Motion for an Ad The Commons being returned to their Houfe, and Mr Anno 9. Geo. II. 1735-36. Speaker having reported his Majefty's Speech, Mr Stephen Fox mov'd, That an humble Address be presented to his Mr Stephen Fox's Majefty, to return his Majefty the Thanks of that Houfe drefs of Thanks. for his moft gracious Speech from the Throne: To express their grateful Senfe of his Majesty's continued Endeavours to restore the publick Tranquility, and to avoid involving this Nation unneceffarily in the fatal Confequences of a general War: To congratulate his Majefty upon the happy Turn, which the Affairs of Europe had taken, by their Imperial and most Christian Majefties having agreed to preliminary Articles for a general Pacification; and upon the great Probability of their being accepted by all the Powers engaged in the War: And to declare, from the Affurances his Majefty had been pleased to give them, that thofe Preliminaries did not effentially vary from the Plan of Pacification concerted and propofed by his Majefty and the States General'; from a juft Confidence in his Majefty's Goodness, and the Experience they had of his conftant and paternal Care of the true Intereft of his People, through the whole Course of this great and intricate Work; and from his Majefty's having declared, in Conjunction with the States, his Approbation of the faid Preliminaries, as proper Conditions of a general Pacification; that they could make no Doubt, but they were fuch as would give a general Satisfaction: To return his Majesty their Thanks for his early Care in eafing the Burthens of his People, and reducing a confiderable Number of his Forces both by Sea and Land: To affure his Majefty that they would, with great Chearfulness, raise the neceffary Supplies: And, to teftify their Gratitude from a juft Senfe of the Bleffings they then enjoyed, and from the Profpect of future Happiness, That they would fupport his Majesty in fuch Measures, as fhould be found reasonable and neceffary to render that great and defirable Work perfect and lafting. liams. Mr Fox was feconded by Mr Hanbury Williams And Mr Hanbury WiLord Tyrconnell declar'd, "That he thought the Peace was La Tyrconnell. more fafe, honourable and glorious, than it was poffible for. us to expect.' Upon this Occafion Mr Shippen and Mr Walter Mr Shippen. Plamer took Notice of that Part of the King's Speech, which Mr Walt. Plumer, related to the Reduction of the Forces, and added, "That they hoped fome whole Regiments would be reduced, and not a Number of private Men only, as had been formerly practifed upon the like Occafions; for that the reducing of a whole Regiment would be a much greater Saving to the Nation, than the reducing of an equal Number of private Men: That in our prefent melancholy Circumftances, every Method ought to be practifed by which the publick MoVOL. IV. ney Anno 9. Geo. 11. 1735-36. A Petition of Sir Rowland Winn, andue Election for complaining of an the County of York. ney might be faved, in order to apply as much as possible That the Advantage of reducing whole Regiments, was That it was not poffible for them to find a military Reafon why we ought to keep up, and in whofe Pay too, a greater Proportion of Officers in Time of Peace than we did in Time of War; and as there was no Military Reason for fo doing, People would be apt to fuppofe it was done for a Civil Reafon; which was a Suppofition injurious to his Majefty, or at least to his Minifters; and for that Reafon they would in a particular Manner recommend it to an honourable Gentleman on the Floor, [Sir Robert Walpole] to reduce whole Corps, inftead of reducing private Men only.' Then Mr Fox's Motion was agreed to without Debate, and a Committee ordered to draw up an Addrefs accordingly. Jan. 16. A Petition of Sir Rowland Winn, Bart. was pre- Jan. 17. The Commons prefented their Addrefs of Moft Gracious Sovereign, E your Majefty's moft dutiful and loyal Subjects, nbled, return your Majefty our unfeigned Thanks for And it is, with the warmest Gratitude, we acknowledge our Majesty's particular Care and Circumfpection, in all Our Proceedings not to involve this Nation unneceffarily the War; when at the fame Time, Your Majesty ewed You were not infenfible of the imminent Danger at threatened the Liberties of Europe, from a long Conuance of it upon fo unequal a Foot. A Conduct wherein our Majefty plainly proved, You equally confulted the mediate Interests of Your People, and that Balance of ower in Europe, upon which the Safety and Commerce this Nation fo much depends: At once faving this ation from all the prefent Calamities of War, and trying avert the future Neceffity of its being at laft obliged to ke its Share and Hazard in them. We can't but be fenfible of Your Majesty's Wisdom d Impartiality, in forming the Plan of Pacification, profed by Your Majefty and the States General, to the Owers engaged in War; which although not immediely accepted by the contending Parties, nor anfwering e defired Effect by preventing the opening of the Camign, has been fo far adopted, that the most material and Tential Parts of it have been agreed to by the Princes iginally and principally concerned in this Rupture, and commended by them to their Allies as Preliminary Arcles to a General Pacification. Upon this happy Turn the Affairs of Europe have taken, e moft heartily congratulate with Your Majefty; and hen we confider the Affurances Your Majefty has been aciously pleased to give us, that thefe Preliminaries do not Tentially vary from the Plan of Pacification, concerted Your Majefty and the States General, and the ready pprobation Your Majefty and the States General have ven of them; a juft Confidence in Your Wisdom, and Le Experience we have of Your conftant and paternal are of the true Intereft of Your People, through the hole Course of this great and intricate Work, leaves us ot the least Room to entertain a Doubt, but that the Preminary Conditions of this Pacification, are founded, and O 2 Anno 9 Geo. II. 1735-36. The Commons Addrefs of Thank's for his Majefty's Speech. Asnag. Ged. 11. 