of my fubjects; the improvement of the advantages we have obtained; and the increase of the public revenue, are the proper works of peace. To thefe important and neceffary objects my attention fhall be directed. I depend upon your conftant care to promote in your feveral counties that spirit of concord and that obedience to law, which is effential to good order, and to the happiness of my faithful fubjects. It is your part to dif courage every attempt of a contrary tendency; it fhall be mine firmly to maintain the honour of my crown, and to protect the rights fo my people.

His Majefty's moft gracious Speech to both houfes of parliament, November 15, 1763.

My lords and gentlemen, THE 'HE re-establishment of the pub. lic tranquility, upon terms of honour and advantage to my kingdoms, was the first great object of my reign that falutary measure has received the approbation of my parliament, and has fince been happily compleated, and carried into execution, by the definitive treaty. It has been, and fhall be, my endeavour to enfure the continuance of the peace, by a faithful and fteady adherence to the conditions upon which it was concluded: and I have the fatisfaction to acquaint you, that the feveral powers of Europe, who were engaged against us in the late war, have given me the ftrongest affurances of the fame good difpofition. Our principal care ought now to be employed to improve the valuable acquifitions, which we have made, and to cultivate the arts of peace

in fuch a manner, as may most effectually contribute to extend the commerce and to augment the happinefs of my kingdoms.

For thefe great purposes I have called you together. It will ever be my earnest wish and endeavour to demonftrate to my people, by my actions, the love which I bear them; and I doubt not of receiving from them the grateful and just returns of duty and affection. Gentlemen of the house of commons,

I will order the proper estimates for the fervice of the year to be laid before you. The heavy debts

contracted in the courfe of the late war, for many of which no provifion is yet made, call for your utmoft attention and the ftricteft frugality. I must however earneftly recommend to you the fupport of my fleet, to which our paft fucceffes have been fo much owing, and upon which the future welfare and importance of Great Britain do moft effentially depend. To eafe my people of fome part of those burthens, I have directed, as I promifed at the end of laft feffion of parliament, that the money arifing from the fale of the prizes vested in the crown, fhould be applied to the public fervice. It is my intention to referve, for the fame ufe, whatever fums fhall be produced by the fale of any of the lands belonging to me in the islands in the Weft Indies, which were ceded to us by the late treaty.

The improvement of the public revenue, by fuch regulations as fhall be judged moft expedient for that purpofe, deferves your ferious confideration. This will be the fureft means of reducing the ntional debt, and of relieving my

fubjects

fubjects from thofe burthens, which the expence of the late war have brought upon them; and will, at the fame time, eftablish the public credit upon the most solid foundation.

My lords and gentlemen, As the interefts and profperity of my people are the fole objects of my care, I have only to defire, that you will purfue fuch meafures, as are conducive to thofe ends, with dispatch and unanimity. Domeftic union will be effentially neceffary to remedy thofe evils which are the confequences of war, to enable us to reap the most permanent advantages from the conclufion of the peace, and to difcourage that licentious fpirit, which is repugnant to the true principles of liberty, and of this happy conftitution. In this opinion I truft that my fubjects will be confirmed by your example; and that they will be taught by your proceedings, to unite their utmoft endeavours to fupport fuch measures, as may equally tend to the honour and dignity of my crown, and to their own fecurity and happiness.

to your royal family, by the aufpicious birth of a fecond prince, and of expreffing our moft fincere wishes, that the fame divine bleffing may be continued to your ma jefty's illuftrious houfe, on which the prefervation of our holy reli gion, and our rights and liberties, do, under God, fo effentially depend.

We beg leave alfo to declare our utmoft gratitude to your majesty, for the re-establishment of the public tranquility upon terms of honour to your crown, and advantage to We have the firmyour people.

eft reliance on your majefty's most gracious affurances of your endeavours to fecure the continuance of a peace fo neceffary to the relief of your fubjects, who have long laboured under the burthen of a moft expenfive, though fuccefsful war, in every part of the globe; and we receive, with great fatisfaction, the communication which your majeny has been pleafed to make to us, of the good difpofition of the feveral powers engaged in the late war, whofe concurrence in your majefty's falutary intentions will, we truft, long enfure the tranqui lity of Europe.

We are deeply fenfible of your majefty's paternal care and attention for the improvement of your conquefts, and the extenfion of the commerce of your subjects, in which the public welfare is fo materially concerned ; and we will not fail, on our part, to exert our warmeit endeavours in forwarding your majefty's great and gracious purposes. For we have nothing more fincerely at heart, than that your majefty, having by your conduct impreffed on the minds of your faithful fubjects a full conviction of your true affection, may

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receive

receive from them the moft ample returns of duty and attachment which a loyal and grateful people can make.

