th December 1792. My Lords, and Gentlemen, HA AVING judged it neceffary to embody a part of the militia of this kingdom, I have, in pursuance of the provisions of the law, called you together within the time limited for that purpose, and it is, on every account, a great fatisfaction to me to meet you in Parliament at this conjuncture. I fhould have been happy if I could have announced to you the fecure and undisturbed continuance of all the bleffings which my fubjects have derived from a ftate of tranquillity; but events have recently occurred which require our united vigilance and exertion, in order to preferve the advantages which we have hitherto enjoyed. The feditious practices which had been in a great measure checked by your firm and explicit declaration in the laft feffion, and by the general concurrence of my people in the fame fentiments, have of late been more openly renewed, and with encreased activity. A fpirit of tumult and diforder (the natural confequence of fuch practices) has fhewn itfelf in acts of riot and infurrection, which required the interpofition of a military force in fupport of the civil magiftrate. The industry employed to excite difcontent on various pretexts, and in different parts of the kingdom, has appeared to proceed from a defign to attempt the deftruction of our happy constitution, and the subverfion of all order and government; and this defign has evidently been purfued in connection and concert with perfons in foreign countries. I have carefully obferved a ftrict neutrality in the present war on the Continent, and have uniformly abftained from any interference with respect to the internal affairs of France; but it is impoffible for me to fee, without the moft ferious uneafinefs, the ftrong and increafing indications which have appeared there of an intention to excite difturbances in other countries, to difregard the rights of neutral nations, and to purfue views of conqueft and aggrandifement, as well as to adopt towards my allies the States General, (who have obferved the fame neutrality with myfelt) measures which are neither conformable to the law of nations, nor to the pofitive ftipulations of exifting treaties. Ur der all these circumftances, I have felt it my indifpenfable duty to have recourse, because to thofe means of prevention and inter nal defence with which I am entrusted by law; and I have alfo thought it right to take fteps for making fome augmentation of my naval and militay force,, being perfuaded that thefe exertions are neceffary in the prefent itate of affairs, and are beft calculated. both both to maintain internal tranquillity, and to render a firm and temperate conduct effectual for preferving the bleffings of peace. Nothing will be neglected on my part that can contribute to that important object, confiftently with the fecurity of my kingdoms, and with the faithful performance of engagements which we are bound equally by intereft and honour to fulfil. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons, I have ordered the estimates for the enfuing year to be laid before you; and I have no doubt that you will be ready to make a due provifion for the feveral branches of the public fervice. You will certainly join with me in lamenting any neceffity for extraordinary expences, which may for a time prevent the application of additional fums beyond thofe which are already annually appropriated to the reduction of the public debt, or retard the relief which my fubjects might have derived from a further diminution of taxes: but I am confident you will feel that thofe great ends will ultimately be beft promoted by fuch exertions as are neceffary for our prefent and future fafety and tranquillity; and it is a great confolation to me to reflect, that you will find ample refources for effectually detraying the expence of vigorous preparations, from the excefs of the actual revenue beyond the ordinary expenditure. My Lords, and Gentlemen, I have great pleasure in acquainting you, that the brilliant fucceffes of the British arms in India, under the able conduct of the Marquis Cornwallis, have led to the termination of the war by an advantageous and honourable peace, the terms of which are peculiary fatisfactory to me, from their tendency to fecure the future tranquillity of the British dominions in that part of the world. Your attention will now naturally be directed to fuch meafures for the future government of thofe valuable poffeffions, as fhall appear, from experience and full confideration, moft likely to provide for their internal profperity, and to fecure the important advantages which may be derived from thence to the commerce and revenue of this country. I am perfuaded that it will be the object of your immediate confideration to adopt fuch meafures as may be neceffary, under the prefent circumftances, for enforcing obedience to the laws, and for repreffing every attempt to diffurb the peace and tranquillity of thefe Kingdoms. You will be fenfible how much depends on the refult of your deliberations, and your uniform conduct is the beft pledge that nothing will be wanting on your part which can contribute to the prefent fecurity and permanent advantage of the country. I retain I retain a deep and unalterable fenfe of the repeated proofs: which I have received of your cordial and affectionate attachment to me; and I place an entire reliance on the continuance of those fentiments, as well as on your firm determination to defend and maintain that conftitution which has fo long protected the liberties and promoted the happiness of every class of my fubjects. In endeavouring to preferve and to tranfmit to pofterity the ineftimable bleffings which, under the favour of Providence, you have yourselves experienced, you may be affured of my zealous and cordial co-operation; and our joint efforts will, I doubt not, be rendered completely effectual, by the decided fupport of a free and loyal people. In the House of Lords the Earl of Hardwicke moved the following Addrefs. The humble Addrefs of the Right Honourable the Lords Spiri tual and Temporal, in Parliament affembled. Moft Gracious Sovereign, WEL E, your Majefty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parliament affeinbled, beg leave to return your Majesty our humble and dutiful acknowledgements for your Majefty's moft gracious speech from the throne, Permit us to affure your Majefty, that, under circumstances which require the united vigilance and exertion of all the branches of the Legislature, to preferve to your Majesty's fubjects the continuance of those advantages which they have hitherto enjoyed;. it is a great fatisfaction to us, that your Majefty, by meeting us in Parliament at this conjuncture, has afforded us an opportunity of manifefting our loyalty to your Majefty, and our zeal for the dearest interests of our country. We have feen, with the greatest concern, that the feditious practices which were the objects of your Majefty's late Proclamation, and which were fo ftrongly condemned by the declaration of both Houses of Parliament, and by the general fentiments of the people, have of late been more openly renewed, and with increased activity. We deeply lament that spirit of tumult and diforder, the natural confequence of fuch practices, which has fhewn itself in different acts of riot and infurrection, requiring the interposition of a military force in fupport of the civil Magistrate. We are fenfible that the industry employed to excite difcontent, on various pretexts, and in different parts of the kingdom, has proceeded from a fettled design to attempt the deftruction of our happy conftitution, and the fubverfion of all order and government; and we learn with the utmoft indignation that 3 A this |