ble wretches from receiving that affiftance which their diftreffed fituation may require, I hereby make known to them, that as foon as their health is reftored, they fhall have free liberty to return to their respective provinces.

Given under my hand and feal of arms, at the Caftle of St. Lewis, in the city of Quebec, this 10th day of May, 1776.

GUY CARLETON.

Subftance of the Speech made by Sir Fletcher Norton, Speaker of the Houfe of Commons, to his Majefty, previous to that, by which bis Majefty, on the 23d of May, put an End to the Second Seffion of the Fourteenth Parliament of GreatBritain.

T

HE Speaker obferved, "that, fince the commencement of the prefent feffion, feveral wife, falutary, and neceffary laws had been enacted, particularly the law for prohibiting all trade and commerce with America, the law for the more speedy and effectual manning of his Majefty's navy, and the law for establishing a national militia, he observed, that his faithful Commons, with equal affiduity and attention, performed their duty, in the courfe of a very long and fevere feffion: that the bufinefs of America engroffed the greatest part of their time, and that nothing had been left undone, on their part, to bring that matter to a fpeedy and happy conclufion: that the measures, neceffary to effect fo defirable an end, had brought on a very heavy expence: that nothing had been wanting on the part of his faithful Commons in order

to ftrengthen the hands of govern ment, for they had voted the moft full and ample fupplies: that, convinced of the juftice and neceffity of fecuring the fubordinate dependence of America, they had chearfully co-operated in every propofition for fecuring the duty of his Majefty's fubjects in that country, and their obedience to the legiflative power of Great Britain: that his faithful commons, whatever measures may have been taken for the fecurity of both, by a proper exertion of the ftrength of this country, did not wish for conqueft, but were defirous of peace and conciliation. And, on the whole, trufting to his Majefty's parental attention to the interefts of every part of the empire, they had a full reliance on his Majefty's wifdom and goodness, that the prefent difputes with America would be happily terminated; and would be established on fo firm a basis, and put on fo permanent a footing, as to prevent a return of the fame evil in times to come."

TH

The King's most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, on Thursday the 23d of May, when His Majefty put an End to the forefaid Seffion of Parliament. My Lords and Gentlemen, THE conclufion of the public business, and the advanced feafon of the year, make it proper for me to give you fome recefs; but I cannot put an end to this feffion without affuring you, that the fresh inftances of your affectionate attachment to me, and of your fteady attention and adherence to the true intereffs of your country,

which you have fhewn through the whole courfe of your important deliberations, afford me the higheft, fatisfaction.

No alteration has happened in the ftate of foreign affairs fince your meeting; and it is with plea fure I inform you, that the affurances which I have received of the difpofitions of the feveral powers in Europe, promife a continuance of the general tranquillity.

Gentlemen ofthe H. of Commons,

It is with real regret and concern that I find myself under the neceffity of asking of my faithful Commons any extraordinary fupplies I thank you for the readinefs and difpatch with which they have been granted; and they are the more acceptable to me, as you have fhewn, in the manner of raifing them, an equal regard to the exigencies of the fervice, and

the eafe of my people and you may be affured, that the confidence you repofe in me fhall be ufed with proper frugality, and applied only to the purpofes for which it was intended.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

We are engaged in a great national caufe, the profecution of which must inevitably be attended with many difficulties and much expence: : but when we confider, that the effential rights and interests of the whole empire are deeply concerned in the iffue of it, and can have no fafety or fecurity but in that conftitutional fubordination for which we are contending, I am convinced that you will not think any price too high for the prefervation of fuch objects.

I will ftill entertain a hope, that my rebellious fubjects may be awakened to a sense of their errors, VOL. XIX. 1776.

and that, by a voluntary return to their duty, they will justify me in bringing about the favourite with of my heart, the restoration of harmony, and the re-establishment of order and happiness in every part of my dominions. But, if a due fubmiffion fhould not be obtained from fuch motives and fuch difpofitions on their part, I trust that I fhall be able, under the bleffing of Providence, to effectuate it by a full exertion of the great force with which you have intrusted me.

Circular Letter written by Lord Howe, to the Governors of the American Provinces on his Arrival on the Coast of Maffachufet's Bay, and an enclosed Declaration addreffed to the Inhabitants; with the Refolutions and Proceedings of the Continental Congrefs relative to both.

The Circular Letter.

Eagle, off the Coast of the Province of Maffachufet's Bay, June 20, 1776.

,,SIR,

Bin Chief of the ships and vefEING appointed Commander

fels of his Majefty's fleet employed in North America, and having the honour to be by his Majefty conftituted one of his Commiffioners for restoring peace to his colonies, and for granting pardons to fuch of his fubjects therein, as fhall be duly folicitous to benefit by that effect of his gracious indulgence; I take the earliest opportunity to inform you of my arrival on the American coaft, where my first object will be an early meeting with General Howe, whom his Ma[R]

jesty

jefty hath been pleafed to join with me in the faid commiffion. In the mean time, I have judged it expedient to iffue the inclofed declaration, in order that all perfons may have immediate information of his Majesty's moft gracious intentions: and I defire you will be pleafed forthwith to caufe the faid declaration to be promulgated, in fuch manner, and in fuch places within the province of

mentioned, it is enacted that "it shall and may be lawful to and for any perfon or perfons appointed and authorised by his Majefty, to grant a pardon or pardons to any number or defcription of perfons, by proclamation in his Majefty's, name, to declare any colony or province, colonies or provinces, or any county, town, port, district, or place, in any colony or province, to be at the peace of his Majefty;"

Affured of being favoured with your affiftance in every meafure for the speedy and effectual restoration of the public tranquillity, I am to request you will communicate, from time to time, fuch information as you may think will facilitate the attainment of that important object in the province over which you prefide. I have the honour to be, with great respect and confideration, Sir, your most obedient humble fervant,

The Declaration.