Convinced, as we are, that domeftic union is effentially neceffary for fecuring the advantages derived to us from the late happy and honourable peace, we cannot fufficiently exprefs our abhorrence of that feditious fpirit which has of late manifefted itself in defiance of the laws, to the fubverfion of good order, and to the difgrace of liberty, whofe facred name it has fo infolently affumed. And we beg leave to affure your majefty, that by our zeal and application in bringing all offenders of that fort to juftice, as well as by our proceedings in general, we will endeavour to give fuch an example as may induce your majesty's fubjects to unite in difcouraging a licentioufnefs which is fo repugnant to the true principles of this happy conftitution, and in promoting fuch measures as may equally conduce to the honour and dignity of your majefty's crown, and to their own happinefs and fecurity.

zeal which your profefs, and firmly rely upon the exertion of it, against that licentious and factious fpirit, which is the most dangerous enemy to our excellent and invaluable conflitution.

To the king's most excellent majefty. The humble addrefs of the honourable boufe of commons to the king. Moft gracious fovereign, WE your majefty's moft dutiful

and loyal fubjects, the commons of Great Britain in parliamen affembled, beg leave to return your majefty the most humble and hearty thanks of this houfe, for your moft gracious fpeech from the thronc.

Permit us at the fame time, to offer our warmeft congratulations to your majefty on the aufpicious birth of another prince, and on the happy recovery of your royal confort, now further endeared to this country by the increase of those pledges of our liberty and future happiness.

We beg leave to congratulate your majefty on the completion of that great and falutary meafure, the re-establishment of the public tranquility upon terms fo honourable to your crown, and fo advantageous to your people.

Allow us, Sir, to affure your majefty that we feel the highest fatisfaction in the declaration which you are graciously pleafed to make of your refolution faithfully and fteadily to adhere to the conditions of the peace which your majesty has concluded: and that we cannot but consider the ftrong affurances of the fame good difpofition given by the feveral powers of Europe who were lately engaged against us, as the natural confequence of your majelly's wisdom and firmness, and as

a fur

a further prefage that the bleffings of peace will be uninterrupted and permanent.

We are truly fenfible of that paternal love to your people, of which your majefty is pleased to affure us in fo affecting a manner; and we will affiduously apply ourselves to the accomplishment of thofe great purposes for which your majefty has called us together; the improvements of our valuable acquifitions, the extenfion of our commerce, and the cultivating of every art of peace, which may either tend to alleviate the heavy burthens occafioned by the war, or may otherwife contribute to the general welfare of thefe kingdoms.

We beg leave to affure your majetly, that your faithful commons will chearfully grant to your majefty fuch fupplies as fhall be found neceffary for the fervice of the year; that they will be careful to maintain the navy of Great Britain upon the most refpectable footing; and that they look upon your majesty's earnest recommendation of this important object, as a teftimony of your royal attention to the true and effential interefts of this country.

We acknowledge, with the deepest sense of gratitude, your majefty's gracious and tender concern for the relief of your people, by directing, that the money arifing from the fale of prizes vested in the crown, fhall be applied to the public fervice; and for that additional mark of your royal beneficence, in fignifying your intention to referve for the fame ufe whatever fums fhall be produced by the fale of any of the lands belonging to the crown, in the islands of the Weft-Indies ceded by the late treaty.

Your majefly may be affured, that

we will beftow the strictest attention upon that interefting fubject, which your majefty has pointed out to our ferious confideration, and will diligently weigh every regulation which may be propofed for the improvement of the public revenue, as the most effectual method to reduce the national debt, to relieve your majefty's fubjects from the burthens of the late war, and to confirm and ftrengthen the public credit.

We are throughly convinced, by the whole tenor of your majefty's moft aufpicious reign, that the common good and profperity of your people, are the fole objects of your care; and, that we should therefore be wanting to ourfelves, and neglectful of our own happiness, if we did not purfue, with unanimity and difpatch, fuch measures as may best contribute to thefe great ends, and may most effectually difcourage that fpirit of diforder and licentioufnefs which is no lefs dangerous to liberty than deftructive of government.

Animated with thefe fentiments, we will endeavour, by our own conduct, to fet an example to others of duty to our fovereign, and of love to our country, being firmly perfuaded, that under a prince adorned with thofe virtues which diftinguish your majefty, your real interefts and thofe of your people are infeparable.

His majesty's most gracious answer.