Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

of the enemy have, for the greateft part of the year, been blocked up in their own ports; and we have feen with pleasure the operations in the Eaft and West Indies, which, while they have been productive of great national advantage, have alfo difplayed the valour and good conduct of your Majefty's forces, both by fea and land, in a degree highly honourable to the British arms.

Having contemplated with anxious folicitude the various fortune of war on the Continent, and the danger with which all Europe was at one time threatened, we reflect with proportionable admiration and joy on the honourable and dignified perseverance' of your Majefty's ally the Emperor, and on the intrepidity, difcipline, and invincible fpirit of the Auftrian forces, under the aufpicious conduct of the Archduke Charles; and we entertain the most fanguine hope that, from the turn lately given to the courfe of the war, the final refult of the campaign may prove more disastrous to the enemy than its commencement and progress for a time were favourable to their hopes.

While we regret the hoftile difpofitions and conduct on the part of the Court of Madrid, which have led to the difcuffions now depending, we entertain a juft confidence that, whenever your Majefty fhall be enabled to acquaint us with the final refult, a farther proof will be given to Europe of the temper and prudence which govern your Majefty's proceedings; and we cannot too ftrongly exprefs to your Majefty our fixed deter mination to fupport your Majefty with our lives and fortunes, in defending against every aggreffion the dignity, rights, and interests, of the Britifh empire.

We beg to affure your Majefty, that you may at all times rely on the zeal and affection of your faithful Commons for fuch fupplies as may be neceffary for the fervice of the year; and that it muft afford us the most cordial fatisfaction to find that, notwithstanding 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 the public refources, and will furnith fuch means as may be equal to the great and vigorous exertions which the prefent crisis peculiarly requires.

We acknowledge, with the utmost thankfulness and fatisfac tion, that the diftreffes,, which were in the last year experienced from the scarcity of corn, are now, by the bleffing of God, happily removed, and that an abundant harvest affords the pleafing profpect of relief on that important article to the labouring claffes of the community; and with equal fatisfaction we reflect on the uninterrupted continuance of our internal tranquillity, on the general attachment of your Majesty's faithful fubjects to the British conftitution, and on the happy effects produced by the energy and wisdom of the laws, in repreffing the endeavours

of

of those who wished to introduce anarchy and confufion into the country.

We befeech your Majefty to believe that we are deeply impreffed with the gracious and paternal expreflions of your Majesty's conftant folicitude for the glory and happiness of your kingdoms; and we are perfuaded that your Majefty may at all times rely on the firm, zealous, and affectionate fupport of your Parliament in thofe exertions which are directed to the great object of defeating all the defigns of our enemies, of refloring to the people the bleffings of a fecure and honourable peace, and of delivering down unimpaired to the lateft pofterity thofe civil and religious bleffings, by which thefe kingdoms have been fo eminently diftinguished, under the protection of your Majefty's juft and aufpicious government.

On Monday, October 10, Mr. Speaker reported to the House, that the House attended his Majefty upon Saturday laft, with their address; to which his Majefty was pleafed to give this moft gracious answer:

Gentlemen,

I return you my particular thanks for this dutiful and affectionate addrefs. The cordial and unanimous affurances of your continued and zealous fupport afford me the utmoft fatisfaction in this important conjuncture: they must have the happiest tendency to give effect to my endeavours for the restoration of peace, ou fecure, honourable, and adequate terms; and they afford me, at the fame time, a juft confidence, that, if this defirable end cannot be obtained, I fhall be enabled to profecute the war with redoubled vigour and activity in fupport of our dearest interests.

In the House of Lords Earl Bathurst moved the following addrefs to his Majefty for his moft gracious fpeech:

Moft Gracious Sovereign,

WE your Majesty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parliament affembled, beg leave to return your Majesty our humble thanks for your Majefty's most gracious fpeech trom the throne.

We acknowledge with gratitude your Majefty's gracious condefcenfion in acquainting us that you have omitted no endeavours for fetting on foot negotiations to restore peace to Europe, and to fecure for the future the general tranquillity; and that the steps which you have taken for the purpofe have at length opened the

way

way to an immediate and direct negotiation, the iffue of which mult produce the defirable end of a juft, honourable, and folid peace, for us and for our allies, or must prove, beyond difpute, to what cause alone the prolongation of the calamities of war must be afcribed.

We entirely concur in the anxious with expreffed by your Majesty, that the ftep which your Majefty proposes to take of fending a perfon to Paris, with full power to treat for the restoration of a general peace, may lead to the accomplishment of that object. But we are fully fenfible that nothing can fo much contribute to give effect to this defire, as our manifefting that we poffefs both the determination and the refources to oppofe, with encreased activity and energy, the further efforts with which we may have to contend.

We feel this peculiarly neceffary at a moment when the enemy has openly manifefted the intention of attempting a defcent on these kingdoms. We are fully fenfible that it cannot be doubted what would be the iffue of fuch an enterprize; but we fhall, nevertheless, think it our duty to take every precaution that may either elude the attempt, or fecure the speediest means of turning it to the confusion and ruin of the enemy.

