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the further effufion of blood, the continued calamities of War, the interruptions of peaceable and friendly intercourfe among mankind, the prolonged diftreffes of Europe, and the accumula ted miferies of France itfelf, are by the Government of that country to be jufti. Bed to the world.

His Majefty, who had entered into the Negotiation with good faith, who has fuffered no impediment to prevent his profecuting it with earneftnefs and fincerity, has now only to lament its abrupt termination; and to renew, in

the face of all Europe, the folemn declaration, that, whenever his enemies fhall be difpofed to enter on the work of general Pacification, in a fpirit of conciliation and equity, nothing fhall be wanting on his part to contribute to the accomplishment of that great object, with a view to which he has already offered fuch confiderable facrifices on his part, and which is now retarded only by the exorbitant pretenfions of his ene

mies.

Westminster, 27th Dec. 1796.

JOURNAL of the PROCEEDINGS of the FIRST SESSION of the EIGHTEENTH PARLIAMENT of GREAT BRITAIN.

[Continued from Vol. XXX. Page 440.]

HOUSE OF LORDS.

MONDAY, DEC. 12.

ORD Grenville prefented a Meffage

Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, thanking him for his communication

Lfrom his Majefty, in which his Majeffy and affuring him, that their Lordships

faid, he had to lament that, notwithfranding all his endeavours, he had not been able to prevent hoftilities on the part of Spain, upon terms that would be honourable to his Crown, and to the intereft of his dominions; the Court of Spain having, with as much hafte as injuftice, declared war againft this Country: but he trufted in the firmnefs of his Parliament, and fpirit of the people, to convince all Europe that our refources were equal to maintain the digpity of the country,

Lord Grenville aifo prefented copies of the Spanish Declaration of War, and his Majefty's Anfwer thereto (See Vol. XXX. p. 375.444.); and then moved, That his Majefty's Meffage be taken into confideration to-morrow, and that the Lords be fummoned."-Ordered,

TUESDAY, DEC. 13.

Lord Grenville moved the order of the day, that his Majefty's Meffage Thould be taken into confideration; which being read, his Lordship ftated, that this was the third time that Spain, unprovoked by any hoftility on the part of this country, had joined the interefts of France in hoftility againft Great Britain; that his Britannic Majefty had, through the medium of his Ambaffador, tried every measure to preferve a good understanding, but in this his exertions had failed of effect: he fhould therefore move, That an humble and loyal

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TUESDAY, DEC. 20.

The order of the day being read, that all the Lords should be suminoned, Lord Grenville moved, That his Majesty's Meffage fhould be read; and the Meffage being read, he moved, That an humble Addrefs fhould be prefented, promifing to affift his Majefty, conformable to the purport of that Addrefs. The noble Lord faid a few words on the propriety of allifting the Emperor with a Loan,

The Duke of Bedford allowed the neceflity of fuch a Loan, as it might be conducive to Peace: but he reprobated the idea of a Minifter fending money

to

to a foreign Prince without the confent of Parliament; and this matter,, he faid, he fhould bring before the House after the Christmas recefs.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21. The order of the day being read for the commitment of the Loan Bill, the Duke of Norfolk faid, he reproached himself for fuffering the Bill to proceed fo far without fome comment on the conduct of Minitters, who had not even thought it neceffary to communicate to the Houfe a fingle fyllable on a Bill which added Eighteen Millions to the debt of the nation. In his opinion, the terms of the Loan were difadvantageous to the Public; and he had heard, that large fums had been fubfcribed under circumftances which he thought ought to induce their Lordships to call for the production of a lift of the fubfcribers, before they proceeded farther in the

Bill.

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FRIDAY, DEC, 39.

The Royal Affent was given by commithon to fix public and one private Bi.l.

