THE PARLIAMENTARY REGISTER, DURING THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE SECOND PARLIA MENT OF THe United KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. THE HOUSE OF LORDS. TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1806. HE House met at three o'clock, when his Majesty's Royal commission was read, authorising several of the Great Officers of State, and a number of other Noble Peers therein named, or any five of them, to open the Parliament in his name. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Ellenborough, Lord Hawkesbury, and the Earl of Dartmouth, acted as Commissioners under the Royal authority, and the following most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament was read by the Lord Chancellor: In My Lords and Gentlemen, pursuance of the authority given to us by his Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, amongst other things, to declare the cause of his holding this parliament, his Majesty has directed us particularly to call your at tention to the most decisive success with which Providence has vouchsafed to bless his Majesty's arms at sea since you were last assembled in parliament. The activity and perseverance of his Majesty's fleets have been conspicuously displayed in the pursuit and attack of the different squadrons of the enemy, and every encounter has terminated to the honour of the British flag, and the VOL.L-1805-6. B diminution diminution of the naval force of the powers with whom his Majesty is at war; but the victory obtained over the combined flects of France and Spain off Cape Trafalgar, manifested, beyond any exploit recorded even in the annals of the British navy, the skill and enterprize of his Majesty's officers and seamen ; and the destruction of so large a proportion of the naval strength of the enemy, has not only confirmed, in the most signal manner, the maritime superiority of this country, but has essentially contributed to the security of his Majesty's dominions. His Majesty most deeply regrets that the day of that memorable triumph should have been unhappily clouded with the fall of the heroic commander under whom it was achieved, and he is persuaded that you will feel that this lamented but glorious termination of a series of transcendent exploits claims a distinguished expression of the Jasting gratitude of the country; and that you will therefore cheerfully concur in enabling his Majesty to annex to those honours which he has conferred on the family of the late Lord Viscount Nelson, such a mark of national munificence as may preserve to the latest posterity the memory of his name and services, and the benefit of his great example. His Majesty has commanded us further to inform you, that while the superiority of his arms at sea has been thus uniformly asserted and maintained, he has not been wanting in his endeavours to apply the means which were so liberally placed at his disposal in aid of such of the powers of the Continent, as evinced a determination to resist the formidable and growing encroachments of France. He has directed the several treaties entered into for this purpose to be laid before you; and though he cannot Jut deeply lament that the events of the war in Germany have disappointed his hopes, and led to an unfavourabe issue, yet yet his Majesty feels confident, that upon a review of the steps which he has taken, you will be of opinion that he has left nothing undone on his part to sustain the efforts of his allies, and that he has acted in strict conformity to the principles declared by him and recognized by Parliament as essential to the interests and security of his own dominions, as well as to the general safety of the Continent. It is a great consolation to his Majesty, and one in which he is persuaded you will participate, that though the Emperor of Germany has felt himself compelled to withdraw from the contest, his Majesty continues to receive from his august ally, the Emperor of Russia, the strongest assurances of unshaken adherence to that generous and enlightened policy by which he has hitherto been actuated; and his Majesty has no doubt that you will be fully sensible of the important advantages to be derived from preserving, at all times, the closest and most intimate connection with that sovereign. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, His Majesty has directed the estimates for the year to be laid before you, and he has commanded us to assure you, that they are framed upon the scale of exertion which the present situation of the country renders indispensable. His Majesty fully relies upon your granting him such supplies as, upon due deliberation, the public exigencies may appear to require. It is his earnest wish to contribute, by every means in his power, to alleviate the additional burthens which must ne cessarily be imposed upon his people: and with this view he has directed the sum of one million sterling, part of the proceeds arising from the sale of such prizes made on the powers with which he is at war, as are by law vested in the crown, to be applied to the public service of the year. My Lords and Gentlemen, His Majesty is most fully persuaded, that whatever pride and confidence you may feel in common with him in the success which has distinguished the British arms in the course of the present contest, you will be sensible how much the events of the war on the Continent, by which the predominant power and influence of France have been so unhappily extended, require the continuance of all possible vigilance and exertion, Under this impression, his Majesty trusts that your at tention will be invariably directed to the improvement of those means which are to be found in the bravery and discipline of his forces, in the zeal and loyalty of every class of his subjects, and in the unexhausted resources of his dominions, for rendering the British empire invincible at home as well as formidable abroad; satisfied by such efforts alone, the contest can be brought to a conclusion consistent with the safety and independance of the country, and with its rank amongst the nations of the world. Shortly after the Speech was read, the Chancellor being indisposed, retired; when Lord Ellenborough took the woolsack.-Lord Nelson was introduced, and took the oaths and his seat as an earl. The Marquis of Lansdown, Marquis Wellesley, and Lord St. John, also took the oaths and their seats, this being the first time of their appearing in their places in parliament since their accession to their present titles. A bill was then brought in by Lord Walsingham, and read a first time, according to the established usage of the house, previous to the Speech being taken into considera tion. His Majesty's most gracious Speech was then read by Lord Ellenborough from the Woolsack, and afterwards by the Clerk at the table. ADDRESS ON THE SPEECH, The Earl of Essex rose to move an Address to his Ma jesty, in answer to the Speech which had been delivered in his name. The noble earl assured their lordships of the extreme diffidence which he felt in addressing them on such a subject, when there were so many other noble lords whose talents were far more eminently suited to the task. Impressed with this feeling it was not his intention to trespass longer on the attention of their lordships than was barely necessary to introduce the Address, which he meant to have the honour of submitting to the house before he sat down. The importance of the victory which was obtained by his Majesty's fleet off Cape Trafalgar was a subject on which he was convinced there would be but one sentiment of every noble lord who heard him, but one feeling in the breast of every Briton, until they came to connect that with the idea of the great loss which the country had sustained thereby, in being deprived of a most heroic commander, whose life had been devoted to the service of his country. The mark of royal favour which was given to the family of a person who had performed such meritorious services to the state, he was confident, must be highly grateful to the feelings of every Englishman. His lordship, however, declared that he was equally confident that párliament would see that something further was necessary to be done, and that consequently such an immense series of the most glorious exploits as had been performed by that truly gallant officer, would not be suffered to go unrewarded by the legislature of his country. In adverting to the steps which had been taken by his Majesty's government towards establishing the peace and ensuring the future safety and independance of Europe, uoble lords would necessarily perceive that it was but fair and candid, that it was no more than a becoming token of respect for the high assurance which they had given them of such an endeavour having taken place to abstain from from any observation until they had the official documents laid upon the table, which would most incontestably prove that every thing that could possibly be done, was done, for the preservation of the honour of his Majesty's crown, the advancement of the interests of this country, and the support of our allies. In the mean time he would only call upon their lordships to shew the world that the country was united in itself, and that there was but one opinion amongst them, which was that of supporting our invaluable constitution, and with it the independance and permanent secu rity of every state in Europe, which had manifested an equal |