HOWE.

By Richard Viscount Howe, of the kingdom of Ireland, one of the King's Commiffioner's for reftoring peace to his Majefty's colonies and plantations in North America, &c. WHEREAS by an act paffed in the laft feffion of parliament, to prohibit all trade and intercourfe with the colonies of New Hampfhire, Maffachufet's Bay, Rhode Ifland, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennfylvania, the three lower counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and for other purposes therein 6

iffuing of any fuch proclamation in any of the aforefaid colonies or provinces, or if his Majefty fhall be graciously pleafed to fignify the fame by his royal proclamation, then, from and after the iffuing of fuch proclamation," the faid “act, with refpect to fuch colony or province, colonies or provinces, county, town, port, diftrict or place, fhall ceafe, determine, and be utterly void." And whereas the King, defirous to deliver all his fubjects from the calamities of war, and other oppreffions which they now undergo; and to restore the faid colonies to his protection and peace, as foon as the conftitutional authority of government therein may be replaced, hath been graciously pleafed, by letters pathe 6th day of May, in the fixtent under the great feal, dated teenth year of his Majefty's reign, to nominate and appoint me, Richard Vifçount Howe, of the kingdom of Ireland, and William Howe, Efq; General of his forces in North America, and each of us, jointly and feverally, to be his Majelty's Commifiioner and Commiffioners for granting his free and general pardons to all thofe, who in the tumult and diforder of the times, may have deviated from

their

their juft allegiance, and who are willing, by a speedy return to their duty, to reap the benefits of the royal favour; and alfo for declaring, in his Majesty's name, any colony, province, county, town, port, diftrict or place, to be at the peace of his Majefty; I do therefore hereby declare, That due confideration fhall be had to the meritorious fervices of all perfons who fhall aid and affift in reftoring the public tranquillity in the faid colonies, or in any part or parts thereof that pardons fhall be granted, dutiful reprefentations received, and every fuitable encouragement given for promoting fuch measures as fhall be conducive to the establishment of legal government and peace, in purfuance of his Majefty's most gracious purpofes aforefaid.

Given on board his Majefty's fhip the Eagle, off the coafts of the province of Maffachufet's Bay, the 20th of June, 1776.

HOWE.

The Refolution of the Congress. In Congrefs, July 19. RESOLVED, That a copy of the circular letters, and of the declaration they inclofed from Lord Howe to Mr. Franklin, Mr. Penn, Mr. Eden, Lord Dunmore, Mr. Martin, and Sir James Wright, late Governors, fent to Amboy by a flag, and forwarded to Congrefs by General Washington, be publithed in the feveral gazettes, that the good people of thefe United States may be informed of what nature are the commiffions, and what the terms, with the expectation of which the infidious court of

The two following Papers feem to exhibit the Extremes of Zeal and Indifference, with which the Powers of Europe regard the prefent Quarrel between Great Britain, and her North-American Colonies; and, therefore, cannot but be entertaining to the Reader.

Decree of his Moft Faithful Majefty the King of Portugal, dated the 4th of June, 1776

Wbeen informed, that the

HEREAS we have lately

British Colonies of North America have, by an act of the Congrefs held on the 5th of May laft past, not only declared themfelves entirely free from all fubjection to the crown of Great Britian, but were moreover actually employed

in forming and enacting laws by their own private authority, in oppofition to the lawful rights of our brother, friend, and ally, the King of Great Britian: and whereas fo pernicious an example ought to engage every Prince, even thofe it interefts the leaft, not to abet, favour, or affift, by any means, directly or indirectly, fuch fubjects united in fuch direct and open rebellion against their natural fovereign: it is our pleasure, and we do hereby ordain, that no fhip, with lading or without, coming from of the any of ports the aforefaid British America, fhall be allowed any intercourfe with or entrance into any of the ports of thefe our kingdoms, or of the dominions thereunto belonging; but that, on the contrary, they fhall be forced away immediately on their arrival, without fuccour of any. kind whatever: and that as to the mafters of veffels who have hitherto been fuffered to enter (there not appearing reafon for their being excluded) it fhall be notified to them, that within the precife term of eight days, to be counted fucceffively, they fhall quit the faid ports with their veffels, which shall firft be fearched, in order to difcover if they have gunpowder on board, or any other of those warlike ftores, the export of which was prohibited to them by our Royal Decree of the 21st of October laft, directed to the officers of our arfenal and exportation duties: and that if any fuch ftores or ammunition fhall be found put on board by stealth, the faid veffels, as a capture from declared rebels, fhall be confifcated for the ufe of carrying on the public buildings; and fo be it understood by the

Council