Lord Grenville moved the order of the day for taking his Majefty's Message into confideration. The Earl of Guildford fuggefted the propriety of produ cing the inftructions feut to LordMalmefbury; but Lord Grenville opposing it as unneceffary, the noble Earl dropped the motion. Lurd Grenville then, in a very able manner, entered into the correfpondence between Lord Malmesbury and M. Delacroix, and concluded by moving an Addrets to his Majefty.

The Earl of Guildford moved an amendment exactly fimilar to that made by Mr. Fox, which was fupported by Lord Derby, who, though he withd the Netherlands in other hands than French, did not regard them as of fufficient conlequence to warrant the coninuance of the war. His Lordthip reprefented the fituation of manufacturers as deplorable, from the decay of trade. Lord

Lord Fitzwilliam difapproved the original motion and amendment; and moved to recognize the principle of the war agreeable to the Refolution of the Houfe in 1794. His Lordhip's

amendment was as follows:

**[That an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, to return his Majefty the thanks of this Houfe for his mott gracious Meffage] and for his Majefty's condefcenfion in having diretted the feveral memorials and papers referred to in his Majesty's Meffage, to beid before this Houfe.

That not doubting a fecure, permanent, and honourable Peace to have been ever his Majesty's object and anrious defire in this, as in every war, we are however convinced by the beginning, progrefs, and event of the late Negociation, that no future attempt of a fimilar kind on the part of this country, can be wife, decorous, or fafe, until the common enemy fhall have abandoned his hoftile difpofition towards all other States, by ceafing to place his own internal regulations above the public hw of Europe, to infift that all others fhall, in all cafes, facrifice the faith of their Alliances, and the protection of their ancient and deareft interefts, to the maintenance of his Treaties and the gratification of his ambition, and for ever to appeal to the people against their own lawful Governments.

"That our prefent experience only induces us more ftedfaftly to renew our former adherence to his Majefty's Royal Declaration, of his great and beneficent views, in October 1793, which he was gracioufly pleafed to communicate to us at the opening of the following Seffion in January 1794.

"That we hall never confider the poffeffors of power in France (under whatever name or external form of go vernment that power may be exercifed) as capable of maintaining the ordinary relations of peace and amity, until they fhall have disclaimed in conduct,

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no lefs than in words, that fyftem which, having emanated from the origi nai principle of the French Revolution, ftill continues to operate in a more dan gerous, becaufe in a more fpecious form, and which, in its Addrefs to his Majefty in January 1794, this Houfe defcribed as "a fyftem difpofing arbitrarily of the lives and property of a nu merous people, violating every restraint of juftice, humanity, and religion," "equally incompatible with the happtnefs of that country, and with the tran quillity of all other nations."

"That we now, as then, intreat his Majefty "to be perfuaded, that in all our deliberations we fhali bear in mind the true grounds and origin of the War;" that we fhall ever remember with juft indignation the attack made on his Majefty and his Majefty's Allies, grounded on principles which tend tạ destroy all property, to fubvert the laws and religion of every civilized Nation, and to introduce univerfally a wild and deftructive fyftem of rapine, anarchy, and impiety;" and "that we shall on our parts perfevere with union and vi gour in our exertions;" ftill more than ever fenfiole, that by difcontinuing or relaxing our efforts, we could hardly procure even a fhort interval of delufive repofe, and could certainly never obtain either fecurity or peace."

The Duke of Bedford and Lord Abingdon were in favour of the first amendment. Lords Kinnoul, Spencer, and the Lord Chancellor, opposed it; and on a divifion, the numbers were, Content 88, Non-content 8. Majority against the amendment 80. Lord Fitzwiliam's motion was negatived without a divifion.

The Duke of Bedford gave notice, that he would bring forward a motion for the purpose of inftituting an inquiry into the conduct of Ministers, on the 16th of February. Adjourned to the 14th of February.

COMMON S.

[The following proceedings of the Commons from Nov. 28, to Dec. 5, were by an accident omitted in our laft Number.]

MONDAY, NOV. 28.

