Parliamentary Register; O R, HISTORY OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS; CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF The most interefting SPEECHES and MOTIONS; accurate Printed for J. ALMON, oppofite BURLINGTON-HOUSE, in PICCADILLY. MDCCLXXX. Appointed to be held at Westminster, on Thursday the 25th day of AS foon as the Commons had returned from the House of Lords, and the Speaker had read the King's speech, (for which fee the Lords debates of this day) Lord Lewisham moved the ufual addrefs. His Lordship Lord Lewibegan with lamenting that no brilliant circumftances, no fbam. very remarkable or interefting events had diftinguifhed the operations of the fummer campaign; at leaft, none fuch as could invite that Houfe of Parliament. to carry their congratulations to the foot of the throne. The fummer, he obferved, had been marked rather with inactivity, an inactivity however not wholly confined to our fleets and armies. Inferior to the enemy, and confequently lefs fitted for enterprize, active or offenfive operations could hardly be expected from us. The fuperiority of our enemies, on the other hand, fhould have infpired in them a fpirit, proportioned to their apparent profpects of fuccefs. Was that the cafe? No; the combined powers of France and Spain feemed to have been feifed with a torpor, which either proved the deficiency of their plans, or their total incapacity in carrying them into execution. A powerful and numerous fleet had been equipped; a confiderable land force had been aflembled feemingly with an intention, to invade this country; and the flag of Bourbon difplayed along our coafts, in an empty VOL. XVI. B and and inefficient parade: and the lives, treafure and time of the enemy, were wafted to no purpose. They had vainly threatened to drive us to the laft trial, a contention for our all, to oblige us to defend our altars and our firefides, which if they had attempted, the firm countenance of our army, the undaunted refolution of our militia and those patriotic individuals who ftepped forth and manifefted a zeal and alacrity fcarcely paralleled in any former period of our hiftory, followed by the liberal contributions made by feveral refpectable bodies of men, afforded every rational ground, that we fhould have triumphed over our foes; and that the rafhnefs and audacity of the attempt, would be equalled only by the fucceffion of defeats and difgraces which would have followed. For his part, he confeffed he was one of those, however paradoxical it might appear, who fincerely wifhed, that the enemy had landed. Thoroughly fatisfied, that opposed by a brave and well difciplined militia commanded by men who had the firft intereft in the prefervation of this country, the invadors muft, in his opinion, have met with repeated defeats, which would probably have terminated in total deftruction or captivity, Upon the whole, when he confidered that our trade had been protected from the ravages and depredations of a most formidable confederacy of power, combined for the purposes of injuftice and reftlefs ambition; that the intentions of invading this ifland had been fruftrated; and the most powerful armaments our combined enemies were able to fend forth to terrify or moleft us, had been baffled, he could not but be perfuaded that the event of the campaign, all circumftances confidered, was clearly in our favour. As to Ireland, he did not doubt, but fuch relief would be given to that country, as its state and prefent diftreffes particularly called for, and fuch as our own immediate fituation would permit. The intereft of both nations, he had every reafon to believe, would be difcuffed with temper and candour; for though a violent mob had recently acted in a riotous manner in Dublin, he trufted and was firmly perfuaded, that fuch illegal and unwarrantable proceedings had not met with the leaft encouragement or countenance, from the gentlemen of property, real influence, or character in Ireland. He could not bring himself to fuppofe even for a moment, that the people of that kingdom, who had uniformly, for a great length of time, conducted themselves in fo commendable a manner, and had given so many repeated proofs of their affection and good-will for this country, would take an advantage of its diftreffed fituation. Extremities he hoped were not wifhed for by either nation; the good nature of this country, the generofity of that, and the wisdom of both, would, he flattered himself, prevent them. The fubject of unanimity was too trite he found to be handled by him, or preffed on the Houfe in any new form. But, as he was perfuaded our fituation was fuch, that unanimity was our greatest and beft refource, the only true bafis, on which every profperous meafure in future. could be built; he could not help ftrenuoufly and warmly recommending it to gentlemen on every fide of the House. He hoped and trufted, that they could bury their diffen tions in the general good; and make the moft vigorous exertions, in order to advance the public fervice, at a time, that every head and every heart, fhould be united, to avert the danger with which the Empire was threatened: His Lordship therefore moved the following addrefs, Moft gracious Sovereign, We, your Majefty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament affembled, beg leave to return your Majefty the thanks of this house, for your most gracious fpeech from the throne. We are truly fenfible that in the prefent arduous fituation of affairs, we are called upon by every principle and every fentiment of duty to your Majefty, and to thofe we reprefent, to exert and to unite our utmost efforts in the support and defence of our country against a most injuft war, and one of the most dangerous confederacies that was ever formed against the crown and people of Great Britain. We fee and revere the goodnefs of Divine Providence, in fruftrating and difappointing the defigns of our enemies to invade this kingdom: and whenever they attempt to carry their menaces into execution, we trust that their attacks will be repelled, and their enterprize defeated, by the blef fing of the fame Providence on the valour and intrepidity of your Majefty's fleets and armies; and that your Majesty's gracious and endearing declaration of your confidence in the character and courage of your people will be justified, by the moft convincing proofs, that they are ftill animated by B 2 the |