1735-36. fo approved, as will give general Satisfaction; in which Perfuafion we are farther confirmed, by the great Probability there appears to be of their being accepted and agreed to, by all the Powers engaged in the War. The early Regard Your Majefty has been graciously pleafed to fhew to the Welfare of Your People, in taking the firft Opportunity, on this great and fortunate Event, to lighten the Burthen of their Expences, by making a • Reduction of Your Forces, both by Sea and Land, is fuch 4 a Mark of Your Care in confulting their Intereft, and of "Your tender Concern for their Eafe, that we should be as unjust to our Gratitude, as to Your Majefty's Goodnefs, if we failed to teftify the one, and acknowledge the other, in the strongest and most dutiful Manner. And as we look upon this, added to all the other Measures of Your glorious and happy Reign, as a Proof that the Estimates for the prefent Year will be proportioned to the Situation of Affairs, and the Purposes to which they fhall be found neceffary; fo we beg Leave to affure Your Majefty, that ⚫ we will chearfully and effectually raife fuch Supplies, as the Pofture of our prefent happy Circumftances fhall re'quire, and fufficient to fupport the Dignity of the Crown, and the Honour and Intereft of Your Majefty's Subjects ⚫ and Dominions. ⚫ And if fuch Motives could want any additional Circumftance to excite us to fulfil our Duty to Your Majesty and our Country, the Reflection on the good Effect the extra⚫ ordinary Supplies, granted the laft Year to Your Majesty, * muft have had, in contributing to bring this long-laboured Work to fo happy an Iffue, joined to the Confcioufness of the Influence Your Majefty's Counsels must ever have in the Affairs of Europe, whilft a loyal Parliament fhews it⚫ felf determined to fupport the Refolutions of a wife and 'cautious Prince, cannot fail to operate with their due • Weight, in making us perfevere in our Endeavours to give a Luftre to Your Majefty's Reign abroad, equal, if poffible, to the Happiness we enjoy from it at home." His Majefty's An- ce fwer. To this Addrefs his Majefty gave the following Anfwer. Gentlemen, Return you my Thanks for this dutiful and loyal Addrefs. I am very well pleased, that my Endeavours "to restore the publick Tranquility have met with your "Approbation; and you may be affured, my future Care "fhall be employed, to the utmost of my Power, to render "the Peace of Europe perfect and lafting, and to make "you a flourishing, and happy People." Jan. tition complain Jan. 19. A Petition of the Gentlemen, Clergy, and o- Anno 9. Geo. II. ther Freeholders of the County of Norfolk, whose Names 1735-36. were thereunto fubfcribed, in behalf of themselves and a Debate on a Pe great Number more of the Freeholders of the faid County, ing of an uncomplaining of an undue Election and Return for the faid due Election for County, was prefented to the House and read; and a Mo- Norfolk tion being made for hearing the Matter of the faid Petition at the Bar of the Houfe on the 26th of February, Sir John Hynde Cotton ftood up and faid, Sir, the County of I am furprised to hear fuch a Motion made, confider- sir J. Hynde Coting the Houfe, but three Days fince, appointed the York- ton. fhire Petition to be heard at the Bar of this Houfe on the 24th of next Month, which is but two Days before the Day now moved for hearing the Norfolk Petition. This looks as if the honourable Gentleman imagined, that we could go thro' the Yorkshire Petition in two Days; whereas, in my Opinion, if we examine into it as we ought, and as I hope we will, it will take us up two Years, or at least the ufual Time of two Seffions. I confefs, Sir, I have not the Honour to be let into the Secrets of any of the Yorkfhire Petitioners, but I believe the honourable Gentleman, who made the Motion, is thoroughly acquainted with their real and moft hidden Defigns; therefore, from his making fuch a Motion as he has been juft now pleased to make you, I must conclude, that the Yorkshire Petitioners are refolved to drop their Petition, in cafe they should find themselves unable to carry fome very remarkable Question the firft or fecond Day. If this be really the Cafe, the honourable Gentleman was much in the Right to make you fuch a Motion as he has done, with regard to the Norfolk Election; but while we are Members of this House, I think, we ought upon no Occafion to be directed, in our way of voting, by the private Opinion or fecret Knowledge of other Men; and therefore if the honourable Gentleman knows of any fuch Secret with regard to the Yorkshire Petition, he will stand up again and acquaint the House with it, that we may have the fame Reafon for agreeing to his Motion, which he had for making it.' Mr Pulteney stood up next, and faid, Sir, I am very forry to find fo many Petitions complaining Mr Pulteney. of undue Elections and Returns for Counties; for the Expence of controverting fuch Elections is fo great, that it is impoffible any Gentleman can bear to pay the whole out of his private Fortune. As the Cafe ftands at prefent, whenever the Election for a County comes to be controverted, the Expence muft neceffarily be raised by a general Contri bution |