THE Houfe having met pursuant to the laft adjournment of Nov. 12, the Mafter of the Rolls moved for a new

writ for Bath, vacant by Lord Thynne, who is called up to the Houfe of Peers, on the death of his father the Marquis of Bath.

*The words between crotchets are part of the original Address.

Mr.

Mr. Grey and Mr. Thelluffon took their feats, the former for the County of Northumberland, and the latter for the Borough of Southwark.

TUESDAY, NOV, 29.

Balloted for Committees to try the merits of the petitions complaining of undue elections and returns for Leominster and Milbourne Port.

Mr. Grey prefented a petition from Mr. Tierney, complaining of the undue election and return for the borough of Southwark. Ordered to be referred to a Committee.

New writs were ordered for Saltah, vice Edward Bearcroft, Efq. deceafed, and Winchelsea, vice R. Barwell, Efq.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30.

The order for taking into confideration the petition of Thomas Burgefs, Efq. complaining of an undue elec. tion for the borough of Bridport, was pifcharged.

Mr. Pitt moved, that there be issued and applied the fum of 420,000l. now remaining in the Exchequer, being the remaining difpofable overplus of the fupplies of laft year.

THURSDAY, DEC. 1.

A new writ was ordered for High ham Ferrers, vice Mr. Serjeant Adair, who has accepted the office of Chief Juftice of Chelter.

FRIDAY, DEC. 2.

The Speaker informed the Houfe, that Alexander Morris was in the cuf. tody of the Serjeant at Arms. He was afterwards ordered to be brought to the bar of the Houfe on Monday.

Mr.Coke,pursuant to the notice he had given, refe to make his motion for leave to bring in a Bill for regulating the Trials of Caufes and Indictments that arife within the limits of certain towns corporate in this kingdom. The object of this Bill was merely to leave it at the option of the partics who had caufes to try, to have them tried in their own districts, or take them to be tried in the county at large; for it was not now as of old, when caufes were tried by neighbours, and, as it were, at home, without any obftruction arifing to the courfe of juftice. Many abufes had crept in by time, which rendered the obtaining of justice in this manner frequently impracticable. For thefe he referred to the towns of Pool and of Hull. Thofe alfu who stood accused of

felony might alfo, in order to obtain a fair trial, get removed, by their Habeas Corpus, to the county gaol. His with was, therefore, to introduce a gentler courfe of justice, and not to abridge the jurifdiction of thefe towns.—In that view, he would now move, as above, "that leave be given, &c.

Mr. Le Febre feconded the motion, which was agreed to.

Mr. Pitt faid, that the end he propofed to himself in the Gamekeepers Bill might be accomplished by a clause in fome other Bill, by which a power might be given to call out fuch Gamekeepers as thould voluntarily enrol themselves, in cafe of neceffity, to ferve with the Militia of their respective coun. ties. He therefore moved, that this Bill be read a fecond time this day nine months, which motion was feconded by Mr. Fox, and agreed to. Adjourned to Monday Dec. 5. (for which fee Vol. XXX. P.435.)

FRIDAY, DEC. 9.

WET DOCKS.

Mr. Manning faid, he would not enter at prefent into the detailed obfervations on the tendency of the prefent meafure, fuch minute explanations having been already given on it. There was one circumftance, however, which peculiarly evinced the neceffity of the meafure, and this he was defirous to ftate. The property of the London merchants was frequently expofed to plunder, and to remedy this grievance an Act was paffed fome years ago, called the Bum-boat A&t. During a period, however, of only twenty-two months, no less than 340 perfons had been convicted at the office at Shadwell, and out of that number about 300 had paid the penalty, and were difcharged, again to commit fimilar depredations; at other offices a great number of others bad been convicted, and a majority of them paid the penalty. It was, therefore, evident that the existing laws on this fubject were inadequate to effect their intended purpose. But as a variety of contrary interests were involved in this queftion, he would not prefs it with any precipitation, but content himself with giving notice, that on the first open day after the recefs, he should move for the fecond reading of this bill.

