His Majefty's Speech on the Prorogation of Parliament, Tuefilay, July 29.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

IN

N putting an end to this labo rious feffion of parliament, I muft exprefs the juft fenfe I entertain of the diligence and perfeverance with which you have applied yourselves to the various objects of public concern which came under your deliberation. It is with peculiar fatisfaction I congratulate you on the fuccefs of the fteps which you have taken for effecting an entire union between my kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland.

This great meafure, on which my wishes have been long earnestly bent, I fhall ever confider as the happieft event of my reign, being perfuaded that nothing could fo effectually contribute to extend to my Irish fubjects the full participation of the blaffings derived from the British conftitution, and to eftabish on the most folid foundation the ftrength, profperity, and power, of the whole empire.

I have witneffed with great concern the fevere preffure on my people, from the continued fearcity of the feafon; but I trust that, under the bleffing of Providence, there is now every reason to expect that the approaching harveft will afford a fpeedy and effectual relief.

Gentlemen of the Houfe of
Commons,

I return you my particular thanks for the zeal and liberality with which you have provided for the various exigencies of the public fervice. I regret deeply the neceffity of thefe repeated facrifices on the part of my fubjects, but they have been requifite for the prefervation of our deareft interefts; and it is a great confolation to obferve, that, notwithstanding the continuance of unufual burthens, the revenue, commerce, and refources of the country have flourifled beyond all former example, and are still in a ftate of progreffive augmentation.

My Lords and Gentlemen, The courfe of the campaign upon the continent has, by a fudden reverfe, difappointed the fanguine hopes which the fituation of affairs at its commencement appeared fully to justify, and has unhappily again expofed a confiderable part of Europe to thofe calamities and dangers from which it had recently been refcued by the brilliant fuccefs of my allies.

Much as thefe events are to be regretted, it will always be matter of just fatisfaction to me to reflect, that, in the courfe of this important conteft, my efforts, and those of my parliament, have been unremittingly employed for the mainte

nance of our own rights and interefts, and for animating and fupporting the exertions of other powers in defending the liberties of Europe.

Notwithstanding the viciffitudes of war, your conftancy and firmnefs have been productive of the moft important and lafting advantages in the general fituation of affairs; and the determination manifested in your recent declarations and conduct muft afford me the beft means of promoting, in conjunction with my allies, the general interefts, and of providing, under every circumstance, for the honour of my crown, for the happiness of my fubjects, and for the fecurity and welfare of every part of the British empire.

His Majefty's Speech on opening the Parliament, Tuesday, Nov. 11.

My Lords and Gentlemen, My tender concern for the welfare of my fubjects, and a fenfe of the difficulties with which the poorer claffes particularly have to struggle, from the prefent high price of provifions, have induced ime to call you together at an earlier period than I had otherwife in tended. No object can be nearer my heart than that, by your care and wisdom, all fuch measures may be adopted as may, upon full confideration, appear beft calculated to alleviate this fevere preffure, and to prevent the danger of its recurrence, by promoting, as far as poffible, the permanent extenfion and improvement of our agriculture.

For the object of immediate relief, your attention will naturally be directed, in the first inftance, to the best mode of affording the earlieft and the moft ample encourage

ment for importation of all descrip tions of grain from abroad.

Such a fupply, aided by the examples which you have fet on former occafions of attention to economy and frugality in the confumption of corn, is most likely to contribute to a reduction in the prefent high price, and to infure, at the fame time, the means of meeting the demands for the neceffary confumption of the year.

The prefent circumftances will alfo, I am perfuaded, render the state of the laws respecting the commerce in the various articles of provifion the object of your ferious deliberation.

If, on the refult of that deliberation, it fhall appear to you, that the evil neceffarily arifing from unfavourable seasons has been increafed by any undue combinations, or fraudulent practices, for the fake of adding unfairly to the price, you will feel an earneft defire of effectually preventing fuch abuses; but you will, I am fure, be careful to diftinguish any practices of this nature from that regular and long established courfe of trade which experience has fhown to be indifpenfable, in the prefent ftate of fociety, for the fupply of the markets, and for the fubfiftence of my people.

You will have feen with concern the temporary difturbances which have taken place in fome parts of the kingdom. Thofe malicious and difaffected perfons, who cruelly take advantage of the prefent difficulties to excite any of my subjects to acts in violation of the laws and of the public peace, are in the prefent circumftances doubly criminal, as fuch proceedings muft neceflarily and immediately tend to increafe, in the highest degree, the evil complained of; while they, at

the

The French expedition to Egypt has been checked in its career by the exertions of the Turkish arms, affifted by a small detachment of his majefty's forces, and the gallantry of their heroic commander.

The hoftile plans of the common enemy in India have terminated in the total deftruction of the power which had been misled by their artifices, and through the timely, vigorous, and decifive counfeis of the marquis Wellefey, and the confummate skill and valour of his majefty's generals, officers, and troops, the British poffeffions in that quarter of the globe have been beneficially extended, and effectually fecured.

