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THE

Parliamentary Register;

OR

HISTORY

OF THЕ

PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES

OF THE

HOUSE OF COMMONS;

CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF

The most interesting SPEECHES and MOTIONS; accurate
Copies of the most remarkable LETTERS and PAPERS;
of the most material EVIDENCE, PETITIONS, &c.
laid before and offered to the HOUSE,

DURING THE

SIXTH SESSION of the SEVENTEENTH PARLIAMENT

OF

GREAT BRITAIN.

VOL. XLIII.

LONDON:

Pnted for J. DEBRETT, oppofite BURLINGTON HOUSE,

PICCADILLY.

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HISTORY

OP THE

PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES

OF THE

HOUSE OF COMMONS,

In the SIXTH SESSION of the

Seventeenth Parliament of GREAT BRITAIN,

Appointed to be holden at WESTMINSTER,

On THURSDAY, the 25th of OCTOBER, 1790.

Thursday, 29th October.

A MESSAGE from His Majefty was delivered by Sir Francis

Molyneux, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod:

Mr. Speaker,

The King commands this honourable Houfe to attend His Majefty immediately in the House of Peers.

Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, with the Houfe, went up to attend His Majefty; and being returned,

Mr. SPEAKER acquainted the Houfe, that in pursuance of the directions of an act of the 24th of his prefent Majefty, he had iffued his warrants, during the recefs, to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out new writs for the election of feveral Members to ferve in Parliament.

A bill for the more effectual preventing Clandestine Outlawries, was read the first time.

Refolved, That this bill be read a fecond time.

VOL. XLIII.

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Mr. SPEAKER reported, that the Houfe had attended His Majesty in the House of Peers, where His Majesty was pleased to make a most gracious fpeech from the throne to both Houses of Parliament; of which, Mr. Speaker faid, he had, to prevent miftakes, obtained a copy, which he read to the House, and is as followeth; viz.

My Lords, and Gentlemen,

IT is a great fatisfaction to me to reflect, that, notwithstanding the many events unfavourable to the common cause, the prospect refulting from the general fituation of affairs has, in many important reSpecs, been materially improved in the courfe of the prefent year.

In Italy, the threatened invafion of the French has been prevented; and they have been driven back from a confiderable part of the line of craft which they had occupied: there is also reafon to hope that the recent operations of the Auftrian armies have checked the progrefs which they have made on the fide of Germany, and fruftrated the offenfive projects which they were pursuing in that quarter.

The fucceffes which have attended their military operations in other parts of the campaign, and the advantages which they have derived from the conclufion of separate treaties with fome of the powers who were engaged in the war, are far from compenfating the evils which they experience from its continuance. The deftruction of their com mere, the diminution of their maritime power, and the unparalleled embrralment and diftrefs of their internal fituation, have produced the impreffion which was naturally to be expected; and a general fenfe appears to prevail throughout France, that the only relief from the increafing preffure of thefe difficulties must arife from the restoration of peace, and the establishment of fome fettled fyftem of government.

The diffraction and anarchy which have fo long prevailed in that country, have led to a crifis, of which it is as yet impoffible to foresee the flue; but which muft, in all human probability, produce confequences highly important to the interefts of Europe. Should this crifis terminate in any order of things compatible with the tranquillity of other countries, and affording a reasonable expectation of fecurity and permanence in any treaty which might be concluded, the appearance of a difption to negociate for general peace on just and suitable terms will not fail to be met, on my part, with an earnest defire to give it the fullest and speedief effect. But I am perfuaded you will agree with me, that nothing is fo likely to enfure and accelerate this defireable end, as to fhew that we are prepared for either alternative, and are determined to profecute the war with the utmost energy and vigour, until we have the means of concluding, in conjunction with our allies,

fuch a peace as the justice of our cause and the fituation of the enemy may entitle us to expect.

With this view I am continuing to make the greatest exertions for maintaining and improving our naval superiority, and for carrying on active and vigorous operations in the West Indies, in order to fecure and extend the advantages which we have gained in that quarter, and which are fo nearly connected with our commercial resources and maritime ftrength.

I rely with full confidence on the continuance of your firm and zea·lus fupport, on the uniform bravery of my fleets and armies, and on the fortitude, perfeverance, and public spirit of all ranks of my people.

The acts of hoftility committed by the United Provinces, under the influence and control of France, have obliged me to treat them as in a flate of war with this country.

The fleet which I have employed in the North Seas has received the moft cordial and active affistance from the naval force furnished by the Empress of Russia, and has been enabled effectually to check the operations of the enemy in that quarter.

I have concluded engagements of defenfive alliance with the two imperial courts; and the ratifications of the treaty of commorce with the United States of America, which I announced to you last year, have now been exchanged. I have directed copies of thefe treaties to be laid before you.

Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons,

It is matter of deep concern to me, that the exigencies of the public Service will require further additions to the heavy burdens which have been unavoidably imposed on my people. I truft that their pressure will, in fome degree, be alleviated by the flourishing ftate of our commerce and manufactures, and that our expences, though neceffarily great in their amount, will, under the actual circumftances of the war, admit of confiderable diminution in comparison with thofe of the prefent year. My Lords, and Gentlemen,

I have observed for fome time past, with the greateft anxiety, the very high price of grain, and that anxiety is increafed by the apprebenfion that the produce of the wheat harvest in the prefent year may nst have been fuch as effectually to relieve my people from the difficulties with which they have had to contend. The fpirit of order and fubmiffion to the laws which, with very few exceptions, has manifefted itself under this fevere preffure, will, I am fure, be felt by you as an additional incentive to apply yourfelves with the utmoft diligence to the

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