In reviewing the events of the year, we have great pleasure in obferving that, by the fkill and exertions of your Majefty's navy, the extenfive and increafing commerce of the country has been protected to a degree almoft beyond example, and that the fleets of the enemy have, for the greateft part of the year, been blocked up in their own ports; that the operations in the East and West Indies have been highly honourable to the British arms, and productive of great national advantage; and that the valour and good conduct of your Majefty's forces, both by fea and land, have been eminently confpicuous.

We have alfo obferved, with the utmost fatisfaction, that although the fortune of war on the Continent has been more various, and although the progrefs of the French armies threatened the utmost danger to all Europe, yet, from the honourable and dignified perfeverance of your Majefty's ally the Emperor, and from the intrepidity, difcipline, and invincible fpirit of the Auftrian forces, under the aufpicious conduct of his Royal Highnefs 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 result of the campaign will prove more difastrous to the enemy than its commencement was for a ime favourable to their hopes.

We rely with the utmost confidence on your Majefty's gracious affurances, that whenever your Majefty fhall be enabled to acquaint us with the final refult of the difcuffions, to which the apparently hoftile difpofition and conduct of the Court of Madrid has given

[ocr errors]

rife,

rife, they will afford to Europe a further proof of your Majesty's moderation and forbearance; and we entreat your Majefty to be affured that we are firmly determined to defend against every aggreffion the dignity, rights, and intereft of the Britith empire.

It has given us infinite pleasure to find that the diftreffes, which were in the last year experienced from the fcarcity of corn, are now, by the bleffings of God, happily removed, and an abundant harvest affords the pleafing profpect of relief in that important article to the labouring claffes of the community; that our internal tranquillity has alfo continued undisturbed, that the general attachment of the people to the British conftitution has appeared on every occafion, and that the endeavours of thofe who withed to introduce anarchy and confufion into this country have been repreffed by the energy and wifdom of the laws.

Perfuaded as we cannot but be, from long experience of your Majefty's virtues, that to defeat all the defigns of your enemies, to restore to your people the bleflings of fecure and honourable peace, to maintain inviolate their religion, laws, and liberty, and to deliver down unimpaired to the lateft pofterity the glory and happiness of thefe kingdoms, is the conftant with of your Majefty's heart, and the uniform end of all your Majesty's actions; permit us moít humbly to affure your Majesty, that in every measure that can conduce to thefe objects, your Majefty may rely upon our firm, zealous, and affectionate fupport, which we confider as a duty which we owe to your Majefty and to our country.

Earl Fitzwilliam moved the following amendment to the above addrefs:

THAT this Houfe, ftrongly impreffed with the juftice and neceffity of the prefent war, carried on for the maintenance of civil and moral order in the world, and for fecuring the balance of power in Europe, and the independence of all states, will continue to give his Majefty a vigorous fupport in afferting the general caufe of his Majefty and his allies, and for preferving the good faith, dignity, and honour of the Crown, in full affurance that no fteps thall be taken inconfiftent with thofe principles, or with the future fafety and profperity of thefe kingdoms: and fhould the apparently hoftile difpofition of the court of Madrid, inftigated by the intrigues and menaces of the common enemy, put his Majefty under the neceffity of repelling force by force, his Majefty may rely on the determination of this Houfe to give his Majefty the most ample fupport in defending against every aggreffion the dignity, rights, and interefts, of the British empire.

The

The amendment propofed by Earl Fitzwilliam was negatived without a divifion, and the original addrefs was agreed to nem. diff

To the addrefs of the Houfe of Peers his Majefty delivered the following anfwer:

My Lords,

I thank you very warmly for this dutiful and loyal addrefs. The fentiments you have expreffed, in the present important crifis of public affairs, afforded me the fureft pledge of your fupport in fuch measures as the intereft of the country fhall require; and you may rely upon every exertion being made on my part for the welfare, happiness, and safety of my people.

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

THE motion being made that the addrefs (in answer to his Majesty's Speech) do pafs, it paffed in the affirmative.

Diffentient,

ift. Because, by this addrefs, unamended as it ftands, the fan&tion of the Lords is given to a series of measures, as ill judged, with regard to their object, as they are derogatory from the dignity of his Majesty's crown, and from the honour of this kingdom. The reiteration of folicitations for peace to a fpecies of power, with whofe very existence 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 must increasethe arrogance and ferocity of the common enemy of all nations; they mult fortify the credit, and fix the authority of an odious government over an enflaved people; they muft impair the confi dence of all other powers in the magnanimity, conftancy, and fidelity of the British councils; 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 characterised in former times this high-minded nation, and which, far from finking under mif. fortune, 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 resources, and providing for the fafety of this kingdom, and its inseparable

con

« AnteriorContinuar »