Forbes, Mr. Arekine, Sir James Ferguson, and Mr. Hume 1 Campbell, were ordered to prepare and bring in the fame; which Bill was prefented by Mr. Plumer on the 18th, but did not país. On Thursday the 15th of May, the King came to the Royal Affent House of Peers, and the Commons being fent for, his Majefty given to feveral Acts. gave the Royal Affent to the following public Bills, viz. An Act for granting an Aid to his Majefty, by a LandTax, to be raised in Great Britain for the Service of the Year 1735. An Act for enabling his Majesty to apply the Sum of One Million out of the Sinking Fund, for the Service of the Year 1735. An Act for granting and continuing the Duties upon Salt, and upon Red and White Herrings, for the farther Term of four Years; and for giving farther Time for the Payment of Duties, omitted to be paid for the Indentures and Contracts of Clerks and Apprentices. An Act for the Application of the Rents and Profits of the Eftates forfeited by the Attainders of James late Earl of Derwentwater and Charles Radcliffe. An Act to continue feveral Laws therein mentioned, for the better Regulation and Government of Seamen in the Merchants Service; for the regulating of Pilots of Dover, Deal, and the Ifle of Thanet; for preventing Frauds in the Customs, and to prevent the clandeftine Running of Goods, and for making Copper Ore of the British Plantations an enumerated Commodity. An Act to continue an A&t paffed in the third Year of his prefent Majesty's Reign, entitled, An Act for granting Liberty to carry Rice from his Majefty's Province of Carolina in America directly to any Part of Europe Southward of Cape Finisterre, in Ships built in and belonging to Great Britain, and navigated according to Law; and to extend that Liberty to his Majesty's Province of Georgia in America. An Act to continue fome Laws therein mentioned, relating to the Encouragement of the making of Sail Cloth in Great Britain, and for Encouragement of the Silk Manufactures in this Kingdom. An Act for regulating the quartering of Soldiers during the Time of Elections of Members to ferve in Parliament. An Act to indemnify Perfons, who have omitted to qualify themselves for Offices and Employments within the Time limited by Law; and for allowing further Time for that Purpose. An An Act to indemnify Proteftant Purchafers of Eftates of Papifts, against the Penalties or Forfeitures Papifts are liable to, for not having inrolled their Eftates, in purfuance of an Act of the 3d Year of King George I. for that Purpose. An Act to explain and amend an A&t paffed in the second Year of the Reign of his prefent Majefty, entitled, An A& for the Relief of Debtors, with refpect to the Imprisonment of their Perfons. An Act for the Amendment of the Law relating to Actions on the Statute of Hue and Cry. An A&t for rendering the Laws more effectual for punishing fuch Perfons as fhall wilfully and malicioufly pull down and deflroy Turnpikes for repairing Highways, or Locks, or other Works erected by Act of Parliament for making Rivers navigable; and for other Purpoles therein mentioned. An Act for the public registering all Deeds, &c. within the North Riding of the County of York, after the 29th of September 1736. An Act for the Encouragement of the Arts of Designing, Engraving and Etching historical and other Prints, by invefting the Property thereof in the Inventors and Engravers, during the Time therein mentioned. And to ten Road and other Bills of a private Nature, and to fixteen private Bills. For the King's Speech, See page. 101. The Number of contested Elections at the opening of the Parliament was seventy one. The Account laid before the Parliament of 815681. incurred by augmenting his Majefty's Forces, and concerting fuch Meafures as the Exigency of Affairs have required, purfuant to the Vote of Credit, formerly mentioned, is in Subftance, viz. 115003 Crowns, being a Moiety of 230000 Crowns payable by Treaty to the King of Denmark for Levy-Money for a Body of 6000 Danish Troops, and 62500 Crowns, being a Moiety of 230000 Crowns, Bank Money of Hamburgh payable to the King of Denmark for an annual Subfidy, purfuant to the faid Treaty, of which a Quarter became due the 19th of December, O. S. The reft of the 815691. was for trar porting the eight Regiments of Foot from Ireland to this Kingdom, and for Levy-Money to augment the faid Regiments, and the fending Six Companies from Gibraltar to Jamaica. The Expences incurred in the Sea Service, Anno 1734. purtuant to the faid Vote of Credit, amounted to 125,1421. SPEECHES AND DEBATES IN THE Houfe of Commons, DURING The First Seffion of the Eighth Parliament of Great Britain. 1734-35. N Tuesday, January 14, The King came Anno 8. Geo. II. nimously chofe Arthur Onflow, Efq; Mr Arthur Onflow Speaker of the laft Parliament. January 23. The King came to the House of Lords, and the Commons prefented their Speaker to his Majefty for his Approbation: His Majefty having approv'd their Choice, open'd the Seffion with the following Speech. VOL. IV. A My re-elected Speaker Anno 8. Geo. II. 1734-35. The King's Speech Seffion of his Second Parliament. 