By the defcent of his majefty's forces and of his Ruffian allies on the coaft of Holland, the Dutch fleet has been happily refcued from the power of the enemy; and although the feason, peculiarly unfavourable to military operations, produced the neceflity of relinquithing an enterprife fo fortunately begun, and prevented the complete accomplifiment of his majesty's views, yet the refult of that expedition has been peculiarly beneficial to this kingdom, in removing all fear of attack on our coafts from a quarter whence it had been fo often planned, and in enabling his majeffy's fleets to direct their vigilance exclufively to the fingle port from which the enemy can attack this country with any hope even of a temporary fuccefs.

My utmost care has been exerted to carry into execution the extraordinary powers which you have committed to my difcretion, with vi gour, and, at the fame time, with moderation. All tendency to infurre&tion has been effectually repreffed; but it gives me truc concern to acquaint you, that the painful neceflity of acting with feverity has

been too frequently impofed upon me; and although public tranquil, lity has been in a great measure,re, ftored, yet I have to lament that a difpofition to outrage and confpiracy ftill continues in feveral di ftricts, that much induftry.is, ufed to keep alive the fpirit of difaffection, and to encourage among the lower claffes the hopes of French affiftance.

I trust that the recent revolution in France cannot fail to open the eyes of fuch of his majesty's fub, jects as have been deluded by the artifices which have been unremit tingly employed to withdraw them from their allegiance; and that it will reftore and increafe the love of conftitutional order and of regu lated freedom, by demonstrating that the principles of falfe liberty tend ultimately to defpotism, and that the criminal ftruggles of democratic faction naturally clofe in mi litary ufurpation.

So long as the French, govern, ment, under whatever form it exerts its influence, fhall perfevere in fchemes of deftruction and projects. of ambition, fubverfive at once of the liberties of Europe and of the fecurity of his majesty's dominions, there can be no wife alternative but to profecute the war with increasing energy. It is by great exertions alone that either their views of ag grandifement can be fruftrated, or a folid peace procured; his majesty has therefore availed himfelf with peculiar fatisfaction of the cordial and great affiftance which has been afforded him by his faithful ally the emperor of Ruffia, and has thought right to make every exertion for augmenting the difpofeable military force of his own dominions. His majefty therefore has been highly gratified in accepting the fervices fo generoufly offered by his English

militia;

militia; and I am to exprefs to you the entire confidence which his majefty feels, that the zeal and loyalty of his militia of this kingdom, in forwarding at this important crifis the active operations of the empire, will not be lefs prompt and confpi

cuous.

The apprehenfions of general fcarcity which fome time fince took place, called for my early attention to this most important fubject; and I was induced, with the advice of the council, to offer premiums for the early importation of grain. This measure will, I flatter myfelf, meet your approbation; and I have full confidence in your wifdom, if it fhall be neceffary to refort to any further extraordinary means for proeuring a fupply.

Gentlemen of the Houfe of

Commons,

The evident neceffity of fecuring this kingdom from every danger, whether foreign or domeftic, and of rendering the fuccefs of invafion, if attempted, impracticable, will demonftrate to you the wisdom of continuing that enlarged fyftem of defence you have fo wifely adopted. 1 have therefore prdered the pub

lic accounts and eftimates for the enfuing year to be laid before you; and have the fulleft confidence, that, in the fupply which fuch a fituation fhall appear to you to require, you will equally confult the fafety of the kingdom, and the honour of his majesty's government.

I am induced to hope, that the great increase of the revenue which has taken place in the prefent year may enable you to raife the fums which may be wanted for the current fervices, without any diftreffing

addition to the burthens of the people.

My Lords and Gentlemen,
I recommend to your ufual atten-

tion the agriculture, the manufactures, and particularly the linen manufacture of Ireland; and I doubt not, that the Poteftant charter fchools, and thofe public inftitutions, whether of charity or of edu cation, which have been protected by your liberality, will fill receive a judicious encouragement.

It will be for your wildom to con→ fider how far it will be neceffary to continue any of thofe extraordinary powers, with which you have ftrengthened the authority of his majetty's government, for the more effectual fuppreffion and punishment of rebellious confpiracy and outrage.

His maj ty places the most entire reliance upon your firmness and widom; and he has no doubt that you will anxioufly purfue fuch meafures as fhall be beft calculated for nourable termination, and for rebringing the prefent war to an hofloring the country to permanent tranquillity.

It will be my conftant object to attend to your fuggeftions and adi vice, that I may by this means moft beneficially accomplish the commands I have received from his

majefty, and most effectually forthis kingdom. ward the interefts and happiness of

Speech of bis Excellency the Marquis Cornwallis, on concluding the Seffion of the Irish Parliament, Aug. 2.

My Lords and Gentlemen, The whole bufinefs of this im

portant feffion being at length moft fincere fatisfa&tion that I come happily concluded, it is with the municate to you, by his majesty's exprefs command, his warmest acknowledgments for that ardent zeal and unfhaken perfeverance which you have fo confpicuoufly manifeft

ed,