Parliamentary Register; O R, HISTORY OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS; CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF The most interesting SPEECHES and MOTIONS; accurate Appointed to meet at Weftminfier, on Thursday the 26th Day of OЯober, 1775. THE HE King being on the throne in the Houfe of Peers, and the Commons attending, his Majefty opened the feffion with a speech. The Commons being returned to their own House, the Speaker informed them, he had (to prevent mistakes) obtained a copy of his Majefty's fpeech, which he read as follows: My Lords, and Gentlemen, The prefent fituation of America, and my conftant defire to have your advice, concurrence, and affiftance on every important occafion, have determined me to call you thus early together. Those who have long too fuccefsfully laboured to inflame my people in America by grofs misrepresentations, and to infufe into their minds a fyftem of opinions repugnant to the true conftitution of the colonies, and to their fubordinate relation to Great-Britain, now openly avow their revolt, hoftility, and rebellion. They have raifed troops, and are collecting a naval force; they have feized the public revenue, and affumed to themselves legislative, executive, and judicial powers, which they already exercife, in the moft arbitrary VOL. III. B manner, manner, over the perfons and properties of their fellow fubjects and although many of these unhappy people may ftill retain their loyalty, and may be too wife not to fee the fatal confequence of this ufurpation, and wifh to refift it, yet the torrent of violence has been ftrong enough to compel their acquiefcence, till a fufficient force fhall appear to support them. The authors and promoters of this defperate confpiracy have, in the conduct of it, derived great advantage from the difference of our intentions and theirs. They meant only to amufe by vague expreffions of attachment to the parent ftate, and the strongest proteftations of loyalty to me, whilst they were preparing for a general revolt. On our part, tho' it was declared in your last feffion, that a rebellion existed within the province of the Maffachufet's Bay, yet even that province we wifhed rather to reclaim than to fubdue. The refolutions of Parliament breathed a fpirit of moderation and forbearance; conciliatory propofitions accompanied the meafure taken to enforce authority; and the coercive acts were adapted to cafes of criminal combinations among fubjects not then in arms. I have acted with the fame temper, anxious to prevent, if it had been poffible, the effufion of the blood of my fubjects, and the calamities which are infeparable from a ftate of war; ftill hoping that my people in America would have difcerned the traiterous views of their leaders, and have been convinced, that to be a fubject of Great-Britain, with all its confequences, is to be the freeft member of any civil fociety in the known world. The rebellious war now levied is become more general, and is manifeftly carried on for the purpose of establishing an independent empire. I need not dwell upon the fatal effects of the fuccefs of fuch a plan. The object is too important, the fpirit of the British nation too high, the refources with which God hath bleffed her too numerous, to give up fo many colonies which fhe has planted with great industry, nurfed with great tendernefs, encouraged with many commercial advantages, and protected and defended at much expence of blood and treasure. It is now become the part of wisdom, and (in its effects) of clemency, to put a fpeedy end to thefe diforders, by the moft decifive exertions. For this purpofe, I have encreased my naval establishment, and greatly augmented my land forces; but in fuch a manner as may be the leaft burthenfome to my kingdoms. I have also the fatisfaction to inform you, that I have received the most friendly offers of foreign affiftance; and if I fhall make any treaties in confequence thereof, they shall be laid before you. And I have, in teftimony of my affect on to my people, who have no caufe in which I am not equally interested, fent to the garrifons of Gibraltar and Port Mahon a part of my Electoral troops, in order that a larger number of the established forces of this kingdom may be applied to the maintenance of its authority; and the national militia, planned and regulated with equal regard to the rights, fafety, and protection of my crown and people, may give a farther extent and activity to our military operations. When the unhappy and deluded multitude, against whom this force will be directed, fhall become fenfible of their error, I fhall be ready to receive the mifled with tenderness and mercy and in order to prevent the inconveniencies which may arise from the great diftance of their fituation, and to remove as soon as poffible the calamities which they suffer, I fhall give authority to certain perfons upon the spot to grant general or particular pardons and indemnities, in fuch manner, and to fuch perfons, as they fhall think fit, and to receive the fubmiffion of any province or colony which fhall be difposed to return to its allegiance. It may be alfo proper to authorise the perfons fo commiffioned to restore fuch province or colony, fo returning to its allegiance, to the free exercife of its trade and commerce, and to the fame protection and fecurity as if such province or colony had never revolted. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons, I have ordered the proper estimates for the enfuing year to be laid before you; and I rely on your affection to me, and your refolution to maintain the juft rights of this country, for fuch fupplies as the prefent circumftances of our affairs require. Among the many unavoidable ill confequences of this rebellion, none affects me more fenfibly than the extraordinary burthen which it must create to my faithful subjects. My Lords and Gentlemen, I have fully opened to you my views and intentions. The conftant employment of my thoughts, and the most earnest wishes of my heart, tend wholly to the fafety and happiness of all my people, and to the re-establishment of order and tranquility through the feveral parts of my dominions, in a close connection and conftitutional dependence. You see the tendency of the prefent diforders, and I have ftated to you the meafures which I mean to pursue for fuppreffing them. Whatever remains to be done that may farther contribute to this B 2 end, |