66 66 My Lords and Gentlemen, T' HE prefent Pofture of Affairs in Europe is fo well at opening the First quences, that may arife, and affect Us, from the War being extinguish'd, or being carried on, are fo obvious, that I am perfuaded you are met together fully prepared "and determined to discharge the great Trust repofed in "you at this critical Conjuncture, in fuch a Manner, as "will best contribute to the Honour and Intereft of my "Crown and People. 66 "I opened the laft Seffion of the late Parliament by ac"quainting them, that as I was no ways engaged, but by My good Offices, in the Tranfactions that were declared "to be the principal Caufes and Motives of the present War "in Europe, it was neceffary to ufe more than ordinary "Prudence and Circumfpection, and the utmost Precaution, "not to determine too haftily upon fo critical and impor"tant a Conjuncture; to examine the Facts alledg'd on "both Sides, to wait the Refult of the Councils of those "Powers, that are more nearly and immediately interested in the Confequences of the War, and particularly to con"cert with the States General of the United Provinces, "who are under the fame Engagements with Me, fuch "Measures as fhould be thought most advisable for Our "common Safety, and for reftoring the Peace of Europe. 66 "We have accordingly proceeded in this great Affair "with the mutual Confidence which fubfifts between Me "and the Republick; and having confidered together on "one Side the preffing Applications made by the Imperial "Court, both here and in Holland, for obtaining Succours against the Powers at War with the Emperor, and the repeated Profeffions made by the Allies on the other Side, "of their fincere Difpofition to put an End to the prefent "Troubles upon honourable and folid Terms, I concurred "in a Refolution taken by the States General, to employ, "without Lofs of Time, Our joint and earnest Inftances to Obring Matters to a fpeedy and happy Accommodation, "before we should come to a Determination upon the Suc" cours demanded by the Emperor. Thefe Instances did "not at first produce fuch explicit Anfwers from the con"tending Parties, as to enable Us to put immediately in "Execution our impartial and fincere Defires for that Purpofe: Refolved however to purfue fo great and falutary "a Work, and to prevent Our Subjects from being unneceffarily involved in War, We renewed the Offer of Our good Offices in fo effectual a Manner, as to obtain an Acceptation of them. 86 46 66 1734-35. "In confequence of this Acceptation, and of Our De- Anno 8. Geo. 11. claration made thereupon, to the refpective Powers engaged in the War, no Time has been lost in taking fuch Measures, as fhould be moft proper to make the beft ufe "of their good Difpofitions for re-establishing the Tranquility of Europe: And I have the Satisfaction to acquaint you, that Things are now brought to fo great a Forwardness, that I hope in a fhort Time a Plan will be "offered to the Confideration of all the Parties engaged in "the prefent War, as a Bafis for a General Negotiation of "Peace, in which the Honour and Intereft of all Parties "have been confulted, as far as the Circumftances of Time, " and the present Pofture of Affairs would permit. "I do not take upon Me to answer for the Succefs of a "Negotiation, where fo many different Interefts are to be "confidered and reconciled; but when a Proceeding is foun"ded upon Reason, and formed from fuch Lights as can be "had, it had been inexcufable not to have attempted a Work "which may produce infinite Benefits and Advantages, and " can be of no Prejudice, if we do not fuffer Ourselves to "be fo far amufed by Hopes, that may poffibly be after"wards difappointed, as to leave Ourfelves expofed to real "Dangers. "I have made use of the Power, which the late Parlia"ment intrufted Me with, with great Moderation; and I "have concluded a Treaty with the Crown of Denmark, "of great Importance in the present Conjuncture. It is "impoffible, when all the Courts of Europe are bufy and "in motion, to fecure to themselves fuch Supports as Time "and Occafion may require, for Me to fit ftill, and neglect Opportunities, which, if once loft, may not only be irre"trieveable, but turned as greatly to Our Prejudice, as they "will prove to our Advantage, by being feasonably fecured; “and which, if neglected, would have been thought a just "Caufe of Complaint. This neceffary Confidence, placed "in Me, has given great Weight to my Endeavours for the "Publick Good. 66 Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "I have ordered the Accounts and Eftimates to be pre"pared and laid before you, of fuch extraordinary Expences, "as were incurred laft Year, and of fuch Services, as I "think highly neceffary to be carried on and provided for : "And whatever additional Charges fhall be found necessary " fhall be reduced, as foon as it can be done confiftently "with the common Security. "And as the Treaty with the Crown of Denmark is at"tended with an Expence, I have ordered the fame to be 44 laid before you. A 2 |