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Mr. Alderman Anderfon was glad the bill was poftponed, as to him it appeared pregnant with the worst of canfequences.

MON

MONDAY, DEC. 12.

Mr. Jekyll obferved, that there never was a period when the encroach ments made upon the Conftitution were more flagrant than at prefent, but fcarce any inftance could be more alarming than what he was about to notice. During the meeting at Northampton, to carry into effect the late Supplementary Act, a large body of cavalry, without being required by the Magiftrates, marched into the town, and paraded the ftreets, and guarded the door where the Deputy Lieutenants were acting. So grofs was the outrage on the ufual decorum of civil proceedings, that one of the Deputy Lieutenants, a Mr. Woodhull, had thought proper to refign his office.

Mr. Windham said, that in confequence of a requifition of the Magiftrates and Deputy Lieutenants to the War Office, who had reafon to believe (what afterwards appeared) a mob was inftigated to oppofe the execution of an Act of Parliament, troops were ordered to the place, fubject to the call of the Magiftrates, but they had done nothing without their orders, and, leaft of all, that with which they were charged.

TUESDAY, DEC. 13.

SPANISH WAR.

Mr. Dundas, after affuring the Houfe every means had been employed by Minifters to avoid adding to the number of our enemies, moved an addrefs to his Majefty, thanking him for the communication of the Spanish papers, and affuring him of their fteady fupport against all his fees.

Mr. Fox gave his affent to the addrefs, in the hope that the affertion was true, that every means had been taken to prevent the war. He concluded by repeating fome of his former obfervations on the mifcalculation of Minifters with refpect to the confequences of the centeff with France.

Much irregular converfation took place about the appearance of the troops at the meeting of Deputy Lieutenants in Northamptonshire, one fide of the Houfe afferting their prefence was abfolutely neceffary to prevent a riot, and that they behaved with the utmoftpropri ety-and the other fide maintaining the reverse. A call to order at length put an end to the converfation.

Mr. Pitt then moved for leave to bring in a Bill to amend and explain the VOL, XXXI. JAN. 1797,

late Cavalry Bill. Mr. Fox immediately rofe and moved an amendment, that instead of the words amend and explain the word repeal should be inferted.

This brought on a debate, in which feveral members of the Oppofition re prefented the Bill as unneceffary, impracticable, and moft oppreffive; whilft on the other fide, Administration afferted the body of men to be provided would be in the hour of danger of the utmost service, that the Bill as amended would be easily carried into execution, and that the expence would fcarcely be felt by thofe upon whom it was to fall; and, at last, the amendment was negatived by a majority of 121, and Mr. Pitt's new Bill received.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 14.

Mr. Fox, in bringing forward a motion to cenfure and punish Minifters for having dared to fend money to the Emperor without the authority of Parliament, faid, he fhould not trefpass long upon the House, because his arguments had been anticipated by two former difcuffions on the fubject, and the principles upon which he grounded the motion were fo clear, that he should rather affert than argue them. If there were two leading principles in the British Conftitution, they were thefe: rft, that this is a limited, not an arbitrary Monarchy; and 2dly, that it is the peculiar province of the Houfe of Commons to judge of the expences of the State, and to direct the application of the public money.

Now, how had these two principles been adhered to by the Minifter?-During part of the fitting of Parliament, and without communicating to the Houfe the flighteft intimation on the fubject, he had, in daring violation of his duty, and in contravention to law, made large remittances to a foreign Potentate of the public money. He hoped, perhaps, under the brilliant fuccefs of the Auftrian arms, to eftablish a precedent which, if paffed in filence, would fet afide the authority of Parliament, and that invaluable principle of the Conftitution which makes the Commons House the fole Judges of the expediency and appropriation of the National Supplies. If he did entertain fo arrogant a hope, he was perfuaded he would be difappointed, for if the Houfe would not mark with their greatest reprobation this attack upon the Conftitution, that

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